Romania
Travel Destination – Romania
Romania has a varied landscape that ranges from the Carpathian Mountains to the Danube Delta and the Black Sea coast. Major cities such as Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca combine modern infrastructure with historic buildings and cultural landmarks. Regions such as Transylvania are known for fortified churches, castles, and rural villages that reflect long-standing regional traditions.
Travelling within the country can involve noticeable changes in terrain and climate, particularly when moving between cities, mountains, and rural or coastal areas. Healthcare is generally good in larger urban centres, where hospitals and clinics are widely available. In more remote regions, medical facilities may be more limited and travel times to care can be longer, so planning ahead is important.
Health Risks
Pre-travel preparation
Before departure to Romania, it is advisable to arrange a consultation with a travel health professional to review routine immunisations and assess whether any additional vaccines or preventive measures are appropriate for your itinerary. This discussion is particularly useful if your travel includes hiking in mountain regions, visiting rural communities, or spending time along the Danube Delta where environmental exposures may differ from urban settings.
An appointment scheduled six to eight weeks before departure allows for multi-dose vaccines. Regardless of proximity to departure, recommendations can be aligned with your specific travel route, whether focused on Bucharest, Transylvania, the Carpathians, or coastal areas.
Travel insurance with comprehensive medical coverage and emergency evacuation is strongly recommended, particularly for travellers planning outdoor activities or multi-region travel.
Food and water hygiene
Romanian cuisine is hearty and regionally diverse, often featuring stews, grilled meats, dairy products, fresh bread, and seasonal vegetables, with strong influences from Central and Eastern European cooking traditions. While food safety standards are generally good in established restaurants and hotels, gastroenteritis can still occur during travel.
Regular hand hygiene before meals is important to reduce risk, especially when moving between urban sightseeing and rural travel days. Freshly prepared, thoroughly cooked food is generally safer, while dishes left at room temperature or sourced from informal vendors carry more uncertainty. Washing or peeling raw fruit and vegetables where possible adds an additional layer of protection. Bottled water is widely available and may be preferred in rural areas or when tap water quality is uncertain.
Insect avoidance
Insect exposure presents a risk in Romania, and varies by season and geography. Mosquitoes more common in warmer months and in wetland regions such as the Danube Delta, while ticks are a key consideration in forested and grassy areas, particularly during hiking or rural travel in the Carpathians. Tick-borne encephalitis is present in parts of Central and Eastern Europe, making bite prevention an important part of outdoor travel planning.
Protection is most effective when combining clothing, repellents, and environmental awareness. Long sleeves and trousers help reduce exposed skin, while repellents containing DEET or picaridin provide additional protection. Permethrin-treated clothing can be useful for extended outdoor activities. After spending time in vegetation, a careful tick check is recommended, particularly around warm or concealed areas of the body.
Rabies prevention
Rabies is a viral infection that affects the brain and nervous system and is almost always fatal once symptoms appear. It is present in Romania, primarily in wildlife populations such as foxes, with occasional cases involving unvaccinated domestic animals in rural or peri-urban environments. Once symptoms develop, the infection cannot be effectively treated, making prevention and rapid response after exposure essential.
Travellers should avoid contact with all animals, including stray dogs that may be encountered in both urban edges and rural towns. Animals that appear friendly or familiar should not be approached, fed, or handled. Any bite, scratch, or saliva exposure to broken skin or mucous membranes requires urgent medical attention without delay. For those undertaking extended rural travel, outdoor work, or activities with potential animal exposure, pre-exposure vaccination may be considered based on individual risk assessment.
Our Travel Doctors
Our fully qualified doctors have an interest in travel medicine and immunisations. And they know travel. Their expert advice will be tailored for you, your travel companions and your trip.
Which shots do I need for Romania?
Measles
+
Measles is a highly contagious viral illness that spreads through airborne particles released when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or breathes in shared indoor spaces. Because the virus can remain suspended in the air for a period of time, exposure may occur in everyday travel environments such as airports, public transport, accommodation, and crowded tourist attractions.
Early illness often begins with fever, cough, runny nose, and red eyes, before a widespread rash develops a few days later. Complications can occur, including pneumonia and, less commonly, neurological disease, particularly in unvaccinated individuals.
Although Romania has vaccination programs in place, measles outbreaks continue to occur in parts of Europe from time to time. For travellers, the most reliable protection is vaccination prior to travel, with two documented doses of a measles-containing vaccine such as measles-mumps-rubella (MMR).
Influenza
+
Influenza is an acute viral respiratory infection that spreads easily through droplets and close contact, particularly in enclosed environments such as aircraft cabins, public transport, and indoor venues. It can lead to fever, muscle aches, sore throat, cough, and marked fatigue, sometimes causing otherwise healthy travellers to feel significantly unwell for several days. Because circulating strains change and activity patterns vary across regions, infection is not limited to a single season. Annual vaccination is recommended prior to travel to reduce the likelihood of illness and disruption during your trip.
COVID-19
+
COVID-19 is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and is transmitted mainly through inhalation of infectious airborne particles, especially in crowded or poorly ventilated indoor spaces. Clinical presentation ranges from mild upper respiratory symptoms such as sore throat and fatigue to more significant illness affecting breathing and general health. Vaccination helps reduce the risk of severe disease and remains an important part of travel preparation. In line with Australian guidance, booster doses are recommended for older adults and those with medical risk factors at regular intervals, and all travellers should ensure they are up to date before departure.
