Some of the appeal of going to Moldova is visiting its eastern part called Transnistria, often described as a “country that doesn’t exist” and “the last bastion of the Soviet Union”. Yes, hardly sounds like a tourist hotspot. If anything, it will put some off.

But not me! I was curious to see if it really is like entering a bizarre time warp where sickle and hammer are still a common view. So, on a sweltering August day, I made my way to Tiraspol, the capital of Transnistria. My day trip would have to be reduced to just 3 hours, but I still ticked off all the essentials. And even though it was stressful at times, I liked how it rolled out.

Read on about my experience, places to see, and useful info.

What is Transnistria?

Transnistria, officially known as the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR) and locally as Pridnestrovie, is a separatist part of Moldova, running along the River Dniester and the Ukrainian border.

The state was established in 1990, leading to a war which solved nothing. Today, Transnistria is a “frozen conflict” zone stuck in a limbo. Although it has its own government, passport, and even currency, it’s regarded internationally as part of Moldova. Only 3 other breakaway states in the former USSR recognize its independence.

The population consists largely of ethnic Russians, which is partly why this territory is at odds with the rest of Romanian-speaking Moldova. The contrast between them couldn’t be starker. While Moldova is an EU member candidate, Transnistria is looking to Russia. So much so that I would describe it as a Russian puppet state or even “mini Russia”. In fact, over 1,000 Russian troops are stationed in Transnistria for “peacekeeping”, which some define as “occupation”.

Getting to Tiraspol

Travelling to Transnistria from Chișinău takes under 2 hours and buses run fairly frequently every day. No need to book a ticket in advance – just buy one for the next departure at the station. It costs only 57 Moldovan lei (€2.98/£2.55) and, yes, you can pay with card.

I must warn you that the Central Bus Station in Chișinău can be confusing at first, but I’m sure you’ll find your way around. Buses to Tiraspol depart from one of the unnumbered bays after number 10. The good thing is that they’re just next to the ticket desks, and all have their destinations clearly displayed in the front window. Another matter is that it might be in Cyrillic. 😃

I know that there are organized Transnistria tours offering a more comfortable transport and a guide, but expect to pay at least 80 euros for such services. Instead, I would urge you to try the bus, which is actually a minivan called marshrutka – very common in Eastern and post-Soviet countries. It will surely add a special flavour to your trip!

Crossing the border

The bus made numerous stops along the way. At one point, the ride became bumpy as the quality of the road got significantly worse the closer we got to Transnistria… And the uniform pink Moldovan bus stops started to give way to the old mosaic ones from the Soviet times.

Although unrecognized, the PMR does have a proper border with checkpoints for document control, so don’t forget your passport! As with every land border crossing, you just get off the vehicle, go into the booth on the side and hand your passport in for inspection.

The whole procedure takes only a few minutes. The officer will ask about the length of your visit and you’ll be given a migration card with your details on it. Make sure you don’t lose it! Protect it like it’s everything as you must show it later on your way out.

There are stories about Transnistrian guards being fussy, intimidating, or even trying to scam tourists into paying an “entry fee”. For me, the only apprehension was around the language barrier. Well, it couldn’t have been easier as the guard spoke Polish! It took me totally by surprise.

We were now back on the bus, going deeper into Transnistria, and fellow passengers struck up a conversation with me. Two local girls were very interested why of all places I chose Moldova. I told them the truth – that I like niche, non-touristy destinations, which I think only confused them even more.

Bender

This is where my trip started to run off course (but it would turn out for the better!). The bus stopped and I made my way out, after a man to my left motioned me to the exit. I got off, assuming we were in Tiraspol. Opened my rucksack to take sunglasses out, then turned around to see the bus drive off, with barely anyone else getting off! I immediately remembered that after the border crossing, there was one more stop, and we weren’t in Tiraspol yet, but in Bender!

Rather shocked, I couldn’t believe I made such mistake, but since I was already there, why not explore the town a bit? I started walking to the famous Tighina Fortress, but it turned out too far to even have a glimpse of. It was getting late and I realized I only had about 5 hours before I have to leave Transnistria. So, all I ended up seeing in Bender were typical Soviet apartment blocks and a few war memorials.

Going to Tiraspol from there turned out stressful as the drivers going that way didn’t let me hop on with the same ticket. I managed to communicate with the girl at the ticket desk between her broken English and whatever little Russian I was able to understand. She told me where to find local bus number 20 which took me directly to Tiraspol.

What to see in Tiraspol?

My tour of Tiraspol was bookended by two parks, both located near the train and bus station. Pokrovsky Park (formerly Kirov Park) has a beautiful gate with bell towers and an Orthodox church in the centre. I also liked Victory Park, but being in a hurry, I didn’t have a chance to explore it properly.

