Car & Van Hire - Otopeni

Every tour of Bucharest and the region of Muntenia should start with a quick foray into the city of Otopeni because what it lacks in size, it makes up for in events, culture and entertainment. The city’s roots can be traced back to the Iron Age, with pottery and other artefacts found here displayed in Bucharest’s history museum.

Reminding visitors of times gone by, but from the perspective of automobiles, the Țiriac Collection is Otopeni’s greatest tourist attraction. It displays over 150 historical and luxury sports vehicles belonging to former tennis player Ion Țiriac. Among them, visitors can spot models from 1899, cars that were once owned by celebrities, such as Sir Elton John, and unique collections like the only 6-piece Rolls Royce Phantom series in the world.

The city’s foremost cultural landmark, Centrul Cultural Ion Manu, is the go-to place for ballet, theatre, art galleries, dance shows, symphonic music, folkloric festivals and marching bands. Teenagers and those more in tune with contemporary music will likely enjoy pop concerts and performances by musical bands known locally as "taraf".

For a fun day out with the kids, head over to the Water Park, where you will find an ample supply of sun loungers, waterslides for every type of adventurer, a lazy river, kids' pools, a tennis field, beach sports and baby areas. The Therme wellness centre can also help you unwind while the kids have their aquatic fun. With a family lounge, water playground, beach and several parks, there’s plenty for them to do at Europe’s largest wellness centre while the grown-ups enjoy their hydromassage, spa and sauna or a dip in the mineral pool. Once refreshed, take a breather in the library, stroll through Romania’s largest botanical garden or sample the local cuisine at the in-house restaurant.

Sports lovers will undoubtedly enjoy a day at Stadionul Otopeni, the multi-use stadium that hosts mainly football matches with an audience of 1,300 people. To let off some steam, finish the day with a mushroom hunt in Pădurea Petrești or go aeroplane spotting at the ‘OTP Delta’ scenic point.

The best thing about car and van hire in Otopeni is that you have the freedom to travel to the adjoining city of Băneasa. There’s much to see and do here, starting with Bucharest Zoo, Casa Albă Park and Garden and the sprawling local forest, Pădurea Băneasa.

Otopeni is a small city that developed around the local airport. Less than 7 km long, the city takes mere minutes to drive through via the DN1/E60 route. As with other European routes, the speed limit on this road and the adjoining DNCB beltway is usually 100 km/h, but variable speed limits are in place as drivers approach the airport.

Several schools, academies, nurseries and after-school venues operate in the area. In their vicinity and in built-up areas, the driving speed may be limited to 50 km/h. But elsewhere in the city, the limit is typically 90 km/h. As it lies on the E60 route, Otopeni sees some heavy traffic over the holidays, but it’s usually fluid during the rest of the year.

While most road signs at the airport are bilingual (Romanian and English), drivers should be vigilant in residential areas, as local traffic signs tend to be in Romanian only. This residential community driven by urban sprawl is made up of generations of commuters to the capital. So, many of its residents are multilingual and able to help with directions.

In terms of rules and regulations, a car hire in Otopeni is more convenient than driving your right-hand drive vehicle. Here, the steering wheel is on the left side. Drivers must keep to the right, give priority to vehicles coming from the right side and allow vehicles on roundabouts to exit first. Be sure to only overtake on the left side. Overtaking is prohibited at crossings, bridges, roundabouts and on street humps.

When driving in Otopeni, you should remember to always use approach lights but also avoid using the car horn between 22:00 and 06:00. Take extra care at zebra crossings as they don’t usually come with traffic lights and any pedestrian is entitled to cross safely as soon as they step foot on the marked area. Finally, booster seats are compulsory for 3 to 11-year-olds not yet 1.35 m tall. Also, children can only be placed on the front passenger seat if they are at least 1.5 m tall, or 1.35 m and with a booster seat.
 Jump to top