# How do I plan Via Transilvanica?

In short — thru-hike: map + Maior GPX and the Hiker's Guide; one section: the land page + day chapters; cycling: the Cyclist's Guide; preparation: guide + videos + app; Brașov: the Borza extension (187.9 km measured, single source); proof: the 1400km+ list. Maior measures 1,392.8 km between Putna and Drobeta; 1,600 is the official rounded network figure. Below: the detailed verdict, measured access and the 8 lands.

## The quick verdict

- Thru-hike: [Map + Maior GPX](https://www.viatransilvanica.com/ro/harta) — 1,392.8 km measured Putna→Drobeta (official: “around 1,400”), with [the Hiker's Guide](https://www.viatransilvanica.com/ro/ghid-vt) day chapters. From Bucharest Drobeta is nearer (341.0/280); from Cluj, Putna (270.4/359). Start north or south, as the lands page says.

- One section: Land page + GPX — Pick the land by area and time: each has an official page, [dated GPX](https://www.viatransilvanica.com/ro/harta) and [guide day chapters](https://www.viatransilvanica.com/ro/ghid-vt) (map, elevation profile, infrastructure). Stages of a few days or a whole land — same official page.

- Cycling: [The Cyclist's Guide](https://www.viatransilvanica.com/ro/ghid-vt) — A separate free guide for cyclists (RO/EN), plus [the interactive map](https://www.viatransilvanica.com/ro/harta) and [the VT app](https://www.viatransilvanica.com/ro/ghid-vt). “By bicycle” is also an official 1400km+ list mode.

- Preparation: Guide + videos + app — The intro chapter of general advice, [the 5 prep videos](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTuIDyfs3HY&list=PLWdNel3JWrXl0FnMQdNVwhsWz09eHdcAl) (backpack, clothing, dogs, bears), [the VT app](https://www.viatransilvanica.com/ro/ghid-vt) (iOS+Android) and [the Safety page](https://safe.viatransilvanica.com/). Difficulty is estimated so “almost anyone” can walk it.

- Brașov / Borza: [The Borza Teutonica extension](https://www.viatransilvanica.com/ro/tinuturi/terra-borza-teutonica) — The first Maior extension: 187.9 km measured (single source) between Archita and Brașov, via Viscri, Poiana Mărului, Bran and Râșnov. Brașov is an access gate to the main route, not the Maior terminus.

- Proof: [The 1400km+ Hikers list](https://www.viatransilvanica.com/ro/drumeti-1400km) — Walked it end to end? [Form](https://www.viatransilvanica.com/ro/drumeti-1400km) + verification by a VT team member. Four modes: on foot, horseback, bicycle, running. The “1,400km+” name fits the measured 1,392.8 of the Maior.

## Access, measured by road

- Piața Unirii → Putna: 521.8 km, 413 min

- Piața Unirii → Drobeta-Turnu Severin: 341.0 km, 280 min

- Piața Unirii → Brașov: 181.8 km, 165 min

- Cluj-Napoca → Putna: 270.4 km, 359 min

- Cluj-Napoca → Drobeta-Turnu Severin: 376.5 km, 350 min

- Cluj-Napoca → Brașov: 274.8 km, 262 min

## The lands, one by one

### The official resources, compared

- [The Hiker's Guide](https://www.viatransilvanica.com/ro/ghid-vt): general advice + the route by 8 lands and by days (map, elevation profile, infrastructure); free RO/EN/DE/HU/ES, updated periodically

- [The Cyclist's Guide](https://www.viatransilvanica.com/ro/ghid-vt): separate guide for riding it by bicycle; free RO/EN

- [Map + GPX](https://www.viatransilvanica.com/ro/harta): interactive map (each colour = one day) + 9 dated GPX files, July–August 2026; online + download, layers (lodging etc.)

- [The VT app](https://www.viatransilvanica.com/ro/ghid-vt): the official trail app; iOS + Android

- [Safety](https://safe.viatransilvanica.com/): the official safety page; online (content lives there only)

- [The 1400km+ list](https://www.viatransilvanica.com/ro/drumeti-1400km): signup for end-to-end hikers, with verification; online form, 4 modes

### Bucovina

- 144 km (land page); Maior measures 146.3 on the same stretch.

