# Transalpina

[Romania](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/attractions) › [Oltenia](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/region/oltenia) › [Gorj County](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/county/gorj)

> Romania's highest road: the DN67C climbs from Novaci over the Parâng Mountains to 2,145 m at the Urdele Pass and drops past Lake Oașa to Sebeș, 148 km above the clouds.

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**At a glance:** Scenic roads in Gorj County. Opening hours: daily 07:00 – 21:00. Open from 29 May to 19 October. Ticket: Free. The visit takes 3½ – 4 hours. Information verified on 23 September 2026.

## Key facts

- **Opening hours:** daily 07:00 – 21:00 — Open from 29 May to 19 October — These are the hours during which the ridge section Rânca – Curpăț (km 34+800 – 79+200) is open at the height of the season; the rest of the road is open at all times. In 2026 the section opened on 29 May, with hours of 09:00–20:00 until 30 June and 07:00–21:00 from 1 July. It usually closes in the second half of October (in 2025, on 20 October) and temporarily in bad weather; check the CNAIR road authority's announcements before setting off.
- **Ticket:** Free — public road, no toll
- **Visit duration:** 3½ – 4 hours — the whole road, with stops
- **With kids:** Yes — warm clothes even at 2,000 m
- **Parking:** Yes, free — on the roadside, at the pass
- **Best season:** June – October — ridge: June–October
- **Address:** DN67C, between Novaci and Sebeș; Urdele Pass at about km 48, between Rânca and Obârșia Lotrului, Gorj County
- **Coordinates:** 45.3452, 23.6567
- **Phone:** +40 21 9360
- **Website:** https://www.cnadnr.ro/
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transalpina_(DN67C)
- **Wikidata:** https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3123382
- **Categories:** [Scenic roads](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/drumuri-panoramice), [Mountains and trails](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/munti-si-trasee)

## About Transalpina

The Transalpina (DN67C) links Oltenia with Transylvania over the Parâng Mountains, running 148 km between Novaci, in Gorj county, and Sebeș, in Alba county, and crossing Vâlcea and Sibiu counties on the way. Its highest point, the Urdele Pass, is at 2,145 m, almost a hundred metres higher than the Transfăgărășan, which makes it the highest paved road in the country. Unlike its rival, which drops in tight hairpins through rocky cirques, the Transalpina keeps to the ridge: dozens of kilometres over alpine pasture plateaus, with views in every direction and sheep as the main traffic.

The road is old: shepherds used it for centuries on their seasonal migrations, under the name of the Devil's Path, and legend has it that the Roman legions passed this way towards Sarmizegetusa. King Carol II rebuilt it between 1934 and 1939 as a strategic road, drove over it at its inauguration and gave it the name of the King's Road; the German army repaired it during the war, after which it remained a dirt road for seven decades. Paving began in 2009 and, after the contractor went bankrupt, the ridge section from Rânca to Obârșia Lotrului opened only in 2015; even today, guardrails and road markings are missing in places.

### What you can see

From the south, the road climbs from Novaci through forest to Rânca, a ski resort at 1,600 m, from where the hairpins emerge from the trees towards the ridge. Then come 25 km of ridge road above the treeline, with the Urdele Pass in the middle, marked by stalls and cars pulled over on the verge, then the Muntinu plateau with its glacial lake and the gentle descent to Obârșia Lotrului, at 1,400 m, the junction with the DN7A to Voineasa, with chalets and sheepfolds selling cheese. From there the road crosses the Tărtărău Pass, runs along the shore of Lake Oașa, a reservoir with blue-green water and Oașa Monastery on its bank, passes the Șureanu ski resort and descends the Sebeș valley, through Șugag, into the town.

The finest part is the ridge road between Rânca and Obârșia Lotrului: early in the morning, with the sea of clouds below you, or in the evening, with the light on the pastures. From the Urdele Pass short paths lead up to Urdele peak (2,228 m) and the surrounding summits.

