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BUCHAREST (Train Station), Romania (Contributed by DAMO)
"May 2003 - What a place! Arrived here from Galati, Romania to catch a train the next morning to Belgrade, Serbia. I dont know where to start! A few years ago this station was the epicentre for every roaming scumbag immaginable. The situation seems to have improved as these black clad security type guys now loiter around the entrances extracting bribes. Apparently you do have to pay to enter the station if you are not travelling, but even if you have a ticket for onward travel the next morning these guys still want cash. Fair enough it was only about £1 which is whore of a cheaper than any hotel in Bucharest. There is a cafe open all night which is dirt cheap but dirt dirty. The seats in the "First Class" waiting room look like police cell benches, wooden and very uncomfortable, be prepared to share with whole families of Gypsies and gluesniffers. On a final note avoid the toilets at all costs!!! I dont know about the ladies but the gents is the worse I have ever encountered. At the bottom of a stairwell you will find its flooded to ankle height with brown colured water. Floating articles included turds, condoms, and discarded porno mags. The worse thing though is that they have the cheek to charge to use this hellhole. During the day if you need to go visit Mcdonalds nearby!" Added 06 FEB 04