Where to stay in Bucharest
In Bucharest a place to stay is chosen by distance to a stop, not by name — the city runs two separate transport networks, not one ticket for everything.
- For a first visit
- Centrul Vechi (Lipscani)
- From the airport
- Bus 100 ends at Piața Unirii
- Hostel
- €7–15 for a dorm bed
Bucharest has no neighbourhood picked for a beach or a river view, and the gap between the centre and the rest of the city is sharper than in most capitals: the pedestrian zone of Centrul Vechi takes a few hours to walk end to end, while everywhere else depends on whether a Metrorex metro stop is nearby or only a public transport line — two separate networks, not one ticket.
Centrul Vechi (Lipscani) — the first pick
The pedestrian zone of Centrul Vechi, also known as Lipscani, takes 2–4 h to walk end to end — compact enough to cover on foot, with no ride needed. Bus 100 from the airport terminates at Piața Unirii, right on the edge of this zone, making it the area with the shortest route from the plane to a bed.
Why the neighbourhood isn't the main question
Outside the pedestrian zone, comfort comes down to distance from the nearest stop, not the neighbourhood's name — Bucharest runs two separate transport networks: the metro (Metrorex) and public transport (STB — bus, tram, trolleybus), with different tickets. An address that looks close to the centre on a map can sit far from both, if it's stuck between lines.
Bed prices
A hostel dorm bed is €7–15 a night; a double room in a three-star hotel is €27–45 per person. Hostel supply is densest right in and around Centrul Vechi — the neighbourhood changes the length of the ride into the centre more than the bed price itself.
What to check before booking
- Distance to a metro or STB stop, not to the city centre. Two listings equally far from Piața Unirii on the map can be five minutes' walk from a stop or twenty-five.
- Whether the listing relies on an old line. Bus 783 from the airport was replaced by line 100 back in 2023, but the old number still circulates in accommodation listings and forums.
- The metro and public transport aren't the same ticket. A booking near a metro stop doesn't necessarily mean near a tram or bus line, and the other way round.
Before you go
Short answers to what people ask most before setting out.
Which area is best for a first stay in Bucharest?
Centrul Vechi (Lipscani) — a pedestrian zone that takes 2–4 h to walk, with bus 100 from the airport stopping right on its edge.
Does the bed price change by neighbourhood?
A little — hostel supply is densest in and around Centrul Vechi, where the difference shows up mostly in the walk to a stop, not in the bed price itself.
How much does a bed cost in Bucharest?
A hostel is €7–15 a night; a double room in a three-star hotel is €27–45 per person.
Ready for Bucharest?
Where to next
What Bucharest costs
→Romania is not in the eurozone — you pay in lei (RON), but every price here is already converted to euro…
Brașov · 141 km
→A city Saxon guilds once defended with seven bastions, and inside those walls a street too narrow for a pair of shoulders — cut in the 15th century as a shortcut for firefighters.
How well does Bucharest suit you?
→Six questions: a score for this place and others like it.
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