### Good to know

The ridge section (km 34+800 Rânca – km 79+200 Curpăț) is closed in winter, usually from the second half of October to the end of May, and in season only in daylight, with a 30 km/h limit and no vehicles over 3.5 tonnes. At 2,000 m fog and cold rain come even in August, and there are sheep, sheepdogs and cyclists on the road; on summer weekends, columns of motorbikes. There are no petrol stations between Novaci and Sebeș.

## Don't miss

- The Urdele Pass, at 2,145 m, the highest point on any road in the country, with views over the Parâng and Șureanu ranges.
- The hairpins above Rânca, seen from above, with the sea of clouds early in the morning.
- The ridge road between Urdele and Obârșia Lotrului, over alpine pastures with sheep and horses.
- Lake Oașa, with its blue-green water and Oașa Monastery on the shore, on the way down to Sebeș.
- The cheese and pastrami from the sheepfolds and stalls at Obârșia Lotrului and in the pass.

## Good to know before you go

### Getting there

**By car:** from the south, from Târgu Jiu on the DN67 to Novaci (~45 km), then the DN67C; from the north, from Sebeș (on the A1, ~60 km from Sibiu, ~75 km from Alba Iulia) on the DN67C via Șugag and Lake Oașa. From Vâlcea, on the DN7A from Brezoi through Voineasa to Obârșia Lotrului. From Bucharest it is ~330 km to Novaci (A1 and DN67, ~4h30). The road is paved for its whole length but narrow, without guardrails in places and with a 30 km/h limit on the ridge; fill up at Novaci or Sebeș.

**Public transport:** there are no scheduled services over the mountains. Buses run as far as Novaci (from Târgu Jiu) and Șugag (from Sebeș); the ridge can only be reached by car, motorbike or bicycle.

### Where to park

There are no proper car parks on the ridge: you stop on the roadside, in the wider spots at the Urdele Pass, at Rânca and at Obârșia Lotrului, where the stalls are. Stop only where you do not block the road; on summer weekends the pass is full of cars and motorbikes by midday. At Rânca and Lake Oașa there is parking at the chalets and guesthouses.

### Fees & discounts

The road is public and free, with no toll or parking charge. The road vignette (rovinieta) is compulsory on the DN67C outside built-up areas and on the access roads. Food at the sheepfolds and stalls is cash only.

### Rules

On the ridge: 30 km/h maximum, no vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, traffic only during the hours announced by CNAIR; at night the barriers at Rânca and Curpăț are closed. Do not stop on the carriageway for photos and do not drive off the road onto the pasture. Keep your distance from the flocks of sheep and the sheepdogs. You are in the mountains: bring warm clothes, water and food, a full tank, and check the forecast; fog can cut visibility to a few metres. Leave no litter: the area is monitored and fines are issued.

### Facilities

Chalets, guesthouses and restaurants at Rânca, Obârșia Lotrului and Lake Oașa · stalls with cheese, pastrami and souvenirs at the Urdele Pass and Obârșia Lotrului in summer · no petrol station between Novaci and Sebeș · no public toilets on the ridge; at the chalets · weak mobile signal on the ridge · Gorj mountain rescue post at Rânca · ski slopes at Rânca and Șureanu in winter, reached from Novaci and Sebeș respectively

## Details

- **Road number:** DN67C
- **Length:** 148 km
- **Maximum altitude:** 2,145 m
- **Mountain range:** Parâng, Lotru and Șureanu Mountains
- **Fully paved:** Yes

## Frequently asked questions about Transalpina

**How much is a ticket to Transalpina?**

Admission to Transalpina is free (public road, no toll). The road is public and free, with no toll or parking charge. The road vignette (rovinieta) is compulsory on the DN67C outside built-up areas and on the access roads. Food at the sheepfolds and stalls is cash only.

**What are the opening hours of Transalpina?**

Opening hours at Transalpina: daily 07:00 – 21:00. These are the hours during which the ridge section Rânca – Curpăț (km 34+800 – 79+200) is open at the height of the season; the rest of the road is open at all times. In 2026 the section opened on 29 May, with hours of 09:00–20:00 until 30 June and 07:00–21:00 from 1 July. It usually closes in the second half of October (in 2025, on 20 October) and temporarily in bad weather; check the CNAIR road authority's announcements before setting off.

