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    Eastern Europe

    Unlike ANY train I’ve EVER been on. The ‘SLEEPER’ from Bucharest to Chisinau…



    Join me in the unique world of Moldovan Railways onboard the sleeper train east from Bucharest to Chisinau. It will be an experience for sure, but what did I really think of it? Well join me to find out…

    10 March 2023 Bucharest North to Chisinau 19:20 – 08:10
    Train number 402 (sorry I can’t remember carriage number and they don’t let you keep the ticket!)
    Price approx Β£42.00 oneway with single occupancy cabin

    Map courtesy of Google Maps
    Music courtesy of epidemicsound.com
    (‘What’s the Hurry’ by Alysha Sheldon)

    Be sure to check out the Moldovan Eurovision video from 2022, search ‘Trenuletul’ on YouTube – it’s fantastic and took place on this very service πŸ™‚ I wish I could’ve put a clip on the video but it’s not allowed I’m afraid!

    Hi, I’m Steve, a travel reviewer from Scotland. Join me on my adventures as I discover my own country, often visiting places for the first time, so hopefully it’s as much of an eye-opener for you as it is for me! Don’t expect expert opinion, just a very honest journey of discovery. Sometimes featuring my intrepid sidekick Alicja, sometimes featuring adventures beyond the borders of Scotland. Enjoy!

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    #SteveMarsh #Moldova #Chisinau

    49 Comments

    6. Vassil on

      19:29 The sign said "rest room" (room for resting). I wonder who it's meant for, perhaps you could have used it?
      20:01 The departure/arrival board shows a train to St Petersburg. Is that not cancelled due to the war?
      Moldova is an unusual choice – hope you're enjoying it!

    8. Bits of Europe on

      Its a great ride, done this a couple of time. Gara De Nord is definitely full of characters! This train is a time capsule of the communist era, nothing has changed. I loved that though. I also did this ride the first time in winter and you may not have seen it in Spring, but each carriage still has coal burning heaters called 'soba' at each end and the conductor opens up and stokes the stoves with coal regularly and man it gets warm!…very effective. Even though its slow, a lot of it is during the bogey and wheel changes which is super interesting. Its nostalgic, its rustic, and that's what is great about travel. πŸ‘πŸ‘

    9. Marc Ridett on

      Bottle openers…..waste of money. Anything with a blunt edge, cigarette lighter, screwdriver, marker pen….. misspent youth in Denmark where we didn't have aluminium cans until mid 90'es πŸ˜† Thanks for yet another very entertaining video

    10. ronylouis on

      about chinisau station, its been refurbished because there were plans to reactivate some rail lines and improve the service to bucharest. but as anything in the balkans it kinda went down the drain, but the station was already done

    12. Petr Travelmaster on

      What an experience! πŸ˜€ I just don't get why they don't make it a day train. The advantage of night trains is sleeping while travelling. But here you're up half of the night, so you'll arrive exhausted.

    15. Roaming Elk on

      Wow! That was fascinating, but I would have been a little cranky without my coffee. But I would have watched every minute of it.
      As a solo female traveler, I would have been startled when they started pulling up the floor.
      I will have to research the different gauge rails the train goes through, as in the US we only have standard and narrow gauge rails.

    17. Holylochlad. on

      Absolutely enjoyed that one Steve, your a natural, for a Scot, it’s good to hear no slang, or the usual eh, haud oan a meenit stuff , keep em coming, and try visit Wanlockhead, Scotlands highest village πŸ‘.

    18. Okee Smokee on

      There are a lot of adventures you go on that I say to myself, I would like to do that. Not so much on this one – glad you made it. I don't do well on minimal sleep – and this trip looked hellish. I would like to go to Bucharest, however.

    19. Guillermo Caram on

      Steve, Found your videos by accident several weeks ago. I've been addicted since then, not only because of your witty and charming comments, but also due to the places you visit that most people couldn't find on a map (Chisinau, Ardnamurchan Lighthouse, Ludza (?!), etc.). Keep on traveling, I'll be following every trip. Guillermo – Miami, USA.

