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Oradea

Road to Cluj

E60

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E60

Road to Brasov

Rupea

E60

Roads > E60

The road is a main throughway connecting one of the four major border crossings with Hungary with the capital, Bucuresti. Technically, the road starts at the border crossing in the town of Bors. The next 14 kilometers bring you quickly to ORADEA, a large city on the western side of Romania. Oradea has traditionally been the center of this region, historically referred to as Crisana.

Navigating Oradea can be an adventure at times. The city provides public transportation in the form of busses and tramways. The tramway rail is embedded in the road and runs, more often than not, in the same lane as that intended for vehicles. On a motorcycle that can make for tricky maneuvering, especially in the rain—those rails can be unforgiving. So, aside from heavy traffic during the day, watch out for the tram rails.

The road from Oradea to Cluj-Napoca can be a real pleasure to ride. As with most major cross-country roads, it is heavily trafficked by commercial vehicles and trucks. This can make for a busy ride, requiring increased attention and care. The exceptional road quality and scenery makes for a very pleasant trip, especially as you approach Cluj. The section between the towns of Alesd and Huedin is quite scenic, with the road meandering through valleys bordered by terraced hills on both sides. The road also provides a first-hand view of the transforming beauty of rural Romania.

Huedin constitutes the main gate to start exploring the nearby natural wonders—mountains, caves, and waterfalls. Ciucea is a place dear to Romanians and Hungarians, as it was home to Romanian poet and politician, Octavian Goga and Hungarian poet, Ady Endre. Negreni claims to host a fabulous Saturday flea market. As the road approaches Cluj, the curves become tighter, the elevation increases and the hairpin turns more frequent—a real delight for any motorcyclist.

Riding into Cluj it becomes obvious that this is a large and growing city. New dealerships, superstores, small factories and new construction dot the roadside. A city with a long history and an important university center, CLUJ-NAPOCA has a vibrant personality and energy with its trendy coffee shops, swanky bars and up-to-the-minute Euro fashion on the streets. Cluj is an ethnically diverse city with a large Hungarian population. In the 1970s, Ceausescu added Napoca to the city’s name to signify its Daco-Roman roots. However, most people refer to the city as Cluj.

Riding through town, aside from traffic, should not pose any problems. The center of town is easily found following the signs and all major directions leading out-of-town are well marked. What you may find odd, especially coming from the U.S., is the web of electrical wires suspended above most major city avenues—the town employs trolley busses as its main public transportation. The busses run on electricity and stay connected to the suspended wires.

In Cluj, E60 intersects another major route, E81 that runs North-South. Exiting Cluj toward Turda, the two roads run the same way. As you leave Cluj, the road climbs through tight curves offering a splendid panoramic view of the city and the surrounding areas. It is a joy to ride, although the volume of traffic tempers that emotion just a little. The good news is that from here to Turda the road widens to a four-lane (undivided) highway crossing hills, plateaus and rivers. The ride can be as relaxed or as fast as you want to make it. The scenery will want to keep you cruising, while the road and the traffic around you will tempt you to enjoy your steed.

In Turda the two main roads split—E60 veers left while E81 continues South. Continuing on E60 you have about 61 km to Targu Mures. The road is pleasant and quick as you cross the heart of the Transylvanian Plateau through the towns of Campia Turzii and Ludus.

TARGU MURES (Marasvasarhely) developed as a cultural and academic center in the 14th century. It remains a vibrant city with nationally renowned medical and theater schools. Lined with Secession-style buildings, downtown Targu Mures can be a pleasant visit. The early 20th century Palace of Culture is eye catching with its steeple roofs, tiled with colorful geometric patterns—perhaps not quite coincidentally, since the city boasts father and son mathematicians, Farkas and Janos Bolyai, revolutionaries of Euclidean geometry. The Palace houses the history and art museums, as well as the stained glass window museum. There is also a concert hall boasting an organ with over 4500 pipes!

