Romania 2026

Overnight: Overnight ferry — Stena Line, Täby → Gdańsk

Short ride south from Täby through the Stockholm archipelago to the Nynäshamn ferry terminal. Coastal roads through pine forests before boarding the overnight ferry to Gdańsk at 18:00.

• Scenic coastal run through Stockholm's southern archipelago
• Ferry departs 18:00 — arrive Gdańsk next morning
• Low elevation, easy warm-up day (avg 30 m, max 69 m)

Overnight: Kraków — guesthouse

The longest riding day of the trip. Head south from Gdańsk through the Polish lowlands with a stop at Malbork Castle — the world's largest Gothic brick fortress and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Continue south through Łódź and on to Kraków.

• Malbork Castle — 13th-century Teutonic Knights' fortress, unmissable
• Elevation climbs from the Baltic coast to the Kraków basin (max 455 m)
• Big day in the saddle — plan fuel and food stops through central Poland
• Kraków: vibrant old town, Wawel Castle worth an evening walk

Overnight: Miskolc, Hungary — guesthouse

South from Kraków through the Małopolska uplands and into the Slovak highlands before crossing into Hungary. The route climbs significantly into the Tatra foothills (max 1,092 m) — some of the best tarmac of the early trip. Finish in Miskolc, gateway to the Hungarian wine country.

• Tatra foothills offer dramatic highland scenery — max elevation 1,092 m
• Cross Slovakia and into Hungary in one day
• Miskolc sits at the edge of Tokaj wine country — good base for tomorrow
• Avg elevation 561 m — the most mountainous day so far

Overnight: Alba County — mountain cottage (2 nights)

A long three-segment day. Start with a loop through the Tokaj wine region (UNESCO WHS), then join 170 km of Trans-Euro Trail Hungary — gravel tracks through the Northern Hungarian highlands and Apuseni foothills. Cross into Romania and reach the mountain cottage in Alba County.

• Tokaj wine region: rolling vineyards, cellars, and a historic town centre
• 170 km of TET Hungary: gravel, forest tracks, highland plateaus
• Elevation swings: valley start (84 m) to a 1,232 m mountain pass in Romania
• Three route segments — plan fuel before the off-road section
• Two nights at the cottage — base for Carpathian explorations

Overnight: Alba County — mountain pension, Carpathians

The Romanian Carpathians from an Alba County base — no fixed routes, just three days of exploration. The Apuseni Natural Park, Transylvanian plateau roads, and mountain passes above 1,200 m are all on the doorstep.

• Apuseni Natural Park — limestone gorges, cave systems, remote villages
• Transylvania plateau roads — long sweepers with a mountain backdrop
• Mix of tarmac and gravel, terrain similar to the Day 4 TET section
• Routes decided on the ground — offline maps and a morning fuel-up
• Accommodation flexible — mountain pension, not pre-booked

Overnight: Casa Popas, Cârțișoara (5 nights)

A shorter riding day through the Southern Carpathians — east from Alba County to the Olt valley, then south to Cârțișoara. The route climbs through the sub-Carpathian foothills (max 923 m) before dropping to the lodge at the base of the Transfăgărășan. First sight of the famous pass ahead.

• Arrival at Casa Popas — lodge at the foot of the Transfăgărășan pass
• Elevation range 210–923 m through Sibiu County foothills
• Five-night base: Romaniacs, the Transfăgărășan ride, and Carpathian outrides

Overnight: Casa Popas, Cârțișoara

Overnight: Košice, Slovakia — apartment

A long northbound day through Transylvania and into Slovakia, tracking north through the Carpathian arc — likely via Brașov and Levoča. Elevation stays moderate (max 606 m) as the route transitions from Romanian highland to Slovak lowland.

• Final day in Romania — last look at Transylvania's rolling countryside
• Possible routing via Brașov and Levoča — scenic alternatives to the main roads
• Route not finalised — Kurviger recommended with motorways disabled
• Košice: Slovakia's second city, a beautiful medieval old town for the evening

Overnight: Warsaw, Poland — apartment

North through the Slovakian and Polish highlands back into the Polish plains — likely through the Bieszczady mountains in south-east Poland, a quieter and more scenic alternative to the direct motorway corridor. Elevation peaks at 616 m before the descent to Warsaw.

• Bieszczady mountains corridor recommended — rugged, quiet, no trucks
• Max elevation 616 m — the last meaningful mountain day of the trip
• Warsaw: last city stop, worth a walk through the reconstructed old town
• Route to be finalised with Kurviger before departure

Overnight: Overnight ferry — Stena Line, Gdańsk → Stockholm

The final riding day, north from Warsaw to Gdańsk. Low elevation (max 207 m) through the Polish lowlands and forest belts. The ferry departs Gdańsk at 18:00 — arrive Stockholm the following morning. Trip complete.

• Ferry departs 18:00 from Gdańsk — same terminal as the Day 2 arrival
• Arrive Stockholm Saturday morning — 15 days, ~5,400 km total