Daniel and I always knew that when we travelled to Moldova, we wanted to visit Transnistria.
This quasi-independent state, not recognised internationally, considers itself the last Soviet state. So, as you can imagine, a visit there is fascinating.
If you’re travelling to Moldova and want to visit Transnistria, we have put together this guide for you. We have information on how to get there, how to cross the border, how much time to spend and the best things to do. Oh, and we also have some amazing photos from a Soviet canteen you don’t want to miss.
Are you short on time and still need to book your trip? Then check out these links, which you will find useful:
Visit Transnistria with a tour, so you don’t have to worry about logistics and border crossing
Want to stay overnight? Check out these hotels and hostels:
- Old Tiraspol Hostel (budget, great for meeting other travellers)
- Hotel Russia (one of the best mid-range options)
- Like Home Hostel & TOURS (budget, very friendly and helpful staff)
How to visit Transnistria
What is Transnistria?
Transnistria is an unrecognised country that is officially part of Moldova. Most UN countries do not recognise it, although it has its own government and is therefore considered de facto independent.
The country broke away from Moldova in 1992, when a war started between Transnistria and Moldova. The war ended with a ceasefire four months later, and Transnistria established its own government, police, military, postal system and currency. It even has its own constitution.
Transnistria considers itself the last Soviet state, and travelling here allows you to see a bizarre mixture of Soviet Union remnants and modern life, with shops advertising their Instagram accounts close to the Lenin statues.
Is it called Transnistria or Pridnestrovie?
Transnistria is the Romanian name of the region, which translates to “beyond the Dniester”. This is the name that you’ll often hear when talking to international tourists.
The country itself doesn’t use this name. Instead, it is officially called the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, or Pridnestrovie for short. Yes, that’s quite a mouthful, but we recommend practising the name a few times.
First, locals often prefer the name Pridnestrovie. And second, the government in Tiraspol passed a law making it illegal to call the country “Transnistria”. The official statement is that they equate it with terms such as ‘fascism’, so try to always refer to it as Pridnestrovie. We do not know what happens if you use the wrong word, but it’s better not to test the local authorities.
Since most tourists call it Transnistria, and that’s the name used internationally, that’s the one we’re going to use throughout this blog post.
How to get to Transnistria
Getting to Transnistria is easy.
You first need to make your way to Chisinau, the capital of Moldova.
Once you’re in Chisinau, head to the Central Bus Station. Here, you need to buy a bus ticket to either Tiraspol or Bender.
The easiest way to find the ticket booth is to ask around for Tiraspol. People will wave you in the correct direction. The tickets you buy are valid for a minibus, a so-called marshrutka. Marshrutkas leave regularly in front of the ticket booth, but tend to get booked out.
We arrived at the bus station at around 09:20 am. The ticket we bought said 10:35, and we were told to wait and grab a coffee.
We got back to the bus station around 10:20, 15 minutes before the time shown on our ticket. The drivers showed us to a marshrutka with only two empty seats. We squeezed in and left immediately, so it seems the times on the ticket aren’t completely fixed.
Going from Chisinau to Tiraspol takes around two hours, depending on traffic. We were actually a little bit faster and didn’t need those two hours.
After roughly an hour and a half, you arrive at the border. We all had to leave the marshrutka and go through passport control.
You’ll find Russian soldiers at the border, but the one we talked to barely asked any questions. He just wanted to know for how long we were planning to stay in Transnistria. We said only today, and he printed paper slips for us with our visas.
The border guards don’t stamp the passport. Instead, they only hand out those paper slips with the visa. Make sure to keep it, as you will need it for leaving the country.
By the time we arrived in Tiraspol, it was already past noon. If you only have one day, we recommend arriving at the bus station much earlier than we did, so you can maximise your time in the country.
Things to do in Transnistria
Most people visit Transnistria because it’s a practically independent Soviet state.
To be fair, there aren’t many touristy things to do in Transnistria. We mostly spent our time walking around and looking at the Soviet monuments scattered around Tiraspol.
We also went to Bender, a city not far from Tiraspol. It’s mostly known for its giant fortress, which is a pretty cool sight.
Things to do in Tiraspol
#1 See the Soviet monuments
One of the first things you notice after entering Transnistria is the Soviet monuments.
They’re everywhere, they’re giant, and they make for some interesting photos.
A good place to start is 25th October Street, where you can see a Lenin statue. Nearby, you’ll find the Memorial of Glory and a tank statue, along with an old T-34 Soviet tank.
If you walk down 25th October Street, you come to Suvorov Square, where you can find Transnistria’s emblem, complete with hammer and sickle.
You’ll also find two other statues here, of Suvorov and Catherine the Great. They’re not particularly Soviet, but since this area is one of the city’s main squares, it’s a great place to hang out for a while.
