Predeal

Brașov County · Romania
Predeal — photo 1 Predeal — photo 2 2

Photos: cod_gabriel, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons); Andrei Dan Suciu, CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Predeal is a town and mountain resort in Brașov County, on the pass of the same name in the Prahova Valley, between Muntenia and Transylvania. It is the highest town in Romania, at 1,030–1,110 m above sea level. The 2021 census counted 4,020 inhabitants.

Three massifs surround the town: Postăvaru, Piatra Mare and Bucegi. The name comes from a Slavic word meaning “border”. In the First World War the pass was fought over and the town was severely damaged.

Until 1 December 1918 Predeal was the border post of the Kingdom of Romania on the frontier with the Habsburg Empire; the border-guard building still stands. The customs point between Wallachia and Transylvania was moved here from Breaza in 1852. The settlement itself grew around the border railway station: Romania and Austria-Hungary signed the convention on the Ploiești – Brașov railway, with the junction at Predeal, on 31 May 1874, and the lines were joined in 1882. The Prahova river bounds the town on the south and the Timiș on the north.

Today Predeal is known above all for winter sports: it has five ski runs served by a chairlift and drag lifts, and in 2013 it hosted the cross-country skiing and snowboarding events of the European Youth Olympic Winter Festival. Sights include Predeal Monastery, founded in 1774, and the Church of Saints Constantine and Helena in the centre.

On the site the trails “Predeal – Valea Frăsinet”, “Predeal – Valea Iadului – Baiului Saddle” and “Predeal – Clăbucetul Baiului Ridge – Baiului Saddle” start in Predeal. The peaks Postăvaru and Piatra Mare are nearby.

Getting there from Ukraine

The nearest place we have road figures for is Bușteni (≈11 km from here in a straight line): Chernivtsi – Bușteni ≈426 km, ≈7 h 32 min (via Diakivtsi – Racovăț); Rakhiv – Bușteni ≈454 km, ≈8 h 01 min (via Solotvyno – Sighetu Marmației). Times are without border queues, by our road routing. Romanian national roads require an electronic vignette (rovinieta).

Sources: Wikipedia, Wikidata, OpenStreetMap, Karpaty.rocks data. More on Wikipedia

What's nearby

Trails nearby

All trails
Predeal – Valea FrăsinetEasyOne-dayMarkedPredeal Valea FrăsinetElevation profile1 026–1 223 m7.2 kmascent 368 m≈ 2.5 h walkingunder 1 km from the centrePredeal – Valea Iadului – Baiului SaddleEasyOne-dayMarkedPredeal Baiului Saddlevia Valea IaduluiElevation profile998–1 356 m5 kmascent 357 m≈ 2 h walking1.9 km from the centrePredeal – Clăbucetul Baiului Ridge – Baiului SaddleEasyOne-dayMarkedPredeal Baiului Saddlevia Clăbucetul Baiului RidgeElevation profile998–1 448 m7 kmascent 483 m≈ 2.5 h walking1.9 km from the centreLa Șipote – Poiana Pichetul RoșuEasyOne-dayMarkedLa Șipote Poiana Pichetul RoșuElevation profile1 082–1 462 m6 kmascent 379 m≈ 2.5 h walking4.6 km from the centreAzuga station – Baiului SaddleEasyOne-dayMarkedAzuga station Baiului SaddleElevation profile935–1 448 m5.3 kmascent 536 m≈ 2.5 h walking5.5 km from the centreAzuga station – Diham HutEasyOne-dayMarkedAzuga station Diham HutElevation profile935–1 448 m6.2 kmascent 531 m≈ 2.5 h walking5.8 km from the centre

Peaks nearby

All peaks
Piatra MarePeakPiatra MareTimișu de Josaltitude 1 843 m7.2 km from the centrePiatra Mare (Romanian Vârful Piatra Mare, “the Great Stone”, German Hohenstein, Hungarian Nagykőhavas) is the highest summit of the small massif of the same name south...PostăvarulPeakPostăvarulPoiana Brașovaltitude 1 799 m7.4 km from the centrePostăvarul (Romanian Vârful Postăvarul, popularly Postăvaru, German Schuler, Hungarian Keresztényhavas) is a 1,799 m summit, the highest peak of the small Postăvarul...BucșoiuPeakBucșoiuPârâul Recealtitude 2 492 m10 km from the centreBucșoiu (Romanian Vârful Bucșoiu) is a 2,492 m summit in the northern part of the Bucegi Mountains. According to Romanian Wikipedia it is the third-highest peak of the...Coștila PeakPeakCoștila PeakBuștenialtitude 2 490 m11 km from the centreCoștila Peak (Romanian Vârful Coștila) is a 2,490 m summit in the Bucegi Mountains of the Southern Carpathians in Romania.Omu PeakPeakOmu PeakBuștenialtitude 2 514 m11 km from the centre5 trails to the topOmu Peak (Romanian Vârful Omu, also Omul) is the highest summit of the Bucegi Mountains in the Southern Carpathians of Romania.Caraiman PeakPeakCaraiman PeakBuștenialtitude 2 384 m12 km from the centreCaraiman Peak (Romanian Vârful Caraiman) is a 2,384 m summit in the Bucegi Mountains of the Southern Carpathians in Romania.

