Prague from Bucharest for weekends in January or February
53 €
Transport from Chișinău Airport: My Tips
The airport is connected to the city centre by trolleybuses, which are by far the cheapest form of transport.
Official taxis are available, as well as taxis via the hip and Yandex mobile apps.
Trolleybus 30 (or bus 33)
Trolleybus route 30 runs directly to the city centre, to the National Library and the area around the main square, ‘Piața Marii Adunări Naționale’.
The stop is right in front of the terminal.
Official website for public transport in Chișinău: rtec.md (available in Moldovan only).
Fares 7 mdl can be paid in cash or by card on board the trolleybus.
However, the card payment terminals are not always working, so it’s always a good idea to carry some local currency with you.
Tickets are sold by the conductor, who walks through the vehicle. There is no need to actively make yourself known; the conductor will always approach new passengers themselves.
- Frequency– 16 to 23 minutes
- Journey time– 45 to 50 minutes
- Ticket– 7 mdl
- Last trolleybus from the airport – 23:24
- First trolleybus from the city centre (’Teatrul Național Mihai Eminescu’ stop) – 05:51
- Timetable available for download: rtec.md
An alternative service is provided by suburban bus route 33, which runs to the city centre to the “Dispeceratul ISMAIL” stop and to the main railway station.
However, this service does not go all the way to the terminal, but stops only on the main road in front of the airport (approx. 250 metres from the terminal).
The fare is also 7 mdl and the bus runs approximately every 12 to 20 minutes.
Taxis, Yandex / Hip mobile app
Although official taxis operate with a meter, drivers often try to agree on a price outside the meter.
A standard journey to the city centre in an official taxi will typically cost between 120 mdl and 150 mdl.
It is significantly cheaper to use the Hip (available on Google Play / App Store) or Yandex mobile apps. Depending on current demand, a journey to the city centre will cost between 70 mdl and 230 mdl.
Car hire
If you’re not heading from the airport to the centre of Chișinău – where a car would be more of a hindrance than a help – but to the Moldovan countryside, you’ll find plenty of local and international car hire companies in the terminal.
Rental prices for 4 days range from 130 eur.
This article may contain affiliate links from which our editorial team may earn commissions if you click on the link. See our Advertising Policy page.
Any questions left?
If you have any questions or comments about the article...
10 comments
Jan Pirič
Translated from cestee.cz
I took a Bolt from the airport for about 150 MDL; the other local apps didn’t work for me because I didn’t receive the verification code for the booking (though that might have been my mistake). In the city centre, I withdrew cash from a EuroCreditBank ATM, where there’s no fee for using a foreign card. On the way back to the airport on the number 30 bus, the payment terminal wasn’t working, of course, but luckily I had cash with me. Trolleybus fares are now a flat rate of 7 MDL across the board. There’s also an alternative way to pay for tickets (though I haven’t tried it myself), so if you don’t want to withdraw cash with a fee at the airport but would rather take the bus into the city centre, you could try downloading the eBilet Chisinau app https://play.google.com/store/ap...=web_share
I was also surprised that when I had some Moldovan money left over, I exchanged it directly for Czech koruna, and the exchange rate was such that the bureau de change actually lost 3 Kč on the deal. So, generally speaking, exchanging cash isn’t necessarily the worst option. I exchanged my money here https://maps.app.goo.gl/rpD44tSeP6x1d1iG7 – yes, it really is a chocolate shop; they have a small counter there.
J0x
Translated from cestee.cz
Other taxi apps are Bolt and Letz. https://play.google.com/store/ap...etz.client
Letz is fun, you order a van for 6 people and at best a regular one arrives. with extra seats in the trunk, at worst without. I guess the cops saw us, but luckily they were on their way.
J0x
Translated from cestee.cz
Strangely enough, there is no mention of line 33, which does not stop directly in front of the airport, but on the road that runs past it.
The terminals at 30 are on, but with a sticker saying they are not working.
Kryštof Hájek
Translated from cestee.cz
I'll add the info on line 33, thanks.
J0x
Translated from cestee.cz
The stops are about 400 m from the terminal and you can still see the Tu-134 aircraft on the way. 🙂
Jorgus
Translated from cestee.cz
I didn't wait for the bus that goes directly to the airport for my last 2 visits this year..even after an hour it didn't come..so I walk to the main street and hitch a ride there, or Yandex or airport taxi drivers can be arranged for a third
J0x
Translated from cestee.cz
That hasn't happened to us yet. Last time, he even arrived on time. Too bad the 33 is ending so soon.
J0x
Translated from cestee.cz
2Christopher: the bus stop is 400 metres from the airport entrance and timetables can be found here: https://autourban.md/index.php?p...&tip=2
List of recommended public transport apps here: https://turism.gov.md/en/informa...rt-public/
Lukáš Pilarik
Translated from cestee.cz
You can't pay by card in the trolleybus, the terminals are labelled with information that they don't accept cards.
Sultan Mahagon bin Bordo
Translated from cestee.cz
in February the card was still good
J0x
Translated from cestee.cz
It hasn't been since at least August. The collector claimed it was a "test". Apparently he was too successful or nwm...
Jorgus
Translated from cestee.cz
Yes, I wasn't into it yesterday either:)
J0x
Translated from cestee.cz
At least they've managed to stick the notice up since August. 😆
romancient
Translated from cestee.cz
taxi for 120 CZK and no worries with the shuttle and terminals 😁
J0x
Translated from cestee.cz
You'd be surprised, but some people like to take public transportation. 😉
Lukáš Pilarik
Translated from cestee.cz
The price is still 6MDL, or as indicated on the ticket. The guides took 10MDL and went.
dejvidek_cz
Translated from cestee.cz
I couldn't get the hip.car app to work, the verification SMS to the Czech number doesn't come, Yandex Go is fine in this respect. The price to the center can be around 300Kč, if there is a very strong demand.
In times of heavy traffic you can take a trolleybus for an hour and a half.
J0x
Translated from cestee.cz
You can pay by card at 30 - when the terminals are on. The attendant said something like it was a test... so definitely don't count on it.
toMas _2
Translated from cestee.cz
It's true. I noticed it on Thursday after the flyone flight. There was even a "děžurnaja" arguing with someone that he didn't want to pay 6 MDL even though he already paid by card. By not coming out with any ticket, I guess she wants to pay it right in front of her. I'm in Tiraspol right now, finishing off a bottle of 8 year old Kvint brandy, and I don't understand why trolleybus 30 stops in front of the terminal for the ride to the center, but stops 500 meters from the terminal for the ride from the center.
J0x
Translated from cestee.cz
You can't stop progress, so even the trolleybus now has a terminal for card payments. Price unchanged. Yet the collector is still on the car.
J0x
Translated from cestee.cz
Functional link to Hip* here: https://play.google.com/store/ap...=web_share
J0x
Translated from cestee.cz
One more clarification for the sake of certainty: this feature has not yet been introduced on other lines, but at least you can pay the fare by QR code or SMS via Moldcell.
Now that the special offer for Chișinău has been published, it might be worth updating the guide based on the comments. Otherwise, I can confirm that public transport fares have gone up to 7 MDL. Anyone who arrived with the last 6 from last time is out of luck and will have to go to a currency exchange or pay by mobile/app. :)