Skiing in Predeal

Predeal: Romania's highest town, a compact Clăbucet ski area and a railway station at the door

Predeal ski guide: Clăbucet, Cocoșul and Subteleferic with official lengths and colours, Genetrix passes, trains on the Bucharest–Brașov line, families and snow.

Predeal pistes in the national homologation register

6

Longest piste (Cocoșul), m

2250

Top station Clăbucet Plecare, m

1451

Base station Clăbucet Sosire, m

1050

Skiing & terrain in Predeal

All six Predeal pistes in Romania's national register of homologated ski pistes (five on the Genetrix-operated Clăbucet area plus the separate Cocoș piste in Pârâul Rece), and the extra 600 m Traseu schi drawn on the operator map as a connection.

Predeal pistes in the national homologation register

6

Longest piste (Cocoșul), m

2250

Top station Clăbucet Plecare, m

1451

Base station Clăbucet Sosire, m

1050

Runs drawn on the operator map (5 pistes + Traseu schi)

6

• Blue (easy) pistes in the table: 2
• Red (medium) pistes in the table: 2
• Black (difficult) pistes in the table: 1

Method: lengths are taken from the national register of homologated pistes (Ministry of Tourism, SITUR; Predeal certificates from January 2006); the register publishes no difficulty grade, so colours come from the legend of the official Genetrix (Teleferic Prahova) piste map: blue = easy, red = medium, black = difficult. The operator map gives the same lengths for Cocoșul (2,250 m), Clăbucet (2,100 m), Subteleferic (1,200 m) and Clăbucet Variantă (790 m), but 1,000 m for Clăbucet Sosire where the register says 800 m; the table keeps the register figure. Traseu schi (600 m) appears only on the map, in an orange colour the legend does not define, so it is listed as a connection without a grade. Cocoș in Pârâul Rece is a separate register entry (520 m, another administrator) with no published grade. The breakdown counts the graded pistes in this table, not an official resort total. Altitudes are the station heights printed on the operator map.

Predeal pistes: Clăbucet, Cocoșul, Subteleferic and the two blue runs

Predeal's lift-served skiing is one compact hill. A four-seat chairlift climbs from Clăbucet Sosire (1,050 m) to Clăbucet Plecare (1,451 m), and a drag lift serves the lower blue runs. From the top you choose between the two long reds, Cocoșul (2,250 m) on the west side and Clăbucet (2,100 m) on the east, or the black Subteleferic (1,200 m) under the chairlift.

The national register lists six Predeal pistes: the five on this hill plus Cocoș, a short 520 m piste in Pârâul Rece run by a different company. Lengths in the table come from that register; colours come from the operator map, because the register gives none. The only disagreement is Clăbucet Sosire, which is 800 m in the register and 1,000 m on the map.

With roughly 400 m of vertical and a handful of runs, Predeal suits a weekend, a short trip combined with Brașov, or practice laps rather than a week of varied terrain. Check the operator's daily piste status, published every morning at 09:00, before setting off.

Predeal for beginners: Clăbucet Sosire and Clăbucet Variantă on the drag lift

The two blue runs, Clăbucet Sosire and Clăbucet Variantă (790 m), are served by the drag lift rather than the chairlift. That is practical for first days, but a drag lift has to be learned too, so ask your instructor to cover it in the first lesson.

The reds from the top are long (over 2 km), so move up only when you can control speed comfortably on the blues. Genetrix sells 2-hour and 4-hour cards and points cards (one drag-lift ride costs 1 point, one chairlift ride 2), which suit short learning sessions better than a full day pass.

Getting to Predeal: Bucharest Otopeni or Brașov airport, then the train

Predeal has no airport. The main gateway is Bucharest's Henri Coandă (Otopeni) airport; from there you reach Bucharest and continue north by train or road. The smaller Brașov-Ghimbav airport (GHV) lies 12 km from Brașov, so from there you still travel back through Brașov to reach Predeal; on 18 October 2026 its board showed only Wizz Air flights (London Luton, Budapest, Dortmund and Naples), so check the winter schedule from your own origin.

Predeal has its own railway station on the Bucharest–Brașov main line. CFR Călători publishes timetables and sells tickets; check which trains stop at Predeal, since not every service on the line does. The station is in town, so the last leg to the Clăbucet base is a short local transfer or walk depending on your lodging.

