Transnistria – Visiting the Remnants of the Soviet Union in 2023

Visiting Transnistria – Summary

Read on if you want some tips on visiting the pseudo-Soviet republic of Transnistria including what to see. This blog post includes several facts about the territory which you should know about before visiting, explains a little of the history and answers the most important question of all. Is it safe to visit Transnistria?

I will also talk of some eccentrics encountered in this territory ranging from the stern-looking Russian soldier manning the road to Tiraspol, to the drunk German farmer and a French escapee from a psychiatric ward.

Warning: This article may contain communism. And quite a lot of it at that.

Stay tuned to read more from one of my favourite places in Europe to travel solo.

What is Transnistria?

Whilst formally, the USSR collapsed in 1991, a small slither of the past remains today in Eastern Europe.

This tiny spot of land is called Transnistria, or Pridnestrovie locally. It is officially part of Moldova, although it runs as an independent country today with its own borders, government, currency and passport; the latter two being redundant outside of Transnistria.

The local passport is only valid in South Ossetia, Abkhazia and Artsakh – three breakaway territories which like Transnistria, remain unrecognised by the international community. Transnistrian rubles are worthless everywhere else and cannot be exchanged outside of Transnistria. The language in Transnistria is Russian, unlike the rest of Moldova where Romanian is spoken.

Visiting Transnistria from Chisinau

How would you spend a day in Transnistria? Read on…

Start in the morning by catching a minibus (Marshrutka) in Moldova’s capital Chisinau from Gara Centrala Chisinau. This will reach the border in around two hours and cost 50 Moldovan leu ($2.78 at the time of writing).

The border crossing is easy. You need to get off and show your passport to the authorities. As a non-local you will be asked a few simple questions about where you are staying, how long you will be in the “country” for, and what your purpose is for being there. After this you will receive a piece of paper and be waved through. Make sure you leave Transnistria before the date and time written on your paper, or head to the immigration office in Tiraspol to have it extended.

Welcome to one of the most surreal corners of Europe.

Get back on the minibus and within ten minutes you will be in the border town of Bender. Get off here to start your Transnistrian adventure.

Exploring Bender – the Gateway to Transnistria

Five minutes from the bus station and you will reach a series of monuments including the Monument to Peacekeepers – commemorating the Russian peacekeeping forces who helped stop the 1992 war in Transnistria. Most notable is the tall column with the PNR (Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic) logo on top, hammer and sickle displayed proudly in the centre and a star on top. The star being bronze on this particular statue but red on the official logo to represent communism.

Bender Fortress and Torture Museum

Walk a further five minutes to reach Bender Fortress, a fortification built by the Ottoman Empire to protect their borders and expand towards the east. Today the fortress is pretty empty, although there is an interesting torture museum inside with a series of medieval torture instruments. It costs around $3 to enter. For that price it’s just about worth it. But if the torture museum doesn’t interest you then the fortress isn’t worth it.

However, the tourist office just outside the fortress is worth visiting. Here you can find all sorts of memorabilia dedicated to your favourite Soviet heroes or villains (depending on yours views of that era).

Lenin is an A-list celebrity in this part of Europe, and you’ll find his likeness everywhere, including in this souvenir shop. Also featuring is Ioseb Dzhugashvili, a man so kind he took pity upon those attempting to pronounce his name and went by “Joseph Stalin” instead.

After Bender Fortress, check out the local town of the same name. It’s cool to see not just the communist statues and memorabilia, but the old school uniforms worn by staff in the local supermarkets.

Engaging with the Russian Military

Beyond this, there is little left to see in Bender. During my visit here, this meant it was time to head to the next stop for the night: Tiraspol, the capital of Transnistria.

After struggling to find the bus stop, I approached a soldier controlling traffic out of Bender towards other cities.

Transnistria had a large Russian military presence who have looked after the territory ever since the war ended and endured it retains a Soviet feel rather than undergoing westernisation like most of the rest of Europe.

The UK government website lists Transnistria in dark red. “The FCDO advises against all travel to Transnistria” it says in dark bold writing.

This is because of the Russian military presence in the country combined with the ongoing war in Ukraine. Since Russia doesn’t particularly like us Brits, there is a perceived danger we could be arrested on nonsense charges purely to be used as pawns to strengthen Russia’s negotiating hand in prisoner exchanges, or worse. Consular assistance is non-existent with the territory completely out of Moldovan hands.

So what happened when I approached this gruff-looking soldier?

Well he was incredibly helpful despite the language barrier. I was able to tell him I wanted to go to Tiraspol, and he told me to wait.

A few minutes later he stops a bus and I’m able to get on and continue my journey. He could have sent me to another bus stop which may or may not have been a bus stop. He could have made things difficult and prevented me from progressing at all. But no, he could not have been more helpful.

