Also I'm only seeing buses leaving later in the day from Chișinău, is there any options of going to Odessa earlier?
hough I believe it goes out of the way via Vinnytsia while the bus goes via Uman'
Do they have night trains from Odessa to Kyiv
I know there are buses from Chișinău via Palanca or Tudora to Odessa (http://terra.md/ro/timetable/gara_nord/default.aspx), but wasn't sure about the reverse route from Odessa to Chișinău via Palanca or Tudora.
Main reason is I want to avoid the train since it goes through Transnistria and though I have heard it's now easier to go through (no longer needed to get off the train and go to the police station), I still feel that bribery or harassment still happens at the border when going through the zone.
Next Question is from Odessa to Kyiv. Since it's a fairly long trip, I was thinking the train, though I believe it goes out of the way via Vinnytsia while the bus goes via Uman'. Do they have night trains from Odessa to Kyiv with sleeper cars at all or would it make sense to just take a train to Vinnytsia, stay a night or two and then go to Kyiv? Or would the bus be better taking an early morning bus to Uman' staying the night or two and then on?
I'm trying to go from Chișinău - Odessa -Kyiv, but may end up doing it in the reverse order depending on flights so this is why I was asking about the reverse route from Odessa to Chișinău.
So I was thinking of going from Chișinău to Odessa to Kyiv for my 2 week trip.
How many days in advance would you need to book the Autolux from Odessa/Kyiv or visa versa?
Do you need to book in advance for the overnight train as well?
Usually I always just take day trains/buses and have always followed TuT's suggestion about getting tickets at the station the day of or the day before
There's also the option of just flying too from Odessa to Kyiv as it seems very cheap
But yes if I get the overnight train, I can just sleep the entire way and not worry about it. Though I've never done an over night train before
so would have to figure out the best way with the least amount of people in the berth.
what other places then might be worth spending a night or two along the way instead of just those 3 cities then that's along the way?
Do you need to book in advance for the overnight train as well? Usually I always just take day trains/buses and have always followed TuT's suggestion about getting tickets at the station the day of or the day before as I've often seen trains or buses that haven't been listed showing up with better times to my destinations in the past.
There's also the option of just flying too from Odessa to Kyiv as it seems very cheap, if there's not a lot to do in Uman' or Vinnytsia?
With my plans for 2 weeks then and not a lot to do in Chișinău (though I was thinking of taking a day trip to Transnistria from there), and Odessa and Kyiv, what other places then might be worth spending a night or two along the way instead of just those 3 cities then that's along the way?
So that might even be an option as Chișinău seems by you and TuT that it might not be somewhere I want to spend a great deal of time in, so I could cut that down a bit and go elsewhere like you mentioned.
I'll get more info if I can get a good flight deal then
On other hand - there is one sad thing regarding overnight train - the abiity to sleep in overnight train is kinda skill.
The other day I was thinking if it was possible being that it's only 2 hours away going to Iaşi for the day. Though I do remember last time I was in Romania, Moldova was still using the old Soviet train rails and taking a train between the two was long due to switching the trains, so not sure that is an issue anymore, or if a bus is more viable.
If not I could always just go see some of the underground wineries outside Chișinău
... I've narrowed it down to either the bus or flying (if I can get a good flight to IEV)
...and the over night train would mean me having to wait around until 11pm or so without a hotel room to go back to etc.
Now I looked at autolux.ua, but since I can only read limited Russian/Ukrainian, I was able to see there is a bus leaving at 6am and getting me there around 12:30pm in April (since they don't have May time tables up). I would think these would be the same times for May.
Now with that, I probably wouldn't need to buy my tickets in advance correct?
I'm just having an issue trying to locate the bus station (Hear it's at Kolontayevskoi 58), but can't find it on a map.
I can do the mini bus to Iaşi for the day then (I assume it would be at the same location as the mini bus to Tiraspol and Odessa?).
I tried looking for Kolontaevska 58 before, but Google wasn't able to locate it for me, so your Google link helped me and I can check up on the time tables and such when I get there for the Autolux buses then since I'll have a few days to orient myself.
Also will need to find the bus to get to Bilhorod-Dnistrovs'kyi and back as well, but I assume those would be at the main bus station if I can find it...
Found the buses from Chișinău to Odesa (http://www.garanord.md/orarul_rutelor.cfm?S_ORAS=Odesa&ID=20910&CODU=208937&Grid1Page=1), though why do only the later buses in the day state Palanca?
I know you stated most buses will avoid Transnistria (though I will have already visited there on the trip), just wasn't sure if these buses go through there or not? Doesn't really say anything on the website.
Does that just means there's an official stop there while the early buses in the day just drive through Palanca and not stop?
As for Odesa-Kyiv, found I can book the train 2 weeks in advance
and that the first class will get me to Kyiv at a decent time in the day and only seems to be 1/2 shorter than the bus (unless like mentioned the buses drive faster in the day than the time stated).
Might be more comfortable on the train as first class opposed to the bus...