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***** 13.0. TRAVEL/SENDING MONEY OVERSEAS *****


Lastest Update: 18 August 1996 (Links updated)

** 13.0. TRAVEL/SENDING MONEY OVERSEAS ***** keyword: FindTravel

*** TRAVEL

Travel to Romania is an exciting adventure into a very different culture. If you plan to travel there, it is recommended that you purchase a travel guide to Eastern Europe, such as Frommer's or Fodor's. These guides will provide needed information and cultural tips.

Mainly meant for budget travellers but much more illustrative of life and circumstances of travel in Rumania are the guides ot Eastern Europe published by Let's Go:, Lonely Planet and Berkeley. The "Rough Guide to Rumania" was published in the fall of 1995. Previously it was a section in another guide on travel to Eastern Europe.

You can write the Romanian National Tourist Office
573 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10016
Telephone (212) 697-6971

Visas were required until 1994 for American tourists, but are no longer required.

Currency exchanges can only be done in Romania through hotels, banks and tourist offices. It is possible to exchange money on the street and tourists will be approached to do so, however, this is illegal and cheating in black market exchanges is common. Traveler's cheques may be used; credit cards can be used in hotels but not in restaurants.

American dollars and Deutsche Marks are valued highly. These currencies in small denominations can be used for tips and encouragement to provide personal services or assistance. American cigarettes, coffee and beverage alcohol can also be used for tips and as a thank you when you have received special assistance.

Air travel to Romania is possible through Lufthansa and Tarom, the Romanian National airline. Tarom has affiliated with Lufthansa and has flights on Mondays and Fridays from Frankfurt, Germany directly to Timisoara (final destination is Bucharest). Tarom now has new planes, good food and service, but flights are often late two to four hours.

Hotel reservations should be made before arriving in Romania. Prices for tourists run about US$85.00 to US$140.00 a day, including breakfast, and the accommodations are somewhat meager (poor restaurants, 30 watt bulbs in lamps, intermittent hot water). The Continental Hotel and the Hotel Timisoara are hotels of good quality for Romania. Both are located in the city center.

Car rental is available in Romania, Hertz does have offices there, however the cost can be steep. Purchasing the additional insurance is recommended, as roads are often in poor condition and people will steal items from autos. It is common to see people remove the windshield wipers from their autos when parked. It is unlikely that companies in other countries will rent cars to be driven into Romania. It is possible to book a taxi or driver of a private vehicle to take you outside the city into the villages.

Litoral Travel in New Jersey - (908) 389-216 - specializes in travel to Romania and agents there can book flights, hotels, rental cars and answer many questions on travel to Romania. From them, I learned that it is possible to hire a guide at the tourist offices. You can ask for a guide who speaks English, German and Romanian.

Places to visit in Timisoara include the Banat Museum in the Huniadi Castle, the Catholic Cathedral in Unity Square, and the Opera Square, including the Orthodox Cathedral and the Opera House. Shopping can be found in the Opera Square and in the Bega Department Store located next to the Continental Hotel.

Travelers to Romania should carry toilet paper and carry it with them everywhere is either nonexistent or of very poor quality. Availability of food is best during late summer and early fall when produce is available. Travelers will need to purchase drinking water (mineral water) in the hotel or a store. Kiosks on the street sell soft drinks, cigarettes and juices. It is recommended to take snacks such as trail mix, to supplement the availability of food.

*** SENDING MAIL TO EUROPE

Postage is more expensive in Europe than it is in the USA. Thus it is customary to send a European recipient two International Postal Reply Coupons (IPRC) which can be used to send a standard letter or parcel to the USA via air mail. (It is expected that the first IPRC may be used to confirm receipt and the second to send the actual data after it can be collected.)

Current cost for IPRC's is US$1.05 (as of September 1995). They are available over the counter at any United States Post Office.

*** SENDING MONEY OVERSEAS

A safe and relatively inexpensive way off sending payments to a foreign country from the United States of America is described below. If you send a personal check, the recipient will have

1) difficulty finding a bank to accept the check; and

2) will incur a charge from the bank that will accept the check.

Credit cards are not always accepted, and there is no hacker-proof, safe way of transmitting credit card information over the Infobahn.

Telephone Ruesch International Financial Services at 800-424-2923.

Ask for an international bank draft in either German marks, Austrian schillings or Swiss francs. There is a $2.00 service charge. Have the check made out to the name given. Ruesch will give you a transaction number to write on your payment check which must be mailed to Ruesch International Financial Services. Addresses go out of date, so ask Ruesch what their current one is. When they receive your payment, Ruesch will promptly send you a foreign currency draft you can send to Europe.

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