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Published: 12 December 2024

Also known as “Pridnestrovie” and “Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic”. Very few people have heard of ^ or know where it is. Some may confuse it as part of Transylvania in Romania which sounds a tad similar. You are not a million miles away – around 500kms to the east. So where is it? De jure it is part of Moldova and de facto an independent state. It is named after the Dniester River which also flows into Moldova and Ukraine. The capital city is Tiraspol.

Still, I have no idea what you are talking about. It is a break away territory and was founded in the early 1990s. Like most break away nations in Europe – it is connected to the USSR. Think of the Republic of Abkhazia and Republic of South Ossetia – which is legally in Georgia but administered differently. Moldova was of course part of the USSR and there was a war which lasted for 1.75 years from 1990 till 1992. These days Russian peacekeepers are still there – hundreds or maybe even over one thousand.

Transnistria as well as Belarus is still the only two places in Europe which still feel like the USSR never quite fell! If you like Soviet or communist architecture like moi, it is a great place to visit. Russian is the main language, and it has a local rouble currency. ATMs and money changers are around as is an official tourist information office which talks about the place as being harmonious. Restaurants and shops are plentiful, and not pricey.

What about visas? Since it has very very little recognition you cannot go to an embassy of Transnistria abroad and get a visa. You just turn up to the border, in my case Moldova/ Transnistria and you get an Israeli style paper insert. Back when I visited by public bus in 2017 & 2021 you were given entry for 24 hours, but I believe now it can be longer than this.

Transnistria does have its own passport but barely anyone recognises it thus citizens typically have a passport from Russian, Romania, Ukraine or Moldova. Having only a Transnistrian passport means you cannot travel anywhere.

Is it safe? If you follow what FCDO or State department says, then no. If you want to learn for yourself then the answer is it is. Just follow the written/unwritten rules, do not protest and do not take photos of sensitive locations i.e. Russian troops. Travel insurance may not be valid there. A tour guide in Moldova said Transnistria to Moldova is a popular smuggling route due to lax or zero border controls at Dubăsari Dam checkpoint.

So, what is there to see? A castle, cognac distillery, banyas (saunas), museums, botanical garden, old fashioned Eastern European outdoor markets, Orthodox churches, Soviet relics, war memorials and Mr. Vladimir Lenin statues galore!

On the visit in 2017 I got a public bus from Chisinau, Moldova to the central bus station in Tiraspol. Since I was late leaving and missed the last bus, I got a taxi all the way from Tiraspol to Chisinau. On the visit in late 2021 we drove from Chisinau in a self-drive hire car and back.

How were the people? Perfectly nice though as in Moldova, Ukraine or Belarus, English is weak, so it is hard to have a conversation. Whilst all of us were walking in the botanical gardens which had a small entrance fee, a local lady followed us around and chatted to us. Olga was her name, and she had a Russian passport also, and her daughter was studying/working abroad.

Day Trip (Capital)

• Theatre
• Palace of Soviets (yes this is the name still!)
• Parliament & Mr. Lenin statue
• Tank monument
• Alexander Nevsky Church
• Museum of Local History
• River walk
• Park Pobeda
• Green Market
• Walk up & down October Street
• Suvorov Square
• Botanical Gardens

Day Trip (Bender)

• Fortress
• Church
• Public market

Would I return? Perhaps yes, since on both occasions I spent only a day there and would like to drive around the whole country not just see the capital & Bender.