By air: Chisinau International Airport (KIV) is the main entry point. Air Moldova, FlyOne, and several European carriers connect Chisinau with Bucharest, Vienna, Frankfurt, Istanbul, and a number of other European cities. Flights from Western Europe typically take two to three hours. There is also a smaller airport at Baltsi in the north.
By bus: The most common overland route is from Iasi in Romania. Buses run roughly five times daily and take about two hours; the fare is around €5. From Bucharest, several daily coaches make the journey in about five to six hours. From Odessa (Ukraine), buses run frequently and cost around $3–5. The central bus station in Chisinau (Autogara Centrala) is on Str. Mitropolit Varlaam, close to the market.
By train: There is a nightly train between Bucharest and Chisinau. The journey takes around 12 hours, partly because the train's bogies must be changed at the border (Moldova uses the Soviet-era broad gauge). Book a Moldovan visa before boarding — it cannot be obtained at the border. Note that train windows do not open, which makes the journey uncomfortable in summer. The Chisinau train station is on Str. Calea Ferată, about 2 km south of the city centre.
Visas: Citizens of the EU, US, Canada, and many other countries can enter Moldova visa-free for up to 90 days within any 180-day period. Others can apply for an e-Visa online before travel. Check the current requirements at the official portal (evisa.gov.md) as the list of visa-free nationalities changes.
Transnistria: If you plan to visit Tiraspol, cross at the Chisinau–Tiraspol highway checkpoint. Entering Moldova through Transnistria from Ukraine without first registering with Moldovan authorities can cause problems — enter through a recognized Moldovan border crossing first.