https://www.reddit.com/r/moldova/comments/1j7v7ei/prietenia_train_journey/
created by conchubar2905 on 10/03/2025 at 10:03 UTC
2 upvotes, 4 top-level comments (showing 4)
Hi everyone, sorry for speaking English but looking for some advice on Moldova please.
My brother is travelling to every country in Europe before he is 30 and I am joining him in Romania and Moldova as I have always wanted to visit.
We are getting the overnight Prietenia train from Bucharest to Chisinau. Has anyone travelled on this, and if so do you have any tips for the journey? Maybe things to bring on board etc.
When we arrive in Chisinau we are staying near Stephen The Great Square I believe, do you have any tips for bars etc? I wouldn't mind checking out some more local spots if possible, we call them "Old Man Bars" in Ireland haha.
Anyway, any advice would be very much appreciated! Cannot wait to visit.
Conchúr
Comment by Snoo-67939 at 10/03/2025 at 11:42 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
It's probably a crappy train ride. Just take it as that.
We don't really have "Old man bars", we had some cheap bars for alcoholics which luckily we no longer have. Historically people gathered up at someone's home, we didn't have the pub culture you can see in other countries.
Just get a tour of Cricova or Milestii Mici. Do some wine tasting.
Comment by ElectronicGarbage246 at 10/03/2025 at 12:11 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
If you are not a good problem solver, then don't do that.
You will get robbed if you try visiting "Old Man Bars" without locals at night. Like that guy said, "Old Man Bar" in Moldova means something dirty, cheap for alcoholics, local criminals, sometimes homeless. Stick to the city center, don't experiment, local police won't help you if you get into trouble.
Instead go to Plincuvin Wine Shop - there are a lot of friendly people speaking English, also English speaking staff and girls who like foreigners if you are interested in. There is a nice drinking spot nearby, "Piana Vishnya" - a ukrainian franchise with a lot of friendly people around.
Don't drink the "house wine" in the villages, with some rare exception, they will serve you with a sweet urine with tons of sugar, instead visit some factories, pay 15-20 euro per bottle and enjoy.
Comment by LeoBrann at 10/03/2025 at 12:27 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Get the first class train ticket for the train ride. They cost not much more than 2nd class, and you will get the cabin to yourselves. I rode twice on the train, and it's clean and pleasant, but once I had a 2nd class ticket and had to share with someone that brought a bunch of smelly food, and was very disruptive. But if you are sociable, you might be into the socialization opportunity.
Comment by dantare at 10/03/2025 at 13:55 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Bring food (restaurant car is mostly snacks and water), and if possible some good clothes/blanket (they give you one but it gets cold at night). In terms of beer maybe Kozlovna or Draft in the centre would be good options, or if you are into that we have lots of IPA "pubs" with their own beers, but a lot of them are more like shops than places to sit down. There are also more "western themed" places like Brother's Pub or Taproom27 but i can't speak of how good they are.