Transfagarasan Road (contains TG spoilers)
Discussion
Looks like the Transfagarasan road in Romania is about to make a guest appearance in the new series of Top Gear (starts Nov 15th). "The boys" are driving a Ferrari California an Aston DB9 Cabriolet and a Lambo Gallardo Spyder. But I suspect the road will be the real star in the film.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transf%C4%83g%C4%83r%...
And a Romanian website with on-location photos:
http://www.u-w-e.ro/TopGear/index.html
Road trip anyone? its a long way from blighty though!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transf%C4%83g%C4%83r%...
And a Romanian website with on-location photos:
http://www.u-w-e.ro/TopGear/index.html
Road trip anyone? its a long way from blighty though!
JoePublic said:
Didn't one of the Long Way Round/Down programs feature that too? I've seen a similarly spectacular road in Eastern Europe somewhere on TV.
Not sure, Long Way Down went down the spine of Italy, but Long Way Round did do Prague to Kiev to Volgograd, so they would have been just to the north of Romania. It must be something else but similar in vein.rufusruffcutt said:
JoePublic said:
Didn't one of the Long Way Round/Down programs feature that too? I've seen a similarly spectacular road in Eastern Europe somewhere on TV.
Not sure, Long Way Down went down the spine of Italy, but Long Way Round did do Prague to Kiev to Volgograd, so they would have been just to the north of Romania. It must be something else but similar in vein.
Another one for the diary !!Great looking road - it's suggested on certain Romanian websites that the road was closed for TG to film the sequence so it looked particularly good with no traffic.
This YouTube video shows more of the road than TG managed in the few minutes we were shown on the show but possibly more representative....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RqzJ5HeqqY
This YouTube video shows more of the road than TG managed in the few minutes we were shown on the show but possibly more representative....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RqzJ5HeqqY
dom180 said:
It's suggested on certain Romanian websites that the road was closed for TG to film the sequence so it looked particularly good with no traffic.
Next you're going to suggest that friendly government officials don't allow every group of Westerners with nice cars to play in the tunnels...Chris71 said:
dom180 said:
It's suggested on certain Romanian websites that the road was closed for TG to film the sequence so it looked particularly good with no traffic.
Next you're going to suggest that friendly government officials don't allow every group of Westerners with nice cars to play in the tunnels...Expect to find a caravan lumbering along...
(See centre of this picture!)
And yes, the road was closed for 2 days, to allow TG to play...
http://www.romaniantimes.at/news/Sports/2009-09-24...
(See centre of this picture!)
And yes, the road was closed for 2 days, to allow TG to play...
http://www.romaniantimes.at/news/Sports/2009-09-24...
dom180 said:
Chris71 said:
dom180 said:
It's suggested on certain Romanian websites that the road was closed for TG to film the sequence so it looked particularly good with no traffic.
Next you're going to suggest that friendly government officials don't allow every group of Westerners with nice cars to play in the tunnels...That said, at 6 O'clock in the morning... Which isn't too big an ask if you've driven 1,500 miles to get there.
Chris71 said:
dom180 said:
Chris71 said:
dom180 said:
It's suggested on certain Romanian websites that the road was closed for TG to film the sequence so it looked particularly good with no traffic.
Next you're going to suggest that friendly government officials don't allow every group of Westerners with nice cars to play in the tunnels...That said, at 6 O'clock in the morning... Which isn't too big an ask if you've driven 1,500 miles to get there.
hi guys, am romanian, can maybe give a few bits of info
- the road is well paved (for the most of it), it's true that it's only got 3 months a year of trafic (that's for how long it stays open), but the weather conditions in the winter are just as big of an enemy (high altitude); it is surprising that it holds so well, because as far as I know it hasn’t been redone since 20 years ago (I may be wrong);
- for the time it's open it's not too busy, except the week-ends when most bucharestians aim for the cabana at the top (therefore only half of the road is busy - the one towards Bucharest; the more interesting half, the one in your pictures, is towards Sibiu);
- not likely for caravans and horse and carts to take it, I reckon no horse could make it on those slants, not really any villages on the way either, it's pretty much tourist trafic only; that said - anything's possible at least once!
- except for tiny caban (Balea Lac) at the very top (limited beds) not really any other accomodation option on the way, so aim to make it in a day;
- you’ll enjoy it, especially on motor bike I heard
- the dictator who ordered building it was a bit of a megalomaniac (in a sad, sad way...) - see the monstruous people's palace...
