Time: GMT+2 (GMT+3 from last Sunday in March to last Saturday in October)
WEBRESOURCES
RECOMENDED BY TRAVELLERS
Check for trains
to Moldova
Check for flights
to/from Moldova
http://asaptickets.com cheap flights from the USA
www.airbaltic.com
cheap flights to Odessa & Chisinau
Air Moldova - local airline operator
Check for buses
to/from Moldova
Autogara Moldovei - great info on buses to/from and within Moldova. Timetables, costs, times
http://www.bus.com.ua/
timetable of buses in Ukraine (russian)
Eurolines Romania
buses to Moldova from Bucharest, Brasov etc
Autogari.ro
buses from/to Romania
Travellers' comments:
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Other useful travel information
Moscow to Chisinau by train (story)
Moscow to Kishinev/ Chisinau by car (story)
Bucharest ~ Brasov ~ Suceava ~ Constanta ~ Galati ~ Sibiu ~ Kiev ~ Crimea ~ Odessa ~ Chernivtsi ~ Kamyanets-Podilsky ~ Lvov ~ Warsaw ~ London ~ Budget Airlines
Moldova is a small country neighbouring Romania at the West and Ukraine at the East. Coming to Moldova from the West may be cheaper and easier than from the East. The Western border of Moldova is more secure and predictable, in comparison with the Eastern border, where our country does not have any custom check points and do not provide consular services. Thus, a traveler who is arriving into Moldova from the side of Transdniestr will not get his Moldovan stamp of entrance and will need to get his registration later when arrived to Moldova. Another reason is the high cost of flights to Chisinau. It may be twice cheaper to fly to Bucharest and then arrive to Chisinau by train or minibus.
Netherveless, travellers are arriving to Moldova same frequently from the west, from the east and by plane, landing at the Chisinau airport.
From Romania |
Bucharest to Chisinau (Kishinev) by train (updated 18/06/2009)
Bucharest
- Chisinau:
Travel overnight from Bucharest to Chisinau on the 'Prietenia'
sleeper train, leaving Bucharest Nord at 20:00 every odd dates and arriving
Chisinau at 08:52 next day. 1 st and 2nd class compartments available
on this train.
Chisinau - Bucharest:
Travel overnight from Chisinau to Bucharest on the 'Prietenia'
sleeper train, leaving Chisinau Train
Station at 17:10 on even dates and arriving at Bucharest Nord at 06:32
next morning. In August, October, December, January, March, May and July
months (with 31 days) the train will leave on the 31st instead of 30th
of the month.
Approximate fares:
55 Euro for a one way ticket 2nd
class (4 berth compartment) and 70 Euro
for a one way 1st class ticket (2 berth compartment)
How to book:
The Bucharest to Chisinau train cannot be booked through
the normal computer reservation systems used by western European railways
and ticketing agencies. Instead, to book this train separately, try contacting
the Wasteels office in Bucharest, at www.wasteelstravel.ro
or www.wasteels.ro or www.wasteel.ro
or by phone +40 21 2310208. Be prepared to pay double the price of the
ticket for the booking.
Booking
tickets to Bucharest: no booking is
available, but only purchase in advance. We can buy your Chisinau - Bucharest
ticket prior to the departure date and mail it or hand it to you in Chisinau.
Bucharest to Chisinau (Kishinev) by bus
Bucharest
- Chisinau (updated on 26/05/2008):
Daily, several times a day
from Filaret Bus Station (Autogara Filaret, Piata Garii Filaret nr.1,
Sector 5, Tel: +4-021-336.06.92 ) in Bucharest. 8-10 hours on the way.
There are about 5 buses/minibuses perday. Most of them are small uncomfortable
minibuses.
A more comfortable
bus is provided by TORPEDO TOUR
. It leaves Bucharest daily at 19:00 from the train station GARA DE NORD
arriving to Chisinau GARA DE SUD next day at 06:35 next morning.
Also, there is a comfortable bus provided by VERALIS-TUR leaving daily
from Bucharest GARA FILARET bus station at 20:00 and arriving to Chisinau
GARA DE SUD at
7:00
Cost 60 Romanian
Lei.