- Starts at Putna Monastery (Ștefan cel Mare), via Sucevița, Vatra Moldoviței, the Obcine, Mestecăniș Pass; ends at Poiana Stampei.

- Road gate: Putna; from Cluj 270.4/359, from Bucharest 521.8/413.

The first land, the north end of the Maior.

### Ținutul de Sus

- 210 km (land page); 216.8 measured from GPX (double-corroborated).

- Starts at Lunca Ilvei (Bistrița-Năsăud, Rodna foothills); mountains, lowland forests, gentle hills, plains; ethnic diversity.

- The Bucovina junction is at Poiana Stampei / Lunca Ilvei (confirmed geometrically).

The second land, out of the mountains toward the plains.

### Terra Siculorum

- 150.6 km measured from GPX (double-corroborated); the page gives no length.

- Câmpu Cetății → Sovata–Praid depression → Székely villages → Odorheiu Secuiesc (hearth-town) → Archita (Harghita/Mureș border).

- Gentle hills, meadows, forests; stages vary in difficulty.

The Székely land, from the mountains to Archita.

### Terra Saxonum

- 199.8 km measured from GPX (double-corroborated); the page gives no length.

- Archita → Brașov county → revived Saxon villages (Mureș) → Sighișoara → Sibiu county → Micăsasa.

- Fortified churches, the bacon tower; Sighișoara is in the [orase-medievale](https://mariuscomper.uk/orase-medievale/) guide.

The Saxon land, with Sighișoara in the middle.

### Terra Dacica

- 294.6 km measured from GPX (double-corroborated) — the longest land; the page gives no length.

- Alba and Hunedoara counties: the Mureș valley, Târnave plateau, toward Retezat; enters Caraș-Severin via Poarta de Fier a Transilvaniei.

- Small-to-medium difficulty (the only official difficulty rating read).

The longest stretch, small–medium difficulty.

### Terra Banatica

- 241.5 km measured from GPX (double-corroborated); the page gives no length.

- Mountain Banat: Poarta de Fier a Transilvaniei → “Gugulan country” → national parks with secular forests → the Nera.

- Caraș-Severin: 15 ethnic minorities, peaceful coexistence (land page).

Mountains, secular forests and 15 ethnicities.

### Terra Romana

- 143 km (land page: “the last 143”); 143.2 measured from GPX (double-corroborated).

- From Crușovăț (Caraș-Severin) through Mehedinți: unique climate, Dacian-Roman stories, the Mehedinți Plateau — an “epic finish”.

- Ends at Drobeta-Turnu Severin; road gate: from Bucharest 341.0/280, from Cluj 376.5/350.

The last land, the south end of the Maior.

### Terra Borza Teutonica

- 187.9 km measured from GPX (single source — a Minor branch with no Maior-file counterpart).

- The first Maior extension, Archita to Brașov: Viscri → Poiana Mărului → Bran → Râșnov → Brașov.

- Brașov (Kronstadt) is an access gate to the main route; Bran/Râșnov are in the [castele-de-vizitat](https://mariuscomper.uk/castele-de-vizitat/) guide.

The Minor extension: Brașov as the way in.

“Measured” lengths are haversine calculations from the official GPX files of 19-08-2026 (Siculorum 21-07-2026), not VT-published distances; r2–r7 are double-corroborated (region file + Maior), Borza is single-source. Bucovina: the land page says 144 km (Maior measures 146.3 on the same stretch); the region file contains extra loops and is not used here. Sucevița: the [manastiri-pictate](https://mariuscomper.uk/manastiri-pictate/) guide. Sighișoara: the [orase-medievale](https://mariuscomper.uk/orase-medievale/) guide. Bran/Râșnov: the [castele-de-vizitat](https://mariuscomper.uk/castele-de-vizitat/) guide. Fortified churches: the [biserici-fortificate](https://mariuscomper.uk/biserici-fortificate/) guide. Putna stays scenery, with no guide pointer (not covered by manastiri-pictate).

## Practical

### Money
The guides download free from [the Ghid VT page](https://www.viatransilvanica.com/ro/ghid-vt). VT asks for maintenance-and-development donations and runs a membership programme. Trail tariff: none officially found — uncited.

