This completely saved my sanity as a solo traveler who barely speaks Romanian. While the new M4 metro line to Henri Coandă Airport sounds perfect on paper, it doesn't run 24/7 like the rest of Bucharest's metro system. For late-night arrivals after 11pm or early departures before 5am, Bolt app becomes essential. You see the exact price upfront (usually 45-65 RON from Otopeni to Calea Victoriei area) and can track your route in real-time.

The airport taxi situation at Henri Coandă gets really uncomfortable, especially if you're traveling alone. Some drivers quote 150+ RON for a ride that should cost 60 RON, or they'll claim the meter is broken. The touch-screen taxi dispatch system in arrivals works, but as a tourist, you're still not sure if 80 RON is fair. With Bolt, everything is transparent — No awkward negotiations in broken Romanian.

Same strategy works perfectly at Gara de Nord train station when you're connecting between international trains and the city center. The M1/M4 metro interchange can be confusing with heavy luggage, and those aggressive taxi drivers outside the main entrance will quote ridiculous prices. Just book through Bolt from inside the station instead.

Pro tip: Screenshot your driver's license plate and keep the ride receipt. If anything goes wrong, Romanian Consumer Protection Authority (Str. Transilvaniei 2) handles taxi complaints, but honestly, I've used Bolt dozens of times between Henri Coandă and neighborhoods like Amzei or Universitate and never had issues — The system just works when STB night buses don't fit your schedule.