And on I went making the 20-minute journey to the heart of this bizarre “nation”.

Workers of the World, Unite!

The bus drops you near the fascinating House of Soviets. This bizarre building retains all of its features from the USSR’s heyday and still functions in its original purpose – as a government building.

A short walk away is Transnistria’s most famous hostel – Like Home Hostel. This affordable stop (Around $10 per night for a shared dorm and just over double for a private room) is a fascinating place to stay in. Unfortunately I’m not quite popular enough to be receiving payments for these links!

Starting with the giant gold Lenin bust outside the entrance, it is a treasure trove of throwbacks to the Soviet era.

A giant Transnistrian flag awaits as you enter the property with the hammer and sickle displayed proudly in the top-left corner.

Beside it is an information board containing key info such as the wifi code, a map of the city, and errr… a socialist propaganda poster with a man wearing labourers’ attire whilst clutching a red flag.

Enter the bathroom and you will instantly overdose on Soviet nostalgia.

The hammer and sickle feature prominently, alongside local favourite Vladimir Lenin.

And topping it off if the centrepiece – a large, dashing portrait of Mr. Stalin kitted out in the smartest military garb his countrymen could muster.

The decor however was probably the second-most bizarre aspect of this hostel.

The Whacky Characters of Tiraspol

Taking number one spot was the other guests.

One, an ageing German farmer who shared his large bottle of CK – the local Transnistrian beer with me.

This eccentric chap boasted of visiting Transnistria for cheap dental treatment every winter whilst continuously swigging his beer.

The Germans are one of the few nationalities who can give us Brits a run for our money when it comes to downing alcohol.

And this man had consumed a fair bit before we first met in the kitchen. So much so that the lines became pretty blurred between typical German bluntness and alcohol-infused rudeness.

I eventually made my excuses and hotfooted to the shower to get away from this guy.

He wasn’t the only larger-than-life character I encountered here however. Perhaps only the silver medalist when it comes to eccentricity.

Taking top spot was a French guy who fled to Transnistria as a safe haven claiming the French government were after him, for reasons unknown.

His story made a little more sense when he described fleeing from a psychiatric hospital and passionately ranted about his communist beliefs, which provided a clearer explanation as to why Tiraspol became his refuge of choice.

This guy had his own room and was a long-term guest of the hostel. My trip here was in February 2023. A Booking dot com review from August 2023 describes a French guy living in the hostel who was a “bit strange”. Only guessing but I’m pretty certain this is the same guy.

Nonetheless I felt uncomfortable in his presence and tried to wind down the conversation until he left me alone to sleep in peace.

Harry Potter and the Bolshevik Revolution

After a much-needed sleep it was time to explore the city.

A supermarket stop came first where the staff all wore uniform that wouldn’t look out of place in the 1970s. In fact their red shirts and blue overalls made them look like a bunch of Soviet Super Marios.

Walking back in the direction of the House of Soviets I encountered a handful of statues. Whilst Lenin is the number one A-lister in this part of the world, Soviet astronaut Yuri Gagarin was also represented. A national hero across the Russosphere as he became the first ever human to enter space. He had his own statue standing proudly with a triumphant look on his face.

Perhaps most bizarrely of all is a monument built in honour of a key figurehead of western culture rather than eastern.

Harry Potter stands outside the Tiraspol State University for reasons unknown.

My memory of the books is a little patchy after all these years, but I struggle to remember whether “Harry Potter and the Bolshevik Revolution” came before or after The Prisoner of Azkaban.

Message me on X (Twitter) if you know the reason for this statue’s existence, or leave a comment below.

The World’s Coolest Currency

If you want a cool and unique souvenir then you can find one just around the corner from the statue of Voldemort’s conqueror.

Sorry, easy mistake to make.

The Sheriff-3 supermarket, located at (46.8356264, 29.6331766) on Google Maps is home to a bank. Unlike other banks in Bender and Tiraspol, I was able to exchange currency here and receive money valid only whilst visiting Transnistria. Nowhere else in the world accepts this currency.

But this isn’t any old money. Not Transnistrian (metal) coins or notes as you will easily find in other parts of this territory. But plastic tokens. The tokens are by far the coolest currency you will find anywhere in the world right now.

However, they are disappearing.

They never became popular amongst locals and are rare to find now. Whilst still official currency, you are incredibly unlikely to randomly come across them in your change.

Numbers are increasingly shrinking as tourists take them out of the country and locals prefer the traditional currency meaning few are in circulation.

This particular bank offered me all four plastic coins at face value (I had previously found one or two places attempting to sell them at a hefty markup).

Sheriff – The Enemy of the Free Market

On a side note, Sheriff, the brand of the supermarket hosting this bank, is very popular in Transnistria.

