Night Trains To Terror: Romania’s Rails Power Halloween In Transylvania

On Halloween, Romania’s spookiest legends step out after dark, but it’s the daytime rails that do the heavy lifting. As crowds descend on Dracula’s Castle, the smart move is simple: go by train, then fan out to Bran.

CFR Călători has been actively pitching weekend tourism by rail via discounts, round-trip deals, and group offers that push travellers toward scenic domestic routes, nudging passengers to choose trains over cars. From Bucharest, the practical flow is to Brașov by train, then a short road leg to Bran; that spine carries most of the Halloween influx (as shown in the Bucharest–Bran travel guidance on Rome2Rio and multi-stop seasonal itineraries on Intrepid Travel.

Getting There: Bucharest—Brașov—Bran

• Train leg: Bucharest (Gara de Nord) to Brașov on an InterRegio/InterCity service. Sample combined fares shown for train+taxi via Bușteni convert to roughly €18–€29 one way, while the direct airport coach to Bran is about €23–€33.
• Final hop to Bran: from Brașov, take a local bus or taxi (fares vary with demand). A full Bucharest—Bran taxi is quoted around €96–€120 on Rome2Rio, but rail + local road transfer is the common Halloween play.
• Why rail first? CFR’s weekend offers, round-trip discounts, and TrenPlus/Card deals reduce cost volatility and keep you out of highway bottlenecks, according to CFR Călători.

Halloween Nights At Bran

Bran’s official Halloween Nights programme (31 Oct–2 Nov) layers night tours, a funeral-parade opener, costume awards, and late sets from DJs and live acts, a two-night, ticketed festival with a castle backdrop. Expect timed entries, queues at peak hours, and heavy late-night transfers back toward Brașov.

• Plan the flow: hit Brașov by midday, check in, then shuttle to Bran for the evening. If you’re chaining Transylvania highlights, pair Bran with Sighișoara and Hoia Forest. This is the classic northbound arc many Halloween tours follow.

Pop Culture Boost: From Screen To Castle

The Hotel Transylvania films have quietly shaped how families imagine the region. Produced by Sony Pictures Animation, the franchise first premiered in 2012, with Adam Sandler voicing Dracula alongside Selena Gomez (Mavis) and Andy Samberg (Johnny). While the stories are set in a fictional resort, their playful imagery (aka friendly vampires, slapstick scares, and a safe "spooky" vibe) has become a gateway for family-friendly Halloween trips to Transylvania.

Just rewatched Hotel Transylvania for a movie reaction and this is still a fantastic movie. pic.twitter.com/XR3xgV9haB

— JUMPY COOL (@RealJumpycool) October 24, 2025

For tourism operators, that matters. The franchise’s broad reach nudges multi-generational travel toward rail-first itineraries because it bundles spectacle (the castle at night) with practicality (daytime rail, predictable costs, easier logistics).