Tulcea (Romania) to Odessa?

[motoreiter]

Hi, looking to ride from Germany to Moscow this spring, via Romania and Ukraine. Would like to ride from Tulcea (Danube Delta) to Odessa, more or less along the Black Sea. But I see a couple of problems: not many roads in the Danube Delta, and no border crossings!

Do I have to ride via Galati-Moldova-Odessa, or is there some way (ferry, etc.) to cross into Ukraine closer to the Danube Delta? [EDIT: I'll be on an R1200GS, so need something bigger than a rowboat!]

Finally, if I have to go via Moldova, any recent reports on that route?

[Toukakoukan]

I went through moldova in the opposite direction.
The roads are awful, the road signs non existent and if I hadn't had an escort to Odessa (I was lucky enough to have a police chief who happened to be a bike enthusiast take me under his wing and whisk me through the transnistrian and Moldovan borders) I don't know if I'd ever have found the place!

As far as I could find out at the time (asking locals and the like) there are no border crossings from Ukraine to Romania on the Black Sea side of Moldova.

If you're going to take the Moldova route I'd dedicate at least an entire day to getting through the country, assuming you arrive at the border relatively early.
Personally I stayed in Chisinau overnight and then got MAJORLY lost (I couldn't find Romania!) but still managed to make it to Bucharest the same day.

If you do go the transnistria route bear in mind when the border guards ask "How much currency" they are NOT asking for importation purposes, they're asking for bribery purposes! If you say you have 150 USD they'll ask for a 150USD 'tax' if you say you have 10 euros they'll ask for a ten euro tax!
Though in my experience I found 'tax' was replaced with a suggestion to put a 'present' in the officers hat while he looked the other way.

[motoreiter]

Gee, Moldova sounds fun! Actually if I have to go through Moldova I would probably not go through Chisanau, looks like there is a border crossing near Galati that only traverses a small corner of Moldova before entering Ukraine, then I could dip back toward the Black Sea. Has anybody taken this route?

[cipx2]

Here's a relevant thread on a Romanian byke forum describing the route from Tulcea (Galati) to Odessa: rough google translation and original thread.

[mwainewright]

Originally Posted by Toukakoukan

I went through moldova in the opposite direction.
The roads are awful, the road signs non existent and if I hadn't had an escort to Odessa (I was lucky enough to have a police chief who happened to be a bike enthusiast take me under his wing and whisk me through the transnistrian and Moldovan borders) I don't know if I'd ever have found the place!

As far as I could find out at the time (asking locals and the like) there are no border crossings from Ukraine to Romania on the Black Sea side of Moldova.

If you're going to take the Moldova route I'd dedicate at least an entire day to getting through the country, assuming you arrive at the border relatively early.
Personally I stayed in Chisinau overnight and then got MAJORLY lost (I couldn't find Romania!) but still managed to make it to Bucharest the same day.

If you do go the transnistria route bear in mind when the border guards ask "How much currency" they are NOT asking for importation purposes, they're asking for bribery purposes! If you say you have 150 USD they'll ask for a 150USD 'tax' if you say you have 10 euros they'll ask for a ten euro tax!
Though in my experience I found 'tax' was replaced with a suggestion to put a 'present' in the officers hat while he looked the other way.

Chisnau to Bucharest in the same day!? I dont think so my friend sorry!

[Mumbo68]

Originally Posted by mwainewright

Chisnau to Bucharest in the same day!? I dont think so my friend sorry!

And why not ?? It's not that far, even if he had 4 or 5 hours at the border and then got lost for a couple of hours it's still something you could do, have a look on via mich. I did Brasov, Romania to Zajecar, Serbia in a day no problem which is a similar distance and a longer time if you if you compare that with Chisnau to Bucharest on Via Mich. When I got to to Zajecar I found a hotel got checked in and then went out for a few s and a bite to eat so it was hardly some super long test of endurance! Oh yeah I probably should mention I went via Calafat and the little ferry across the Danube to Bulgaria before going into Serbia. So a bit of a long way round compared to the Via Mich route, I had my 65 year old Dad on the back too and it rained most of the way, it was when they had a bit of flooding in July 2010. . . . so maybe the guy's telling the truth, but then again why wouldn't he ??

[gavinbell]

Originally Posted by mwainewright

Chisnau to Bucharest in the same day!? I dont think so my friend sorry!

Hi Matt!! It can easlily be done.... and there in plenty of time to crack open a good bottle of vodka before hitting the town!!

When you back in Brasov?

Gavin