Oradea

Oradea
Information
Country:	Romania
County:	Bihor
Population:	206,614 (2002)
Major roads:	A3
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Oradea is a city in Romania, the capital of Bihor county. It is one of the main transit points to Hungary.

Hitching out

East towards Cluj-Napoca E 60

There are several ways of doing this.

• If you are in Nufarul district, walk from the last tram stop to the big roundabout near Selgros hypermarket. Coming from the last tram stop (tram line 3), make a left at the roundabout. The big trucks that go around the city to Cluj-Napoca go through there.
• Get on a tram to December 1 park station (any tram line). Here ask for routier police station (politia rutiera), near the castle. If you are around the centrum, you can walk to it. This is the best way to Cluj-Napoca. Only the big trucks have to take the ring, small cars go through the city, and will pass in front of you. Almost all the hitchhikers are there - many of them. It is the usual place for hitching in that direction. Many make the living from illegal transport service for these people, especially in the morning, and when people return from work to the villages, so clarify in every case if you are not willing to pay.

This is the best place because the environment is friendly, you can stay visible, streetlights are strong, there is place to stop, cars are slow and people know it is a place for hitchhikers. Waiting time is several minutes, even in dark, or bad weather.

• The road from there is Calea Clujului. It starts in the city and goes all the way to the outskirts, heading to Cluj-Napoca. By walking all the way to the edge of town is at least 1/2h, but 1h seems more realistic. Near the Metro hypermarket there is an intersection with traffic lights. You can hitchhike there. That is the end of the ring. There you will have both the big trucks, and those who go through the city. The environment is very unfriendly, and few realize you're there. In bad weather or darkness there are no chances.

There is also a bus from the beginning of the Calea Clujului. The stop is in front of the San Paolo bank (same building with the police station). It is called Metro Bus.

West towards Hungary E 60

Get to Calea Borsului, at the end of the tram line, pass under the bridge, and walk some meters from the little road to the right. There you wait. You may get a lift to Bors, the last village in Romania which is close to the border, but many times people will take you to Hungary. If they can't take you to Budapest, get out at the border, don't go further. That is the best place to catch a ride to Budapest on those whole 250Kms (even taking in account places close to Budapest). If you go further, waiting times will increase significantly. Most of those who cross the border, go to Budapest anyway. Waiting time is a few minutes in daylight.

At the border you can stay right behind the passport check, where the cars don't start to accelerate yet. Right where the lanes merge. The presence of the officers makes drivers feel secure. The restaurants and the insurance kiosks have a much "darker" look. It is not worth to walk there.

Many will tell you they go to Wien or Italy, and leave you on M0. M0 is still far from Budapest center, and you will probably need to take local buses and trains (up to three depending on the exit you take on M0, and the time you get there).

The hardest part is to get to the border. Sometimes it can be more than an hour to hitch those 15 kilometres. It is worth to skip this waiting by getting on a bus. They have big red ORADEA BORS inscription above the windshield, and they usually stop for hitchhikers. They also stop at the end of the tram line. The fare is 1 Eur (4 lei).

North towards Satu Mare E 671

There are two places to hitch in this direction. One is central, near the railway station. As you stay in front of the main entrance of the station, it is about one hundred meters on your left. The second one is along the same road, Stefan Cel Mare, but at the end of it. There is a railway bridge above the street just at the second place. There you should stay at that mobile plastic roundabout.

South towards Arad E 671

On the street Calea Aradului (with, for example, tram 2) towards the edge of the city, until it crosses the ring. There is a big roundabout.

Romanian cities with more than 100.000 inhabitants

> 1.000.000: Bucureşti

300.000–500.000: Cluj-Napoca • Constanţa • Iaşi • Timişoara

100.000–300.000: Arad • Bacău • Baia Mare • Botoşani • Brăila • Braşov • Buzău • Craiova • Drobeta-Turnu Severin • Galaţi • Oradea • Piatra-Neamţ • Piteşti • Ploieşti • Râmnicu Vâlcea • Satu Mare • Sibiu • Suceava • Târgu Mureş