nltrainer
Traveller
1404 comments
Posted 13 years ago
This train was not mentioned in the listing. It again runs daily, from BUC @ 19.10, and has the Russky-type of cars from the CFM=Moldova railways. You only pass the border next morning-early, where you can admire that wonder of wagons being hauled up, wheelsets rolled away and broad-gauge other wheelsets being put under.
MOLdova is a small and very poor country, former part of that big CCCP. IR is not valid there, but you can pay:
an additional ticket for the MOL part, plus the sleeper supplmt. (full fare-ticket for both from BUC was about 30-35€-so this part only would be 20 or so).
EU and US-citizens can enter visafree. Australians and the like still need a visum.
You could also take the train, also overnight, to town of IASI (say: yaahsj)-and then take a minibus direct to Chis. next morning-cost less as the train combo. Going in+out a combo can of course also be done, or there are direct overnightbuses too from Buc to Chis
In that train however, you can experience that tipical Russky feeling in the 4-person sleepers (mixed sex).
Moldova is very cheap, the capital Chisinau has 2-3 nice hostels. But there is not that much to see-soaking up atmosfere would be the best thing. You can also make a daytrip to a sliver of land east-called transDnjestr, where old-style communist rue still pervays. However-some western people have reported nasty money-extorting from their border guards.
If you plan smartly-and have enough time-let your IR end about there-pay local fares and you can carry on into Ukrayna and fly back home on f.e. WIZZair from KYiv. or make a detour via Ukrayna-come back into Poland and come back from there. Ukrayna is same way visafree now since 4-5 years.
