Transfăgaras highway (Road 7C)

Transfăgăraş Highway is a mountain highway in the Carpathians, running through the Făgăraş Mountains from the Romanian region of Wallachia to Transylvania. The highest point of the asphalted road has an altitude of 2034 meters. The 261 km long scenic highway is the highest road in Romania and is considered one of the most beautiful highways in Europe.

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Video: Transfăgăraş highway

Contents

Highlights

There are quite a few natural and historical attractions along the mountain road, so many tourists travel along it. The southern part of the Transfăgărash highway is paved through narrow through tunnels. From the car windows you can enjoy stunning views of a large reservoir, waterfalls, rocky mountain slopes and rushing rivers. The most beautiful view is from the pass point. However, the viewpoint is quite high up in the mountains and is often covered by fog.

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In 2009, the popular British TV program Top Gear was road testing expensive modern sports cars. Presenter Jeremy Clarkson praised the quality of the road surface and other technical characteristics of the Transfagaras highway and called it the best European highway for sports car travel.

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After the handover, European motorists showed great interest in the Romanian road, and the number of tourists on it increased significantly. Today the highway is traveled by tour buses, cars, motorcycles and bicycles.

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History of the construction of the Transfairash highway

In 1968, there was a military coup in Romania’s neighboring Czechoslovakia and Warsaw Pact troops invaded the country. The then head of Romania feared that similar events could happen in his country, so he ordered the construction of a military road through the Făgărăş Mountains.

The highway was built in 1970-1974 by the Romanian Army. The long road through the mountain passes required considerable expenses. For its construction was spent 6 thousand tons of dynamite. Unfortunately, it was not without human casualties – the Transfăgăraş highway claimed the lives of 40 construction workers.

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Sightseeing en route

If you drive from the north, the first place that all tourists linger near is the Bylja waterfall. From it there is a funicular to the mountain lake Bylya, which is considered a real pearl of the Carpathians. From the picturesque lake popular climbing to the highest point of Romania – Moldoveanu Peak, rising to 2544 meters.

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The next natural attraction along the way is the beautiful Goat Waterfall, located at an altitude of 1,690 meters, on the southern slope of Mount Făgăraş. Streams of water fall from a height of 40 meters, and on the bridge in front of the waterfall gathers a lot of people who want to admire the sparkling jets.

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There is a large artificial reservoir, Lake Vidraru, on the Ardjes River. The river was blocked by a high dam in 1965. The size of this hydraulic structure is impressive. It is 167 meters high, 305 meters long and is considered to be the fifth largest dam in Europe. The highway stretches along the lake for 14 km.

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In Romania, Dracula tours – traveling to places associated with the famous Count Dracula – are popular. On the section of the Transfăgăraş highway between Lake Vidraru and Curtea de Argăş, tourists pass by the ruins of a medieval fortress, the mysterious Poenari Castle, towering above a mountain river gorge. It takes 30-45 minutes to walk from the highway to the ruins of the fortress. From here you have a magnificent view of the highway, forested mountain slopes and the picturesque river valley.

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Useful information for auto tourists

These days, the road is internationally coded DN7C and is maintained in decent condition. The road is usually open from June 30 to November 1, and the traffic is allowed only during daylight hours – from 8.00 to 21.00.

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Note that depending on weather conditions, local authorities may ban traffic earlier, for example in mid-September. In winter, the Transfăgărash highway is closed to traffic, and the roadway itself is blocked off with concrete blocks. This is done for the safety of motorists. Snow avalanches come down from the slopes of the Carpathians, and their tracks block the road. In addition, some sections of the highway are heavily icy.

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There are no gas stations along the entire route on the highway. There are cafes and food stalls only in two places: near the Vidraru dam and near Bylja Lake.

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Driving on the Transfageras highway requires care. There are no breakers here, and the traffic is quite heavy. On mountain serpentines it is worth reducing speed. The lanes are narrow, so experienced drivers even fold their side mirrors.

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How to get there

The Transfăgăraş highway starts in the town of Pitesti and runs all the way to the commune of Arpaşu de Jos. Many tourists get here as part of organized tours. Those traveling in Romania by car usually drive from Bucharest through the towns of Brasov and Făgăraş, take the Transfăgăraş highway, and return to Bucharest from the town of Pitesti.

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