As the more exotic road trip locations have generated some interest amongst certain members, I decided to fire up the old HDD and find some pictures from some road trips from several years ago. While road conditions and the environment will certainly have changed in the meantime (this is not to be seen as a representation of what you would find nowadays), I hope you will still get a flavour of the drive you can expect, if you decide to tackle these two most famous Romanian mountain passes.
While Transfagarasan needs little introduction - being one of the roads featured as possibly the best mountain pass in Europe on Top Gear - Transalpina at least back in the day was less famous, yet due to the influx of some EU money very interesting as well (more on that later).
The closest city to Transfagarasan is Sibiu, which is probably a good overnight stop before attempting the pass as early as you feel up to the following morning. A lovely city, with a Germanic core, and due to a strong presence of many foreign (primarily automotive) companies, one that managed to invest adequately in a large scale reinvigoration of the historical city centre. Looking back at the picture from 11 years the combination of the old Fiat 500, a Piaggio Ape, Alfa Romeo Spider and a Humvee was quite surprising
A short drive out of town the real adventure begins. And like in most places in Romania at the time, there's friendly pack of dogs to welcome you, even if these seem like the previous night was quite lively and some sleep was needed first
Like with many mountain passes, you do not start straight with the switchbacks but climb through some mildly twisty foothills first. These flow well and are good fun overall, albeit heightened attention was necessary, as the road surfaces were anything but smooth at the time. This has hopefully been addressed since - if so, it would have made the pass even better.
Where there's more of a risk of rocks, or water crossing a road, small covered sections to prevent grief are to be found - at least making sure that you can only focus on potential dangers from below (potholes), or the sides (wildlife).
Like the following - although cows tended to be the calmest, and least surprising participants in road traffic.
And they were not adverse to showing us what they thought of people curious to drive the pass and disturb them while at it
After the foothills that are good to get you and the tires warmed up, the climb proper starts. In a series of somewhat irregular switchbacks you ascend the pass to the top. The road is wide enough for cars to pass without slowing down (unless you are using all the road, in which case, yes, you probably have to), and if you are faced with slower traffic, there are short straights, where overtaking might be possible (depending on the speed difference and the acceleration potential you bring to the party).
Below one such example. Compared to the other road trips done, this is much more similar to the Grossglockner than say Stelvio - so you can build up a good speed and rhythm and enjoy the ascent fully. As always, a non-sunny weekday has advantages in terms of traffic, when compared to a sunny summer weekend
And here another shot from above, showing the pass in all its glory. The visibility might not have been perfect and the season not the lushest but you get the idea
And here the steed for the trip. It was quite seasoned by that point, being an adult in terms of European drinking age already. At the same time it was a great choice, offering good turbocharged torque for overtaking, a sufficiently comfortable interior (and seats) for spending many hours in it a day, and being stealthy enough to not raise any attention or appetite. Back in the day at least - nowadays at 29 it's almost an old timer by the classical definition
The only downside was that the brakes were not fully up to hard use on the passes - perfectly adequate on the somewhat flatter sections but fading noticeably on the hillier ones after prolonged use.
The top offered a cafe overlooking a small Alpine lake. With the visibility on the day not that much to be seen there...
But even in the height of summer there was a bit of snow left in the shadier spots.
There was a tunnel to traverse before the descent on the other side, and while the entry looked relatively conventional...
The lighting inside was sparse, giving a somewhat claustrophobic look and feel.
The other side, while not quite so switchback heavy, continued to offer a nice drive. Still I would recommend approaching from the North and descending towards the South (if you indeed intend to do both passes).
The South side also required a bit more caution in those turns that do not offer good visibility, as animals may surprise you behind each turn. With a modern car and fade free brakes perhaps less of a concern, with the veteran Volvo, there were some heart in mouth moments every now and again. Still, no animals were harmed in the making of this post
Even if they came in all shapes and sizes. Some of these dogs looked a tad less welcoming - given that they are supposed to protect the herds from the occasional wolf pack or bear, not fully surprising.
And as said - stay on your toes, as there are surprises you cannot simply swerve around...
But equally, driving fun remains even if full speed ahead is not practicable on all stretches.
Once you have descended down into the valley, the road passes over an accumulation dam of a hydro power plant, with some good old school sculpting on the side.
I kind of have a weak spot for feats of engineering, especially well visible and understandable ones
Continuing the time journey from the Cold War era to times prior, you also have one of the handful of preserved fortresses of Count Dracula just a short stretch further. It does require some stamina for the ascent, especially during summer, when it can be very, very hot and humid.
And like elsewhere, there's always some animal entertainment provided
On top you see some demonstration of why the count was called what he was called (Impaler).
While the displays might not be to everyone's taste, the views are worth the toil of climbing to the top - you can also see parts of the road you just traversed on the way here
On flatter territory the animals were less but there were other potential road obstacles to be aware off. I guess health and safety would have a couple of comments on that axe rack
I guess you would encounter much less of this nowadays but 11 years ago there was a surprise behind most corners. And it was a curvy road, even away from the passes...
Ascending Transalpina from the South presented a contrast to Transfagarasan. As mentioned in the beginning, some EU support meant roads with absolutely smooth surfacing, which were a pleasure to drive. At the same time, there were few if any barriers installed at that point in time, so enjoyment was at your own risk - and the stakes involved drops of sometimes several hundred meters.
The potential other traffic participants were similar, too, and hence care was needed here as well.
The mountains here were largely uninhabited, apart from the odd shepherd or his flock...
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Like the day before on Transfagarasan, giving the fast brick occasional rest periods to cool off the brakes helped here, too. I am definitely very partial, having done over 200k miles in the car but I still fin the design very appealing, in a 90s sort of way
Here a comparison of what the road surface was prior to the additional investment, which would have made quite a difference in the average speed. And not helped those brakes that much
One of the reasons why Transalpina got the road investment first was a nascent skiing resort being constructed at the same time - something Transfagarasan didn't have.
With the brakes recovered, there was plenty of further driving fun to be had. As said, with low traffic the perfect surfacing made quite a difference and many corners were better sighted, allowing you to anticipate obstacles more easily and not have to preemptively slow down just in case quite as often. At the same time the road was definitely narrower and the drops not quite as well protected.
The dogs were also similarly fierce here on the plateau. Wouldn't want to get on this one's bad side
I guess then and now Transalpina might have been more popular with the motorcyclists...
Some way down from the top plateau the road changed from the fresh tarmac to a section of gravel. Personally I quite enjoy the odd gravel stage, especially if it is good quality, without significant potholes or corrugations. This one definitely was.
I reckon this is a section you would definitely not find in the pictured state today - it has probably been tarmacked long ago. Still, a fitting special stage finale to the two most famous mountain passes from Romania.
Final verdict? Yes, I can fully follow Top Gear's recommendation of Transfagarasan - whether it's the best will definitely be in the eye of the beholder but it is a wonderful road offering lots of fun. Transalpina, having been less famous at the time was a somewhat different but no less exciting experience. Looking back at the pictures has increased the urge to return again, with a car more modern, for a before / after comparison. If you find yourself in the region and have some octane in your blood you will surely not regret it.
