A Family Journey

Romania & Moldova

Sept 29 – Oct 18
2 travelers
Round trip from Washington (IAD)
Washington→ Bucharest→ Cluj→ Monasteries→ Piatra Neamț→ Chișinău→ Home

Day by Day

Your journey, step by step

Sept 29 – 30 · Getting there

Fly to Bucharest

✈️Depart Washington (IAD) — Sept 29, 5:40 PM
🛬Arrive Bucharest — Sept 30, 1:00 PM
67,000 points · both tickets Booked

Sept 30 – Oct 2 · Bucharest

Settle in the capital

Two nights in Bucharest to rest and explore before heading north.

Check in Sept 30 · Check out Oct 2 Hotel to book · ≈ $300–450

Oct 2 · Travel day

Bus to Cluj-Napoca

🚌Bucharest → Cluj — 6:30 AM to 1:30 PM
≈ €30 · both tickets

Oct 2 – 4 · Cluj-Napoca

Time with friends

Arrive midday Oct 2 (half day) and a full day Oct 3 with friends in Cluj.

Night of Oct 2 to book · ≈ $100–150 Night of Oct 3 · covered by the church

Oct 4 – 8 · The pilgrimage

Monastery tour

Begins Oct 4 at 8:00 AM and travels through northern Romania, ending in Piatra Neamț on Oct 8.

5 days · guided Lodging & details via the tour

Oct 8 – 9 · Piatra Neamț

One night to rest

Overnight before the morning bus to Moldova.

Hotel to book · ≈ $100–150

Oct 9 · Travel day

Bus to Chișinău

🚌Piatra Neamț → Chișinău — 7:30 AM to 2:00 PM
≈ $20

Oct 9 – 18 · Moldova

Nine days in Moldova

The longest stay of the trip — time in Chișinău and beyond before flying home.

9 nights

Oct 18 · Heading home

Fly back to Washington

Two ways to get home — see the options just below.

Return flight to book

Getting home

Two ways to fly back

Cheaper

Bus first, then fly from Bucharest

≈ $925 / both
  • Oct 17: Bus Chișinău → Bucharest (about 8 hours) — $25 for both
  • Oct 18: Fly Bucharest → Washington (IAD) — $450 per person
  • Saves roughly $875 versus flying direct
Simpler

Fly straight from Chișinău

≈ $1,800 / both
  • Oct 18: Fly Chișinău → Washington (IAD)
  • $900 per person
  • No long bus ride — leave straight from Moldova

The numbers

What it costs

Flight to BucharestSept 29 · both tickets
67,000 pts
Bucharest hotel2 nights · to book
$300–450
Bus to ClujOct 2 · both tickets
≈ $33
Cluj hotelNight of Oct 2 · to book
$100–150
Cluj hotelNight of Oct 3 · covered by church
Covered
Piatra Neamț hotelNight of Oct 8 · to book
$100–150
Bus to ChișinăuOct 9
≈ $20
Return homeBus + fly from Bucharest (cheaper option)
≈ $925
Out-of-pocket (cheaper route)
≈ $1,478 – 1,728

Totals cover the items above, plus the flight paid in points. Meals, sightseeing, the monastery tour fee, and lodging in Moldova aren't included here. Choosing the direct flight home instead of the bus adds about $875.

Before you go

Still to book

Bucharest hotel2 nights, Sept 30 – Oct 2 · ~$300–450
Bus tickets, Bucharest → ClujOct 2, 6:30 AM · ~€30 for both
Cluj hotel, night of Oct 2~$100–150 (the church covers Oct 3)
Piatra Neamț hotel, night of Oct 8~$100–150
Bus tickets, Piatra Neamț → ChișinăuOct 9, 7:30 AM · ~$20
Return trip homePick a route, then book the Oct 18 flight