#2 Explore the Green Market
Our marshrutka dropped us off in front of the Green Market, which is just north of Suvorov Square.
It doesn’t take long to explore the market, but it’s worth a stop. Here, you can watch locals shop for groceries and all kinds of other items.
This market is a great example of how modern Transnistria is. While it might be an isolated Soviet state, we saw flower shops advertising their Instagram handles.
#3 Walk along the Dnister River
The Dniester River runs through the city of Tiraspol. You can walk along a promenade on its northern shore.
On days with nice weather, this is a great spot to see locals enjoying their time outside. In summer, you can also find some cafes here where you can enjoy a drink.
#4 Enjoy Soviet cuisine
Well, enjoy may be too far of a stretch, as Soviet food is nothing out of the ordinary. It’s definitely a cool cultural experience, though.
You can find two popular restaurants focusing on Soviet food. One is “Back in the USSR“, which has great decorations outside the restaurant. It might also have better food than the other one, though it’s hard to compare since we didn’t get any of the main dishes here.
The other one is the “USSR Canteen“, which is where we went. This restaurant has a fantastic atmosphere, but the food is nothing to write home about.
You can choose between multiple pre-prepared foods, which are then heaped onto your plate and reheated in a microwave for far too little time.
I had the borscht, which was actually decent, but I wouldn’t recommend the chicken sausage that Daniel got. The atmosphere, though, was fantastic, with great Soviet vibes.
#5 See the City Hall
The Tiraspol City Hall is one of the city’s most iconic buildings. It’s famous for its surprisingly colourful Soviet architecture.
In front, you can find yet another Lenin sculpture.
#6 Relax in Victory Park
Victory Park was built in 1947 on what was then the eastern edge of Tiraspol. Since then, the city has grown, and this park is within walking distance of its centre.
Victory Park is nice if you want a quiet place to sit down and relax.
There’s an amusement park here, so you can ride the Ferris wheel in summer if it’s open. We’ll leave it up to you to judge whether you find it trustworthy enough to get in.
#7 Shop for Transnistrian plastic coins
Transnistria uses its own currency, the Transnistrian Ruble. When paying with it, you’ll mostly see banknotes in circulation.
However, the state has also introduced coins, which are famously made from plastic and almost look like Monopoly money. Unfortunately, they’re very rare, so you’re unlikely to get any of them.
If you want some plastic coins as a souvenir, head to this branch of Agroprombank on 25th October Street. They sell sets of the coins. You’ll overpay, of course, but they’re cool tokens to take home.
#8 Visit the Nativity Cathedral
Close to the Green Market, you’ll find the Tiraspol Nativity Cathedral.
It’s a beautiful Orthodox cathedral. You can go inside, just be respectful. When we went, we saw some locals who had come here to pray, so make sure not to disturb them.
#9 See the Harry Potter monument
If you’re walking to Victory Park, don’t miss the Harry Potter monument.
It’s only a short stop when exploring Tiraspol, but it’s a pretty cool sight since it’s in a similar style to some of the other Soviet statues. Except this one is of Harry Potter and Hedwig, showing that they’re clearly popular in Transnistria.
Things to do in Bender
Many travellers who visit Transnistria stay in Tiraspol. We think that’s a shame, as there’s another city just next to it, which is also lots of fun to explore.
Bender is famous for its fortress. Even if you only have one day in Transnistria, you can visit both Tiraspol and Bender and make it back to Chisinau in time.
To get here, take bus 19A, which runs west along Strada Karl Liebknecht. You can find bus stations at regular intervals and wait at any of them until the next bus comes.
Opposite the Green Market, for example, there’s a station where the bus stops.
You need to tap your card when getting on the bus, which is a problem as most Western cards aren’t accepted anywhere in Transnistria. We got help from the ticket inspector, who told us to give ten Rubles to a local boy, who, in return, tapped his card twice for us.
#1 Explore Bender Fortress
The Bender Fortress is a giant complex at the northern edge of the city.
It originally dates back to Genoese times.
The Ottomans eventually conquered the area and remodelled the fortress, so don’t be surprised to see Arabic inscriptions here.
Visiting Bender Fortress and the park in front of it is clearly a tourist activity. You’ll find a few amusement park rides nearby, and it was the only place in Transnistria where we had to pay an entrance fee and got nice entrance tickets.
While you’re here, make sure to climb up to the top of the fortress. From the viewing platform, you have a nice view of the whole complex.
#2 See the Soviet monuments
No visit to any city in Transnistria is complete without checking out its Soviet monuments.
In Bender, this is easy because you can find some cool monuments near the fortress. There’s the 1992 memorial, which is another tank, just in front of the Memorial of Commemoration and Sorrow.
How to get back to Chisinau
Getting back to Chisinau is easy. You just take any of the marshrutkas going back to Chisinau.
