The official start of classes is Monday, 8 September 2025. That brings back the classic rush hours (7:30–9:30 and 13:30–15:00) and the traffic patterns the city forgets over summer. A few nodes overload predictably in the first three days, then flows settle a bit.

Where the first week clogs up (and why)

North – DN1 / Băneasa – Aviatorilor – Kiseleff. Heavy inflow from Ilfov + school drop-offs around Kiseleff/Dorobanți. Big junctions (Piața Presei, Charles de Gaulle, Victoriei) hit their limits between 7:45 and 9:00.

Pipera – Petricani – Barbu Văcărescu / Floreasca. Offices and private schools share the same corridor. Left turns and the crossings at Aurel Vlaicu slow down the whole Barbu Văcărescu–Ștefan cel Mare front.

West – Iuliu Maniu – Grozăvești – Crângași. Frequent U-turns around schools plus utility works that pop up “by segment” and drag the whole boulevard. The morning peak often stretches to about 9:45 in the first two days.

Inner ring – Ștefan cel Mare – Mihai Bravu – Splaiul Unirii. Many schools, strong east–west flows, and junctions that fail fast if it rains or there’s a minor incident.

North-West – the M4 corridor (Străulești – Jiului – 1 Mai). From 1 September, the metro runs single-track between 1 Mai and Jiului, with a mandatory transfer at Jiului. Platforms pack up in the morning; if you come from Bucureștii Noi/Dămăroaia, budget an extra 5–10 minutes.

 First-three-days pattern: Monday morning is the worst (everyone “tests” their route); Tuesday stabilizes; Wednesday keeps a lunchtime spike because of shorter schedules in primary. The roughest windows: 7:00–9:00, 12:00–14:00, 17:00–18:00. 

What the authorities prepare (and how much it helps)

• Intersection teams + signal tweaks. Useful at major nodes (Victoriei, Charles de Gaulle, Aviatorilor), but the effect evaporates with the first rain or a fender-bender.
• Extra public transport at peak. STB typically adds capacity in the first week. Check live apps each morning—extra trips pop up on school corridors.
• Metro — watch M4. The transfer at Jiului stays in force until the M6 tie-in phase is finished.

How to slip through — concrete, tested moves

If you come from the north (Otopeni/Tunari – Băneasa – Dorobanți)

• Park & ride at Străulești early and switch to metro (M4 → M1 → M2 at Victoriei). You avoid DN1 + Aviatorilor. If Jiului’s platform is jammed, detour via M1 from Basarab to Victoriei.
• Driving: avoid 7:45–8:45 on the Piața Presei – Kiseleff axis. The loop via Poligrafiei – Tipografilor – Nicolae Caramfil – Calea Floreasca helps only if no utility works are posted.

If you’re on Pipera – Petricani – Barbu Văcărescu

• Switch to M2 (Aurel Vlaicu / Pipera) for the central segment; the Victoriei (M1/M2) transfer is usually faster than the 15–20 minutes you’d spend at the Barbu Văcărescu lights.
• Golden rule: don’t make across-median U-turns by schools. Park on parallel streets (Floreasca, Clucerului) and walk 3–5 minutes—you’ll save 10–15 minutes on exit.

If you come from Militari – Drumul Taberei – Grozăvești

• Iuliu Maniu at 8:15 is a trap. If you’re heading downtown, do a light park-&-ride near Politehnica/Basarab and continue with M3/M1.
• STB: on the Iuliu Maniu–center axis, reinforcements tend to appear in the first days; watch live timetables—worth it in the rain.

If you’re stuck on the inner ring (Ștefan cel Mare – Mihai Bravu – Splai)

• Avoid left turns at peak; do “right + around the block,” then resume direction.
• Fast combos: M1 Ștefan cel Mare ↔ M2 (Victoriei) routinely beats the car on the Dorobanți–Universitate segment 8:00–9:00, especially in wet weather.

Metro: what to know in the first days

• M4 (1 Mai – Străulești): mandatory change at Jiului. Plan a 5-minute buffer and follow in-station signage.
• Operating hours: last departures are at 23:00 from termini; if you rely on after-school activities, don’t miss the last trains.

School drop-off by car: urban-hygiene rules that actually work

1. Do a Sunday-evening test run. Time the entries, turns, and quick stops. Monday morning you won’t improvise.
2. No double-parking at the gate. Drop off on the preceding corner; 150–200 m is a real 3-minute walk but shrinks the queue.
3. Car-pool with other parents. Split the week across cars and cut the pressure at the school frontage.
4. Morning checklist: M4–Jiului status, any posted restrictions/works for the day, any STB boosts if it’s raining.

The 30-second takeaway

• Start date: Monday, 8 September 2025.
• Hot zones: DN1–Kiseleff–Aviatorilor, Pipera–Barbu Văcărescu, Iuliu Maniu–Grozăvești, the inner ring.
• Season’s big change: M4 with transfer at Jiului—add 5–10 minutes if you come from the north-west.
• What authorities do: intersection teams, signal tweaks, narrower work zones; useful but limited at peak.
• How to navigate: park-&-ride + metro on heavy axes; avoid left turns on the inner ring; drop off 150–200 m from the school gate; check status every morning.