General information about transport in the Republic of Moldova

Moldova lies in the center of Europe where ways from Europe to Near East intercross. So, the territory of Moldova is often used for through shipments. That’s why transport is an important part of national economics of the Republic.

There are several modes of transport in Moldova: railway service, vehicular transport, water transport and airline service. Railway service is widely used for international shipments (especially for CIS countries) while vehicular transport is of the main importance inside the country. All the modes of transport form unified system as they complete each other.

Railway service exists in Moldova more than 140 years. The first railroad connected station Razdelinaya (Ukraine) with Kuchurgan. It was built in 1865. The first train came to Chisinau, the capital of Moldova, in 1871. At the end of 19th century the overall length of railroads in Bessarabia accounted 857 km. Railway service is used for transportation of mineral building materials, metals, crops, chemical fertilizers, wood and lots more.

Vehicular transport takes upon itself the major part of carriages inside the country. In some regions it’s the only mode of transport. At the end of 20th century the overall length of highways was 10 200 km. The role of vehicular transport in carriage of people or cargos grows every year. Nowadays it provides connection not only inside Moldova but also connection with close countries such as Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria and others. The main highway center is Chisinau where all highways intercross. From here highways go to all nooks of the country. Highways with national importance establish connection with countries of Central and South Europe.

Water transport exists in Moldova for long. Here are 2 navigable rivers: Dniester and Prut. Water transport is profitable as it’s cheaper than other modes of transport. In some picturesque places there’s possibility to take trips by river transport to enjoy the view.

Airline service was established in Moldova in September 1944. Chisinau is aviation center in Moldova. The first regular flights from Chisinau to Moscow, Kiev and Odessa appeared in 1947. Airport was built here in 1974. Its capacity was 400 passengers per hour. From here planes to countries of Eastern and Western Europe depart.