Travel Tips for Kyiv
Our website focuses on attractions that you can discover when you travel by car, motorcycle or maybe hitchhiking.
Maybe you are very interested in visiting Ukraine, but don’t really know where to start, because you have never been there before? Or maybe this foreign country where they speak a language where you don’t even know the letters seems daunting?
Fear no more. We are here to help you with our little guide to Kyiv the Capital of Ukraine.
Step 1) How do I get to Ukraine?
Unless you live in one of the neighboring countries, then ”by airplane” would be the obvious answer. Sites like momondo.com could help you, or check out the low-cost company Wizzair (wizzair.com), that flies to and from Lviv and Kyiv (Zhuliany Airport), as well as Ryan Air (ryanair.com).
Step 2) How do I get from the airport and to my hotel/train station etc.?
In the main airport in Kyiv, named Borispil, there is a bus company called ”Skybus” that operates a bus service between the airport and the train station (skybus.kiev.ua/en). The bus departs outside the Arrival Terminal (just turn right when you leave the airport – you can’t miss it).
You buy the ticket in cash on the bus. There is an ATM in the airport where you can get the local currency, Grieven (UAH).
There is also a direct train service from Borispil to Kyiv Train station. The platform is located a bit further away than the bus stop, but you just continue in the same direction (turn right after leaving the terminal). Which one will get you to the train station first depends on several things. The bus leaves when it is full, whereas the train has a fixed timetable, but doesn’t depart more than once or twice per hour.
The timetable for the train between Kyiv Trainstation and the Main Kyiv Airport Borispil.
Of course you can also take a taxi. Taxies are in general cheap compared to Western standards, but since downtown Kyiv is 20 km away, it will be much more expensive than the bus (100 UAH approx. 4 $ - Sep. 2019) or the train (80 UAH approx. 3.20$ - Sep, 2019). If you fly with Wizzair, you will arrive in Zhuliany Airport that is located much closer to the town center so a taxi is much more affordable here, but you can also take the local bus (5 UAH approx. 0.20$ - Sep, 2019).
Step 3) Local transportation
By train is the easiest way to go. The long-distance trains in Ukraine are old and slow, but you will have your own bunkbed so you can sleep if you want to. And travelling by train in Ukraine is the best way to cover long distances.
You can book train tickets online (https://booking.uz.gov.ua/en/) and pay by credit card.
There are also a lot of busses and they will take you to every corner of the country, but riding busses in Ukraine is not always comfortable. They are often over crowded, which in Ukraine doesn´t only mean that you might not get a seat. No, it means that people are being squeezed together and the last guy will be pressed up against the front window leaving the driver with no view to the right.
4) Accommodation
Booking.com, hotels.com and AirB&B have also made it to Ukraine so you can use them to find a hotel or another place to stay. If you want more adventure, use a site like Couchsurfing.com, where you can meet and stay with locals.