What is the best way to get around Moldova?

A car with a driver or day tours from Chisinau for the cellars and monasteries, and the minibuses from the capital's bus stations for the towns. The distances are short, and everything lies within a few hours of Chisinau.

How do I get from Chisinau airport to the city?

By taxi, called through an app or taken at the terminal, in about twenty minutes, or by city bus or minibus into the centre.

Can I visit the region east of the Dniester?

The region east of the Dniester, with the towns of Tiraspol and Bender and the old fortress of Bender on the river, has its own checkpoints on the roads and its own currency. Visits are usually made as organised day trips from Chisinau, and the arrangements for crossing are checked before setting out.

Getting around

Getting Around Moldova, a Country of Short Distances

Moldova is a small country, and nowhere in it is much more than a few hours' drive from Chisinau, where nearly every visit is based. Travellers move by car with a driver or on day tours to the cellars and monasteries, or by minibus to the towns, and within the capital by taxi or on foot.

Updated 2026-10-08

Arriving

Chisinau's international airport lies a short drive south-east of the city, and it is the country's gateway by air. Overland, roads and coaches cross from Romania over the Prut, with coaches linking Chisinau with Iasi, Bucharest and other cities.

A car with a driver, or day tours

A car with a driver, found through hotels and agencies in Chisinau, is the easiest way to reach the cellars and monasteries, and day tours from the capital cover Cricova, Milestii Mici, Orheiul Vechi and the Codru monasteries. Self-drive travellers hire a car in Chisinau; Moldova drives on the right, the main roads are paved and the country lanes are slower.

Minibuses and coaches

Minibuses, the maxi-taxis, leave from Chisinau's bus stations for the towns and many villages of the country, departing when full or on a timetable, and coaches run the longer routes. They reach Orhei, the villages near Orheiul Vechi and the towns of the north and south, though the last stretch to a monastery or a cellar is often easier by taxi.

In Chisinau

The centre of Chisinau is walkable along Stefan cel Mare Boulevard, trolleybuses and minibuses cover the city, and taxis are called through apps on the phone, the easiest way to cross town and to reach the airport.

This overview comes from Visaja's worldwide missions database (visaja.com), checked against official government sources; for binding answers, the mission itself always has the final word.