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Controlled-access highways inRomania aredual carriageways,grade separated withcontrolled-access, designed for high speeds. There are two types of highways,motorways (Romanian:Autostrăzi, sing.Autostradă) andexpressways (Romanian:Drumuri expres, sing.Drum expres), with the main difference being that motorways haveemergency lanes and slightly wider lanes. The maximum allowedspeed limit for motorways is 130 km/h (81 mph), while for expressways the limit is 120 km/h (75 mph). There are notoll roads, but a roadvignette is required.
The first construction works began in 1967, and the first highway segment was opened in 1972. However, extension of the high-speed road network lagged behind until afterEU accession in 2007, when improved utilization of the allocatedEU funds enabled Romania to speed up the expansion of its highway network.
Only A2, A10 and DEx12 are completed, while A1 is mostly completed with all its remaining sections currently being built. A3 has five segments that are currently in use, with most of the remaining ones being in various stages of construction or tendering. A4, A6, A11 and DEx4 currently have only small segments in use. DEx12 was the first expressway to be opened in 2022. Construction contracts for part of A0, A7, A8, A9, A13, DEx6, DEx11 and DEx14 are in various stages of execution or tendering.
As of 29 October 2025, there are1,356.735 km of highways in service (of which1,218.982 km motorways and137.753 km expressways),[1] with another875.801 km with signed contracts in various stages of execution, and another513.746 km being tendered.[2][3]
In 2012, legislation amendments defined two types of highways:motorways (Romanian:Autostrăzi) andexpressways (Romanian:Drumuri expres). Motorways are identified byA followed by a number while expressways are identified byDEx followed by a number.
There are almost notolls for using roads inRomania, with exception of large bridges. There is one at theGiurgeni – Vadu Oii Bridge over the riverDanube on highwayDN2A atVadu Oii and one at theCernavodă Bridge, on the A2 motorway. Nevertheless, every owner of a car that uses a motorway (A), an expressway (DEx) or a national road (DN) inRomania must purchase avignette (rovinietă) from any of the main petrol stations or at any post office throughout the country.[4]
The main differences are that motorways have wideemergency lanes (3 m) and slightly wider traffic lanes (by 3.75 versus 3.5 m).[5] Expressways only have a narrow 1.5 m gravel roadside on the right side, added to the 0.5 m asphalted road edges, and may not have acceleration and deceleration lanes in mountainous areas.[6] The maximum allowedspeed limit is 130 km/h (81 mph) (80 km/h (50 mph) during poor conditions), while expressways have a maximum speed limit of 120 km/h (75 mph).[7][8] Generally, feasibility studies for motorways have a minimum projected speed of 100 km/h, while for expressways, it is reduced to 80 km/h.[9]
| Year | Opened (km) | Total (km) |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 95.5 | 95.5 |
| 1987 | 17.5 | 113.1 |
| 2004 | 97.3 | 210.4 |
| 2007 | 50.2 | 260.6 |
| 2009 | 41.5 | 302 |
| 2010 | 27.8 | 329.8 |
| 2011 | 55.3 | 385.1 |
| 2012 | 139.5 | 524.6 |
| 2013 | 107.7 | 632.3 |
| 2014 | 50.9 | 683.1 |
| 2015 | 46 | 729.1 |
| 2017 | 15.4 | 744.6 |
| 2018 | 59.5 | 804.1 |
| 2019 | 43.3 | 847.4 |
| 2020 | 61.3 | 908.7 |
| 2021 | 30.3 | 938.9 |
| 2022 | 53 | 991.9 |
| 2023 | 80.5 | 1,072.5 |
| 2024 | 199.4 | 1,271.8 |
| 2025 | 84.9 | 1,356.7 |
The construction of the first motorway in Romania began in 1967, and the first segment of theA1 motorway, fromPitești to the capitalBucharest was opened in 1972 with a total length of 96 km. During the building of this motorway, a general plan was released in 1969, detailing the building of motorways in the incoming years, however, due to low volumes of traffic, the communist regime focused on improving current roads instead. Until the collapse of the communist regime in 1989, the building of a second motorway between Bucharest and Constanța had been planned, but only an 18 km long segment ofA2 fromFetești toCernavodă opened in 1987.
