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Summary:
- Bucharest plans to charge 10 lei (about €2) per person, per night starting in 2026.
- The fee is a flat rate, regardless of hotel category or room price.
- It should be collected by accommodation providers, including Airbnb and Booking.com listings, and travel agencies.
- City officials estimate the tax could raise around 15 million lei per year for tourism promotion.
- Parts of the hotel industry have criticized the move for being rushed, with unclear details about spending.
- If you want to avoid surprises, check the taxes and charges section before paying.
If Bucharest is on your 2026 travel list, there’s one small change you’ll want to know before you hit “Book now”. The city plans to introduce a new tourist tax for overnight stays, and it will be charged per traveler.
It’s not a huge amount, but it can add up quickly if you’re staying for a full week or traveling in a group. The good news is that the rule is simple. Here’s what the tax is, who will collect it, and how to make sure it doesn’t turn into an annoying surprise at check-in.
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The headline: 10 lei per night, per tourist
Starting in 2026, Bucharest plans to charge a flat tourist tax of 10 Romanian lei per night, which is roughly €2, per person. The key word here is flat. Whether you book a hostel bed, a mid-range hotel, or a boutique stay, the tax is meant to be the same.
This makes the fee easy to understand, but it also means it can feel more noticeable on cheaper accommodation. On a €20 room, €2 is a bigger deal than it is on a €150 one.
Who will collect it, and how you’ll see it
You won’t need to visit an office or fill out paperwork. The tax is expected to be collected through the places you already book with, meaning hotels and hosts, booking platforms, and travel agencies.
In practice, you’ll probably see it in one of two ways:
- Included in the total price online, listed as a tourist tax or city tax.
- Charged separately at the property, added during check-in or check-out.
That second case is why it’s worth paying attention. Not every platform displays local taxes in the same way, especially when rules are new or changing.
What you’ll actually pay (quick budget examples)
The amount is small, but it adds up fast once you multiply nights and travelers. That’s especially true for longer stays and family trips.
Here’s a simple way to estimate your total:
| Nights | 1 traveler | 2 travelers | 4 travelers |
| 2 nights | 20 lei (≈ €4) | 40 lei (≈ €8) | 80 lei (≈ €16) |
| 4 nights | 40 lei (≈ €8) | 80 lei (≈ €16) | 160 lei (≈ €32) |
| 7 nights | 70 lei (≈ €14) | 140 lei (≈ €28) | 280 lei (≈ €56) |
Quick takeaway: a weekend city break and you’ll barely notice it. A week-long stay with a family and it becomes a real line item.
Why locals are arguing about it (and why you should care)
Bucharest officials estimate the tax could raise around 15 million lei per year (about €2.9 million) and say the money will support tourism promotion.
So why the pushback? Parts of the hotel industry argue the decision was adopted too quickly, and they want clearer public details about how the money will be spent. From a traveler’s point of view, this matters mainly because early implementation can be messy. When a new fee appears, some properties display it clearly, others mention it late, and a few may not communicate it well at all.
A simple checklist to avoid surprises
If you do just a few things before booking, you’ll be fine. The goal is to spot the tax early and know whether it’s included.
- Read the “taxes and charges” section before you pay.
- Look for tourist tax, city tax, or local tax in the breakdown.
- If the price seems unusually low, assume the fee may be paid on arrival.
- Traveling as a group, calculate per person, not per room.
- If you’re unsure, message the property: “Is the 10 lei per person per night tourist tax included?”
This one question usually clears everything up in seconds.
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Bucharest’s tourist tax for 2026 is easy to understand. It’s 10 lei (about €2) per person, per night, and it applies to overnight stays. It should be collected through accommodation providers and booking platforms, so most travelers will simply see it as an extra line on the bill.
It won’t change whether Bucharest is worth visiting. It just changes the total slightly, and if you check the booking breakdown, it won’t change your trip at all.
