UNTOLD Festival in Cluj-Napoca: a guide to the music city's first day
UNTOLD does not take place in just one stadium. Over four days, the area around Cluj Arena, Central Park "Simion Bărnuțiu" and the neighboring festival zones turns into an interconnected music city with multiple stages, different rhythms and an audience that moves throughout the evening from major pop and electronic performances to techno, house, rap and live programs.
The 2026 edition is called UNTOLD ONE and is conceived as a new beginning after the festival's first decade. The first UNTOLD was held in 2015, and this year's concept once again emphasizes stage design, storytelling and transitions between musical worlds. The difference compared with a traditional stadium concert lies precisely in the fact that the program is not followed linearly. Visitors choose their own route, change stages and accept that some performances will overlap.
Thursday is particularly diverse. Sting brings the format of a major live concert, The Chainsmokers and James Hype take over the Main Stage with electronic production, Carl Cox leads the audience toward a harder club sound on the Galaxy Stage, while WhoMadeWho Hybryd DJ Set on the Daydreaming Stage offers a more melodic direction. On the same day, the Alchemy Stage combines rap, trap and bass programming, featuring, among others, Gramatik, IAN, Marko Glass x BVCOVIA and Albert NBN.
Tickets for this event are in high demand. A one-day ticket is valid only for the selected festival day, so before arriving it is important to check that the date on the ticket matches the planned program.
What distinguishes UNTOLD ONE from similar festivals
UNTOLD's identity is built on a combination of large-scale stadium production and an urban festival space. The Main Stage in Cluj Arena hosts the principal live performers and the most commercially recognizable DJs, but the complete experience only takes shape beyond the stands. The stages are distributed throughout a wider complex alongside the park, the Someșul Mic River and sports facilities, so moving between performances involves passing through open zones with food, drinks, installations and additional activities.
The program is not limited to EDM. For 2026, more than 200 performers have been announced across nine stages, ranging from pop and live music to house, techno, trap, rap and bass genres.
For a first-time visitor, the plan should not consist only of performers' names. It is worth leaving time to walk through the entire site, find the entrances to individual zones and estimate how long the transition between two stages takes.
First-day program and key overlaps
Entry to the festival grounds begins at 16:00, while a one-day ticket remains valid until 05:00 the following morning. For planning the evening, the confirmed times from late afternoon onward are the most important.
Main Stage
Smiley performs at 17:25, Sting at 18:55, followed by a transition toward the electronic program. James Hype is announced for 20:50, The Chainsmokers for 22:45 and Maddix for 00:30. The program also features DJ Bliss, Cancelled Music (Kris Fade & Dean Curtis), Guess Who and other performers.
Sting's time slot makes it possible to move to Galaxy, Daydreaming or Alchemy after the concert without giving up the later names on the Main Stage.
Galaxy Stage
Galaxy is the zone for visitors whose priority is club music and a longer DJ set. Carl Cox begins at 22:00. His time slot overlaps almost completely with The Chainsmokers on the Main Stage, making this the evening's main decision: stadium EDM and pop production or a techno set in a space focused on the dance floor.
Daydreaming and Alchemy
WhoMadeWho Hybryd DJ Set begins at 21:00 on the Daydreaming Stage. That time slot directly overlaps with James Hype, Carl Cox and the later start of The Chainsmokers.
Alchemy brings a different energy on the first day. Albert NBN performs at 18:10, IAN at 19:05 and Gramatik at 20:10. The program also includes Marko Glass x BVCOVIA and other names from the rap, trap and bass scenes.
- For a live concert focus: Smiley - Sting - return to the Main Stage.
- For an electronic evening: James Hype - The Chainsmokers - Maddix.
- For a club-oriented route: an earlier tour of the grounds - Carl Cox at Galaxy - continuation of the nighttime program.
- For a change of genre: Sting - Gramatik at Alchemy - WhoMadeWho at Daydreaming.
Schedules may change, so the timetable should be checked again on the day of arrival. The festival's mobile application allows visitors to create a personal list of performances, which is useful when stages overlap.
Cluj Arena and the festival grounds
Cluj Arena is located at Aleea Stadionului 2, west of the center of Cluj-Napoca. The stadium has a capacity of 30,201 seats in its sports configuration, but the festival grounds cover a much wider area. Next to the arena are BT Arena, Central Park "Simion Bărnuțiu", pedestrian zones and the bank of the Someșul Mic River.
Central Park is more than 180 years old. During UNTOLD, parts of the park become entrance corridors, festival zones and links between stages, giving the festival a distinctly urban atmosphere.
The festival can be reached on foot from much of the city center. At the same time, traffic restrictions are introduced in the surrounding area, so arriving by car directly at the arena is not a reliable plan. Parking areas and streets immediately next to the complex are partially closed or repurposed, and the Cluj Arena and Parcul Central stops may be suspended.
Spaces fill up quickly. When planning a one-day visit, additional time should be allowed for reaching the entrance, collecting the wristband, passing the security check and walking to the stage.
Entry, wristband and re-entry rules
Visitors with a General Access wristband enter from the direction of Central Park, at the entrance next to the Hungarian Opera. A separate queue is provided for VIP wristbands in the same entrance area. The main wristband collection point is located in Central Park "Simion Bărnuțiu"; during festival days, it operates from 15:00 to 03:00.