Pokrovsky (Kirov) Park

Grigory Kotovsky statue in Victory Park

Most of the points of interest are concentrated around 25th October Street (25 Октября улица), the main and most representative street in Tiraspol. The biggest “attraction” no doubt is the Transnistrian Government headquarters reflecting the typical Soviet design …and the Lenin statue in front of it. Russian flag is fluttering atop the building, clearly displaying Transnistria’s political alignment.

I had heard that taking photos of the building is not really allowed, but no one bothered me. In fact, there was barely anyone around.

Across the street, there’s Memorial of Glory (Мемориал Славы), honouring victims of various wars. Towering over the square is the Chapel of St. George the Victorious and… an actual T‑34 tank. A weird choice for a monument if you ask me, and slightly disturbing.

Another distinct example of Soviet architecture is the City Hall, formerly known as House of Soviets (Дом Советов). Again, Lenin makes an appearance, this time only as a bust. On the right, there’s a gallery of honorary citizens.

Towards the eastern end of 25th October Street, there’s a narrow, shaded park running down the middle of Yuri Gagarin Boulevard. A bust of the famous cosmonaut stands at the entrance, and a few steps in the opposite direction, you’ll see his huge mural.

The Nativity Cathedral is the largest and newest church in Tiraspol. Pressed for time, I didn’t get to come close to it, just spotted it strolling down the main boulevard.

Catherine the Great Park is the centre of Tiraspol, spread on both sides of 25th October Street. In the southern part, there’s a statue of the controversial monarch. Next to the Suvorov Monument you’ll see flags of other unrecognized breakaway states of the former USSR.

My visit fell just 2 days before Transnistria celebrated the 35th anniversary of its “independence”. The area was decorated with Soviet symbology and Russian flags. This couldn’t be any more different from Chișinău where EU flags adorn the main boulevard and government buildings…

Victor Pleșcanov

The highlight of my time in Tiraspol has to be meeting local activist Victor Pleșcanov. It happened completely by chance! He approached me outside the Catherine the Great Park, and we went on to talk about different things for quite some time. Victor was telling me about his visits to Poland, and how grateful he is for Poland’s support for Ukraine.

Victor was jailed by the local government for criticizing Russian invasion on Ukraine back in 2022. He was released almost two years later, after a number of embassies and NGOs had stepped in to his defence. If you need a proof that Transnistria, just like its parent Russia, is an authoritarian state, look no further.

Victor’s three-finger salute is a pro-democracy gesture in solidarity with Ukraine

This unexpected encounter added a special touch to my visit. I let go of the setbacks I ran into on my way to Tiraspol. Otherwise, I would have most likely been elsewhere at that point in time, and our paths wouldn’t have crossed.

Leaving Transnistria

I barely made the 6pm bus back to Chișinău which for some reason was departing at least 5 minutes early! Fortunately, the driver saw me running and stopped to let me get on. It then picked up more passengers from the side of the road, even though those didn’t look like designated stops.

Train and bus station in Tiraspol

Leaving Transnistria was even easier than the way in. An officer collected everybody’s passports and migration cards, and returned them a few minutes later. We didn’t even have to get off the bus.

The rest of the journey coincided with the golden hour, and I was relaxing in the back of the marshrutka admiring the most beautiful sunset.

Final reflection

Did I enjoy my speedy tour of Tiraspol? Yes. Would I come back? I don’t think so. I’m not hiding that I only wanted to see it once, for its uniqueness, and just tick it off my bucket list.

Outside Catherine the Great Park

Besides, it being a Russian protectorate, I felt slightly uneasy and wary that any money I spend there is going to support an imperialistic dictatorship somewhere down the line. I went as far as bringing my own snacks from Chișinău! Therefore, I don’t have any recommendations for places to eat, but I know that Back in the USSR is popular with tourists for its playful, nostalgic decor and traditional dishes.

Transnistria is as off the beaten path as it gets in Europe. But is it really like going back in time to the Soviet era? I don’t know, but it’s surely an exciting thing to do for more adventurous travellers.

Shopping centre “Alvis”

Useful tips

  • In my experience, it was hard to communicate in just English. If you go on your own, prepare basic Russian vocab. Or don’t talk to people. 😜
  • If you do speak to anyone, don’t refer to the country as “Transnistria”. I was told that locals don’t like that name and prefer to call it Pridnestrovie.
  • You can’t use Western bank cards and can only buy the currency (Transnistrian ruble) in the country. Make sure to exchange any leftovers back as it’s a closed currency and of no use outside of Transnistria. Unless you want to keep it as a souvenir. 😃
  • Foreigners can visit Transnistria for up to 10 hours at a time, or need to register at an immigration office for longer stays. If you’re only doing a day trip, leave in the morning as the last bus back to Chișinău is about 7pm. Don’t get stranded!

Medical centre “TiraMed”