Hepatitis A
+
The Hepatitis A virus infects the liver, and is acquired through ingestion of contaminated food or water, or through close personal contact with an infected individual. Symptoms may include nausea, fever, abdominal discomfort, fatigue, and yellowing of the skin, and recovery can take weeks in some cases. Although Romania has generally good food hygiene standards in established venues, exposure can still occur, particularly outside major cities or in informal dining settings. Vaccination is recommended for unprotected travellers and provides long-term protection after completion of the standard course.
Routine vaccinations
+
Routine immunisations are widely utilised in Australia, contributing to low rates of vaccine preventable infections in the country. However, international travel increases risk of exposure. Routine vaccinations cover diseases such as tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella. These infections are now uncommon domestically due to sustained vaccination programs but continue to circulate in varying levels internationally. Ensuring these vaccinations are current provides a baseline level of protection when travelling, particularly in environments involving close contact, shared accommodation, or transit through busy public spaces. Additional vaccinations for conditions such as hepatitis B may be recommended based on personal risk factors and activities planned.
Romania
Other health risks in Romania
Gastroenteritis
+
Gastroenteritis is most commonly caused by infectious organisms acquired through contaminated food, water, or person-to-person transmission. It typically causes diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, nausea, and sometimes fever, with most cases resolving spontaneously over a short period. The main concern is fluid loss leading to dehydration, particularly if symptoms are persistent or intake is reduced.
Risk in Romania is generally low in established restaurants and hotels, where food safety standards are reliable. Exposure is more likely in informal settings, rural areas, or during travel when hygiene practices vary. Preventative measures include regular hand hygiene, choosing freshly prepared and well-cooked foods, and being cautious with raw produce or items left unrefrigerated. Bottled water is a practical option when water quality is uncertain.
Rabies
+
Rabies is a viral infection that affects the brain and nervous system and is almost always fatal once symptoms appear. It is present in Romania, primarily in wildlife populations such as foxes, with occasional cases involving unvaccinated domestic animals in rural or peri-urban environments. Once symptoms develop, the infection cannot be effectively treated, making prevention and rapid response after exposure essential.
Travellers should avoid contact with all animals, including stray dogs that may be encountered in both urban edges and rural towns. Animals that appear friendly or familiar should not be approached, fed, or handled. Any bite, scratch, or saliva exposure to broken skin or mucous membranes requires medical attention without delay. For those undertaking extended rural travel, outdoor work, or activities with potential animal exposure, pre-exposure vaccination may be considered based on individual risk assessment.
Tick-borne encephalitis
+
Tick-borne encephalitis is a viral infection transmitted through the bite of infected ticks, typically found in forested, grassy, and rural environments. It is present in parts of Central and Eastern Europe, including regions of Romania, and risk is highest during warmer months when outdoor activity is more common.
Illness can range from a mild fever to more significant neurological disease affecting the brain and spinal cord. Infection may occur after even brief outdoor exposure if ticks are not promptly detected and removed.
Prevention involves reducing tick exposure through protective clothing, use of insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus, and careful body checks after spending time in vegetation. A vaccine is available in some countries and may be considered for travellers undertaking prolonged outdoor or rural activities in higher-risk areas.
Tuberculosis
+
Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and is spread through prolonged inhalation of airborne droplets from a person with active disease, most commonly affecting the lungs. It tends to develop gradually, with symptoms such as persistent cough, fatigue, weight loss, fever, and night sweats.
For short-term travellers, the risk of acquiring TB in Romania is low. Transmission is generally associated with prolonged close contact in household, institutional, or healthcare environments rather than casual social interaction. Awareness is most relevant for long-term stays or occupational exposure.
Non-infectious conditions
Crime and unrest
+
Safety considerations in Romania are generally similar to those found in many European destinations, with risks largely centred around opportunistic crime rather than targeted incidents. Pickpocketing, bag theft, and distraction-based scams can occur in busy urban areas, transport hubs, and popular tourist sites, particularly during peak travel periods.
Keeping personal belongings close and secured, avoiding visible display of valuables, and maintaining awareness in crowded environments can significantly reduce risk. Using reputable transport services and ensuring accommodation arrangements are well reviewed in advance adds another layer of practical security.
Public demonstrations may occur in major cities from time to time. These are usually peaceful but can lead to temporary disruption of transport routes or access to central areas. Travellers are best advised to avoid participation, keep distance from large gatherings, and follow local guidance if movement or schedules are affected.
Refer to the Australian government's Smartraveller website for up-to-date advice before and during travel.
Deep vein thrombosis
+
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a condition in which a blood clot forms in a deep vein, most commonly in the lower limbs, due to prolonged reduction in blood flow during periods of immobility. While it is often associated with long-haul flights, it can also occur during extended road, rail, or coach travel, as well as prolonged sedentary periods during itineraries involving frequent transit or long sightseeing days. Further complications could arise if part of the clot dislodges and travels to the lungs.
Prevention focuses on maintaining circulation during travel. Regular movement, including walking breaks when possible and simple calf and ankle exercises while seated, is beneficial. Adequate hydration and avoiding prolonged uninterrupted sitting also help reduce risk. Compression stockings may be considered for higher-risk individuals following medical advice prior to travel.