Moldova Safety?
Feb 21, 2024, 2:27 am
#2
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: SJJ/AMS
Posts: 4,647
Safe as of? Crime, political situation, driving? The roads outside the capital are dreadful, that was and remained my main/only concern/struggle (I thought roads here in Bosnia-Herzegovina were bad, but clearly not...).
Feb 21, 2024, 12:14 pm
#3
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: OTP
Programs: AF/KL platinum, Turkish gold, QR gold
Posts: 1,572
The crime rate in Moldova is much lower than in Western/Southern Europe, let alone the US. I visit Moldova (specifically Chisinau) quite often, and I never worry about safety. It's not even close. I feel much more secure roaming the streets of Chisinau than let's say Berlin or Brussels.
As AlicorporateUK already pointed out, this doesn't count for driving, as the road conditions outside of Chisinau and the main roads leading to Romania can be poor. Combine this with some bad driving and reckless overtaking, and road safety is among the worst in Europe.
If you refer to the war in Ukraine, it will have zero impact on you as a tourist visiting Moldova (unless you hold a Russian passport, in which case you can expect some extra scrutiny on entry).
Feb 21, 2024, 1:34 pm
#4
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: SJJ/AMS
Posts: 4,647
Indeed. I think it is also worth going to the specifics here, to point out that even certain “major” roads (or classed as such) don’t actually look like roads, you are basically driving on “sand”. Plus (but this is also common here in BiH), drivers don’t stop at zebra crossings, and often not even at red traffic lights, which means that one has to pay extra attention when walking around the city.
Feb 21, 2024, 2:38 pm
#5
Join Date: Mar 2023
Location: Under the Big Oak Tree
Programs: Air Bukovina Elite, Circassian Air Gold, Carthaginian Airlines Platinum
Posts: 520
We've visited Chisinau (and Tiraspol) multiple times, albeit pre-pandemic. Everyone was civil and/or friendly and we didn't feel the least bit unsafe. I would recommend a visit to Moldova to anyone interested in 20th century history. Tiraspol is like a time capsule of the Soviet era.
I doubt you would have any issues and I encourage you to go.
I certainly wouldn't recommend driving in that country (or region), but public transport was sufficient to visit most of the sites we considered interesting.
I doubt you would have any issues and I encourage you to go.
I certainly wouldn't recommend driving in that country (or region), but public transport was sufficient to visit most of the sites we considered interesting.
Feb 22, 2024, 10:25 pm
#6
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Sydney, Australia and Stockholm, Sweden
Programs: VA Platinum, SQ Gold, TK Gold, Hhonors Gold, Accor Plus Platinum, Bonvoy Gold, Radisson Premium
Posts: 1,022
We visited Chisinau not that long ago and we really enjoyed it. The city is safe, we walked and caught buses without issue. Restaurants we good with very welcoming staff. Do visit some wineries such as Cricova - the cellars are amazing and the prices incredible.