Every evening, a night train with Soviet-era cars departs from Bucharest for Chișinău, the capital of Moldova. Its name: the Prietenia, which means “friendship” in Romanian. With carpeted floors, embroidered curtains, and wheel changes in the middle of the night at the border, it is one of the last trains of its kind to enter the European Union.
Thibault Constant, author of Night Trains: 30 Unforgettable Rides in Europe (Gallimard) and co-founder of the company Nox, tested it for HOORAY! on a train trip from Paris to Moldova. Schedules, prices, reservations, and onboard comfort: here’s everything you need to know before boarding, along with some practical tips.
"This night train is undoubtedly the most charming and exotic one I've taken in recent years." - Thibault Constant
The Prietenia departs from Bucharest, so you’ll first need to travel to the Romanian capital—a two- to three-day train ride from France or Belgium:
The Prietenia (trains 401 and 402) is a daily overnight train operated jointly by the Romanian (CFR Călători) and Moldovan (CFM) railways. Its sleeper and couchette cars are Moldovan, of the classic former Soviet type. Every day, the Prietenia (which means “friendship” in Romanian/Moldovan) connects the respective capitals of Bucharest and Chisinau.
This train symbolizes a genuine bond of friendship between the two countries, which were once a single nation. That is why the train is a source of true pride for both peoples—even though, let’s be honest, there are much faster ways to travel between the two countries.
Since October 10, 2025, Ukrainian Railways (UZ) cars have been coupled to the Prietenia, reestablishing a direct Bucharest–Kyiv connection via Chișinău after a three-year hiatus (Evenimentul Zilei). CFR Călători has confirmed that this direct route from Kyiv to Ungheni to Bucharest North will remain in service for the entire 2025–2026 schedule, valid through December 12, 2026.
Before traveling to Ukraine, be sure to check the travel advisories issued by the Department of State.
The Prietenia
A night on board is like a trip back in time, but it’s not a restful one: between the two customs checks and the bogie change, there’s a nearly 3-hour stop at the border, between Ungheni Prut on the Romanian side and Ungheni on the Moldovan side.
Even from the platform, you can tell the train is from another era. Inside: carpet, embroidered curtains, flowerpots on the windows (very common during the Soviet era), and decidedly retro bedding. The comfort level is still decent.
“Once you’re on board, it’s like stepping back in time at least 50 years: carpet everywhere, embroidered curtains, and a comforting smell of dust that reminds you of your grandmother’s house.” — Thibault Constant
Bedding with a "Babushka" theme
The first checkpoint is manned by Romanian customs officials: they check passports and sometimes conduct a thorough search of the vehicle. The second, on the Moldovan side, proceeds in the same way, "but with an even bigger smile", according to Thibault.
Moldova uses the 1,520-mm rail gauge inherited from the USSR, which is wider than the standard 1,435-mm gauge used in Romania and virtually all of the EU. In Ungheni, on the Moldovan side, each car is lifted on jacks, its bogies (the frames that carry the wheels) are removed, and then replaced with bogies adapted to the Moldovan tracks.
The process takes about an hour, and you stay on board. Before high-speed rail became widespread, this type of transfer was common, for example on certain overnight trains between France and Spain.
"You have to be a heavy sleeper not to be woken up." — Thibault Constant
Choose the Chișinău → Bucharest route. You’ll cross the border in the evening: the train stops in Ungheni from 7:34 p.m. to 9:35 p.m., then in Ungheni Prut from 9:41 p.m. to 10:35 p.m. You’ll then sleep straight through until you reach Bucharest. In the opposite direction, the journey takes place in the middle of the night: stops at Ungheni Prut from 3:01 a.m. to 4:03 a.m., then at Ungheni from 4:09 a.m. to 6:03 a.m. (CFR Călători, verified on September 30, 2026).