In the 1990s, the transition from a centralized economy to a market economy severely limited investment into infrastructure projects, and the entire motorway network totaled 113 km for many years until the construction project of A2 was resumed in 1998. Actual construction began in 2001, and three segments were finally opened in 2004 (Bucharest –Fundulea – Lehliu – Drajna) and another in 2007 (Drajna – Fetești) totaling around 130 km. The A1 motorway was extended also in 2007 with thePitești bypass. A large sector of A3, termed "Transylvania Motorway", was awarded controversially in 2004 without bidding to the AmericanBechtel Corporation. Large cost overruns and delays ensued for this project, and after political controversies, most of the contracts were cancelled, and only some 50 km of the Cluj bypass (Gilău – Turda – Câmpia Turzii) were opened between 2009 and 2010, at much larger costs than initially signed in the contract.
After joining theEuropean Union in 2007, Romania was able to access funds for infrastructure development more easily, especially for those part of thePan-European Corridor IV overlapping with A1 and A2 motorways. Many segments of the A1 motorway were started, and by the end of 2011 around 85 km were partially or fully opened: A1 segments Timișoara – Arad and Sibiu bypass; A2 segment Murfatlar – Constanța; A4 Constanța bypass and A11 Arad bypass.[10] In 2012 more segments were opened on A1 (Deva – Simeria), A2 (Cernavodă – Murfatlar), A4, and the first A3 segment not built by Bechtel (Bucharest – Ploiești). More segments were opened over the next few years: on A1 (part of Lugoj – Deva, Sibiu – Orăștie – Simeria, Arad – Nădlac, Timișoara – Lugoj),A6 (Balinț – Lugoj), and A4. A total of 726.6 km of motorways were in use in Romania in December 2015.
Political debates and changes in priorities of left-leaning parties after 2014 greatly slowed down motorway projects.[11] With no new openings in 2016, a small segment part of Lugoj – Deva opening in 2017,[12] almost half of theA10 (Aiud –Turda), and part ofA3 (Ungheni –Iernut, Gilău – Nădășelu, and the entrance into Bucharest[13]) brought the total to over 800 km at the end of 2018. Two more segments of the A1 opened in 2019 (between Coșevița and Deva), providing an almost fully opened motorway (excluding a segment of 13.5 km) between the border with Hungary and Sibiu.[14][15] In 2020, more segments were opened, on A3 (Biharia − Borș, Iernut − Chețani, Râșnov − Cristian),[16][17][18] on A10 (Sebeș – Alba Iulia), and the first segment of A7 (Bacău bypass)[19] bringing the total to over 900 km of highways.[20] In 2021, A10 completely opened (Alba Iulia – Aiud) and a segment of A3 (Târgu Mureș – Ungheni) opened to traffic.[21][22] In 2022 the first segment of an expressway-class road in Romania open for traffic, theDEx12 expressway: between Balș and Slatina (16.0 km),[23] and Slatina bypass.[24]
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As of December 2023, over 750 km of controlled-access roads have contracted for construction. These contracts include: part of the A3 (some 68.6 km), all segments of the A1 between Sibiu – Pitești (122.9 km), almost all of theBucharest Ring Motorway (91.4 km), a section of the A8 (29.9 km), as well as most segments of the A7 (319 km).
