The A3 is open from Bucharest to Ploiești: 54.89 km since July 2012 and another 7.40 km into the city since December 2018 (130km.ro).
Ploiești to Brașov, about 106.6 km, is still at the feasibility study stage as of October 2026. Only 6.3 km near Brașov is open.
The A0 section between the DN1 and the A3 opened in November 2023. From north Bucharest you reach the A3 without crossing the city.
The A3 north of Bucharest: the short answer
The A3 motorway is open for about 62 km between Bucharest and Ploiești, according to the 130km.ro project tracker. Most of it, 54.89 km, opened in July 2012, and the last 7.40 km into the city opened in December 2018. It starts inside Bucharest, at Petricani in Sector 2, and has a junction with the A0 ring motorway north of the city.
North of Ploiești, towards Brașov, the motorway does not exist yet, apart from a 6.3 km stretch between Râșnov and Cristian, near Brașov, open since December 2020. The section through the Prahova Valley, about 106.6 km in two parts, is still at the feasibility study stage as of October 2026.
In plain words: to Ploiești you drive on a motorway; from Ploiești to the mountains you still drive on the DN1, and no construction date has been set.
This guide covers the A3 only. For the ring around the city, see our A0 guide. For the daily drive into Bucharest, see the Balotești commute on the DN1.
What is open today: Bucharest to Ploiești
| Section | Length | Status | Opened |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bucharest (Petricani) to the old ring road | about 7.4 km | Open | December 2018 (part in 2015) |
| Old ring road to Moara Vlăsiei | about 19.5 km | Open | July 2012 |
| Moara Vlăsiei to Ploiești | about 42.5 km | Open | July 2012 |
| Total, Bucharest to Ploiești | 62.29 km | Open |
Source: 130km.ro, which follows every section of Romania's motorway network. The tracker itself gives slightly different lengths for the two sub-sections in different places, so treat the split as approximate. The total is consistent.
When the city end opened in December 2018, HotNews reported that the Moara Vlăsiei junction, built under the same contract, was not yet accepted and stayed closed. The exit list on Romanian Wikipedia shows it in use since 2019. Check the current exits on a navigation app before you plan a route.
The A0 link
The A0 northern ring motorway crosses the A3 north of the city. The A0 section between the DN1 and the A3 opened in November 2023, and the rest of the lot to the DN2 at Afumați in December 2024, according to Economedia. That article also quoted a state secretary at the Ministry of Transport saying that, once the DN3 overpass is finished, traffic between the A2, the A3 and the DN1 would run at motorway level.
What this means in practice: from the DN1 near Corbeanca and Otopeni you can reach the A3 without crossing Bucharest. The full status of every A0 lot is in our A0 guide.
What is missing: Ploiești to Brașov
| Section | Length | Status, October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Ploiești to Comarnic | 48.6 km | Not built. Feasibility study under revision |
| Comarnic to Brașov | 58.0 km | Not built, except Râșnov to Cristian (6.3 km, open December 2020) |
Sources: 130km.ro; Newsweek România, 9 October 2026.
What is open today is a fact; what is announced is a forecast.
The timeline so far:
- February 2021: the national roads company CNAIR signed a contract worth about 46.5 million lei with the designer Consitrans, to revise the feasibility study and prepare the technical design, according to HotNews.
- 2025: the National Road Investment Company (CNIR) took over the contract from CNAIR in February. From 21 March the contract was suspended for three months, because the geotechnical drilling plans had not been approved, reported Economica.net.
- March 2026: CNIR fined the designer a total of 4 million lei for not meeting contract conditions and said it was considering ending the contract, reported B365. The dispute was about the geotechnical drilling.
- June to August 2026: by 26 June, 3,175 metres of geotechnical drilling had been done out of 33,591 planned, and on 3 August the designer submitted the geotechnical study for the first sector, according to Newsweek România.
- October 2026: the project still appears on CNIR's site as a feasibility study under revision, Newsweek România reported. No tender for construction, and no completion date.
One local improvement did arrive. The Comarnic bypass, about 6 km with one lane in each direction, built by Prahova County Council, opened at the start of October 2026, Wall-Street.ro reported. It is not part of the motorway, but it takes some traffic out of the town of Comarnic.
Driving north today: what to expect
| Trip | Road | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Bucharest to Ploiești | A3 | 62 km of motorway; the fastest part of the trip |
| North suburbs to Ploiești | DN1, or the A0 to the A3 | Two options; test both at your hour |
| Ploiești to Brașov | DN1 through the Prahova Valley | Two-lane mountain road through towns; heavy on Friday, Sunday and holidays |
We do not publish a door-to-door time to Brașov, because it depends too much on the day. To give a sense of the range: on 2 January 2018, after the holidays, Digi24 reported, citing Waze, that the 147 km from Predeal to Bucharest took 3 hours and 26 minutes. On an ordinary weekday it is much shorter. On a holiday Sunday it can be longer.
What the A3 means for the northern suburbs
For someone living in Balotești, Corbeanca or Snagov, the A3 changes three things:
- Ploiești and the north are close. With the A3 and the A0, the drive towards Ploiești does not have to pass through Bucharest.
- Weekends in the mountains start from the right side of the city. Anyone leaving from the north skips the urban stretch that people leaving from the south of Bucharest sit through.
- The Prahova Valley stays the bottleneck. Until the motorway is built, the time to Sinaia, Predeal or Brașov is set by the DN1 in the valley, not by where you live.
Our rule, as with the A0 and the metro: what is open today is a fact; what is announced is a forecast. A home should make sense with the roads open today. We cover the EU money behind Romania's road programme in our article on EU funds and infrastructure.
How to check the A3 for your own plans: 5 steps
- Find your nearest junction. A0, Moara Vlăsiei or Snagov-Ghermănești, depending on where you live and where you go.
- Compare routes at your hour. DN1 direct, or A0 to A3. Use a navigation app with a set departure time.
- Check the official project status. CNIR and the Ministry of Transport publish project stages; 130km.ro gathers the news by section.
- Plan mountain trips around peak days. Leaving early on Saturday or returning on Monday morning can save hours.
- Do not pay for a road that is not there. If someone sells you "a motorway to Brașov soon", ask for the construction contract.
Frequently asked questions
Is the A3 open from Bucharest to Brașov?
No. As of October 2026 the A3 is open from Bucharest to Ploiești, about 62 km, and on a 6.3 km stretch between Râșnov and Cristian near Brașov. The rest, through the Prahova Valley, is at the feasibility study stage.
When will the Ploiești to Brașov motorway be finished?
There is no date. The feasibility study has been under revision since the 2021 design contract, and in 2026 CNIR fined the designer and considered ending the contract. No construction tender has been launched.
Does the A3 connect to the A0 ring motorway?
Yes. The A0 northern section between the DN1 and the A3 opened in November 2023. From the north of Bucharest you can reach the A3 via the A0 without crossing the city.
Where does the A3 start in Bucharest?
At Petricani, in Bucharest's Sector 2. The 7.4 km stretch from there to the old ring road was completed in December 2018.
What is the Comarnic bypass?
A road of about 6 km, with one lane in each direction, that takes DN1 traffic around the town of Comarnic. It was built by Prahova County Council and opened at the start of October 2026. It is not part of the A3.
The bottom line
The A3 is half a story. To Ploiești it is a real motorway that already works well with the A0 and the northern suburbs. To Brașov it is still a study, more than five years after the design contract was signed.
If you are choosing a home in the north of Bucharest, count on the roads open today. If you would like to go through the map and the routes that matter to your family, book a 30-minute call with me. For the suburbs on this axis, see our Corbeanca and Snagov guide.
Moti Azulay, Compass Group Romania
Sources: 130km.ro, A3 Bucharest–Borș project tracker · Newsweek România, 9 October 2026: the Prahova Valley motorway · B365, March 2026: CNIR fines the designer · Economedia, February 2026: A0 north and the A3 · HotNews, December 2018: A3 Petricani opening · HotNews, February 2021: design contract signed · Economica.net, May 2025: contract suspended · Wall-Street.ro: Comarnic bypass · Digi24, 2018: Predeal to Bucharest travel time
This article is for general information only and is not legal, tax or financial advice. Road status is current as of 22 October 2026 and is based on public reports and project trackers; opening dates and project stages may change. Check the current status before making a decision.
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This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult local professionals before any transaction.
