Transnistria: The Soviet Time Capsule

I am such a lover of “rogue travel”. There is something so special about being in a place without tourists – or even places you feel you “shouldn’t” necessarily be! I always get a buzz of joy when exploring these exotic destinations, and Transnistria absolutely didn’t disappoint in this regard!!

Join me as I take you through one of Europe’s last disputed territories to the little-known destination of Transnistria.

Note: please be aware that your travel insurance will likely not cover a visit to Transnistria as it is out of the control of the Moldovan authorities.

Click here to read about my adventures through Romania and Moldova before arriving in Transnistria!

Sections of this article:

Background:

Transnistria (officially the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic) is a small region wedged between Moldova and Ukraine. Despite being internationally recognised as part of Moldova, the Moldovan authorities have little to no control here. In fact, Transnistria has its own parliament, currency, flag, national anthem, and armed forces.

After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, there was widespread conflict across the ex-Soviet states. Transnistria was one of the few places determined to remain part of the Soviet Union despite declarations of independence in Romania and Moldova. After a brief conflict in 1992, Moldova was unable to take control of Transnistria and a ceasefire was agreed.

To this day, Transnistria remains one of three post-Soviet “frozen conflict” zones (along with Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which are both located in northern Georgia). Transnistria is not officially recognised internationally and is only recognised by these other unrecognised states – who together form the “Community for Democracy and Rights of Nations”. The Republic of Artsakh (known for claiming the Nagorno-Karabakh territory) was recently removed from this due to Azerbaijan re-establishing control over the region.

The region of Transnistria now possesses a significant Russian military presence and receives funding from the Russian government to support its economy.

Fun fact: Transnistria is one of the only places in the world with two official flags – the first being the flag of Transnistria and the second being the flag of Russia!

The only embassy in the world of South Ossetia and Abkhazia!! Very appealing...
The flags of South Ossetia, Transnistria, and Abkhazia flying in Tiraspol (from left to right)

Travelling from Chisinau to Tiraspol:

We took a minibus from Chisinau Central Bus Station to Tiraspol. Contrary to the information we saw online, we bought tickets from the ticket office located INSIDE the bus terminal. We purchased one-way tickets for around 45 Leu and found the minivans parked at the back of the bus terminal. There were quite a few of them waiting in line, and we were told they left every 15 minutes or so. The drivers were very organised and pointed us in the right direction for the earliest departure, where our ticket was checked, and we headed on our way to the disputed territory of Transnistria!

The drive from Chisinau to Tiraspol takes approximately 1.5 hours and is extremely straightforward. Upon entering Transnistria, your passport is checked, and you are given a migration card permitting you to stay for the number of days requested. As we only visited for the day, ours expired at 10pm. I have read online that you can increase your stay (should you need to) while in Tiraspol.

Our minibus stopped in Bender (the border town) and then continued to Tiraspol. You can ask the driver to stop at any time – however, we continued till the end of the line, which takes you to Tiraspol train station.

Tiraspol Train Station - End of the line for the Chisinau bus service

What to do in Tiraspol:

Tiraspol is a beautiful city and significantly cleaner than many others in Europe. If you’re fascinated by Soviet architecture and ideology – this is the place for you! The city is home to a plethora of Soviet propaganda and infrastructure, and you will never be short of a Lenin statue here!

. Wander the streets!! There are so many hidden Soviet gems scattered through the streets of Tiraspol that it is impossible to document them all here. If this is your passion, then explore! The city is not that big, and you can definitely walk the majority of it in one day. I had such a wonderful time exploring Tiraspol, and really didn’t want to leave – I would definitely opt to stay overnight if I’m ever fortunate enough to go back someday!

. Presidential Palace

. House of the Soviets – “Дом Советов”

. Green Market Centre

. The Christmas Cathedral

House of the Soviets – “Дом Советов”
A fantastic Soviet mural just on the side of an apartment block!

. If you’re looking for any souvenirs then visit “Dom Knigi” or “МАК | Магазин Авторского Креатива | Купить подарок, Тирасполь” – they basically have every piece of memorabilia possible! (See location below)

Note: The English speaking is somewhat limited in Transnistria. I was travelling with a friend who speaks Russian, so we had no issues, but just prepare for this if you are unequipped with Russian. The people are friendly and will definitely try their best to help you in any way they can.

Location of "Dom Knigi" Souvenir Shop:
Location of “МАК | Магазин Авторского Креатива | Купить подарок, Тирасполь”

Visiting the Sheriff Sports Complex:

Sheriff Tiraspol is a famous European football team which has competed in the Moldovan First Division and the Europa Conference League in recent years. The football stadium is located in the Sheriff Sports Complex, which is almost partway between Tiraspol and Bender. We hailed a minibus to take us to the sports complex and paid the driver a few rubles. He dropped us off on the main road (as this was his route), and we walked up the street to the sports complex. They are really not used to tourists around the complex, and there is intense security. However, we just explained that we wanted to purchase football kits, and they gladly let us in to explore.

The club store is located in the swimming pool foyer (I know, very very rogue), and you can buy a selection of kits, scarves, hats, etc. We paid around £20 for the football kit.

Entrance to Sheriff Tiraspol Football Stadium
Entrance to Sheriff Tiraspol club store

How to get from Tiraspol to Bender:

To get from Tiraspol to Bender, you need to take the number 17 trolleybus. We caught this from the main road next to the Sheriff Sports Complex, and the journey took around 15 minutes. You do not need to pay when you board the bus as they have ticket inspectors on board who come around, and you buy a ticket once you are on board.

What to do in Bender:

. Bendery Fortress

. Alexander Nevsky Church

. Monument to Russian Glory

. Memorial Complex to the Defenders of Pridnestrovia

. Again, just wander around and you will find plenty of Soviet murals, mosaics, and infrastructure – which is truly fascinating!

We, unfortunately, arrived too late to explore the entirety of Bendery Fortress as some parts close at 5pm. However, the majority of the complex was open for us to wander around.

Bender was a fascinating little town, again overflowing with Soviet architecture and influence. We found it a lovely place to explore on our way back to Chisinau.

Bendery Fortress

How to get from Bender to Chisinau:

We took a minibus from Bender bus station back to Chisinau. The bus starts in Tiraspol but stops at the bus station on the way to Chisinau. They come every 15-30 minutes, and I believe don’t really stick to a timetable… Also, beware that we heard rumours the last bus is around 18:00-18:30, so be sure to leave with plenty of time, as there are probably better places to be stuck than Transnistria! We paid the driver around 50 leu per person for the return journey (which is slightly more than we read online, but this is only around £2.20 at the current rate, so we were not really fussed).

Bender bus station

Where to buy a Transnistria flag patch:

I love collecting things. I decided a long time ago that I would attempt to collect a sew-on patch from each new country to put on the bags that I travel with.

I bought my Transnistria flag patch at “Dom Knigi” Book/Souvenir Shop! (See location attached above)

My Transnistria flag patch!

Transnistria is a remarkable time capsule nestled in the heart of eastern Europe. For anyone with a passion for rogue travel or an interest in Soviet history – this is the place for you. Despite what FCDO and other governmental resources say about the region – we felt completely safe the entire time. The place was extremely clean, the people were curious and friendly, and we had a better experience than in many other European capitals. Just be respectful and ensure to not get in any trouble and you will have an amazing time exploring this forgotten part of Europe.

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