Chisinau says resuming passenger train services via Transnistria is inopportune

Chisinau is not yet seeing the point in resuming passenger train services via the Transnistrian region due to economic aspects. Deputy Transport Minister Valeriu Ciubuc, who is also the coordinator of the task-force responsible for transport matters in the Transnistrian settlement process, has told Info-Prim Neo that from an economic point of view resuming rail transit services would be unprofitable because of low numbers of passengers in the Transnistrian region. “They want train services, but they don't have a proper flow of passengers and they incorrectly handle economic issues. To avoid the impression that they want it but we don't let them to have it, we have proposed the creation of a working subgroup in charge of the passenger rail services”, said the Deputy Minister. Specialists from the eastern side of the Nistru have been invited to the Moldovan Railways in Chisinau to put them in the picture. “We want to show them all the working documents and the passenger statistics, to demonstrate them that, at this point in time, there is no need to redirect trains via the Transnistrian region”, . Valeriu Ciubuc noted that the trains that transit Balti, Drochia and Donduseni have all the seats occupied. “The Moldovan Railways don't have additional trains and can't afford huge expenses for the sole purpose of redirecting passenger trains. The number of passengers on the left side of the Nistru is insignificant”, he underlined, adding: “What would be easier? For a person to come from Ocnita to Chisinau covering a distance of 250 kilometers or from Tiraspol, only 80 kilometers away?” Freight rail services via Transnistria were resumed in late April after a break of nearly six years. Passenger train services were also disrupted six years ago.