    20. Daniel patrulei on

      THIS ITS WHAT A COMUIST SISTEM CAN DO .WITHAUT STILLINK OR KILLINK OR INVADING DIFERITE COUNTRYS CULTURE EDUCATION JOB STABILITY INDUSTRIAL AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY.AFTER 1990 AL HAS GONE WESTERN BLOOD SUCKING PARASITES HAS TAKEN THIS COUNTRY A PART.HOPFULY RUSSIANS WIL CHANGE THIS PARASITIC SISTEM CALLED CAPITALISM PROPT BY WESTERN CUNTS.

    23. Let’s Make a Trip! on

      Enjoyed that Steve, brought back memories of my trip to the CeauΘ™escu place in 2020. I went round the back and ended up in an art gallery and a lift up to a roof terrace where you could just appreciate the enormity and weight of the building! The rest of Bucharest, ok, but not sure I’d go there again. Great train though – especially the bar car and yep, Β£42 – a total bargain! Cheers mate πŸ‘

    24. barvdw on

      You've captured my feelings about this trip completely. I haven't been to Moldova yet, although I was in Ukraine a few years ago, and have travelled in Romania, but this is a proper rail adventure.

    26. Laurence Egan on

      I've been on this journey in both directions a few times and you've done a great job of including everything that people should know about this trip.

      The return journey is a bit easier though, with an earlier border crossing, as you pointed out.

      I've shared a compartment with some nice local people along the way and in normal times you'd meet up with the inbound train from Moscow at an interchange station in the Moldovan countryside on your way back, but I believe this has been cancelled for the time being (for obvious reasons).

    27. tony craig on

      Loved this, never seen anything like that before. When a sleeper isn't a sleeper lol, great to see you watching some MentourPilot 😁

    30. smyle on

      Its incredible that they are changing bogies under the train every time they passing border. Didn't expect that at all. Dont know how could that be efficient instead to transfer to an other train with the packages that has already the right gauge which could be take a lot less time. Lack of trains and locos?

    32. Munteanu Catalin on

      You should have went to the railway museum in the "Gara De Nord" station. That is one of the best places in that area to spend 1-2 hours before your train arrives.

    33. drrhysevans on

      Thanks for this. You should check out Timisoara, if you haven't thought of it. A really nice city. Great folk. And the European Capital of Culture for 2023!

    35. Zianeshka Sparen on

      The best way to cool people off is by telling and showing them you do not have the money to pay them after you take the taxi. And mean it. 😁 works like a charm.

    38. Yvonne Chappill on

      I just got back from a two week cruise in the Mediterranean and saw some amazing and inspiring places (please go to Kotor in Croatia…one of the most scenically beautiful places I have ever seen). I sure don't travel to these older less visited places like you do. Some of the cities ,(as in this video) make me sad…the people there look so care worn…truly made me appreciate my own circumstances…which isn't a bad thing is it? But I love old and historic…and that train sure fit the bill.. beautiful.

    40. He maccabe on

      I can appreciate that they need to swap stuff over. Having to go into someone's cabin to do it is crazy. Leave a space so the passenger can stay in bed while they do their work.

    43. Riku Taskinen on

      1997 freom budabest to bucarest, wagon was interrnational but…hot like finnish sauna round +45 C. in the mornining in bucarest. during the night i sar carpas't mountains…yee1997 was the year.

    47. Maria r on

      The Paris of the East is a name Bucharest got before comunism . Romania has a special connection with France . The noble class and the educated people used to send their kids to study in France . The nobles used to talk to each other at home in french , especialy when they wanted to keep secrets from servants . It was also a status simbol. This love for France was reflected in many fields, architecture but also the legal sistem is similar to France. Unfortunately comunists demolished a large portion of old town Bucharest for their vision of architecture. There is still a lot to see and explore . It is a town that can reward you with many surprises . You can find old beautiful churches hidden behing apartament buildings . If you return and stay longer try the free walking tour . Search if there are any festivals in town . Public transport is extensive and covers all town . There was a direct bus from the train station to the Arc de triumf . Metro is also good . There is a turist card that you can buy for 1 , 2 , 3 days and use to travel for that time period on any form of transport . It even covers buses to nearby towns in the metropolitan area. Is good for bys to the Therme Bucharest too . A little spa , piece of exotic land near Bucharest .

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