They own not just shops but a wide variety of businesses including petrol stations, construction enterprises and much more alongside their prized possession: Sheriff Tiraspol football team.

Sheriff Tiraspol became famous in 2021 when the Transnistrian minnows (Moldova’s biggest club) not only qualified for the Champions League group stages, but went to the Bernabeu and defeated Real Madrid 2-1.

Sheriff is a controversial brand due to its close ties with the Transnistrian government. It pretty much has a monopoly in all areas of business across the territory and is often criticised for being anti-free markets. Which probably shouldn’t come as a major shock in the last bastion of the USSR.

Visiting Transnistria and its Time Capsule Market

After the bank, it was time to move on.

Via a few cool signs, buildings and a road named “Lenin Street”, I made it to Tiraspol’s popular Green Market.

Despite the old school feel to the place, the market does not have Leninist propaganda bombarding your eyes from all angles.

Instead it is filled with friendly locals selling meat and vegetables at very affordable prices. Severed pig heads are amongst the more gruesome offerings on display in the market which feels like it was no different in the 1980s.

This is a great spot to experience a tiny glimpse of what normal life looks like for this bizarre little territory sandwiched between war-torn Ukraine and Moldovan-controlled-Moldova which leans politically to the west, the polar opposite to this wannabe Soviet “state”.

Smiles aren’t always abundant on the eastern side of the former Iron Curtain, but spirits seemed to be high amongst the humble vendors of the Green Market.

Can it Really be the USSR Without Some War Memorials?

Walk ten minutes on from the market and you will reach a parliament building.

But the building itself is not the attraction here.

Instead it is the large statue of Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, most commonly known as Lenin, which stands triumphantly on a large plinth outside the building’s entrance.

Opposite this is a large war memorial which pays tributes to victims of three events – The Transnistria War in the early 1990s, WWII, and Transnistrian citizens who died after attempting to help secure the Chernobyl Nuclear Plant in 1986 after the infamous nuclear disaster in Ukraine. Of course you wouldn’t be visiting Transnistria without checking out a few war memorials celebrating heroes of the motherland.

Turn 180 degrees and you will be greeted by a tank monument dedicated to Soviet war heroes in years gone by. A cool little Orthodox Church stands next to the tank, reminding you that this territory does at least have some similarities with (the rest of) Moldova after all.

The General’s Square

Continue walking past the tank to reach Suvorov Square straight afterwards. This spot is dedicated to the Russian general of the same name who has a statue on horseback.

There is no record of Suvorov visiting Transnistria, but he is celebrated there for his military successes for Russia.

I suppose this bastion of socialist ideals was always more likely to celebrate a random Russian military general than Bill Gates or Elon Musk.

The square also hosts a giant Transnistrian coat of arms adorned with the red star of communism, wheat to symbolise agriculture and a rising sun in the background. Of course, the coat is topped off with the hammer and sickle. What else?

The flags of all three “countries” that recognise Transnistria also fly proudly in the square. As mentioned previously, they are South Ossetia, Abkhazia and Artsakh.

The final sight in this square is a large “230” sign marking the 230th anniversary of Tiraspol which was celebrated in October 2022. Whilst the sign was still there when I visited in February 2023, this may not always be the case.

Carry on walking and you’ve already seen the highlights of this quirky USSR tribute act. But a few cool Soviet mosaics remain. And they are certainly worth seeing before you leave.

Oddly enough, an Adidas store is situated nearby. Presumably Adidas are unaware of its existence.

And this concludes my list of what to see in the fascinating breakaway state. But some travellers may have many questions on a place with a negative reputation, mostly stemming from its closeness with Mother Russia.

Is visiting Transnistria safe right now?

Absolutely! Governments warn against it because of the Russia links and limited options for consular support in case of any issues. But in reality it’s a very safe place to visit.

The only thing you should be aware of is falling foul of laws in the territory which may not apply to your home country.

Do not engage in any political activities. Stay away from any protests for example.

Also be careful with photography. Whilst it is fine to take pictures of all the Soviet monuments, don’t go snooping around sensitive areas such as military bases (doubtful you’ll come across any by accident) or taking photos of the military without permission.

If you take sensible precautions however, you won’t have any issues whilst visiting Transnistria.

Is visiting Transnistria worthwhile?

Definitely! I thoroughly recommend this to anyone with an interest in cool and quirky places.

It’s an absolute must for anyone who finds the Soviet Union interesting at all.

Who would not be interested in Transnistria?

If history isn’t your thing and the USSR/communism don’t excite you, then visiting Transnistria isn’t for you.

But if you’re on the fence about visiting – you should absolutely go for it and make up your own mind.

If you enjoyed reading this, then you may also like other fascinating places on this planet which I will be writing about and listing on the destinations page.