Currently the only completed motorways are A2 and A10. The unfinished segments of A1 and A3 are in various stages of tendering and construction, with multiple segments likely to finish by 2024-2028.[25]
A few more motorways have received active discussion, including the termed A0Bucharest Motorway Ring Road as an outer ring to theBucharest Ring Road, with construction contracts signed or tendered for all of its 100 km length. TheA7 motorway, between Ploiești and the border with Ukraine, has been planned to be part of thePan-European Corridor IX, but so far only the Bacău bypass has been built. However, PNRR funding is ensured for most of its segments, with tendering contracts existing for its first 320 km till Pașcani. Beyond Pașcani, the Corridor IX is envisioned to be covered by the A8 (theEast–West Motorway, a link between Moldavia and Transylvania), with the first construction contract signed in 2023. Highways crossing the Carpathian Mountains have been delayed due to large costs, with debates on whether to build the A3 (through long-term concession contracts) or the A1 (EU funds would cover most of the cost). TheA13 motorway is planned to serve as an alternative to link the A1 and the A3, then to the A7, with the first 68 km currently being under construction.
A9 is planned to link A1 to Serbia, with plans to sign the first construction contracts not earlier than 2023. Expressways extending the current A11 as well as theDEx6 linking Galați and Brăila are currently being constructed. Plans to extend the current network with expressways exist for A4, A5 (planned to link to Bulgaria), A6, and A14 corridors, as well as several other smaller ones.[25][26]
Contracted segments with estimated openings:[27][28][29][30]
Ploiești (Dumbrava) - Buzău, section 3 between Spătaru (DN2) - Buzău (DN2B) (10.9 km)(Q4) Focșani (Petrești) - Bacău, sections 1 and 2 between Focșani (Petrești) - Domnești Târg (35.6 km) and Domnești Târg - Răcăciuni (38.78 km)(Q4?)
Brăila - Galați (10.77 km)(Q4?)
Bucharest North Ring, section 4 between Pantelimon (DN3) - Căldăraru (A2) (4.47 km)(Q4?)Total:100.52 km
Bucharest North Ring, section 3 Afumați overpass (DN2) (1.8 km) Bucharest North Ring, section 3 between Afumați (DN2) - Pantelimon (DN3) (6.6 km) Bucharest North Ring, section 1 between Bâcu (DJ601A) - Corbeanca (Cherry Park) (17.5 km) [+2.4 km A0-North 2] Bucharest South Ring, section 3 between Ciorogârla (A1) - Bâcu (DJ601A) (2.5 km)
Deva - Lugoj, section 2E between Holdea - Margina (9.13 km) Pitești - Sibiu, section 4 between Curtea de Argeș - Tigveni (9.861 km)
Suplacu de Barcău - Borș (3C), section 3C1 between Suplacu de Barcău - Chiribiș (26.35 km) Gilău - Topa Mică (3A), section 3A2 between Nădășelu - Topa Mică (16.8 km); Topa Mică - Suplacu de Barcău (3B), section 3B1 between Topa Mică - Sutoru (13.26 km) Topa Mică - Suplacu de Barcău (3B), section 3B2 between Sutoru - Poarta Sălajului (12.24 km) Focșani (Petrești) - Bacău, section 3 between Răcăciuni - Bacău (21.522 km) Bacău - Pașcani, sections 1, 2, and 3 between Bacău - Trifești (30.3 km), Trifești - Mircești (19.0 km), and Mircești - Pașcani (28.094 km)
