Transfăgărășan Road & Făgăraș Mountains Guide
The Transfăgărășan (DN7C) is a 151 km Romanian mountain road across the Făgăraș range of the Carpathians; its high point reaches 2,042 m and it is usually open only in summer. It links Bâlea Lake, Vidraru Dam and Poenari Castle. Current timetables, prices and opening details are not stated here without sourced verification; where details are missing, we say we do not know. (Source: Wikipedia, Wikivoyage)
## Why and how was the Transfăgărășan built?
The Transfăgărășan (DN7C) was built by the army between 1970 and 1974 under Nicolae Ceaușescu and opened on 20 September 1974, conceived as a strategic mountain pass after the 1968 Soviet intervention in Czechoslovakia. The 151 km road connects Transylvania and Wallachia, peaks at 2,042 m and is Romania's second-highest paved pass after the Transalpina. It has five tunnels; the 884 m Bâlea Tunnel is the country's longest road tunnel. Opening dates and road status are not confirmed here without sourced verification; where we are unsure, we prefer to say we do not know. (Source: Wikipedia, Wikivoyage)
## What is there at Bâlea Lake and its waterfall?
Bâlea Lake is a glacial lake in the Făgăraș Mountains at 2,034 m, with a maximum length of 360 m, a width of 190 m and an area of 4.7 hectares. In summer it is reached by car along the Transfăgărășan; for the rest of the year access is by cable car from the Bâlea Cascadă chalet. Bâlea Waterfall lies nearby, and in 2006 Eastern Europe's first ice hotel was built here. Cable car and hotel timetables, prices and opening details are not stated without sourced verification; for missing details we say we do not know. (Source: Wikipedia, Wikivoyage)
## What are the Făgăraș Mountains like?
The Făgăraș Mountains are the highest range of Romania's Southern Carpathians. The country's tallest summit, Moldoveanu at 2,544 m, rises here, followed by Negoiu at 2,535 m and Viștea Mare at 2,527 m. Their glacial valleys hold alpine lakes such as Bâlea, Podragu, Urlea and Capra. Ridge hiking is demanding and weather-dependent. Trail conditions, seasonal closures and guided-tour details are not given without sourced verification; where we cannot confirm something, it is more honest to say we do not know. (Source: Wikipedia, Wikivoyage)
## What does the Vidraru Dam and its lake offer?
The Vidraru Dam is a 166 m arch dam on the Argeș River; construction began in 1960 and it opened in 1966, with the power plant commissioned on 9 December 1966. The 305 m dam forms Lake Vidraru, which covers about 10 km². Four 55 MW Francis turbines give an installed capacity of 220 MW. The southern part of the Transfăgărășan follows the reservoir's shore. Visiting hours, possible activities and fees are not fixed here without sourced verification; where information is missing, we say we do not know. (Source: Wikipedia, Wikivoyage)
## How do you reach Poenari Castle?
Poenari Castle is a ruined fortress on Mount Cetatea near Arefu, overlooking the Argeș valley. Vlad III, known as Vlad the Impaler, repaired and strengthened it in 1459, making it one of his main strongholds. Reaching it means climbing 1,480 concrete steps from the base. Earthquakes in 1913, 1940 and 1977 damaged the site, which the Argeș County Museum has managed since 2009. Opening hours, entry fees and stair access are not stated without sourced verification; for uncertain details we say we do not know. (Source: Wikipedia, Wikivoyage)
FAQ
When is the Transfăgărășan road open?
The Transfăgărășan is usually closed from late October until late June because of snow, so it is mostly a summer road; depending on the weather it may close even in summer or stay open into November. Exact opening dates are not stated here without sourced verification, and where we are unsure we say we do not know. (Source: Wikipedia, Wikivoyage)
How can you reach Bâlea Lake in winter?
When the road is closed you cannot drive up to Bâlea Lake; access is by cable car from the Bâlea Cascadă chalet. In summer you can reach it by car along the Transfăgărășan. The cable car's current timetable and fares are not given without sourced verification; for missing details we say we do not know. (Source: Wikipedia, Wikivoyage)