What to visit

All
Poiana DihamMountain meadowPoiana DihamPârâul Recealtitude 1 350 m6.9 km from the centrePoiana Diham (Romanian: Poiana Dihamului) is a wide mountain meadow in the Diham Mountains, on the northern edge of the Bucegi massif.Poiana IzvoarelorMountain meadowPoiana IzvoarelorBuștenialtitude 1 448 m7.6 km from the centrePoiana Izvoarelor ("the meadow of the springs") is a mountain meadow at about 1,455 m on the south-eastern slope of Mount Diham, in the northern part of the Bucegi...Urlătoarea Waterfall (Cascada Urlătoarea)WaterfallUrlătoarea Waterfall (Cascada Urlătoarea)Bușteni13 km from the centreUrlătoarea Waterfall (Cascada Urlătoarea) is one of the best known in Romania. It lies on the eastern slope of the Bucegi Mountains, in the Bucegi Natural Park, very...Obârșia Ialomiței Waterfall (Cascada Obârșia Ialomiței)WaterfallObârșia Ialomiței Waterfall (Cascada Obârșia Ialomiței)Bușteni13 km from the centreObârșia Ialomiței Waterfall (Cascada Obârșia Ialomiței; on maps also Cascada Obârșiei) lies in the Bucegi Mountains, at the head of the Obârșia valley, at about 2,000 m.Bucegi PlateauMountain meadowBucegi PlateauBuștenialtitude 2 193 m13 km from the centreThe Bucegi Plateau (Romanian: Platoul Bucegi) is a high grassy tableland in the Bucegi Mountains of Romania's Southern Carpathians.Poiana StâniiMountain meadowPoiana StâniiSinaiaaltitude 1 273 m15 km from the centrePoiana Stânii (in full Poiana Stânii Regale, "the meadow of the royal sheepfold") is a broad mountain meadow at about 1,270 m on the Prahova side of the Bucegi...

Huts, shelters and springs nearby

1 033 mDrinking waterDrinking water below Gâlma MicăBucegi Mountains · RomaniaNot verified
1 145 mDrinking waterDrinking water below Gâlma MareBucegi Mountains · RomaniaNot verified
1 201 mSpringSpring below Cocoș (north slope)Bucegi Mountains · RomaniaNot verified
1 324 mMountain shelterGârbova HutBucegi Mountains · RomaniaStandingCall to check availabilitySleeps up to 40Meals served
1 234 mSpringSpring below Coada Pietrei MariBucegi Mountains · RomaniaNot verified
1 412 mSpringSpring below Leuca MareBucegi Mountains · RomaniaNot verified

All springs of the CarpathiansAll Carpathian huts

Getting there from Ukraine

Border crossings

  • Porubne – Siret — road and pedestrian, 24/7
  • Diakivtsi – Racovăț — road and pedestrian, 24/7 No freight traffic.
  • Krasnoilsk – Vicovu de Sus — road and pedestrian, 08:00–20:00 Cars up to 3.5 t and pedestrians only; not 24/7.
  • Solotvyno – Sighetu Marmației — road and pedestrian, 24/7 Passenger traffic only: vehicles up to 3.5 t with up to 9 seats, pedestrians.
  • Diakove – Halmeu — road, 24/7 No pedestrian crossing.

By car

Chernivtsi – Bușteni ≈426 km, ≈7 h 32 min (via Diakivtsi – Racovăț); Rakhiv – Bușteni ≈454 km, ≈8 h 01 min (via Solotvyno – Sighetu Marmației); Uzhhorod – Bușteni ≈557 km, ≈9 h 15 min (via Diakove – Halmeu). Times without border queues, our road routing (GraphHopper, OSM).

Checked 03.11.2026; border crossing hours and timetables change — check before you travel.