Ways to travel to Moldova
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
Bucharest - Chisinau:
Travel overnight from Bucharest to Chisinau on the 'Prietenia' sleeper train, leaving Bucharest Nord at 19:53 and arriving Chisinau at 09:05. The 'Prietenia' has 4-berth sleepers only.
Chisinau - Bucharest:
Travel overnight from Chisinau to Bucharest on the 'Prietenia' sleeper train, leaving Chisinau Train Station at 17:05, arriving at Bucharest Nord at 06:58 next morning. The 'Prietenia' has 4-berth sleepers only.
Approximate fares:
The fare from Bucharest to Chisinau is very inexpensive - in the region of $25 one way in 4-berth sleeper.
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.
For travelers from the UK: agency www.trainseurope.co.uk has contacts in Romania and may be able to book both this train and the London-Bucharest journey.
Visa: get your Moldovan visa beforehand at the consulate of Moldova at Bucharest . No visa needed for citicens of EU, USA, Canada, Japan and Switzerland.
Bucharest to Chisinau (Kishinev) by bus
Bucharest - Chisinau:
Everyday, 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 4 buses a day. Most of them are small uncomfortable minibuses. A comfortable bus departs at 8 pm arriving to Chisinau at 7 am next day. Cost 50 Romanian Lei.
Chisinau - Bucharest:
Everyday, several times a day from Central Bus Station in Chisinau. 8-10 hours on the way.
Approximate fares: 10 - 12 USD. By cash at the station. No booking or purchases online.
Visa: get your Moldovan visa beforehand at the consulate of Moldova at Bucharest . No visa needed for citicens of EU, USA, Canada, Japan and Switzerland. More about visa to Moldova
Brasov to Chisinau (Kishinev) by bus
Brasov-Chisinau:
Every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday at 23:45 "Autogara 2" (Bus station 2) on str. A. Iancu in Brasov arriving at Gara de Sud in Chisinau next day 7:30 in the morning. Going through Onesti, Bacau and Vaslui. Cost of the ticket is about 20 Euro. Can be booked online.
Chisinau - Brasov:
Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 19:30 from Gara de Sud in Chisinau arriving in Brasov next day around 3 in the morning and in Sibiu at 6 in the morning. Cost of a one way ticket to Brasov is about 15 Euro and to Sibiu is about 25 Euro.
Visa: get your Moldovan visa beforehand at the consulate of Moldova at Bucharest . No visa needed for citicens of EU, USA, Canada, Japan and Switzerland.
Suceava to Chisinau (Kishinev) by bus
Suceava-Chisinau:
Daily at 6.30 a.m. and on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 10.30 a.m. from the Bus Station.
Cost one way is aroung 15 Euro
Visa: get your Moldovan visa beforehand at the consulate of Moldova at Bucharest . No visa needed for citicens of EU, USA, Canada, Japan and Switzerland.
Constanta to Chisinau (Kishinev) by train
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
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.
Galati to Chisinau (Kishinev) by bus
Chisinau - Galati:
Chisinau - Bucharest bus via Cahul and Galati. Departs daily at 7 pm from Gara de Sud in Chisinau. 7 hours on the way
Approximate fares: Cost of a one way ticket is about 7 EURO
Visa: get your Moldovan visa beforehand at the consulate of Moldova at Bucharest . No visa needed for citicens of EU, USA, Canada, Japan and Switzerland.
From Ukraine
Kiev to Chisinau (Kishinev) by train
Kiev-Chisinau:
Travel from Kiev to Chisinau on the "047" or "065" Moscow - Kiev - Chisinau sleeper express train.
"047" is leaving the Kiev train station early in the morning and arriving in Chisinau around 23:00. Train "065" leaving from Kiev early in the morning and arriving to Chisinau at around 18:00. Both has 2 and 4-berth sleepers.
Chisinau-Kiev:
Two express and one regular overnight trains going to Moscow with a stop at Kiev. Express train "048" and "066" are leaving Chisinau at 11:40 am and 23:00 and arriving to Kiev at 01:10 am and 12:00 am correspondingly. About 13 hours on the way. Regular train "341" is leaving Chisinau at 19:57 and arriving to Kiev at 1:30 pm next day. About 17 hours on the way.
Approximate fares: 2nd class ticket (4 bench compartment) is about EURO 30 and 1st class class ticket (2 bench compartment) is about EURO 50.
Visa: beforehand at the Moldovan embassy in Kiev or other country. No visa needed for citicens of EU, USA, Canada, Japan and Switzerland.
Kiev to Chisinau (Kishinev) by air
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 $15
Odessa to Chisinau (Kishinev) by train
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.
Visa: beforehand at the Moldovan embassy in Kiev or other country. No visa needed for citicens of EU, USA, Canada, Japan and Switzerland.
< bus Use Ukraine. and Moldova by Transdniestr of Republic the blockade because 2006>
Odessa to Chisinau (Kishinev) by bus
Odessa - Chisinau:
Everyday, many times a day from Odessa bus station. 4-5 hours on the way.
Avoid going through Transdniestr and take a bus crossing Ukranian-Moldovan border at PALANCA border cross:
Bus 00 Odessa - Chisinau, departure 11:00 - arrival 18:32, Everyday
Bus 117 Odessa - Balti via Chisinau, departure 13:20 - arrival to Chisinau 18:30, even days
Bus 81 Herson - Chisinau via Odessa, departure from Odessa 13:25 - arrival 19:45, odd days
Bus 223 Scadovsk - Chisinau via Odessa, departure from Odessa 16:05 - arrival 01:05, everyday
Bus 3 Scadovsk - Chisinau via Odessa, departure from Odessa 16:05 - arrival 21:10, Monday & Friday
Bus 1024 Odessa - Balti via Chisinau, departure 18:30 - arrival toChisinau 23:50, Even days
Bus 431A Odessa - Balti via Chisinau, departure 22:15 - arrival to Chisinau 03:20, odd days
Bus 431C Odessa - Balti via Chisinau, departure 22:15 - arrival to Chisinau 03:20, even days
Chisinau - Odessa:
Everyday, several times a day from "Gara de Nord" (Northern bus station) in Chisinau. 4-5 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 the bus going through Palanca Moldovan-Ukrainian customs instead. There are 3 buses a day only:
12:00 am Soroca-Chisinau-Odessa (departure time from Chisinau)
12:40 am Chisinau- Iliychevsk
12:20 pm Chisinau - Odessa
Odessa to Chisinau (Kishinev) by plain
There are no direct flights between these two neighbour towns. The only options you have is flying via Kiev or Istanbul. The whole journey will take around 5 hours and the cost of a one way ticket will vary between 250 and 350 Euro.
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 200 Euro per car and we can take up to 4 people at time.
Lvov to Chisinau (Kishinev) by train
Lvov - Chisinau:
Leaving from Lvov Train Station on even dates at 00:08 am and arriving in Chisinau at 8:30 pm (20:30) on odd dates.
Chisinau - Lvov:
1 or 2 cars at the end of the train 47/48 Chisinau - Moscow that in Jmerinka, Ukraine join a different train going to Warsaw through Lviv/Lvov/Lvyv. Departure from Chisinau Train Station on even dates at 11:30 a.m. and arriving to Lvov on odd dates at 6:50 a.m.
Lvov to Chisinau (Kishinev) by bus
Bus times:
Everyday at 6:35 pm from the North Bus Station in Chisinau arriving to Lvov at 11 am next day. From Lvov the bus is departing at 4:30 pm everyday arriving in Chisinau at 9 am. The route is served by Mercedes buses.
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. |