They leave from both Tiraspol and Bender. We took ours in Bender, where we had to buy tickets at the counter, then hopped on the next marshrutka.
There was a schedule posted at the station, though it’s hard to say how accurate it is. In any case, make sure not to arrive too late.
The schedule we saw said that the last marshrutka back to Chisinau leaves Bender at 17:40 and Tiraspol at 19:20, so make sure to arrive well before then. The buses tend to leave when they’re full, and you don’t want to get stuck in Transnistria and overstay your visa.
Practical Information
Do you need a visa to visit Transnistria?
Transnistria does not issue official visas (which makes sense as they are not an officially recognised country). They give out migration cards, though, and overstaying yours can get you into a lot of trouble.
When you enter the country, a border official asks for how long you want to stay. He then prints you a receipt with your name, passport number and duration of stay.
Make sure to leave the country before the time indicated on your permit!
Usually, the border guards will give you a migration card for however long you say you want to stay in the country. If you decide to stay longer, you need to head to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ask for an extension.
How many days do you need in Transnistria?
One to two days in Transnistria is ideal.
We visited on a day trip and were able to see almost everything we wanted.
That said, there are people who might prefer to have an extra day in Transnistria, so the visit is not quite as rushed.
If you visit on a day trip, go to the bus station in Chisinau as early as possible in the morning. That way, you can arrive in Tiraspol early and have enough time to see everything.
Do I need to join a tour to visit Transnistria?
No, you do not need a tour to visit Transnistria.
Our marshrutka was full of independent travellers who visited Transnistria without a tour. In fact, there were many more tourists than locals.
That said, we also saw some travellers on organised tours in Tiraspol.
It all depends on what kind of traveller you are. If you prefer someone else to do all of the planning for you, then join a guided tour. You can find many that start in Chisinau and allow you to see the highlights of Transnistria (this Transnistria tour, for example, receives great reviews).
But realistically, it’s very easy to travel independently to Transnistria.
Best time to visit Transnistria
You can visit Transnistria all year long.
During the winter months, from December to March, be prepared for cold weather and snowfall. We visited in mid-March and still saw patches of snow in the shade.
In summer, the weather can get hot, so take plenty of water and sunscreen.
Summer is also high season for tourism in Moldova, so be prepared to meet plenty of other tourists.
As a compromise, consider travelling during the shoulder season in spring and autumn. You’ll have good chances of decent weather and fewer tourists than in summer.
Where to stay in Transnistria
As we said above, you can visit the highlights of Transnistria in one day.
If you prefer to take it slow, you can stay overnight.
Old Tiraspol Hostel: This hostel is one of the most popular in Tiraspol and is often mentioned by other travellers. It’s got a great location along 25th October Street, and the host is very friendly. Click here to read reviews and book your stay!
Hotel Russia: If you don’t want to stay in a hostel, check out Hotel Russia. This hotel is only a short walk away from the City Hall. It offers comfortable rooms and receives great reviews. You can also grab breakfast for a reasonable price here. Click here to check it out now.
Like Home Hostel & TOURS: This hostel offers both dorms and private rooms. The rooms are spacious and clean, and everyone mentions how friendly and helpful the staff is. Click here to read reviews and see photos!
Money in Transnistria
In Transnistria, cash is king.
Can you pay with card in Transnistria?
Unlikely. Foreign cards don’t work in the country. There might be one single ATM in the country that accepts Visa or MasterCard, but it’s a terrible idea to rely on it.
Instead, make sure to bring cash, ideally in Moldovan Leu, Euros or Dollars. You need to exchange those for Transnistrian Rubles, which you can do in the many banks and exchange stations throughout Tiraspol.
We exchanged 50€ at an exchange office north of the Green Market, where the marshrutka had dropped us off. For both of us, it was not quite enough money for one day. The fortress in Bender was much more expensive than we had expected, and we ended up paying in Moldovan Leu there. I think around 30-40€ per person is a good amount for one day.
Keep in mind that you need to keep enough cash to pay for your marshrutka ticket back to Chisinau, so don’t spend it all.
If you’ve done a bit of research on Transnistria, you might have heard that the country introduced plastic coins in 2014. These look almost like chips you’d expect to find in a board game.
Unfortunately, they’re barely in circulation as most locals don’t like them much. If you want to get your hands on them, the easiest way is to buy them from this branch of Agroprombank. Just go in and tell them you want to buy plastic coins.
They have small bags with the coins, which you can get as a souvenir.
There you have it, the complete guide to visiting Transnistria. If you’re curious, it’s very easy to get here, either independently or with a guide. Check out this Transnistria tour, which starts in Chisinau and takes you to the highlights of Tiraspol and Bender.
While you’re here, check out our other posts about Moldova. They will help you plan your trip.
Until your next adventure!
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