Târgu Mureș - Ditrău, section 1A between Gheorge Doja (A3) - Miercurea Nirajului (DJ135) (24.39 km)Total:241.747 km
Pitești - Sibiu, section 3 Tigveni - Copăceni (37.4 km) Suplacu de Barcău - Borș (3C), section 3C2 between Chiribiș - Biharia (28.55 km) Târgu Mureș - Ditrău, section 1B between Miercurea Nirajului (DJ135) - Sărățeni (DN13A) (23.40 km) Ditrău - Târgu Neamț, section 2D between Vânători-Neamț (DN15B) - Boureni (DN2) (29.912 km)
Boița (A1) - Făgăraș, sections 3 and 4 between, Arpașu de Jos (DN1) - Sâmbăta de Sus (DJ105B) (17.61 km), and Sâmbăta de Sus (DJ105B) - Făgăraș (DC67) (16.265 km)
Satu Mare - Oar (10.83 km)Total:163.692 km
Pitești - Sibiu, section 2 between Copăceni - Boița (31.33 km) Boița (A1) - Făgăraș, sections 1 and 2 between Boița (A1) - Mârșa (DJ105G) (14.253 km), Mârșa (DJ105G) - Arpașu de Jos (DN1) (19.922 km)
Arad - Oradea, section 1 between Oradea - Salonta (33.7 km) Arad - Oradea, section 2 between Salonta - Chișineu-Criș (39.7 km)
Salonta - Újszalonta (HU) (10 km) Pucioasa - Fieni (12.68 km)Total:147.332 km
Ditrău - Târgu Neamț, section 2A between Ditrău (DN12) - Grințieș (DN15) (37.9 km) Ditrău - Târgu Neamț, section 2C between Pipirig (DN15B) - Vânători Neamț (DN15B) (19.3 km) Focșani - Brăila (73.524 km)Total:130.724 km
Ditrău - Târgu Neamț, section 2B between Grințieș (DN15) - Pipirig (DN15B) (31.5 km)Total:31.5 km
Mihăiești - Suplacu de Barcău (3B), section 3B2 between Poarta Sălajului - Zalău (15.14 km) Mihăiești - Suplacu de Barcău (3B), section 3B3 between Zalău - Nușfalău (25.84 km)Total:40.98 km
In total, some856 km of highways and expressways are currently contracted with builder after tenders and appeals, to be built by 2031.
| Motorway (A) | Map | Route[1] | Total length (km) | In service | Under construction (km) | Tendered (km) | Years of construction | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sign | E-roads | Name | From | Via | To | (km) | % | |||||
 | Bucharest Ring Road |  | Bucharest | – – – – | Bucharest | 100.765 | 72.495 | 71,94% | 28.27 | – | 2020 - | |
 |   | Transcarpathian |  | Bucharest | – –Pitești – –Sibiu – –Deva – –Lugoj –Timișoara –Arad – | Nădlac   | 581.04 | 486.66 | 83,75% | 91.84 | – | 1967 - |
 | | Sun |  | Bucharest | Fetești –Cernavodă – | Constanța | 202.75 | 202.75 | 100% | – | – | 1983 - 2012 |
 | | Transilvania |  | Bucharest | –Ploiești – –Brașov –Sighișoara – –Târgu Mureș – – –Cluj-Napoca –Zalău –Oradea – | Borș | 603 | 203.44 | 33,70% | 138.18 | – | 2004 - |
 | | Constanța Bypass | Agigea | | Ovidiu | 21.8 | 21.8 | 100% | – | – | 2009 - 2013 | |
 | Vlasia | Bucharest | Giurgiu  | 55 (version) | 0 | under feasibility studies | / | |||||
 | Lugoj | Balinț | Lugoj | 10.518 | 10.518 | 100% | – | – | 2011 - 2013 | |||
 | Moldova |  | Dumbrava | Buzău –Focșani – –Bacău –Roman – –Pașcani – | Suceava | 397.224 | 150.709 | 30,13% | 184.545 | 61.971 | 2022 - | |
 | Union |  | Târgu Mureș | Sovata –Ditrău –Târgu Neamț – –Pașcani –Iași | Podu Jijiei   | 309.077 | 0 | – | 166.412 | 142.665 | 2024 - | |
 | Banat |  | Izvin | Voiteg | Moravița  | 72.93 | 0 | – | – | 69.16 | / | |
 | | Mihai Viteazu | Sebeș | Alba Iulia –Aiud | Turda | 70.00 | 70.00 | 100% | – | – | 2013 - 2021 | |