### Gates
Putna (north), Drobeta-Turnu Severin (south), Brașov (Borza). From Bucharest: Drobeta 341.0/280, Brașov 181.8/165, Putna 521.8/413. From Cluj: Putna 270.4/359, Brașov 274.8/262, Drobeta 376.5/350. Start north or south.

### Method
“Measured” lengths are haversine from the dated official GPX (regional 19-08-2026, Siculorum 21-07-2026, Maior 19-08-2026), rounded to 0.1 km. R2–R7 match in both files; Borza exists in one file only. Bucovina: the region file has extra loops (+31 km), hence 144 + the 146.3 note.

### Gaps
Official season: none found on the pages read — no season advice here. No lodging/food/water inventory here: they live on the official map layers and day chapters. No estimated hiking times and no guarantees everything is operational. Emergencies: the VT Safety page.

## Questions

### How is the trail marked?
An andesite km-borne every kilometre, signpost pillars at intersections and very dense paint marks — the Concept page. The bornes are individually sculpted and form “one of the largest open-air sculpture exhibitions in the world”.

### How many km is it really — 1,400 or 1,600?
Both official figures reconcile: the Putna–Drobeta Maior measures 1,392.8 km in the GPX (“around 1,400”, says the page), and with the Borza branch (187.9 measured) the network reaches 1,580.7 — consistent with the official rounded 1,600. Borza branches at Archita; it does not extend the terminus.

### Do the guides cost anything?
No: the Hiker's Guide (RO/EN/DE/HU/ES) and the Cyclist's Guide (RO/EN) download free from [the Ghid VT page](https://www.viatransilvanica.com/ro/ghid-vt); the map, GPX and app are there too. VT asks for maintenance-and-development donations.

### Can it be done by bicycle?
Yes — there is a separate Cyclist's Guide, and “by bicycle” is an official 1400km+ list mode alongside on foot, horseback and running.

### How do I join the 1400km+ list?
Fill in the form on the Drumeți 1400km+ page after the end-to-end hike; a VT team member contacts you for verification.

### When is the season?
We found no official season recommendation on the VT pages read (neither months nor weather) — so this page gives no season advice. Check the map and guide before leaving.

## Sources

- [VT — Lands (Maior/Minor, 1,600, variants)](https://www.viatransilvanica.com/ro/tinuturi)

- [VT — Concept (signage, bornes)](https://www.viatransilvanica.com/ro/concept)

- [VT — Bucovina](https://www.viatransilvanica.com/ro/tinuturi/bucovina)

- [VT — Ținutul de Sus](https://www.viatransilvanica.com/ro/tinuturi/tinutul-de-sus)

- [VT — Terra Siculorum](https://www.viatransilvanica.com/ro/tinuturi/terra-siculorum)

- [VT — Terra Saxonum](https://www.viatransilvanica.com/ro/tinuturi/terra-saxonum)

- [VT — Terra Dacica](https://www.viatransilvanica.com/ro/tinuturi/terra-dacica)

- [VT — Terra Banatica](https://www.viatransilvanica.com/ro/tinuturi/terra-banatica)

- [VT — Terra Romana](https://www.viatransilvanica.com/ro/tinuturi/terra-romana)

- [VT — Terra Borza Teutonica](https://www.viatransilvanica.com/ro/tinuturi/terra-borza-teutonica)

- [VT — Map + GPX](https://www.viatransilvanica.com/ro/harta)

- [VT — Guides (Hiker + Cyclist, free)](https://www.viatransilvanica.com/ro/ghid-vt)

- [VT — 1400km+ Hikers](https://www.viatransilvanica.com/ro/drumeti-1400km)

- [VT — Safety](https://safe.viatransilvanica.com/)

- [The manastiri-pictate guide (Sucevița)](https://mariuscomper.uk/manastiri-pictate/)

- [The orase-medievale guide (Sighișoara)](https://mariuscomper.uk/orase-medievale/)

- [The castele-de-vizitat guide (Bran, Râșnov)](https://mariuscomper.uk/castele-de-vizitat/)

- [The biserici-fortificate guide](https://mariuscomper.uk/biserici-fortificate/)

- [VT — 5 prep videos (YouTube)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTuIDyfs3HY&list=PLWdNel3JWrXl0FnMQdNVwhsWz09eHdcAl)