Chisinau - Bucharest (updated
on 01/08/2009):
Daily at 9:00, 10:00, 11:00, 17:00,
19:00, 20:00, 21:00 and 22:00 from GARA CENTRALA
in Chisinau. 8-10 hours on the way depending on the customs. One
way ticket is about 25 Euro
Booking:
Advanced purchase of the tickets for
buses departing from Chisinau is available from Marisha
with its collection in our flat in Chisinau
Bucharest to Chisinau (Kishinev) by air
Every day, 1-2 times
a day. Flights are provided by the Romanian airline Tarom
and the Moldovan airline Air Moldova.
Bucharest: Departs/arrives from the International Airport Henri Coanda
or Otopeni (OTP). Plane: Embraer 120, 30 seats, business class
is absent. Check the websites for
up-to-date information regarding the flights and fares.
Approximate fares: From 80
Euro one way and 160 Euro return if booked far in advance, but be prepared
100 plus Euro for one way and 200 plus Euro for the return
Brasov to Chisinau (Kishinev) by bus (updated on 25/08/2009)
Brasov-Chisinau:
Daily at 12:00 and 19:00 from Gara Codreanu 2 (114, Avram
Iancu sreet , tel: +40 268 426 332). The 12:00 is a minibus, while the
19:00 is a comfortable bus. 10 hours ride. (updated on 25/08/2009)
Daily
at 9 am from Brasov arriving to Chisinau Gara de Sud at 20:45 same day.
And, every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 12 am from Brasov arriving
to Chisinau Gara de Sud at 00:02 midnight. Buses provided by TRANSBUS
SA Brasov.
Some of our guests are taking the bus at 19:00 from Brasov arriving to
Chisinau at around 5 am next day.
Buses depart from "Autogara 2" (Bus station 2) on str. Avraam
Iancu 114. Cost of the ticket is about 20 Euro.
Chisinau - Brasov: (updated
on 19/11/09):
Daily at 12:00 (minibus) and 19:00
(comfortable bus) from Chisinau Gara de Sud arriving to Brasov at 22:00
same day and 05:30 next day respectively. Bus to Timisoara that leaves
Chisinau Gara de Sud bus station daily at 12:00 is going via Brasov. It
arrives to Brasov at 21:00 same day. Also, there is a minibus at 18:00
on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays, but check this out additionally
with the bus station.
All buses depart from Gara de Sud in
Chisinau. One
way ticket to Brasov is about 20 Euro.
Booking:
Advanced purchase of tickets for buses
departing from Chisinau and its collection in our
flat in Chisinau
Sibiu to Chisinau (Kishinev) by bus (updated on 26/05/2008)
Sibiu-Balti:
Every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and
Sunday at 17:00 from Sibiu arriving to Balti (north of Moldova) at 06:00
morning next day. Buses provided by ATLASSIB Romania.
Balti - Sibiu:
Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
at 16:00 from Balti arriving to Sibiu at 06:30 morning next day. Buses
are provided by ATLASSIB Romania.
Booking:
Advanced purchase of tickets for buses
departing from Chisinau and its collection in our
flat in Chisinau
Suceava to Chisinau (Kishinev) by bus
Suceava-Chisinau:
Daily
at 06:30 and on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 10.30 a.m. from the
Bus Station.
Cost one way is aroung 15 Euro
Chisinau-Suceava
(updated 28/05/2009):
Daily from
Gara de Sud (South Bus station in Chisinau) at 8.30 a.m.
arriving to Suceava at 15:40 next day.
Also, every other day at 07:30 and 20:00 (bus to Sebes, via Sibiu and
Alba-Iulia) arriving to Suceava at 14:40 and 2:00 am next day.
Cost one way is aroung 15 Euro
Booking:
Advanced purchase of tickets for buses
departing from Chisinau and its collection in our
flat in Chisinau
Constanta to Chisinau (Kishinev) by train [TEMPORARY CANCELED]
Available only in summer period from June to September. It departs from Chisinau every Monday, Wensday and Friday at 17:10, arriving to Constanta at 6 o'clock next morning and to Mangalia at 8 o'clock same morning. The price for a one way ticket to Constanta is 270 MDL (around 23 USD) and to Mangalia is 285 MDL (around 24 USD).
