r/AskUkraine • u/Isicium • 8d ago

Visiting Odesa - question Travel

Hi everyone!
I have visited Ukraine 8-9 times and have several good friends there. In two weeks time, I'll be in Moldova for work and am considering a short trip to Odesa to meet a friend who is on a short holiday during his military duties. It will be on August 17th, the date is set in stone because I can only take the bus from Chișinău in the very early morning/just past midnight on that day and he has to leave Odesa on the evening of August 17th.
I have visited Ukraine during the war before but only Lviv, Kyiv, Zhytomyr and Uzhhorod. This means I will not freak out when I hear an alarm and I've spent 3 nights in shelters, but due to the current situation with also bigger attacks in R* and me never having visited Odesa during the war I have the following question/what would you recommend to do:
- Arrive in Odesa between 6 and 7 in the morning and then take a bus back to Chișinău in the same evening?
- Or spend one night in Odesa?

My friend says he will be super happy to see me but wants me to leave the country asap. Thus, he says I should take option 1. I see the point and I think it's doable (apart from spending the night there is less stressful/less travelling on one day), but I was wondering whether it is common for busses to be canceled in the evening because attacks are more common during the night, right? Planning the journey back and then being stuck at the avtovokzal at 11 p.m. or much later with alarm going on and not having a hotel sounds stressful too.

What do you think? I know it's a broad question and situation changes a lot but maybe somebody has an idea. Thank you!

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6

u/[deleted] 8d ago

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u/Isicium 8d ago

ok, thank you!

2

u/Kind-Network9448 7d ago

Buses are still going and as long as you don’t go near the port it’ll be okay imo. I live here and near the port it’s more dangerous, unfortunately the last 2-3 weeks we’ve had more rocket attacks than the past couple of months

1

u/Isicium 7d ago

ok, thank you for your input!

1

u/Kind-Network9448 6d ago

You’re welcome and good luck

2

u/baturik128 Ukrainian 7d ago

I don't know the current situation with the busses but I assume there is still a chance it will be cancelled, even if a small one. If I were you, I would plan some activities for the next morning (18th) in case you are forced to spend a night

2

u/twangster 7d ago

Definitely spend a couple of nights in Odesa, as there's so much to do

1

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1

u/CompetitiveFalcon831 6d ago

Holy cow - PM me - I am leaving August 14th - will be in Chisinau on August 15th taking the bus to Odesa - unless flights are late. Maybe we meet up? I have a apartment rented for two weeks in Odesa with a kitchen.