How to Pay in Romania

No Romanian payment or banking app is necessary for an ordinary visit, and Revolut is not a country-specific essential.

Romania remains outside the euro area and uses the Romanian leu, with the code RON. Bring a physical Visa or Mastercard with reasonable foreign-use terms, a second card from another issuer and a modest amount of leu cash. Card acceptance is broad in cities and many smaller businesses, but cash remains useful for markets, rural stops, tips, public toilets, equipment failure and merchants whose terminal is unavailable. Ask before ordering if the payment method is unclear.

When a terminal or ATM offers to charge your home currency, choose RON and decline dynamic currency conversion so your own card issuer performs the conversion. Read the displayed amount before tapping or entering a PIN. At an ATM, prefer a machine attached to a recognizable bank, inspect the operator fee and conversion markup, and cancel if either is unacceptable. Avoid freestanding tourist ATMs and anyone offering help at the machine.

Your card or travel-money provider cannot remove a fee imposed by the ATM owner, and any fee-free allowance has its own limits and terms. Keep the physical card for accommodation and car-rental deposits because a virtual card or phone wallet may not satisfy the merchant. Store issuer blocking numbers separately, enable transaction alerts and keep receipts for disputed payments. Euros may be accepted informally by some tourist businesses, but the merchant chooses the rate and change may be inconvenient.

Treat displayed euro acceptance as a convenience, not as proof of a fair exchange rate.