Arrival - Parking - Departure
Arrival by plane
Airport: Bukarest/Otopeni (OTP), Baneasa (BBU)
Otopeni, (officially called Henri Coanda), Bucharest’s main airport: after getting off the plane and easing your way through the passport control, you’ll find yourself in the baggage reclaim area. Ignore all of the services on offer here. You should especially ignore the currency exchange desks: they do not offer decent rates. Instead, grab your luggage, which usually arrives promptly, and then it’s off through customs to the arrivals area. (If your luggage fails to arrive, head for the small office on the left hand side of the exit, where staff will help you find out where it might have gone). In the arrivals area, there are loads of ATMs, a press shop and a small cafe. To the right, there is a passage leading to the departures terminal: the passage is lined with car hire desks and a few shops, including a chemist.
Transfer
Tranfer Tulcea from/to airport included on Day 1 and Day 8. Transfer not included if you extend your stay - see "Dates and Prices" for details.
Taxi transfer from airport - Bucharest
(necessary if you have booked pre or post tour nights in Bucharest):
To order a taxi by yourself, look for the multi-language touch screens in the arrivals hall. They are fully automated and very easy to use, and you can choose from the full range of Bucharest taxi companies: all have their tariffs clearly displayed. Once the taxi company of your choice has informed you (via the screen) how long the taxi will take to arrive, and what ID number the taxi has (take the ticket which will be printed), you simply go outside to wait for your taxi.
Just make sure you get into the correct taxi: check the company name and ID number with the one on your ticket. While most of the rip off taxis of yore have now gone, there are still sometimes touts hassling visitors inside the arrivals hall: ignore them. You should also ignore the sign saying ’Rapid Taxi.’ These are overpriced taxis allowed - for some unfathomable reason - to wait directly outside the internal arrivals terminal, underneath international arrivals.
Airport Baneasa: approx. 10 km away from Otopeni, is mostly used by low cost airlines.
Participants
Minimum: 12 guests (has to be reached 4 weeks before start)
Maximum: 20 guests
Additional information
Helmets
Bike helmet rental, free of charge. We recommand you to bring your own helmet with you.
Private bicycles
on request - only possible if you arrive on your own directly to Tulcea as the transfer bus from Bucharest to Tulcea can not store bikes.
General information
With our experienced local wildlife and bike guides you learn to recognize birds by their noise or in flight discover rare plants and animals, about the life of the Delta residents and the incredible eventful past of this region, which already fascinated the Romans, Greeks and Dacians. You are accommodated, on a modern 4* floating Hotel and in a family run, comfortable 4* guesthouse. The meals are traditional with fish, meat and vegetable, for lunch picnics or lunch packs will be offered. You bike in groups of 12-20 people. Therefore it is necessary to have some experience in bike tours. Sand- and gravel roads require a bit of physical condition, but should be succeed by everybody as the daily stretches are quite short. Some stretches are done by boat or bus. Itinerary is subject to change – in case of high forces (water level, through no fault of one’s own engine- or drive breakdown). Before and after your bike tour you also have the possibility to book extra nights in Tulcea or Bucharest.
Arrival to Hotel Berthelot in Bucharest
From the airport Henri Coandă (OTP) you reach the Hotel Berthelot with a taxi (depending on the traffic approx. 25min) or alternatively by public transport in approx. 40-50 min. From the airport, you can get directly to the city centre with a so called express bus line (line 783). Step off at the station "Roman Square" and then take further the bus 126 or 368 to Luterna Station. From there the hotel is within walking distance. You will find the bus stops directly in front of the arrival halls at the airport or at the exits at the train station in Bucharest.
If you travel to Bucharest by train, we recommend to take the metro and Bus or alternatively call a taxi for the way to the hotel. The hotel is approx. 2,2 km away from the northern train station in Bucharest (Gara de Nord). The next metro stations are Piata Romana (approx. 10min by foot to the hotel) or Izvor (approx. 20min by foot to the hotel). From the northern train station, take the line M1 direction Dristor until Piata Victorei. There you change to the line M2 in direction Berceni (1 station) until Piata Romana. From the Piata Romana you can also take the bus line 126 or 368 to Luterna Station. You can recognize the metro stations from the big "M".
CrisTaxi Bucarest: +40 21 94 66
How to buy / handle tickets for public transport
You can buy an electric card, which is called "Activ" or "Multiplu". At the purchasing shops or at ATM’s you usually can book money on this electric card (mostly up to 50 lei, approx. € 12,-). Depending on the line and public transport, you use, if you check in and check out on the buses, trams, and lines the amount of the ticket will be booked from your card. Normal tickets for the metro can also be purchased at all metro stations. You will find more information on the official homepage of public transportation in Bucharest: >>ratb.ro
