How to Reach the Apuseni Mountains Without a Car

The Apuseni Mountains start forty minutes from Cluj-Napoca. The problem is that public transport effectively stops at Huedin — and from there you still have between 20 and 80 kilometres of mountain road to reach the places you came for.

The result is an odd situation: one of the most beautiful ranges in Romania sits an hour from a city of 300,000 people, yet is realistically accessible only by car. Here is what to do if you do not have one.

Why buses do not solve it

• Regular services run Cluj to Huedin and Cluj to Turda, and they are frequent. Beyond that, things thin out fast.
• To Belis and Marisel there are one or two local services a day, timed for commuters rather than visitors
• To Tarnita there is nothing at all
• To Padis there is no public transport, full stop
• For Turda Gorge you can reach Turda by bus, then you still have 8 km with no connection
• Accommodation in the region is scattered over tens of kilometres, so even catching a service leaves you walking

What actually works

A private transfer with a scheduled return

You agree the departure and the return time when you book, and the driver meets you at the agreed spot. One detail that matters more than people expect: large parts of the Apuseni have no mobile signal, so you cannot call for a ride once you come off a trail. That is why the return time is fixed in advance.

Transfer out, stay, transfer back

For longer trips. We drive to the exact address of your cabin — not the village centre — and schedule the return for your departure day.

A minibus, if you are a group

For 8 to 17 people, the 17-seat minibus carries both passengers and equipment (tents, rucksacks, skis), at a much lower cost per person than several cars.

The destinations, and what the drive costs

Prices are per car for up to 4 passengers, one way. For a return with waiting we agree a package price when you book.

Under an hour

• Lake Tarnita — 35 km, 45–60 min, from 160 lei. The closest mountain lake. Boats, paddleboards, lakeside terraces. No public transport whatsoever.
• Turda Gorge — 40 km, 45–60 min, from 180 lei. A marked trail of 1.5–2 hours there and back. Combines perfectly with the Turda Salt Mine in one day.
• Muntele Baisoara — 45 km, from 210 lei. Skiing in winter, hiking in summer.

An hour and a bit

• Marisel — 65 km, from 300 lei. A mountain village above 1,000 m.
• Rimetea — 70 km, from 320 lei. The white-house village below Piatra Secuiului; the climb to the ridge takes 1.5–2 hours.
• Belis-Fantanele — 75 km, from 340 lei. The lake at 1,000 m, the most popular cabin area in the Cluj Apuseni.
• Rachitele — 75 km, from 340 lei. The starting point for the Bride Veil waterfall.

Two to three hours

• Scarisoara Ice Cave — 120 km, from 540 lei. One of the largest underground glaciers in Europe.
• Arieseni — 130 km, from 590 lei. The best known resort in the range.
• Padis — 130 km, from 590 lei. The karst plateau, base for Cetatile Ponorului.
• Vartop — 140 km, from 630 lei. High altitude, so better snow and a longer season.
• Stana de Vale — 150 km, from 680 lei. A resort above 1,100 m.

Three things to know before you set off

1. The address matters enormously. Apuseni villages are scattered: homes sit spread across the hills, sometimes kilometres from the village centre. One address in Belis can be 20 minutes from another. Give us the exact name of the cabin or a location, not just the village.

2. Mobile signal is patchy or absent. On the Padis plateau and on many trails you will have none. Agree the time and place for the return before you get out of the car.

3. The last stretch is mountain road. Narrow, winding, sometimes with old asphalt. In winter we drive on winter tyres at reduced speed, and after snowfall the journey can take 30–45 minutes longer.

If you are arriving by air

Visitors landing at Cluj Airport with mountain accommodation can be collected straight from arrivals without going through the city: see Cluj Airport to Huedin, Cluj Airport to Arieseni or Cluj Airport to Baisoara. We track your flight and hiking or ski equipment travels at no extra cost.

See all available routes.