First opened to public in 1979, the Bucharest subway is a convenient means of transportation sometimes (i.e. not during the half a day rush hour, when it can get pretty crowded), with its 45 stations. Stations are rather poorly marked on surface (with letter "M" usually placed on a metal pole). Access is granted based on cards (for 2 or 10 rides, as well as for 1 day or 1 month) or magnetic, plastic monthly passes (which are also valid for ground transport passes). Changing trains or commuting between lines does not require paying again except for Gara de Nord 1 and 2 (which can be avoided by commuting at Basarab). Trains run from 5 AM to 11.30 PM (which means that the first train starts at its end at 5.00 AM, and that the last train departs Piața Unirii 1 and 2 at 11.30 PM); they have promised lately to keep trains running until 00:30 on Friday and Saturday; it hasn’t happened yet (and it’s been half a year since these promises’ being released). Trains come relatively often on weekdays at daytime (every 3 to 8 minutes), depending on the line. The busiest leg is Nicolae Grigorescu - Eroilor, as there are two lines covering the route. The line with the 8 minute gap is Gara de Nord 2 - Parc Bazilescu. Trains come every 10-15 minutes after 8.00 PM and during the weekends.

Tickets and passes can be bought at any subway station (look for the ‘casa de bilete’ booth) or at the ticket machines placed in some stations. A one month pass (RON 35) is a good idea if you are planning to travel a lot. Tickets must be validated upon entering the station at the green machines there. Combined RATB (surface transport) - Metrorex (subway transport) can be bought only at RATB ticket kiosks in major bus / tram / trolleybus stops; they currently cost RON 85 (35 for the subway, 50 for RATB, no package discount, but you save space in your wallet and time). In such a case, use the orange validators upon entering the subway station, similar to those on a bus / tram / trolleybus. Find more details on tickets and lines on the English page of Metrorex.

Built under the former communist regime, master of the super-planned economy, the lines do not cover the city well; whole districts like Drumul Taberei, Pantelimon or Ferentari are not served by it. They are currently expanding the network, but that is a slow process; there is a project to build a line to Bucharest OTP Airport, but works have not started. For the time being, to get to Bucharest OTP, your best bet is to get by subway to Gara de Nord (Bucharest’s main station) and take the train from there on. You can buy the train ticket at any ticket office at the station or, if you are in a hurry, from the conductor on the train (the same tariff applies). Read my Getting to Bucharest by Air post for more data on this service.

A few years ago, as the original trains were getting old, there were signs of improvement when the company running them, Metrorex, decided to buy new Bombardier trains (made in Sweden and put together in Craiova). However, they never adapted these trains to the climate in Bucharest (with much warmer summers than in Sweden), with an insufficient A/C capacity in trains during the peak hour in summer. But these issues are not important; every new train features 2 (two) bodyguards, occupying space (sitting, chatting) and supposedly 'defending public order', as the official line goes; well, actually the IDs the guards bear mentions "pază tren" (En. train security); meanwhile, most of them are of the overweight, old, tired and helpless kind. Oh dear.