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Depending on how you enter Romania, this road starts either in the north at Satu Mare, or in the south at Timisoara. If you enter the country from Hungary, you will more than likely connect with it in Oradea or Arad.

For the sake of convenience, we’ll start the road in Timisoara. If you land at the international airport, you will find E70 first, which will take you to E671 through the center of town. Entering TIMISOARA is akin to any major city in Romania—the outskirts don’t look like much, but as you get closer to the center of town, you are rewarded with better sights. The city is best known for having sparked the 1989 Revolution that overthrew the communist government. Standing at the Piata Victoriei on a sunny day, it is difficult to imagine that more than 100,000 people and an army were there in December 1989. Timisoara is a bustling university town and a fantastic shopping venue. You could walk the downtown for hours strolling through shops and alleyways exploring the City. Or you could grab an ice cream or a coffee and watch people in one of several squares. Restaurants are also plentiful, running the gamut from fast-food to Greek to Chinese.

Highway E671 leaves the city through a roundabout which opens to a four-lane highway. The pavement is smooth and traffic moves at a brisk pace. The four-lane section does not last but a few kilometers and is replaced by a regular two-lane highway.

The landscape defining the entire length of E671 is made up of plains and wide horizons. Looking at the road map, the road parallels the border with Hungary, practically running the whole length of the country’s western edge. The 45-50 kilometers connecting Timisoara with Arad are fairly straight and fast. The only noticeable bends in the ribbon of asphalt materialize near the town of Vinga.

Coming into ARAD, you have the choice of taking the E671 loop which bypasses the center of town (taking a right turn past the Opel/Chevrolet dealership), or you can ride through town and follow the signs. A ride through town is considerably more interesting and rewarding. Historically, Arad has been a road gateway into Romania. During the latter part of the 19th and early part of the 20th centuries it was known as “Little Vienna.” The city’s downtown still retains its architecture and boulevard which gave its nickname. The city’s attraction is the Mures River and the many parks lining its river walk.

From the center of town, follow the signs for E671 toward Oradea. The road leaving town is fairly straight and generally fairly fast. The small towns dotting the landscape are the only things that break the otherwise monotonous ride. In Chisineu-Cris the road intersects Highway 79A which brings traffic from the border crossing of Varsand. The town’s center has a slight charm all its own, particularly on a Saturday morning when people mill about the open-air market.

Thirty-six kilometers of fast and fairly flat road later, the town of Salonta welcomes you with its familiar center square and houses lining the road. From Salonta the road moves northward for another 40 kilometers to Oradea. The city welcomes you with another roundabout, a popular fixture on European roads.

ORADEA has traditionally been the center of this region near the border with Hungary, historically referred to as Crisana. Navigating Oradea can be an adventure at times. The city provides public transportation in the form of busses and tramways. The tramway rail is embedded in the road and runs, more often than not, in the same lane as that intended for vehicles. On a motorcycle that can make for some tricky maneuvering, especially in the rain—those rails can be unforgiving. So, aside from heavy traffic during the day, watch out for the tram rails. The city’s downtown is picturesque and worth a visit.

From Oradea, E671 continues northward for about 65 kilometers to the town of Valea lui Mihai. In 2006 this section of the road presents rough asphalt, dotted by a number of potholes.

The road condition does not improve much even past Valea lui Mihai, past Carei and into Satu Mare. While sections of the road are under construction, the overall experience from Oradea to Satu Mare is disappointing—unless you ride a dual-sport and don’t mind the jarring ride.

SATU MARE is described in a travel book as “the ugliest town in Romania.” In all fairness, that statement is not only a bit strong, but also slightly skewed. The downtown area is fairly charming and pleasant. As a matter of fact, there are other towns in Romania that would be much better candidates for the ‘ugliest town’ moniker. The Hotel Dacia was the former city hall and royal court. Much of the activity of Satu Mare is centered around the Piata Libertatii with the Hungarian Reformed, Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches as well as the Great Synagogue nearby.

Overall, E671 does not provide a particularly stimulating motorcycling experience, unless you want straight stretches of road where reaching triple-digit speeds is absolutely no problem, albeit illegal. But, the road does provide easy access to several major cities on the western edge of Romania, which in turn, open a host of new opportunities for exploration. And if you enter Romania by land through the western border crossings, you are likely to make good use of this otherwise satisfying road.

Timisoara

Roads > E671

Arad

Road to Oradea

Oradea

Road to Carei

Road to Satu-Mare

Satu-Mare

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