Constanta to Chisinau (Kishinev) by bus
Constanta - Chisinau:
Regular bus from Constanta
to Chisinau operated by Lt "Trand-Leahu"(phones: Moldova - 069468474 Romania
- +(4)0723784019 at Constanta Railway & Bus Station and +(4)0728715103
in the bus).
2 times a week: Mon, Fri at 19.00 from Autogara Sud in Constanta arriving to Chisinau at around 05:00 next day. It has a stop at Galati (Casa de Cultura a Sindicatelor) at around 23:00. Cost of the ticket is around 20 Euro.
Chisinau - Constanta:
Every 1,3,4,5,7 day of the week
(M-W-Th-Fr-Sn) at 19:30 from Gara de
Sud (South Bus station) in Chisinau arriving
to Constanta at 07:25 next day.
Approximate fares:
one way ticket is around 20 Euro
Booking:
Advanced purchase of tickets for buses
departing from Chisinau and its collection in our
flat in Chisinau
Galati to Chisinau (Kishinev) by bus
Chisinau - Galati:
Chisinau - Bucharest bus via Cahul
and Galati. Departs daily at 19:00 from Gara
de Sud in Chisinau. 7 hours on the way
Approximate fares: Cost
of a one way ticket is about 7 EURO
Booking:
Advanced purchase of tickets for buses
departing from Chisinau and its collection in our
flat in Chisinau
From Ukraine |
Kiev to Chisinau (Kishinev) by train (updated 17/06/2009)
Kiev-Chisinau:
Train "341" Moscow - Kiev - Chisinau leaving
Kiev at 1:40 and arriving to Chisinau at 20:15 same day
Train "47"
Moscow - Kiev - Chisinau leaving Kiev at 8:20 and arriving to Chisinau
at 22:48 same day (except June 30, July 2, 5, 7, 9, 12, 14, 16, 19 and
21 2009)
Train "65"
Moscow - Kiev - Chisinau leaving Kiev at 4:34 and arriving to Chisinau
at 18:20same day.
Train vagon 349 Harikov - Kiev - Chisinau leaving Kiev at 9:43 on
even dates from Jun
4 and until September 30, 2009 and arriving to Chisinau at 7:27 next day.
Trains "47" and "65"
both has 1st and 2nd
class sleeping compartments (2 and 4-berth sleeping compartments).
Chisinau-Kiev:
Train "341" Chisinau
- Kiev - Moscow leaving Chisinau at 20:00 and arriving to Kiev at 13:30
next day
Train "47" Chisinau - Kiev - Moscow leaving Chisinau at 11:50
and arriving to Kiev at 02:03 next day
Train "66" Chisinau - Kiev - Moscow leaving Chisinau at 22:35
and arriving to Kiev at 12:46 next day
Train vagon "47" Chisinau - Kiev - Harikov leaving Chisinau
on odd dates between June 3 and September 29 2009 at 11:50 and arriving
to Kiev at 6:57 next day
CAUTION: Train number "65" and "66" are crossing Transdniestr on its way!!! It is not recommended to be used by foreign travellers as they may be ripped off at the Transdniestrian border if travelling unassisted.
Approximate fares:
2nd class ticket (4 berth compartment) is about EURO 50
and 1st class class ticket (2 berth compartment) is about EURO 80.
Booking:
As this destination is very popular
among Moldovan citizens working abroad we highly recomend that you book/buy
your tickets in advance. We do E-tickets for train from Kiev to Chisinau
with collection at the train station in Kiev on the departure date. And
we do advanced purchase for tickets from Chisinau to Kiev with collection
in our flat in Chisinau. We can buy your ticket
30 days prior to departure date.
Kiev to Chisinau (Kishinev) by air (NO FLIGHTS OPERATE AT THE MOMENT)
Operated by the Ukranian airline
company AEROSVIT (tel: +38044 2895278).
