The Transalpina climbs to 2,145 m at the Urdele Pass — about 100 metres higher than the Transfăgărășan. It is the highest paved road in Romania and, for now, the quieter of the two.
If the Transfăgărășan is the star, the Transalpina (DN67C) is the road you take when you want the same ridges with fewer cars nose to tail. Except it has a short season and a few rules that change from year to year. Below: when you can go up, what the road is really like, and which car to set off in if you are doing it in a rental.
When it is open: a short season and set hours
The alpine section, between Rânca and Obârșia Lotrului, usually opens only towards the end of May or in June and closes at the first serious snow — in 2025 traffic was officially stopped on 20 October. In winter the road is closed entirely.
Even in season, it is daytime only. In 2026 the hours on the ridge section were:
- 29 May – 30 June: 09:00–20:00
- 1 July – 31 August: 07:00–21:00
- closed at night
On the same alpine section the speed limit is 30 km/h and vehicles over 3.5 tonnes are barred. The schedule is set annually, so check road conditions with DRDP Craiova before you set off — in some years the reopening slips into June.
The route: 148 km, Novaci–Sebeș
DN67C links Novaci (Gorj) to Sebeș (Alba) over 148 km, crossing the Parâng mountains. Without stops it takes 3–4 hours. With photo stops — and you will stop often — reckon on 5–6 hours or even a full day.
The most spectacular part is the section between Rânca and Obârșia Lotrului, some 20 km of ridge road running past peaks over 2,000 m. Along the way you pass the Rânca resort, the lunar plateau at Urdele, then Obârșia Lotrului with the Vidra reservoir and, further north, Lake Oașa. One practical detail that is easy to forget: there are no petrol stations on the mountain section. Fill up at Novaci (from the south) or Sebeș (from the north) and set off with a full tank.
It is a long way from Bucharest: about 330 km on the A1 to Sebeș (3.5–4 hours). Which is why the Transalpina works best folded into a tour of Transylvania or Oltenia — based in Sibiu, for example, entering from Sebeș and dropping south.
Which car to do it in
The good news: the road is paved for almost its entire length, so you do not need a 4x4. A normal car with a decent engine climbs it without trouble. Two things matter more: good brakes for the long descents, and air conditioning for the warm valleys at the foot.
At altitude the temperature drops sharply — you can have 30 degrees at Novaci and 8–10 degrees at the Urdele Pass, with wind. Take a jacket, even in July. And do not rush: the hairpins are tight, and at 30 km/h there is nowhere to rush to anyway.
Transalpina or Transfăgărășan?
If you have to pick one: the Transfăgărășan is the more "touristic" of the two, with tunnels, viaducts and the Bâlea waterfall — and busier on summer weekends. The Transalpina is longer, more open, wilder, with less traffic and alpine plateau views. Both share the same short season and the same weather traps.
If you have the time, do both on the same trip: they are relatively close together, and the scenery is completely different.
In short
- Altitude: 2,145 m at the Urdele Pass, the highest paved road in the country.
- Route: DN67C, 148 km, Novaci–Sebeș; 3–4h without stops, a full day with them.
- Season: open ~June–October; in 2026, daytime only (07:00–21:00 in summer), 30 km/h on the ridge.
- Fuel: fill up at Novaci or Sebeș — there are no petrol stations on the mountain.
- Kit: a normal car is enough; take warm clothes, even in summer.
- From Bucharest: ~330 km to Sebeș; best folded into a Sibiu or Oltenia tour.
The easiest approach is to pick the car up at Otopeni, break the journey in Sibiu and take on the Transalpina rested. With unlimited mileage, the round trip through the mountains changes nothing about your price.
