Is Bucharest worth a day trip?

Only just: 3.3 hours in Bucharest, 25 min into town each way. Tight: the centre and a meal, not much more.

How long do you actually get in Bucharest?

About 3.3 hours in Bucharest. Landing to take-off is 6.3 hours; the trip into town and back, passport checks and the time at the airport come off that.

How do you get from Bucharest airport into town?

Train to București Nord 20-25 min, 6.50 RON (13 RON from the conductor).

What does a day in Bucharest cost, not counting the flight?

About £23 a person for the day: local transport, lunch, dinner and a drink. Paid attractions are listed separately because most people do one or none, and an average that includes them is a number nobody actually pays.

Is the flight price on this page the one I will pay?

The fare shown is the cheapest recently seen on this route, not a live quote for these exact flights. Check the airline or the booking link for the price you will actually pay.

How early do I need to be back at the airport?

Leave the city by 17:35. That allows 25 min to get back to the airport and 100 min there, including 10 min for passport checks on the way out, before the 19:40 flight home.

Will passport checks eat my day?

We allow 30 min on landing for the EU Entry/Exit System (fingerprints and a photo on your first trip) and 10 min extra on the way out. That is already taken off the 3.3 hours shown. These are estimates; queues run longer on busy days.

Day trip to Bucharest.
From London Luton, back by 21:05.

Romania·Sat 17 Oct · 3.3 hours in the city

3.3 hours

in the city

21:05

back in London Luton

Day Trip Flight Details

Time in the city

3.3 hours

after transfersAfter transfers and airport time

Airport distance

18km

to the centreFrom Bucharest centre (OTP)

Daylight

11.0 hours

07:31 to 18:31Sunrise 07:31, sunset 18:31

Tight: passport queues. Under 5 hours in Bucharest once we allow 30 min for passport control on landing and 10 min extra before the flight home.

FlightAirport, immigration and transportIn the city

08:05
Leave London Luton
3h 20min
14:20
In the city
Lands 13:25, 30min immigration, 25min from the airport
17:35
Leave the city
25min back, 100min at the airport incl. immigration
21:05
Back in London Luton
Flies 19:40

Leave London Luton08:05
Land in Bucharest3h 20min13:25
In the city30min immigration, 25min from the airport14:20
Leave the city25min back, 100min at the airport incl. immigration17:35
Fly home3h 20min19:40
Back in London Luton21:05

Weather while you are there

13:0016°

14:0018°

15:0019°

16:0018°

17:0018°

18:0016°

19:0015°

20:0014°

Things to do in BucharestShow

Palace of the Parliament: Entry Ticket + Guided TourTickets on TiqetsAffiliate link
Ceauşescu Mansion: Guided TourTickets on TiqetsAffiliate link
Museum of Senses Bucharest: Entry TicketTickets on TiqetsAffiliate link
Cotroceni Palace: Fast Track Ticket + Guided TourTickets on TiqetsAffiliate link

All things to do in Bucharest · Tiqets, affiliate link

With kids in BucharestShow

What a day in Bucharest costs

On the ground only. We could not price the flight for this pair, so the day costs more than this.

£23/ on the ground, plus flights

Train to city centre and back£2

Lunch£7

Dinner£14

Beer calculator× 0£0

Entry fees, on top (optional)

Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum£7 (40 lei)

Grigore Antipa National Museum£5 (32 lei)

National History Museum of Romania£5 (32 lei)

Cismigiu Garden, Herastrau, Stavropoleos Church, Old Town, Revolution SquareFree

On the ground£23

Prices checked 3 Oct 2026

Return flightNo fare yet

We could not price this pair. Check the fare on the airline's site before you count on the figure above.

Getting to Lutonfrom free Book on Google Flights

Compare fares on Aviasales · Affiliate link

Estimated cost. Prices and availability change and are set by the airline or agent when you book.

The main button opens the airline or Google Flights; Compare fares goes to Aviasales, who pay us a small commission.

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Getting to the airportShow

Getting to Luton

Per person. Not in the total above. Prices checked 25 Sept 2026.

Free

Free drop-off, Long Stay car parkFree~10 min shuttle
First 2 hours free. Free shuttle bus, about every 20 min, 24/7. Source

Train

From London (St Pancras)£6.50 each way22-45 min
Advance single. First train 05:45, last train 23:51 Source
Luton DART shuttle (Parkway station to terminal)£4.90 each way4 min
24/7: every 5 min at peak (06:00-09:30, 14:00-18:00), every 8 min off-peak, every 15 min super off-peak (22:00-04:00). Source

Coach

National Express from London£7 each way
Cheapest advertised single. Runs round the clock. Source

Taxi

From London£90-£130 one way~35 miles
Estimate, not a quote. Uber or Bolt usually £45-£75.

Parking at the airport

Paid drop-off zone£9
£9 for 12 minutes, then £1 a minute, 30 min max. Source
Terminal Car Park 1 / 2 (closest to terminal)£75
9 to 24 hours. Source
Long Stay Car Park£35
First day. Source

More parking

Mid Stay Car ParkNo same-day price
Source

Parking nearby

No same-day price published. See multi-day prices

Airparks Drop & Go£30.14
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 14 min. Source
APH Drop and Go£99.99
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 12-14 min. Source
Vauxhall Way Self Park£39.97
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 14 min. Source

Costs people forgetShow

Costs people forget

Not in the total above. Worth a minute before you go.

Phone data. EE, Vodafone and Three charge about £2.75 a day to use your allowance in Europe. O2, Tesco Mobile and giffgaff include it free.
Card fees. Many cards add a foreign-exchange fee to every payment abroad. Check yours before you go, or take one that doesn't charge it.

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Ask about Bucharest

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Comments on BucharestShow

Comments

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Day trip to Bucharest.From London Luton, back by 21:05.

Day Trip Flight Details

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Day trip to Bucharest.
From London Luton, back by 21:05.