Flights are carried out several times per week from Borispol airport in
Kiev.
Approximate fares: 100 Euro one way, 188 Euro return ticket.
Kiev to Chisinau (Kishinev) by bus
Several buses a day from Kiev bus
station. The trip takes from 10 to 11 hours. The tickes costs around 20
EURO
Booking: Advanced purchase of tickets for buses departing from Chisinau and its collection in our flat in Chisinau
Odessa to Chisinau (Kishinev) by train (canceled from March 2006)
Odessa - Chisinau:
Travel from Chisinau to Odessa
on a (suburban) electric train "electrichka". No couches, but
only seats. In the weekends train may be overcrowded and you may have
a chance to stay on your feet all the way long. Daparture
from Odessa at 11.43 am and 6:52 pm and arriving to Chisinau at 4.58 pm
and 12 pm correspondingly. 5 hours on the way. Is crossing the Transdniestr
Republic.
Chisinau - Odessa:
Train is leaving from the Chisinau
Train Station every day at 6:20 a.m. and 1:14 p.m. arriving in Odessa
at 11:18 a.m. and 6:33 p.m. correspondingly.
Approximate fares: 32 Moldovan lei
which is less than $3 one way.
Visa:
beforehand at the Moldovan embassy
in Kiev or other country. No
visa needed for citicens of EU, USA, Canada, Japan and Switzerland.
ATTENTION : this train is not running presently and from March 2006 because of the blockade of the Republic of Transdniestr by Moldova and Ukraine. Use bus instead.
Odessa to Chisinau (Kishinev) by bus
Odessa - Chisinau (updated
25/08/09):
Daily many
times a day from Odessa bus station. 4-5 hours on
the way if crossin Transdniestr and 5-6 hours on the way if avoiding it.
Fare cost : around 5-7 Euro one way.
Avoid going through Transdniestr and take a bus crossing Ukranian-Moldovan
border at PALANCA or TUDORA border crossing. See the timetable for these
buses below:
Bus
161 Odessa - Chisinau,
departure 08:20
- arrival 13:15 daily
*
Bus 115 Odessa -Balti, departure from Odessa 08:00 - arrival to
Chisinau 13:10 every
other day
Bus 183 Mikolaev - Chisinau, departure from Odessa 09:35
- arrival to Chisinau 14:55 daily
Bus 303 Odessa - Chisinau, departure
10:20 - arrival 16:10 daily
*
Bus 00 Odessa - Chisinau, departure
11:00 - arrival 18:32 daily
*
Bus 02 Odessa - Chisinau, departure
12:50 - arrival 17:35 daily
*
Bus 117 Odessa - Balti, departure 13:20 - arrival Chisinau 18:30
daily
Bus 81 (202) Kherson - Chisinau, departure
Odessa 13:25 - arrival 19:45 daily
Bus
463 Krivii Rig - Chisinau, departure
Odessa 14:30 - arrival 19:45 daily
* Bus 256 Odessa - Chisinau, departure
15:30 - arrival 18:45 daily
* Bus 151 Odessa - Chisinau,
departure
23:50 - arrival 06:00 next day,
daily
Bus
2592 Sevastopol - Chisinau, departure from Odessa 23:45 - arrival
to Chisinau 05:15 next day
Note: Tickets for buses with asterix * are available for booking, but be aware that sometimes buses are canceled if they don't gather enough people for the trip. Bus 161, 303, 02, 256, 81/202 are most reliable of all buses from Odessa to Chisinau.
Chisinau - Odessa
(updated 13/05/09):
Everyday, several times a day
from "Gara de Nord" (Northern
bus station) in Chisinau. 5-6 hours on the way. Most of the buses
are crossing the Transdniestr area, but I would recommend to avoid this
as you will be leaving 15-50 USD at the Transdniestr customs as a bribe.