- you will never get in those tunnels, i'll bet any of you
other useful tips for driving in romania:
- very few kms of motorway, hence most of the roads go through villages (not necessarily gipsy either) so mind the kids, pets etc.;
- roads are slow (because of the above and trafic), but by now generally quite good – trust me Top Gear aimed for a bit of a drama;
- other cars in trafic are more dangerous than horse and carts - romanians are quite agressive, ill-mannered drivers (outside the cars they are ok though, especially in pubs);
- no drinking allowed at all, no speeding (policemen can get quite anal if they catch you doing it; you will find it frustrating how they're always around when you're in a hurry, never when you have to deal with a bad driver pushing up your bum);
And we have a saying: don't speak of rope in the house of the hanged man; we don't like jokes about communism, painfull memories... we even prefer "the most corrupt country in europe" to that) poorest, whatever you want
sorry I jumped in, was curious of reactions to that show and stumbled across your forum, thought I’d say hello
mirela
- the road is well paved (for the most of it), it's true that it's only got 3 months a year of trafic (that's for how long it stays open), but the weather conditions in the winter are just as big of an enemy (high altitude); it is surprising that it holds so well, because as far as I know it hasn’t been redone since 20 years ago (I may be wrong);
- for the time it's open it's not too busy, except the week-ends when most bucharestians aim for the cabana at the top (therefore only half of the road is busy - the one towards Bucharest; the more interesting half, the one in your pictures, is towards Sibiu);
- not likely for caravans and horse and carts to take it, I reckon no horse could make it on those slants, not really any villages on the way either, it's pretty much tourist trafic only; that said - anything's possible at least once!
- except for tiny caban (Balea Lac) at the very top (limited beds) not really any other accomodation option on the way, so aim to make it in a day;
- you’ll enjoy it, especially on motor bike I heard
- the dictator who ordered building it was a bit of a megalomaniac (in a sad, sad way...) - see the monstruous people's palace...
- you will never get in those tunnels, i'll bet any of you
other useful tips for driving in romania:
- very few kms of motorway, hence most of the roads go through villages (not necessarily gipsy either) so mind the kids, pets etc.;
- roads are slow (because of the above and trafic), but by now generally quite good – trust me Top Gear aimed for a bit of a drama;
- other cars in trafic are more dangerous than horse and carts - romanians are quite agressive, ill-mannered drivers (outside the cars they are ok though, especially in pubs);
- no drinking allowed at all, no speeding (policemen can get quite anal if they catch you doing it; you will find it frustrating how they're always around when you're in a hurry, never when you have to deal with a bad driver pushing up your bum);
And we have a saying: don't speak of rope in the house of the hanged man; we don't like jokes about communism, painfull memories... we even prefer "the most corrupt country in europe" to that
) poorest, whatever you want sorry I jumped in, was curious of reactions to that show and stumbled across your forum, thought I’d say hello
mirela
hello!places to stay:
- in Curtea de Arges (the southern end of the road) – small (boring) town, likely to find accomodation, try looking in advance if you want something really nice, otherwise for sure they’ll have a spare room at the town’s hotel (probably around 60-70 pounds a night) – not the fanciest, but handy solution: http://www.posada.ro/hotel_posada.htm
- probably there are some pensions around Curtea de Arges as well, it’s not the most developed area, I personally try to avoid them because I prefer staying in Sibiu – more, nicer options;
- in Sibiu (at the northen end) – quite lovely town (actually probably the nicest in Romania), loads of pensions & hotels, worth looking a few up beforehand as the nicest are always tucked away
Worth staying in the town center too. Look up cultural activities - ideas for pensions
http://www.casaluxemburg.ro/accommodation-sibiu-ga...
http://carta.ro/cazare-sibiu/casa-veche/?f=2
http://www.pensiunesibiu.ro/index.htm
http://www.la-maison-francaise.ro/component/option...
hotels
http://www.ramadasibiu.ro/
- in between – unlikely, except for Cabana Balea Lac – call in advance, not sure about the conditions: http://www.cabanabalealac.ro/Home.11.0.html
Preferably to look up the places you want to stay in in advance, saves you having to compromise. Search pensiune/ pensiuni, pension/s, cazare, accomodation, hotel, hostel, + the name of the town or area; most websites have pages in English;
Depending on how you plan to get here you’ll have different routes, so can’t really say more. I’ve got a few places in my favourites that I would recommend, they’re spread across the country. If you’re interested... we generally prefer staying at pensions:
- http://www.pensiunea-septembrie.ro/camere.html - on the Danube, next to the Serbian border, pretty landscape;
- http://www.casatisaru.ro/ - near Buzau, won some architecture prize, difficult to book, very popular; great for city escape;
- http://www.vila-dalia.ro/ - if the previous one is booked and you still want to be in the area...
- http://www.larix.com.ro/content/ro/index.php - close to Cluj, again interesting architecture – hope they finish that indoors pool sometime!
- http://www.roturism.com/cazare/pensiunea-unglerus-... - around the fortiffied churches (Sighisoara, Biertan, close to Prince Charles house in Lancram I believe it is), they do bike rentals – quite good bikes, saves you carrying it;
- http://www.dracul.ro/ - for horseriding and if you fancy something called Dracula’s Inn – nothing to do with it of course
- http://www.pecailarasnov.ro/contact.htm - more horseriding, close to Bran Castle
- http://www.gainusademunte.ro/ - easy to get to from Bucharest, very comfortable
- http://aldomas.ro/?a=kezdo&lng=3 - for really simple, beautiful life
and if you let them know on time and the weather is good they'll take you paragliding in tandem!Am sure there are others, despite a lot of really ugly ones as well.
handy website: http://www.roturism.com/
hope I’ve been of help,
mirela
Edited by mireille on Friday 20th November 14:56
Edited by mireille on Friday 20th November 14:58
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