From Wikitravel

Chişinău is the capital of Moldova with a population of around 593.800.

Contents 1 Understand 2 Get in 2.1 By plane 2.2 By train 2.3 By car 2.4 By bus 3 Get around 4 See 5 Do 6 Learn 7 Work 8 Buy 9 Eat 9.1 Budget 9.2 Mid-range 9.3 Splurge 10 Drink 11 Sleep 11.1 Budget 11.2 Mid-range 11.3 Splurge 12 Contact 13 Stay safe 14 Cope 15 Get out

Understand

Get in

If, for some odd reason, you are coming into Moldova via Ukraine, be careful about crossing Transdniester. Busses from Odessa go through Tiraspol, and you will absolutely, positively have problems at the Ukrainian-Transdneistrian border. Chances are, you will be pulled off the bus and "asked" to pay an astonishing sum (in Euros) for a "transit visa" through Transdneister. Best advice: play dumb, smile, repeat "student" and hand them 10 Euro. And hope that works. For Moldovans, a Transdneistrian transit visa is under a dollar. There is no Moldovan border check between Transdniester and Moldova, so you might have some explaining to do when you try and leave Moldova without an entrance stamp. Unless you speak perfect Russian, don't mind being in a diplomatic black hole, and have a penchant for Soviet nostalgia, i would avoid this crossing.

By plane

Chişinău International Airport is served by several airlines like Air Moldova, Austrian, Moldavian Airlines and Turkish Airlines with flights around the region, notably to Budapest, Istanbul, Timisoara and Moscow.

By train

There are trains coming to Moldova from different places. There are daily trains to and from Bucharest (Romania), Moscow (Russia) etc. For most Europeans coming in with the train is a lot cheaper than by plane, the trains are not exactly fast though. The trains leaves Bucharest (Gara Nord) at 19.30 and are in Chişinău at 9 am, that's 13½ hour. The good thing is that it is a sleeping train and its actually quite comfortable, though the toilets are not quite European standard. During the 13½ hour you will go through the custom and the train will have it's wheels changed in Ungheni on the Romanian - Moldavian border. A ticket is approximately 20 € (2006).

By car

By bus

There are several buses throughout the day from Bucharest.

Get around

See

Do

Learn

Work

Buy

Wine - don't leave without buying a bottle of wine. Last chance is at the airport.

Eat

Budget

Mid-range

Green Hills Nistru, at Stefan cel Mare, international food Leogrand Hotel Lobby Restaurant, international food - known as Dedeman Grand Hotel

Splurge

Drink

Sleep

Budget

In the main train station, there is a decent hostel. Just enter the train station and ask the guards there. Price is 220 Moldovan Lei per night. Hotel Turist is close to the centre and charges 320 Lei a night for a double room with shower and WC (price as of August 2006).

Mid-range

Leogrand Hotel - best hotel in town

Splurge

Contact

Stay safe

Cope

Get out

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