A land still shrouded in mystery, home to the stunning Transfagarasan Highway, outstanding Danube Delta, splendid hiking trails, charming medieval cities, and warm people, Romania is an European country visited by about 10 million foreign travelers back in 2019.

Just like every single country on the continent, Romania’s incoming tourism suffered badly from March 2020. While internally travel has only been fully discouraged for a short while (during the March – May lockdown), foreign travelers can’t still visit enter the country freely.

In this article, we’ll present some facts that should help you figured out if you could plan a trip to Romania in 2022.

Before you set off to book your flight to Romania or your accommodation , kindly double-check with the Romanian embassy in your country to make sure you have all the documents ready for your trip and you’d be allowed entry.

Is Romania open for travelers in 2022?

Yes, travelers from all over the world can enter Romania.

Update: March 12, 2022

Romania has lifted all restrictions. The EU vaccination certificate is no longer required to enter the country. And filling out the PLF has also been suspended.

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All citizens arriving in Romania need to fill in the PLF. It’s digital and mandatory (subject to fines if you don’t have one).

As of Feb 1, 2022, the entry requirements are changing across the European Union. The vaccination certificate would be valid for nine months after the last dose of the initial series; afterward, a booster is required to keep the certificate valid. Travelers who have taken the booster do not require additional testing or quarantine!

As of Jan 31, 2022, Romania has eliminated qualifying countries into green (low risk), yellow, red (high risk). Regardless of the country of origin, quarantine is now 5 days for unvaccinated travelers.

Travelers that can show a vaccination certificate, proof of recovery within the last 180 days, or a negative PCR test taken no longer than 72h before entering the country, will not quarantine.

What Can I do in Romania in 2022?

Well, everything,….

Update: March 12, 2022

The state of alert has been lifted as of March 9, 2022.

The mask mandate has been lifted outdoors and wearing a mask is “recommended” indoors.

Restaurants, clubs, gyms , etc can stay open over night. There’s no longer a restriction regarding the capacity. And the vaccination certificate is no longer needed to enter anything.

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The nighttime curfew has also been lifted and, for now, the restaurants must close at 10 p.m.

Travel between the regions is permitted. Accommodations can be booked, museums are open (based on local restrictions – see below), the hiking trails are also open, and the mask is not required on hiking trails or on the beach (as long as distance can be kept).

Local restrictions are further imposed based on the same infection rates as mentioned above.

Green Scenario designates places with incidents lower than or of 1.5 (per 1000 inhabitants). Between 1.5 and 3, it’s a Yellow Scenario, with indoor spaces open at 30% capacity, while 3 and above means Red Scenario.

The certificates are used to allow entry to accommodation, restaurants, large stores, and more. Some events might require additional testing regardless of vaccination status. Capacity is between 30 and 50% depending on the scenario.

• Sports events can accept in-person participants;
• Concerts, events, festivals are permitted outdoors for a maximum of 500 persons, while wearing a mask and staying 2 m apart.

Is Romania Vaccinating its Citizens?

As of mid-March, vaccination is open – voluntary and free – for all Romanian citizens who live in the country or abroad, as well as for foreign citizens who have legal residence in Romania.

There’s no need to make any appointment to get the jab and you can show up anytime of the day (provided the center is open, of course).

Drive-thrus are organized in some cities, including Bucharest, Arad, Deva, and Cluj-Napoca. Vaccination marathons take place on weekends in various cities.

The official website shows all the centers, as well as what vaccine is being offered in each.

Has the Looknwalk Team Been Vaccinated?

Yes, we have. When the vaccination opened for the general population in mid-March, we’ve added ourselves on the list to get Pfizer and we are now boosted and ready to get back to exploring Europe when we feel it’s safe for us.

Since, mid-March 2020, we’ve taken a day trip last June to the nearby forest and we’ve also taken a day trip in April 2020 to visit some (also vaccinated) friends who live nearby (and spent the day outdoors). We’ve been to several tango events in 2021. And we’ve even traveled abroad, to Szeged (Hungary) for a day trip in July 2021 (when both countries were in the green scenario).

Note: the article includes links that may qualify as affiliate links. If you book through them, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you).

The article has been last updated on Feb 2, 2022. Kindly check the official entry rules before you plan a trip to Romania. And, remember, having travel insurance gives you a safety net to take the stress out of your trip.