Driving, the town lies on the main road between Bucharest and Brașov through the Prahova Valley. Weekend traffic on this route can be heavy in winter, so allow extra time and check road conditions.

Predeal with kids: lift rules, child passes and the lower slopes

Genetrix applies a child rate from 5 to 12 years old and lets children under 5 ride free. Importantly for families, its tariff page says that, under the chairlift's operating rules, children under 12 may not ride the Predeal chairlift unless an instructor or adult sits with them on each chair.

Small children are usually best kept to the two blue runs on the drag lift. The operator map marks snowmaking on several of the lower slopes, which helps keep the learning terrain open in a thin spell, though it is no guarantee. Book a licensed ski school in advance and confirm the teaching language, age groups and meeting point at the base.

A non-skiing parent can base themselves in Predeal's town centre, close to the railway station, or ride the chairlift up for the view when the operator allows it; the tariff page lists single up, down and return chairlift tickets.

Where to stay in Predeal: near the Clăbucet base or in town by the station

Lodging near the Clăbucet Sosire base keeps mornings simple: you walk to the chairlift and the drag lift, which matters with small children and equipment. Many of these are pensions and villas; check the exact walk, any slope or steps, ski storage and parking.

Staying in the town centre puts you close to the railway station, shops and restaurants, and suits car-free travellers. The trade-off is a daily transfer or longer walk to the base with equipment. Brașov is an alternative base with city services, but it adds a daily road or rail trip in each direction.

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Predeal ski passes: Genetrix day, hour and points cards

Predeal's lifts are run by Genetrix SA (Teleferic Prahova). Its tariff page, checked on 18 October 2026, lists a table labelled "skipass tariffs for the 2026 season": a 1-day adult pass at 250 RON and 125 RON for a child aged 5–12, plus 2- and 4-hour cards, 2–5 day passes and points cards. The table does not say whether it covers winter 2026–27, so confirm before you buy.

Read the conditions: 1–5 day passes are valid 08:30–16:30, are not valid for night skiing, and can be used on non-consecutive days within 30 days of issue. There are no student, senior or group discounts; people with disabilities get a free simple daily ticket on presentation of documents.

Best time to ski in Predeal: snow history, season and low-altitude checks

Historically, late January and February give Predeal its best snow window. In a SkiPair calculation from NOAA's daily records for the national weather station in Predeal (1,093 m), for the winters with data in 1991–2002 and 2014–2020, snow cover was reported on about nine in ten January and February days, and the average depth on those days was highest in February (around 40 cm). The first half of March and late December are the shoulder periods; cover in April was reported on only about a quarter of days. Historical averages do not guarantee any season.

Predeal is low: the base is at 1,050 m and the top at 1,451 m, so mild spells and rain hit harder than in the Alps, and the season start depends on cold weather for both natural snow and snowmaking. Plan flexible dates if you can, and avoid booking late March expecting full cover.

Before you travel, compare a dated mountain forecast with the operator's piste status (updated at 09:00) and the lift timetable, which changes with the weather. A chairlift running for sightseeing does not mean the runs are open.

Find ski partners in Predeal: weekends, trains and short trips

Predeal works well for short trips, so it helps to match on dates and arrival: say whether you are coming by train from Bucharest, from Brașov or by car, and whether you want a day, a weekend or a few days of lessons. Add your level, because the area is small and groups often split between the blue runs and the long reds.

If you are travelling solo, agree a meeting point at the Clăbucet Sosire base and a plan for the last lift and the train back. SkiPair lets you post your dates and level and find other skiers heading to Predeal at the same time.

Ski pass prices for Predeal

Check the operator’s current prices for your ski dates, ticket duration, age group and the area covered by the pass.

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Weather and snow

A clearer view of the snow in Predeal: recent snowfall, what is forecast next, and an outlook for your dates.

Snow and temperature are model estimates. They do not confirm that lifts or pistes are open. Further-ahead dates show seasonal patterns rather than a weather forecast.

Flights & getting to Predeal

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Airport options include OTP and GHV. Compare onward transport to the resort for your dates.

Predeal is better with your kind of people

A destination in common is a good start. Find skiers and snowboarders whose dates, ability and idea of a great day match yours.

A glimpse of Predeal

Archive photos · cropped for display

Questions about this resort