Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport
Also known as: Bucharest Airport, Otopeni Airport, Bucharest Otopeni Airport, Aeroportul Henri Coandă, OTP Airport. Formerly Bucharest Otopeni International Airport.
Private transfer from OTPSee pricesSee pricesAbout Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport
Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport (OTP) is the main airport of Bucharest, Romania, and the busiest in the country. It sits in the town of Otopeni, and many travelers still call it Otopeni Airport. It handled about 17 million passengers in 2025.
TAROM, the national airline, is headquartered here and flies to Romanian cities such as Cluj-Napoca, Iași and Timișoara and across Europe and the Middle East. Wizz Air and Ryanair run large European networks, and HiSky and AnimaWings add domestic and European routes. Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways and flydubai connect the airport with Frankfurt, Munich, Istanbul, Doha and Dubai.
The airport has one terminal made up of a Departures Hall and an Arrivals Hall linked by a shopping walkway, plus an airside finger concourse with Schengen and non-Schengen gates.
Otopeni lies about 16.5 km (10 miles) north of central Bucharest along the DN1 road. Trains reach Gara de Nord in about 20 to 25 minutes, and express bus 100 runs to Piața Unirii day and night. From the airport, travelers head to central Bucharest, Brașov and the Carpathians, and the Black Sea coast at Constanța.
Airport operator, runways and traffic
- Operator
Compania Națională Aeroporturi București (Bucharest Airports National Company)
- Passengers per year
About 17 million in 2025
- Runways
Two parallel runways, 08R/26L and 08L/26R, each 3,500 m
- Home airline
TAROM, Romania's national airline, headquartered at the airport
- Location
Otopeni, about 16.5 km north of central Bucharest
Arrival tips for Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport
Romania has been a full Schengen member since 1 January 2025, so if you arrive from outside the Schengen Area you pass passport control in the finger concourse, while flights from Schengen countries skip this step. Non-EU travelers are registered in the EU Entry/Exit System (EES), fully operational since 10 April 2026; the planned ETIAS travel authorization is not yet in operation.
After baggage claim and customs, you exit into the Arrivals Hall on the ground floor.
Taxis are ordered at touch-screen kiosks in the Arrivals Hall, which print a ticket with your car's details; licensed taxis then pick you up outside. The kiosks were introduced to stop overcharging by unlicensed drivers, so decline rides offered inside the hall. Uber and Bolt show the current pickup point in the app. Pre-booked drivers usually wait in the Arrivals Hall with a name sign. For the train, leave the Arrivals building, cross the road and follow the train signs.
Bucharest is on Eastern European Time and moves to summer time from late March to late October. Romania uses the leu (RON), not the euro.
Ground transportation
The train to Gara de Nord or a taxi ordered at the Arrivals Hall kiosks suits most travelers heading into Bucharest.
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Book a transfer from OTPTaxi from Bucharest airport
Order a taxi at the touch-screen kiosks in the Arrivals Hall and take the printed ticket outside to meet the car. The drive to central Bucharest takes about 30 to 45 minutes, and up to an hour in heavy traffic.
Train to Gara de Nord
Trains from the airport station near the arrivals car park reach Gara de Nord in about 20 to 25 minutes, around every 40 minutes, 24 hours a day. Gara de Nord is a good link for trains to Brașov and Constanța, but you may need a taxi or the metro from there.
Express bus 100
Bus 100, which replaced line 783 in December 2023, runs day and night to Piața Unirii in the city centre, every 15 minutes by day and every 30 minutes at night. It takes about 35 to 50 minutes and can be crowded, with no luggage space.
Bus 780
Line 780 links the airport with Gara de Nord and Gara Basarab, stopping at Piața Presei and Băneasa Airport. It is slower than the train but useful for northern Bucharest.
Rideshare
Uber and Bolt both operate at the airport, with the pickup point shown in the app, often in the car park outside the terminal. The pickup point can move, so follow the app's directions.
Private transfer
A pre-booked driver meets you in the Arrivals Hall, which avoids the taxi kiosks and suits longer trips to Brașov or the Black Sea coast.
Terminals
Main Terminal
Handles all passenger flights through a Departures Hall and an Arrivals Hall linked by a shopping walkway. The finger concourse has 38 gates, 14 with jet bridges, split into Schengen and non-Schengen areas.