Take a bus that goes via the Moldovan-Ukrainian customs at PALANCA or
TUDORA instead. Minibuses that will avoid Transdniestr leave Chisinau
at 06:50, 10:00, 11:30, 15:40, 18:05, 21:40, 21:50, 22:40, 22:47, 22:57,
23:40, 23:56
Approximate fares: 5-7 USD. By cash at the station. Advanced
purchase of tickets available 15 days prior to the departure. Please,
email us to buy/book your
tickets to Chisinau or to Odessa in advance.
Booking:
Booking and E-ticketing for buses
departing from Ukraine with ticket collection at
the bus station on the departure date. Advanced purchase of tickets for
buses departing from Chisinau and its collection in
our flat in Chisinau
Odessa to Chisinau (Kishinev) by private car
We will pick you up from the train station/bus station or airport in Odessa any time of the day and night and transfer to Chisinau by private car. The transfer to Chisinau will take about 3 hours. The cost is 160 Euro per car and we can take up to 4 people at time (offer is valid only for our customers).
Crimea/Yalta/Simferopol to Chisinau (Kishinev) by train (updated 15/07/08)
Odessa - Simferopol:
There is no direct train connecting Chisinau with Crimea and thus the connection from Odessa or Kiev are required. Train number 650 from Odessa to Simferopol departs daily at 22:51 arriving to Simferopol at 12:10 next day.
From Simferopol this train leaves 19:25 daily arriving to Odessa at 08:10 next day
It's a summer train and will run daily from end of May and untill the end of August.
Booking: no booking is available, but only purchase in advance. We can buy your ticket 45 days prior to the departure date and mail it or hand it to you in Chisinau.
Crimea/Yalta/Simferopol to Chisinau (Kishinev) by bus (updated 15/07/08)
Simferopol/Yalta - Chisinau:
Comfortable daily buses from Crimea to Chisinau.
Bus number 505 Yalta - Chisinau leaves Yalta at 14:10 and Simferopol at 16:30 daily and arriving to Chisinau at 08:40 next day
Bus number 517 Yalta - Chisinau leaves Yalta at 20:35 and Simferopol at 22:10 daily and arriving to Chisinau at 12:55 next day
Bus number 942 Sudak - Chisinau leaves Simferopol at 16:20 daily and arriving to Chisinau at 10:35 next day
Chisinau - Simferopol/Yalta:
Comfortable daily buses connect Chisinau with Crimea/Yalta/Simferopol.
Bus number 506 Chisinau - Yalta leaves Chisinau at 16:05 daily arriving to Simferopol at 08:15 next day and to Yalta at 10:40
Bus number 518 Chisinau - Yalta leaves Chisinau at 21:40 daily arriving to Simferopol at 11:50 next day and to Yalta at 14:05
Bus number 942 Chisinau - Sudak leaves Chisinau at 13:40 daily arriving to Simferopol at 04:20 next day
CAUTION: All of these buses are crossing Transdniestr on its way!!! We do not recommend using these buses as they may be ripped off at the Transdniestrian border if travelling unassisted. To avoid frustration while crossing Transdniestr please consider travelling from/to Crimea via Odessa and from/to Odessa via PALANCA border crossing of Moldova.
Booking: Booking and E-ticketing for buses departing from Ukraine with ticket collection at the bus station on the departure date. Advanced purchase of tickets for buses departing from Chisinau and its collection in our flat in Chisinau
Kamyanets-Podilsky to Chisinau (Kishinev) by bus (updated 16/07/08)
Kamyanets-Podilsky - Chisinau:
Couple of buses per day. About 10 hours drive with about 7 stops (big and small towns of Ukraine and Moldova) on the way.
Bus number 70 Khmelnitskiy - Chisinau leaves KP at 09:30 daily and arriving to Chisinau at around 7 pm same day (comfortable Mercedes bus).
Bus number 66 Khmelnitskiy - Chisinau leaves KP at 22:15 daily and arriving to Chisinau at around 8 am next day (less comfortable Ikarus bus).
Chisinau - Kamyanets-Podilsky:
Couple of buses per day. About 10 hours drive with about
7 stops (big and small towns of Ukraine and Moldova) on the way.
