Bran is the village below Bran Castle, at the foot of the Bucegi Mountains, 30 km (19 miles) from Brașov. It grew on the trade route through the pass between Transylvania and Wallachia, which the fortress was built to watch over after a privilege granted to the city of Brașov on 19 November 1377.
Bran Castle
Bran was both a customs post, keeping 3% of the value of goods entering and leaving Transylvania, and a fortress on Transylvania's eastern border. In 1920 the people of Brașov gave the castle to Queen Marie of Romania, who made it her favourite residence; today it is a museum, and the whole world knows it as Dracula's Castle, because it is the only castle in Transylvania that matches Bram Stoker's description.
Our Bran Castle guide tells its story and gives the opening hours and tickets.
Around the castle
Queen Marie turned the grounds into an English park with two ponds and a Tea House. When the castle became a museum in 1956, an ethnography section of traditional houses was set up in the park next to it.
Getting to Bran
Trains from Bucharest go only as far as Brașov. From Brașov's Bus Station No. 2, buses run to Bran every 30 minutes on weekdays and every hour at weekends, and the stop is in the centre of the village, near the castle's main entrance. By road, Bran is about 160 km (99 miles) and 2.5 hours from Bucharest.
Many visitors come on a tour from Brașov; our Bran Castle Tours (2027): Which Trip to Dracula's Castle to Choose compares them, and our Brașov guide covers the city.
Frequently asked questions
What city is closest to Bran Castle?
Brașov, 30 km (19 miles) away, with buses to Bran from its Bus Station No. 2.
Can you do a day trip to Bran Castle from Bucharest?
Yes: it is a drive of roughly two and a half hours each way, or take the train to Brașov and the local bus on.
Why is Bran Castle so famous?
Bram Stoker's Dracula: no other Transylvanian castle fits the novel's description. It was also Queen Marie's favourite home.
Facts from Bran Castle's official website (bran-castle.com), checked on 10 October 2026.
