From 22 June, residents of central Ungheni have public transport on a stretch of street that had so far been left uncovered. City Hall announced that route No. 5 — the newest urban line, opened on 1 June — is changing part of its itinerary and will also run along Strada Națională, from the „Apă-Canal Ungheni” utility to Vasile Alecsandri street, then along Romană – Alexandru cel Bun and on according to the old route.
The change comes three weeks after the line was launched, a period the municipality describes as a testing phase. According to City Hall, the adjustment was made „following the numerous requests of passengers, as well as the analysis and calculations made by experts”.
During the testing period, based on measurements and calculations carried out on the ground, and taking into account people’s opinions and suggestions, we adjusted route No. 5 so that it would be more accessible for passengers. We are continuing to improve public transport.
Vitalie Vrabie, mayor of Ungheni
The updated timetable for the stops on the new route is yet to be published, the municipality said.
A 14.2 km line, opened in June
Route No. 5 (coded U5: Petru Rareș street – Cartierul Tineretului) was added to the city’s road transport programme by Ungheni Municipal Council decision No. 4/22 of 15 May 2026, at the operator’s request. The route’s specification sheet, attached to the decision, describes a 14.2 km line, running daily between 06.00 and 21.00 with intervals of about 22 minutes at peak hours. At certain times the route is extended towards the „Ciachir” cottages and the „La Pietriș” cemetery.
When route 5 opened, City Hall also slightly changed route No. 2, which no longer enters Doina – Tereza Sobolevschi streets but instead runs directly from Petru Rareș towards the „Linella” store and then along Ștefan cel Mare.
To put the line into service, the operator brought five Mercedes-Benz minibuses into the fleet, manufactured at the end of 2019. One of them was tested by mayor Vitalie Vrabie himself, who holds a category D driving licence.
Transport brought back under municipal control
Line 5 is part of a network the city brought back in-house earlier this year. Since 28 February 2026, urban public transport has been provided by SRL „Servicii Comunale Ungheni”, a company wholly founded by the municipal council and operating under direct management for a ten-year term. The firm took over the service from the previous private operator, SRL „Nizor Lux”.
The five Mercedes minibuses with which route 5 was opened were contributed to the municipal company’s share capital, valued at about 4.1 million lei (roughly 821,000 lei each), according to municipal council decision No. 4/21 of 15 May 2026.
A single ride on Ungheni’s urban routes costs 6 lei, set by municipal council decision No. 1/6 of 29 January 2026.
The urban network was modernised earlier this year with a fleet of 18 vehicles (14 minibuses and 4 buses) and electronic ticketing — a system officially launched on 1 March 2026. The urban transport modernisation project, worth around 24 million lei, was financed mostly by the state, through the National Fund for Regional and Local Development, with the rest covered by the local administration.
What residents are asking for
Under City Hall’s post, many Ungheni residents reacted — some thanking it for the new section of the route, others asking for the service to be extended to areas still left without transport. Most of the requests come from the lower part of the city: residents of Iașului street and „Ungheni-Vale” are asking for a route through that area to be restored, while others ask when the line along Lacului street will change. An old demand in Moldovan public transport also came up — free rides for pensioners.
Triunghi.md did not find, among the published local acts or on the municipality’s official channels, any decision providing free travel or discounts for pensioners or pupils on Ungheni’s urban routes. The city does have a separate „social taxi” service — free, for pensioners with mobility problems and people with disabilities — but that is not a scheduled public transport line.
The requests for network expansion and for fare concessions remain, for now, open questions for the administration and the operator. The contact for route information at SRL „Servicii Comunale Ungheni” is 060 990 059.
The full announcement and the line’s map can be seen in City Hall’s post about the route’s launch: