The A0 is a motorway of about 100.8 km, in seven lots, circling Bucharest outside the old ring road.
In autumn 2026 about 72% of the ring is open: the whole southern half, plus 19 km in the north between the DN1 and DN2.
Between the DN1 at Corbeanca and the DN2 at Afumați. It already lets you head east from the north without entering the city.
The lot between the A1 and the DN1 via Buftea and Corbeanca is under construction. Deadline: April 2027; the contractor expects sooner.
In March 2026 a tender was launched for a 2.55 km link from the A0 to Otopeni airport's future Terminal 2.
Bucharest's A0 ring motorway: the short answer
The A0 is a motorway ring of about 100.8 km in total that circles Bucharest and its old ring road. As of early October 2026, the southern half-ring (about 51 km) has been fully open since June 2025, and in the north a 19 km section between the DN1 at Corbeanca and the DN2 at Afumați is open, while the remaining northern sections are still under construction. In all, about 72% of the ring is open to traffic.
When I drive investors from the airport to the northern suburbs, I almost always point at the same overpass and say: "That's the A0." The next question is always: "And when will it be finished?"
The answer depends on which section you mean. Let's go through them one by one.
What the A0 is, and why it matters
Bucharest is ringed today by an old road, Centura București, which runs partly through residential and commercial areas and is one of the city's bottlenecks. The A0 is a new, wider ring, built as a full motorway outside the old one.
The aim: let through traffic and traffic between the suburbs bypass the city, and link the motorways leaving Bucharest, such as the A1 to the west and the A2 east towards the Black Sea. The project is managed by Romania's national roads company, CNAIR.
Which A0 sections are open in 2026
The table is based on the project tracker of 130km.ro, which follows every section of Romania's motorway network, as of September 2026.
| Section | Length | Status (autumn 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| South, lot 1: A2 to Jilava | 16.93 km | Open (2024) |
| South, lot 2: Jilava to DN6 | 16.30 km | Open (2023–2024) |
| South, lot 3: DN6 to A1 | 17.97 km | Open (June 2025) |
| North, lot 1: DJ601 to DN1 Corbeanca | 17.50 km | Under construction |
| North, lot 2: DN1 Corbeanca to DN2 Afumați | 19.00 km | Open (2023–2024) |
| North, lot 3: DN2 Afumați to DN3 Cernica | 8.60 km | 2.3 km open, rest under construction |
| North, lot 4: DN3 Cernica to A2 | 4.47 km | Under construction |
The key line in the table: the south is finished, the north is still partial.
What is happening in the north: the sections not yet open
The first northern lot, between the A1 and the DN1 through Buftea, Mogoșoaia and Corbeanca, is the missing link on the western side of the north. According to a report in Wall-Street.ro, the contractor estimated that about 8 km between Buftea and Corbeanca would be finished by the end of September 2026, and the lot could open by the end of the year, ahead of the contractual deadline of April 2027.
In the east, lots 3 and 4 between Afumați and the A2 are expected to open in 2026, but there too the opening depends on finishing passages and junctions.
In addition, 130km.ro notes that in March 2026 a tender was launched for a 2.55 km link from the A0 to the future Terminal 2 of Henri Coandă International Airport.
What is open today is a fact. What is announced is a forecast.
My rule, as with the metro line: what is open today is a fact. What is announced is a forecast.
What the A0 changes for the northern suburbs
For anyone looking at a property in the north, the A0 changes three main things:
- Links between the suburbs. Today most traffic from the north flows into the city along the DN1. The open section between the DN1 and the DN2 already lets you head east without entering Bucharest.
- Access to the motorways. The southern half-ring already connects the A1 and the A2. Once the northern ring is complete, there will be a fast route around the whole city, without crossing it.
- Bypassing the old ring road. Less reliance on the congested Centura București.
In practice, the A0 runs close to Corbeanca, Balotești and Otopeni. We cover these suburbs in our Corbeanca and Snagov guide and our Balotești guide. In our project in Balotești, for example, the travel times we quote, about 25 minutes to the city centre and about 10 minutes to the airport, are based on the roads that exist today.
A0 and M6: two projects on the same axis
The two big transport projects in north Bucharest are being built in parallel: the A0 by road, and metro line M6 by rail to the airport. We cover the metro timetable in our guide to line M6, and the EU funding behind the infrastructure in our article on EU funds.
Together they explain why the northern axis attracts attention. But both also teach the same lesson: infrastructure timetables in Romania tend to stretch.
How to check the A0's effect on a specific property
Before you count the A0 as an advantage of a property, check:
- Which junction is closest, and is it open today? A planned junction is not a junction.
- Noise. A house right next to a motorway enjoys the access, but also hears it. Visit at rush hour.
- Your real daily route. To work, to school, to the airport. The A0 helps only if it is actually on your route.
- A price that does not charge for the future. The property should make sense with the roads open today.
Frequently asked questions
How long is Bucharest's A0 ring motorway?
About 100.8 km according to the 130km.ro project tracker, in seven lots: three in the south and four in the north. The ring runs outside the city's old ring road.
Which parts of the A0 are open now?
As of autumn 2026, the whole southern half-ring between the A1 and the A2 is open, and in the north 19 km between the DN1 at Corbeanca and the DN2 at Afumați, plus about 2.3 km of the lot east of it. In all, about 72% of the ring.
When is the A0 expected to be fully open?
The remaining northern lots are planned to open between the end of 2026 and 2027. The contractual deadline for the lot between the A1 and the DN1 is April 2027, and the contractor expects an earlier opening. Check the current status before any decision.
Will the A0 connect to Otopeni airport?
In March 2026 a tender was launched for a 2.55 km link from the A0 to the future Terminal 2 of Henri Coandă International Airport. It is an early stage, and there is no opening date yet.
What is the difference between the A0 and the old ring road?
The old road, Centura București, is a long-standing ring that runs close to the city and is considered congested. The A0 is a new, wider motorway built outside it, linking the motorways that leave Bucharest.
The bottom line
The A0 is already changing traffic around Bucharest: in the south it is finished, and in the north it is advancing lot by lot. For anyone looking at the northern suburbs, it is one of the reasons the area is more accessible than before.
But a good property has to stand on the roads open today. If you are looking at a property in north Bucharest, in our project or anywhere else, book a 30-minute call with me. We will go through the map, the open junctions and your daily routes.
Moti Azulay, Compass Group Romania
Sources and data: CNAIR, Romania's national roads company · 130km.ro, motorway project tracker (September 2026) · Wall-Street.ro, status of the Buftea–Corbeanca section · Henri Coandă International Airport.
This article is for general information only and is not legal, tax or financial advice. Road opening dates may change; check the current status before making a decision.
Now you know more.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult local professionals before any transaction.
