Moldova (CFM)

Country info: Moldova

Rail companies: CFM (Calea Ferate din Moldova )

Moldova Rail Network Map

Currency: 1 euro = app. 22 Moldavian lei (MDL)

 

Train travel in Moldova: train types, tickets, fares, discounts & other useful info

 

National Train Service:

Train types in Moldova: Suburban (suburbane), Regional (locale) & International long-distance (lunga) trains

• Suburban: short distance commuter service, mainly around Chisinau (e.g. Chisinau to Revaca, Chisinau to Ungheni & Chisinau & Basarabeasca), seat reservation not required. Suburban trains in Moldova have 4 digit number starting with 6*** (or 1*** for Romanian DMU on relation Ungheni to Iasi)
• Regional  : regional service, mainly on domestic (Chisinau to Bender, Chisinau to Ungheni), but also international connections (e.g. Chisinau to Odessa & Chisinau to Socola (Iasi)), seat reservation required. Regional trains in Moldova have 3 digit number starting with 6** or 8**
  
• International long-distance  : long-distance trains connecting Moldova with Ukraine, Russia, Belarus & Romania, bed reservation required. International long-distance trains have 2 or 3 digit number
  

 

Types of carriages in CFM trains:

• Common (общий): mainly 'platskartnyi' couchette carriage where not 54 berths (as in usual 'platskartnyi') get sold, but 81 seats, thus basically turning couchette carriage into seating carriage, seat reservation compulsory. Common carriages in Moldova can be found in Regional & International long-distance trains
• Sitting (сидячий): various seating carriages used in Suburban & Regional trains, in Moldova it is mainly aircraft type salon (1^st, 2^nd or 3^rd class)
• 'Platskartnyi' (плацкартный): 3^rd class couchette carriage (3/6) with an open compartments & 54 berths (beds #1-36 located in the open compartments, while beds #37-54 are on the side, thus opposite to compartments, odd numbers are lower berths, even – upper. Bed reservation required. 'Platskartnyi' carriages in Moldova can be found in Regional & International long-distance trains
• Kupe (купе):  2^nd class sleeper carriage (2/4) with 'closed' compartments for 4 passengers, odd numbers are lower beds, even – upper. Bed reservation required. 'Kupe' carriages in Moldova can be found in Regional & International long-distance trains
• 'Lux' ('люкс' or as well known as 'СВ'): 1^st sleeper carriage (1/2) with compartments for 2 passengers, both beds are lower ones, bed reservation required. 'Lux' carriages in Moldova can be found in International long-distance trains

 

Discounts, special offers & ways to save money for passengers traveling by train in Moldova (CFM):

1. Passengers taking regional trains in Moldova can save some money while traveling on lower class carriages. For example, when using newly renovated D1M diesel trains 3^rd class ticket fare is more than twice cheaper compared to the price of 1^st class ticket, 2^nd class ticket is roughly 1,5 times cheaper (while difference in comfort between 1^st & 2^nd class is not very essential)
2. Passengers planning short trips also should keep in mind that tickets for slightly slower suburban trains are always cheaper compared to tickets for regional or international long-distance trains.

 

International Train Service:

Tariffs for international tickets used by Moldova railways:

• for connections to Europe it is East-West tariff, tariff currency - Euro    
  
• for connections to former USSR (Russia, Ukraine etc.) it is MGPT 'interstate' tariff , tariff currency – Swiss Francs

a) Regular discounts

No info available

b) Special offers (SparSchiene)

Prietenia: overnight train (#105/106) from Chisinau to Bucharest: 24 euro (one-way ticket) or 43 euro (return ticket) + sleeper reservations 6 euro (2/4, 4 bed compartment) or 10,50 euro (1/2, double bed compartment)

Chisinau - Iasi (Socola): daytime EMU (132 lei - 3^rd class seat, 148 lei - 2^nd class seat & 173 lei 1^st class seat)

c) CityStars

No info available

 

How to Buy Train Tickets in Moldova:

Moldova Railways (CFM) recently opened e-ticket shop - www.tracer.railway.md - however at the moment it is possible to purchase only tickets for the Chisinau-Iasi (Socola) regional train & overnight sleeper Chisinau-Bucharest (#105)

 

Do you still have further questions or want to share your own travel experience? You are welcome on our Forum page

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