The Prietenia runs every day of the year, departing in the late afternoon or evening and arriving early the next morning.
| Meaning | Train | Start | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bucharest North → Chișinău | 402 | 7:06 p.m. | 8:44 a.m. (the next day) |
| Chișinău → Bucharest North | 401 | 4:50 p.m. | 6:38 a.m. (the next day) |
Source: CFR Călători, the carrier, checked on September 30, 2026, for departures from October 2 to 4, 2026. Both trains are direct, crossing the border at Ungheni, with a travel time of 1 hour and 38 minutes to Chișinău and 1 hour and 48 minutes to Bucharest. The current schedule is valid through December 12, 2026; therefore, we recommend that you double-check the schedules on the CFR Călători website for any travel after that date.
Between the two capitals, the train stops at 15 stations. In Romania: Ploiești Sud, Mizil, Buzău, Râmnicu Sărat, Focșani, Mărășești, Adjud, Bacău, Roman, Târgu Frumos, Iași, Nicolina (Iași), and Ungheni Prut, the Romanian border station. In Moldova: Ungheni, the Moldovan border station, and Călărași.
Prices start at 31 € per person in a 4-person compartment with CFR Călători’s SMART Prietenia offer, and are higher for a 2-person or single compartment.
| Class | Recorded price (Sept. 2026) |
|---|---|
| 4-Seater Compartment, SMART Prietenia Offer | 31 € per trip (non-refundable) |
| 4-seat compartment, Standard fare | 446.36 lei round-trip for 1 person, or about 85 € (about 42 € each way), refundable until departure |
| 4-seat compartment, reseller price | starting at 54 € |
| 2-bed cabin, per person | starting at 68 € |
| Private compartment for 1 person | starting at 85 € |
The SMART Prietenia offer has a limited number of seats, and tickets are neither exchangeable nor refundable. The train is rarely full, but book early if you want to take advantage of this fare.
Reservation for bileteinternationale.cfrcalatori.ro, using the "EN" button in the upper right corner to switch to English. Search for "Bucuresti" and "Chisinau," without accents. The e-ticket will be sent to you by email as a PDF and can be displayed on your phone (CFR Călători).
The website railway.md It also lets you make reservations, but it only offers 2-bed compartments in first class. Here’s a little tip from Thibault for traveling alone in a compartment: add a fictional child to your reservation!
You can also buy your ticket at the train station in Bucharest or Chișinău, even at the last minute. Thibault recommends the international ticket office at Bucharest North, which is efficient and has English-speaking staff, unlike the one in Chișinău. Tickets booked online can also be picked up at most major Romanian train stations.
The train offers two types of compartments—4-seat or 2-bed—and a bar car. No meals are included with the ticket, and the cars are not air-conditioned.
Most of the train consists of compartments with 4 berths, including bedding. Each compartment has two electrical outlets. The cars are heated in the winter but do not have air conditioning; in the summer, the windows are opened.
There are two benches facing each other that double as beds. The bedding is stored in a storage compartment under the bench: it’s up to you to make your bed, and it’s actually pretty comfortable once you’re settled in. There are also two outlets, and no air conditioning.
Interior of a sleeper car compartment
The bar car serves beer, wine, hot and cold drinks, as well as a few snacks. According to the Seat61 blog, payment is accepted in cash and sometimes by card. The best option is to bring your own picnic and save the bar for a nightcap and a chance to meet new people.
“I had the chance to chat with a former member of the Foreign Legion at a bar. It was a pretty memorable conversation.” — Thibault Constant
The Prietenia bar car, between Bucharest and Chișinău
Not right away, but the line is being modernized. The 25 km stretch between Iași and Ungheni, including the bridge over the Prut River, is set to be rehabilitated and electrified to European gauge between June 2026 and June 2028, at a cost of 68 million euros, half of which will be funded by the EU (Club Feroviar).
Bogie Replacement in Moldova
On the Moldovan side, a feasibility study for a new European-gauge line between Ungheni and Chișinău is scheduled for 2026 (ZDG). If you want to experience a tire change in the middle of the night, now's the time.