**How long does a visit to Transalpina take?**

A visit to Transalpina takes about 3½ – 4 hours (the whole road, with stops).

**Can you visit Transalpina with kids?**

Yes, Transalpina is suitable for children (warm clothes even at 2,000 m).

**Where can I park at Transalpina?**

There is free parking at Transalpina (on the roadside, at the pass). There are no proper car parks on the ridge: you stop on the roadside, in the wider spots at the Urdele Pass, at Rânca and at Obârșia Lotrului, where the stalls are. Stop only where you do not block the road; on summer weekends the pass is full of cars and motorbikes by midday. At Rânca and Lake Oașa there is parking at the chalets and guesthouses.

**How do I get to Transalpina?**

Transalpina is located at DN67C, between Novaci and Sebeș; Urdele Pass at about km 48, between Rânca and Obârșia Lotrului, Gorj County. By car: from the south, from Târgu Jiu on the DN67 to Novaci (~45 km), then the DN67C; from the north, from Sebeș (on the A1, ~60 km from Sibiu, ~75 km from Alba Iulia) on the DN67C via Șugag and Lake Oașa. From Vâlcea, on the DN7A from Brezoi through Voineasa to Obârșia Lotrului. From Bucharest it is ~330 km to Novaci (A1 and DN67, ~4h30). The road is paved for its whole length but narrow, without guardrails in places and with a 30 km/h limit on the ridge; fill up at Novaci or Sebeș. Public transport: there are no scheduled services over the mountains. Buses run as far as Novaci (from Târgu Jiu) and Șugag (from Sebeș); the ridge can only be reached by car, motorbike or bicycle.

**When is the best time to visit Transalpina?**

The best season for Transalpina: June – October (ridge: June–October).

## Nearby attractions

- [Lotru Valley Road](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/valea-lotrului) — Scenic roads · Vâlcea County · Free · 13 km
  The DN7A climbs 108 km from Brezoi up the Lotru valley, through Voineasa and past Lake Vidra to Obârșia Lotrului, then crosses the Groapa Seacă Pass and drops through the Jieț Gorge to Petroșani.
- [Women's Cave](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/pestera-muierilor) — Caves · Baia de Fier, GJ · 20 lei · 40 min · Top 100 · 24 km
  A four-level cave in the Galbenul Gorge at the foot of the Parâng Mountains, with 860 m of lit galleries, cave bear bones and some of the oldest modern human remains in Europe.
- [Polovragi Cave](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/pestera-polovragi) — Caves · Polovragi, GJ · 20 lei · 45 min · 25 km
  A cave more than 10 km long, carved by the Olteț river into the limestone of the Olteț Gorge, with 800 m of gallery open to visitors and legends about Zalmoxis, a kilometre from Polovragi Monastery.
- [Jiu Gorge](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/defileul-jiului) — Scenic roads · Gorj County · Free · Top 100 · 29 km
  The 33 km gorge by which the Jiu crosses the Carpathians between Bumbești-Jiu and Livezeni: the DN66 follows the river through Defileul Jiului National Park, past Lainici Monastery.
- [Bolii Cave](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/pestera-bolii) — Caves · Bănița, HD · 10 lei · ½ – 1 hours · 38 km
  A cave crossed by a mountain stream north of Petroșani, with a 20 m-wide portal and a gallery of about 466 m walked end to end on footbridges, beneath the Dacian fortress of Bănița.
- [Bănița Dacian Fortress](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/cetatea-dacica-banita) — Fortresses and fortifications · Bănița, HD · Free · 1½ – 2 hours · UNESCO World Heritage · 38 km
  The ruins of a Dacian fortress on the rocky summit of Piatra Cetății, above the DN66, which guarded the southern approach to Sarmizegetusa Regia; a UNESCO site, reached only on foot by a steep climb.

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Last updated: 23 September 2026
Source: Pe Plaiuri (https://peplaiuri.ro/en) — Guide to tourist attractions in Romania