 | Arad Bypass | Arad | Arad | 3.5 | 3.5 | 100% | – | – | 2011 - 2011 | |||
 | Alexandru Ioan Cuza | Boița | Făgăraș –Codlea –Brașov –Sfântu Gheorghe –Onești | Răcăciuni | 280 (version) | 0 | – | 68.05 | – | 2024 - | ||
 | Northern | Suceava | Vatra Dornei –Bistrița –Dej | Baia Mare | 370 (version) | 0 | under feasibility studies | / | ||||
| A- | Southern | Bucharest | Alexandria -Craiova | Calafat | 293 (version) | 0 | under feasibility studies | / | ||||
| A- | Jiu | Craiova | Filiași | 51.503 | 0 | – | – | 51.503 | / | |||
| A- | Coast | Constanța | 23 August –Mangalia | Vama Veche | 50 (version) | 0 | – | – | 30.59 | / | ||
| Total | 3527.749 | 1,218.984 | 34,55% | 677.297 | 355.889 | |||||||
| Expressway (DEx) | Route | Total length (km) | In service | Under construction (km) | Tendered (km) | Years of construction | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sign | E-roads | Name | From | Via | To | (km) | % | ||||
| DEx1 | Bessarabia | Mărășești | Bârlad –Vaslui | Albița | 160 | 0 | under planning | / | |||
| Someș | Turda (Petreștii de Jos) | Cluj-Napoca –Gherla | Dej | 75 (version) | 4.957 | 6,60% | under planning | 2023 - 2025 | ||
| Danube | Brăila | Galați | 10.77 | 0 | – | 10.77 | – | 2021 - | ||
| Bukovina | Suceava | Siret  | 55.7 | 0 | under feasibility studies | / | ||||
 | Dobruja | Ovidiu | Tulcea | 112.5 | 0 | under planning | / | ||||
| Crișana | Arad | Chisineu-Cris –Salonta → | Oradea | 120.47 + 10 | 0 | – | 83.4 | 47.07 | 2025 - | |
 | Oltenia | Oarja | Slatina –Balș – | Craiova | 121.115 | 121.115 | 100% | – | – | 2018 - 2025 | |
| Horea, Cloșca and Crișan | Satu Mare | Oar | 10.83 | 0 | – | 10.83 | – | 2025 - | ||
| Oradea Bypass | Biharia | Oradea | 11.636 | 11.636 | 100% | – | – | 2022 - 2024 | ||
| Danubius | Filiași | Drobeta-Turnu Severin –Domașnea –Caransebeș | Lugoj | 224 (version) | 0 | under feasibility studies | / | ||||
| Ardeal | Târgu Secuiesc | Bixad –Odorheiu Secuiesc –Cristuru Secuiesc –Sighișoara –Dumbrăveni | Ungheni | 203 (version) | 0 | under planning | / | ||||
| Muntenia | Buzău | Făurei | Brăila | 111.661 | 0 | under feasibility studies | / | ||||
| Milcovia | Focșani | Brăila | 73.524 | 0 | – | 73.524 | – | 2025 - | |||
| Severin | Caransebeș | Reșița –Bocșa | Voiteg | 104 (version) | 0 | under feasibility studies | / | ||||
| Tulcea | Jijila | Cataloi | 61.63 | 0 | under planning | / | |||||
| Vlad Țepeș | Găești | Târgoviște | Ploiești | 76 | 0 | under feasibility studies | / | ||||
| Valahia | Bucharest Ring Road | Târgoviște | 62.21 | 0 | under feasibility studies | / | |||||
| Bistrița | Bacău | Piatra Neamț | 52.12 | 0 | – | – | 52.12 | / | |||
| Avram Iancu | Românași | Jibou | 20 | 0 | under planning | / | |||||
| Jiu | Filiași | Târgu Jiu | 58.597 | 0 | – | – | 58.597 | / | |||
| Maramureș | Baia Mare | Satu Mare (Bypass) | 55 | 0 | under planning | / | |||||
| Mihai Eminescu | Suceava | Botoșani | 26 | 0 | under planning | / | |||||
| Dacia | Pitești | Mioveni | 10.3 | 0 | under planning | / | |||||
| Pucioasa | Fieni | 12.68 | 0 | – | 12.68 | – | 2025 - | ||||
| Total | 1,331.064 | 137.751 | 10,34% | 191.204 | 157.787 | ||||||
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