To collect a wristband, visitors must show the ticket QR code from their user account and an identification document. Minors must also have the appropriate parental consent. Children under seven years of age enter without a ticket, while older minors are subject to age-specific accompaniment and identification rules.
Online ticket check-in links the visitor's information to the wristband. The wristband is also used for cashless payments after it has been topped up at festival credit points or through the user account.
Two entries are permitted during a single festival day. A one-day ticket is therefore not a pass for unlimited entry and exit between the city and the festival.
What to bring and what to leave at the accommodation
The permitted size of a bag or backpack is limited to 29 x 21 x 12 centimeters. Lockers are located near the entrance, but arriving with minimal equipment is more practical.
- Bring an identification document and an accessible ticket QR code.
- Choose a small bag within the permitted dimensions.
- Pets, sprays and water bottles are not allowed.
- Flags are permitted only without a pole.
- Special food required because of an allergy or intolerance is permitted with a medical certificate.
- Medicines that require an explanation should be accompanied by a prescription or medical document.
- Mirrorless cameras are permitted, while DSLR equipment is not allowed.
Water can be purchased in the festival's food court zones. Because the program continues until early morning, footwear suitable for several hours of walking and standing is useful. The forecast and any changes to the rules should be checked immediately before departure.
Ticket types and differences between zones
Four-day General Access provides entry to the stages and public festival zones, including areas with food, drinks and accompanying activities. One-day General Access is valid only for the selected day, from 16:00 to 05:00, and cannot be exchanged for another day.
VIP Mainstage includes a separate entrance and an elevated platform overlooking the main stage. This category is intended for adult visitors. There are also multi-day categories associated with the Galaxy backstage zone and additional facilities. Backstage, artist village, technical zones and VIP platforms are not included in General Access.
General Access requires more walking and an earlier arrival to secure a good position. The VIP platform provides a clearer view of the Main Stage, but it does not resolve overlaps with other stages.
Arrival from the city and the airport
Cluj-Napoca has a compact city center, and the festival zone is located along its western edge. It is possible to walk there from the historic center, especially when the accommodation is near Piața Unirii, Strada Memorandumului or Central Park. During the festival, marked pedestrian corridors should be followed because parts of the park and streets are fenced off.
Public transport undergoes temporary changes. Lines 26, 26L, 27, 28, 28B, 41 and 44 operate on modified routes, while the Cluj Arena and Parcul Central stops are suspended. The Piața 14 Iulie area and Dragalina stops are used as replacement points. Tram lines 102 and 102L are also suspended during part of the festival period, while replacement buses are introduced on certain sections.
Passengers arriving through Avram Iancu Cluj International Airport can use bus lines A1E, 5 and 8 to reach the city center. The usual travel time to the center is around 30 minutes, but festival traffic may lengthen the journey.
Arriving by car at Cluj Arena is not recommended as the final stage of the journey. Aleea Stadionului and the surrounding streets are subject to restrictions, the parking lot at Sports Hall "Horia Demian" is closed during the period around the festival, and several local parking areas must remain empty. A more reasonable option is to leave the vehicle farther from the festival perimeter and complete the final section on foot or by public transport.
Food, drinks and the rhythm of a long festival day
General Access includes access to public food & drink zones. Payments are made through the festival wristband, which can be topped up online or at credit points. Cash and cards are accepted at those points, while the balance on the wristband can be used throughout the entire festival period.
The one-day program continues until 05:00, so it is worth planning a meal before the evening sequence of performances or during a break before midnight.
For first-time visitors, it is useful to take a brief tour immediately after entering: find Galaxy, Daydreaming and Alchemy, locate the credit points, lockers and exit, and only then head toward the first priority performance.
What kind of experience can first-time visitors expect
The UNTOLD audience is not a single genre-based group. Sting attracts a concert audience from different generations, Galaxy and Daydreaming attract fans of DJ sets, while Alchemy attracts rap and trap audiences.
The most common first-visit mistake is trying to see too much. In a space with nine stages, security corridors and a large number of people, fifteen minutes between performances is not always enough. A better plan has three or four priorities, one deliberately selected zone for the late part of the night and several open time slots for exploring.
It is worth securing tickets in time. After purchasing, visitors should complete the ticket check-in, save the QR code, check the wristband collection location and reopen the schedule on the day of the event.
For the first day, it is practical to arrive in the wider Central Park area before 16:00, collect the wristband without rushing and immediately establish the route between the Main Stage and the alternative stages. After that, the choice depends on personal focus: Sting as the central live performance, The Chainsmokers and Maddix for stadium electronic music, Carl Cox for techno or a combination of Gramatik and WhoMadeWho for an evening away from the main stage.
Sources:
- UNTOLD - festival dates, the UNTOLD ONE concept, list of stages, performers and schedule.
- UNTOLD FAQ and Pre-Festival Wristband Pickup - entrances, wristbands, opening hours, rules for minors, bags, items and re-entry.
- UNTOLD information about ticket types - differences between one-day and four-day General Access and VIP zones.
- Cluj Arena - address, capacity and stadium characteristics.
- CTP Cluj-Napoca - temporary routes, suspended stops and tram traffic changes during the festival.
- Avram Iancu Cluj International Airport - bus lines between the airport and the city center.
- VisitCluj - context of Central Park "Simion Bărnuțiu" and the city's location.
- ViaCluj TV - traffic restrictions and parking closures in the Cluj Arena zone.