About Transbucegi
The Transbucegi, also known as the Babele Road, is county road DJ713: it leaves the DN71 about 9 km from Sinaia towards Târgoviște and climbs 16.4 km to just below Piatra Arsă, on the plateau of the Bucegi Mountains, at about 1,925 m. The first 6 km or so are in Prahova county, the rest in Dâmbovița, in the commune of Moroeni; each county maintains its own section. The old dirt road was paved and completed in 2013, and the Prahova section was only formally accepted a few years later, after repairs to landslides.
Despite the name, the tarmac reaches neither Babele nor Cota 2000. It stops at the barrier near Piatra Arsă; from there it is about 3.5 km to the Babele chalet and the Sphinx, on a forest road closed to cars, which you cover on foot.
What you can see
From the DN71, the road climbs through forest, past the Cuibul Dorului chalet, in tight hairpins up the slope to the Dichiu Saddle, at about 1,600 m. Here it turns right, past the Dichiu chalet, leaves the forest and climbs across the plateau pastures, among dwarf pines, rocks and flocks of sheep, with wide views across the plateau. The last kilometres, below the Lăptici and Pietrosul peaks, cross the Cocora Saddle and end at the barrier near Piatra Arsă, where the paths to Babele, the Sphinx and Caraiman begin.
From the Dichiu Saddle, the DJ713A drops towards Zănoaga and Lake Bolboci, where it joins the DJ714 towards Peștera and Padina or back to Moroeni.
Good to know
The Dichiu chalet – Piatra Arsă section closes in winter, usually until May–June, and during blizzards or avalanches. You are in Bucegi Natural Park: vehicles may only use the paved road, and there is a fee for visiting the park.
- The hairpins through the forest between Cuibul Dorului and the Dichiu Saddle, the first kilometres of the climb from the DN71.
- Leaving the forest at the Dichiu Saddle, where the road starts climbing across the open pastures of the plateau.
- The last kilometres across alpine pasture towards the Cocora Saddle, with flocks of sheep, sheepdogs and horses by the road.
- The easy walk from the barrier at Piatra Arsă to Babele and the Sphinx, about an hour on foot.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: from Sinaia take the DN71 towards Târgoviște and after about 9 km turn right onto the DJ713, signposted to Piatra Arsă; the 16 km climb takes around 30–40 minutes. From Bucharest it is ~135 km to the junction (DN1 via Ploiești and Sinaia); from Târgoviște you also come on the DN71, through Moroeni. A second way onto the plateau is the DJ714 from Moroeni via Zănoaga, then the DJ713A up to the Dichiu Saddle; the DJ714 is in poor condition in places and is due to be modernised. The road is narrow, with hairpins and no petrol stations: fill up in Sinaia.
Public transport: there are no scheduled services on the DJ713. Without a car you can reach the plateau by cable car from Bușteni (to Babele) or from Sinaia (to Cota 2000), then on foot.
- Where to park
At the end of the tarmac, by the barrier at Piatra Arsă, and at the Piatra Arsă chalet there is room to park; along the way stop only in the wider spots, without blocking the road. On summer weekends the parking at the top fills up early in the day. Do not park on the pasture: it is forbidden in the park.
- Fees & discounts
The road is public and there is no toll. Visiting Bucegi Natural Park is not free: 10 lei per person (from age 14), with a ticket valid for 3 months, bought online on the park's website or in cash from the rangers; children under 14 go free. The fee is not included in cable car tickets or accommodation.
- Rules
You are in Bucegi Natural Park: vehicles are only allowed on public roads that are open and signposted. The Piatra Arsă – Babele forest road is closed by a barrier and off limits to motor vehicles, and driving on the pasture or on forest roads is fined. Do not camp outside the signposted sites, do not light fires and leave no litter. The road has tight hairpins and stretches with falling rocks; drive slowly and keep your distance from flocks and sheepdogs. At 1,900 m the weather changes quickly, and fog can come down even in summer.
- Facilities
Piatra Arsă chalet, about 1 km from the end of the tarmac; more chalets along the road, at Cuibul Dorului and Dichiu · Babele chalet about an hour's walk from the end of the road · no petrol station on the route; the last one is in Sinaia · no public toilets along the road; at the chalets · patchy mobile signal on the plateau
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