Airlines commonly assigned here: Aegean Airlines, Air France, airBaltic, AJet, AnimaWings, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Dan Air, El Al, Eurowings, flydubai, HiSky, KLM, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Pegasus Airlines, Qatar Airways, Ryanair, SunExpress, Swiss, TAROM, Turkish Airlines, Wizz Air
Airlines and destinations
Frequently asked questions
How far is Bucharest airport from the city centre?
Henri Coandă International Airport is about 16.5 km (10 miles) north of central Bucharest, in the town of Otopeni. The drive takes about 30 to 45 minutes depending on traffic. Trains reach Gara de Nord in about 20 to 25 minutes, and express bus 100 reaches Piața Unirii in about 35 to 50 minutes.
Is Otopeni airport the same as Henri Coandă airport?
Yes. Henri Coandă International Airport is in the town of Otopeni, just north of Bucharest, and was called Bucharest Otopeni International Airport until 2004. Many people still call it Otopeni. It is a different airport from Băneasa (Aurel Vlaicu), the smaller Bucharest airport closer to the city.
How many terminals does Bucharest Henri Coandă airport have?
The airport has one terminal made up of a Departures Hall and an Arrivals Hall, linked by a walkway with shops. An airside finger concourse holds the gates, 38 in total and 14 with jet bridges, divided into Schengen and non-Schengen areas. All airlines use the same terminal, so there are no terminal transfers to plan.
Which airlines fly to Bucharest Henri Coandă airport?
TAROM, Romania's national airline, is based at the airport and flies to domestic cities and across Europe and the Middle East. Wizz Air, Ryanair, HiSky and AnimaWings add many European routes. Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, flydubai, KLM, Air France and British Airways link Bucharest with their hubs. All flights use the single terminal.
How do I get a taxi at Bucharest airport?
Order a taxi at the touch-screen kiosks in the Arrivals Hall. Choose a company, take the printed ticket showing your car, and meet it outside the terminal. The kiosk system was introduced to stop overcharging by unlicensed drivers, so ignore anyone offering a ride inside the hall. Make sure the meter is running.
Is there a train from Bucharest airport to the city?
Yes. Trains run from the airport station, across the road from the Arrivals building, to Gara de Nord, Bucharest's main railway station. The trip takes about 20 to 25 minutes, with trains around every 40 minutes, 24 hours a day. CFR Călători and Transferoviar Călători operate the service, and a metro line to the airport is under construction.
Which bus goes from Bucharest airport to the city centre?
Express bus 100 runs day and night between the airport and Piața Unirii in central Bucharest. It replaced the old line 783 in December 2023 and runs every 15 minutes by day and every 30 minutes at night. The trip takes about 35 to 50 minutes. Line 780 also runs to Gara de Nord.
Can I use Uber or Bolt at Bucharest airport?
Yes. Uber and Bolt both operate at Henri Coandă airport. The pickup point is shown in the app and has been in the car park outside the terminal, but it can change, so follow the app's directions. Check that the licence plate matches your booking before you get in.
What do I need to enter Romania at Bucharest airport?
Romania has been a full member of the Schengen Area since 1 January 2025, so flights from other Schengen countries have no passport control. Non-EU travelers are registered in the EU Entry/Exit System (EES), fully operational since 10 April 2026; the planned ETIAS travel authorization is not yet in operation. Check visa rules for your nationality before travel.
How do I get from Bucharest airport to Brașov?
Brașov is not linked directly to the airport by public transport. The usual route is the airport train to Gara de Nord, then a mainline train to Brașov. Travelers with luggage or groups often choose a taxi or pre-booked car for the whole trip by road instead.
How do I get from Bucharest airport to the Black Sea coast?
Take the airport train to Gara de Nord, where trains leave for Constanța on the Black Sea coast, the main city on the coast. Road travel by car or pre-booked transfer avoids the change in Bucharest. Check current train times with CFR Călători before you travel.
What time zone and currency does Bucharest use?
Bucharest is on Eastern European Time (UTC+2) and moves to summer time (UTC+3) from the last Sunday of March to the last Sunday of October, one hour ahead of Vienna and Berlin. Romania uses the leu (RON), not the euro, and ATMs are available at the airport.
Who runs Bucharest Henri Coandă airport and how busy is it?
The airport is run by Compania Națională Aeroporturi București, the state company that also manages Băneasa airport. Henri Coandă handled about 17 million passengers in 2025, passing that mark for the first time, up about 6.6% on 2024. It has two parallel runways, each 3,500 m long.