How do you get to Chișinău?
Getting There8.4/10Easier to reach than about 80% of cities
- Main airport
- Chișinău International Airport (RMO)
Updated July 2026 · Sources cited: moldova.travel, asocialnomad.com
Good to know
Good to Know
- Airport ATMs and currency exchange available; having MDL cash is advisable for public transport and taxis, which primarily accept cash
- Public transport (buses/minibuses) is cheapest at ~6 MDL; taxis cost 150 MDL (~$8–9) to city center
- Yandex Taxi app is more reliable than attempting to hail taxis from the airport directly
- All public buses and minibuses run on a cash-on-board system; card payments are inconsistent
- If arriving outside public transport hours (late night/early morning), use private transfer or taxi
- Chisinau's public transport network integrates with apps like map.md and Moovit for route planning
- For Transnistria visits, organized tours are recommended to navigate border procedures; documentation forms required
- Wine cellar tours (Cricova, Milestii Mici) require organized tours or private transfer; not accessible by direct public transport
Airport
- Name
- Chișinău International Airport (RMO)
- IATA Code
- RMO
- Distance From City Center Km
- 13
- Distance From City Center Miles
- 8
Airport To City Transport
Strada 31 August 1989 (Northwest of City Center)
- Operates
- 06:00–23:00
- Cost
- MDL 6.00
- Type
- Public bus express
- Route
- Express Bus 30
- Payment
- Cash to driver, some machines accept cards
- Frequency Minutes
- 40
- Travel Time Minutes
- 35
- Notes
- May require additional luggage ticket if carrying large bags
Strada Ismail (Southeast of City Center)
- Operates
- 05:45–22:00
- Cost
- MDL 6.00
- Type
- minibus
- Route
- Minibus 165
- Payment
- Cash to driver, some machines accept cards
- Frequency Minutes
- 10
- Travel Time Minutes
- 35
- Notes
- Runs more frequently than express bus
Official Taxi Rank or Apps (Yandex Recommended)
- Type
- taxi
- Payment
- Moldovan lei cash or card (app-based)
- Typical Cost
- MDL 150
- Travel Time Minutes
- 25
Private Transfer
- Features
- Meet & greet, flight tracking, luggage assistance
- Description
- Pre-booked private transfer services available 24/7 with fixed pricing
Day Trip Access
- Overview
- Chisinau serves as a hub for accessing Moldova's main attractions via bus, minibus, or organized tours
Popular Destinations
Cricova Winery
- Distance Km
- 15
- Accessible By
- Organized tour, private transfer, or local transport
- Description
- One of the world's largest underground wine cellars with 120+ km of tunnels
Orheiul Vechi (Old Orhei)
- Accessible By
- Organized tour or local marshrutka
- Description
- Archaeological complex with cave monastery, Dacian fortresses, medieval monasteries in limestone valley
Curchi Monastery
- Accessible By
- Marshrutka from Chisinau or organized tour
- Description
- Historic Orthodox monastery complex
Milestii Mici Winery
- Accessible By
- Organized tour or private transfer
- Description
- Second major underground wine cellar, world's largest by some measures
Transnistria (Tiraspol & Bender Fortress)
- Accessible By
- Organized full-day tour recommended
- Travel Time Hours
- 1.5
- Description
- Breakaway region with Soviet-era character, requires border documentation
Capriana Monastery
- Accessible By
- Organized tour or private transfer
- Description
- One of Moldova's oldest monasteries in forested setting
Soroca Fortress
- Accessible By
- Organized tour or private transfer
- Description
- 15th-century medieval fortification on Dniester River
Codrii Nature Reserve
- Accessible By
- Organized tour or private transfer
- Description
- Lush forest reserve with diverse wildlife
Taxi Apps
- Base Fare
- MDL 50
- Per Km Charge
- MDL 5.00
- Notes
- No Uber or Bolt; Yandex may be unreliable from airport
Available Apps
- Yandex Taxi
- Hip/itaxi
Intercity Buses
- Description
- Marshrutkas and coach services to regional destinations and Romania
Sample Routes
Iași, Romania
- Transport Type
- Minibus / maxi-taxi
- Travel Time Hours
- 4
Bucharest, Romania
- Transport Type
- Coach bus
- Travel Time Hours
- 8
Odessa, Ukraine
- Transport Type
- Coach bus
- Travel Time Hours
- variable
- Notes
- Safety considerations apply given Russia-Ukraine situation
Rail Connections
Domestic
- Status
- Limited rail network within Moldova
- Main Station
- Chișinău Railway Station
International
Bucharest, Romania to Chisinau
- Booking
- Romanian Railways website
- Frequency
- Daily
- Cost Range USD
- varies
- Departure Time
- 19:00 from Bucuresti Nord station
- Transport Type
- Overnight sleeper train
- Travel Time Hours
- 14
Iași, Romania to Chisinau
- Transport Type
- Train
- Travel Time Hours
- 4.08
- Travel Time Includes
- Border control procedures
Kyiv, Ukraine to Chisinau (Victory Train)
- Departure Days
- Odd days from Chisinau, even days from Kyiv
- Highlighted By
- Lonely Planet 2023 Best European Train Routes
- Transport Type
- Overnight train
- Travel Time Hours
- 13
Flights
- Status
- Only airport in Moldova operating scheduled passenger flights
- Airport
- Chișinău International Airport (RMO)
- Direct Flight Destinations
- 38 cities including Athens, Vienna, Baku, Berlin, Frankfurt, Milan, Paris, London, Brussels, Amsterdam, Istanbul, Dubai, Warsaw, and Prague
Bus System
- Payment
- Pay on board to ticket checker or driver
- Ticket Cost
- MDL 6.00
- Description
- Public buses, minibuses and trolleybuses serve Chisinau and connections to other cities
Car Rental
- Available
- Yes
- Providers
- International brands (Hertz, Avis, Sixt, Europcar) and local companies at airport or downtown
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this getting there & away research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Chișinău
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.