In Targu Mures, E60 veers right and heads toward Sighisoara. As you leave the city, the early section of the road provides a nice hill climb. Once you reach the top, the other side of the hill opens up a magnificent view over the southern side of the Transylvanian Plateau. The other reward is the ensuing hairpin turns descending into the valley below—tight, demanding and satisfying (unless you are stuck behind a big truck, in which case they’re still tight and demanding but not nearly as satisfying).

From there, the ride into Sighisoara is defined by long stretches of straight road punctuated by series of tight turns and high-speed sweepers, which generally make for a great ride regardless of your motorcycle type. As you approach Sighisoara, the road tightens slightly and offers a few extra challenges.

Arriving into Sighisoara from this side, you find the city center fairly quickly. SIGHISOARA is one of Romania’s tourist gems—a real medieval fortress-city dating back to the 12th century. The town is known for its surviving 14th century citadel boasting nine towers and two bastions. The citadel is also on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Its clock tower stands 64 meters tall and displays a fascinating 1648 clock with revolving wooden carved figurines and an intricate mechanism. This town is an absolute must on your visit to Romania.

From the center of town, E60 continues through the somewhat newer section of town still bearing the mark of its communist past. As you leave town, the road follows the shapes of the natural forms of relief dotting the landscape. The scenery is highly rewarding and the ride quality is excellent. Compared to other Romanian roads, this is first-class. As you ride into Rupea, you notice on the hill the ruins of an old fortress overlooking the countryside. If you happen to be in this area in the evening, the sight is enhanced with the spotlights aimed at the old walls

Continuing south from Rupea, the road begins to descend through forested valleys. The road surface is still excellent, the high-speed sweepers turn into tighter curves and, in spots, you find a few challenging S-shaped hairpins that will insure wide grins. You may even find yourself saying—“Woohoo, I like this!” Of course, as always on major roads, commercial truck traffic can provide an impediment to your enjoyment. But, don’t forget that you are on a motorcycle, so make good use of your advantageous power-to-weight ratio and pass.

Approaching Brasov, the road straightens and as you close in on the city, once again you know you are approaching a growing economic center. It is not difficult to see why BRASOV has become “Little Prague” and is the second most visited Romanian destination. The town has preserved its medieval architecture well and Mount Tampa, looming over the city, provides spectacular views. The pleasant Piata Sfatului welcomes tourists with trendy cafes and hours of people-watching. Pedestrian-only Strada Republicii with its bakeries, terraces, and boutiques adds to the allure of the old blending with the modern.

From Brasov, E60 continues southward on what has become one of the most traffic-jammed routes in the country. The road goes through some of Romania’s most popular mountain resorts. The area is also no more than three hours away from Bucuresti. Due to its proximity to the capital, it has become a weekend destination for Romanians. On weekends, it can be a real trap, if not an outright nightmare, even on a motorcycle. Local riders tend to approach this situation from a risky perspective—they split lanes and ride fast.

However, aside from that caveat, the road is very scenic as it squeezes between the Bucegi Mountains to the west and the Baiului Mountains to the east. Well-known resorts dot the road as beads on a string—Predeal, Azuga, Busteni, Sinaia. The road also provides access routes to other attractions in the area—Bran Castle, Rasnov Fortress, Poiana Brasov. From Comarnic to Ploiesti, the road becomes a four-lane highway that continues into Bucuresti. This section, as they say, is not much to write home about. It is a fairly fast, efficient way to get into Bucuresti—watch out for radar, though. The medium- to long-term development plan provides for an autostrada (freeway) to be built from Bucuresti into Brasov, which should, in time, relieve road congestion.

If you visit Romania, E60 can provide riding enjoyment while giving you access to geographical and historical attractions across a large swath of Transylvania. You can find the road in Bucuresti if you arrive into the country by air, or you can ride it from Oradea if you arrive by land from Hungary. From either point, it can be a pleasant and highly recommended experience.

• Oradea — Cluj-Napoca — Turda — Targu-Mures — Sighisoara — Brasov — Sinaia — Ploiesti — Bucuresti

Oradea

Sighisoara

Brasov

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