Bus number 69 Chisinau
- Khmelnitskiy leaves Chisinau at 06:20 daily and arriving
to KP at around 4 pm same day (comfortable
Mercedes bus).
Bus number 65 Chisinau - Khmelnitskiy
leaves Chisinau at 19:40 daily and arriving to KP at
around 5 am next day (less
comfortable Ikarus bus).
Booking: Booking and E-ticketing for buses departing from Ukraine with ticket collection at the bus station on the departure date. Advanced purchase of tickets for buses departing from Chisinau and its collection in our flat in Chisinau
Lviv to Chisinau (Kishinev) by train (updated 17 June 2009)
Lviv - Chisinau:
Train
vagons number 1310 Warsaw - Lviv - Chisinau leaving Lviv Train Station
on even dates at 23:44 am and arriving to Chisinau at 20:15 next day.
Train vagons number 42 Truskavetz - Lviv - Chisinau leaving Lviv on 3,7,11,15,19,23,27,31
date of the month at 17:05 and arriving to Chisinau at 20:15 next day
Chisinau - Lviv:
Train vagons number 48 Chisinau
- Warsaw departure from Chisinau Train
Station on even dates at 11:50 and arriving to Lviv at 6:50 next day.
Train vagons number 48 Chisinau - Truskavetz leaveing Chisinau on 2,6,10,14,18,22,26,30
dates of the month at 11:50 and arriving to Lviv at 8:20 next day
Approximate fares: About 40 EURO one
way ticket in a sleeping compartment.
Booking:
no booking is available, but only
purchase in advance. We can buy your Chisinau - Lviv ticket 30 days prior
to departure date and post it or hand it to you in Chisinau.
Lviv to Chisinau (Kishinev) by bus
Bus times:
Daily at 18:35, 23:40, 23:15,
23:55 from the North Bus Station in Chisinau. About 16 hours on the road.
From Lvov the bus is departing at 4:30 pm everyday arriving in Chisinau
at 9 am. The route is served by Mercedes buses.
Approximate fares:
About 20 Euro one way.
Booking:
Booking and E-ticketing for buses
departing from Ukraine with ticket collection at
the bus station on the departure date. Advanced purchase of tickets for
buses departing from Chisinau and its collection in
our flat in Chisinau
From Poland |
Warsaw to Chisinau (Kishinev) by train
Warsaw - Chisinau:
Leaving
Warszawa Wschodnia Train Station on even dates at 07:24 and arriving in
Chisinau at 20:12 next day. Direct
"through coach" in sleeper train runs as D 13109 up to Przemysl
Gl., then as D 52 up to Mostiska 2, then as D 52DJ up to Shmerinka, then
as 341FJ to Chisinau
Chisinau - Warsaw:
Leaving Chisinau Train Station
at 11:50 on even dates arriving to Warsaw at 21:51 next day. Direct through
coach in sleeper train runing as D 47SZ up to Shmerinka, then as D 51KJ
up to Przemysl Gl., then as D 31108 to Warsaw (Warszawa
Wschodnia).
Approximate fares: About 70 EURO one
way ticket in a sleeping compartment.
Booking:
no booking is available, but only
purchase in advance. We can buy your ticket 30 days prior to departure
date and post it or hand it to you in Chisinau.
Service charge applies.
From England |
London to Chisinau (Kishinev) by air
Flight operated by "Air Moldova" from London Stansted airport. Flight on Tuesdays and Fridays. Check timetable with www.amadeus.net . They do not transfer laggages at Stansted, so make sure you got enough time to pick yours and check in again between the flights if flying from Manchester or other towns of UK.
Air Moldova phone number for booking in the UK is 020 73931253
Budget Airlines |
Fly from Riga or Vilnius directly to Chisinau with AirBaltic for 80-100 Euro return. Check out the website of AirBaltic for details and bookings.
Consider flying to Bucharest (Wizzair or Easy Jet from the UK) and taking a night train to Chisinau from there.
Also, Wizzair is flying from London Luton to Kiev Borispol and from Kiev to Odessa, so this could be an option if the Ukraine is in your list of the countries to visit this holiday.