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City Travel In Ukraine
Travel in Ukrainian Cities
Taxis In Ukraine
Ukraine's taxi drivers have a reputation for displaying an entrepreneurial spirit when foreigners leap into the back of their cabs.
In general, the country's various taxi companies are unregulated and thus it always pays to agree the price in advance and don't be afraid to barter, especially if you think that an unfair (but all too common) 'foreigner tax' had been added to your bill.
As well as the larger authorised city-wide taxi firms with obvious branding (chequered signs on the roof), you'll find a host of one-man-band operations in beat-up vehicles, although sometimes these can be more honest and welcoming.
All major cities have official taxi stops, but you can also phone and hail taxis around the clock.
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Subways in the Ukraine
Kiev, Kharkiv and Dnepropetrovsk all have metros. Metros in the Ukraine all operate on a token basis (one token per trip) and are reasonably well signed for foreigners, although a good subway map is a must. The metro in Ukraine runs from 5.30am until midnight. Buy your token from the ticket booth or from a machine and drop it in the gate to open it.
Aesthetically, the Kiev metro is surprisingly sophisticated with chandeliers hanging from the ceilings and marbled walls, but the Kiev metro is also the mainstay of the capital's public transport system with 49 stations across three lines (Svyatoshyn Line, Chervonoarmiyska Line & Pecherska Line) and 500 million trips per year.
The Pecherska Line (Green Line) runs north-south, the Svyatoshyn Line (Red Line) east-west and the Chervonoarmiyska Line (Blue Line) roughly north west to south east. The main intersections are Khreschatyk, Teatralna and Palats Sports. Two more lines are planned, one of which is currently under construction. The stations are dug very deep underground.
The Kharkiv metro presently has three lines: Klolodna Gora Line (Red Line), the Saltovka Line (Blue Line) and Alekseyevka Line (Green Line) with 29 stations and about 40km of track.
The Dnipropetrovsk metro consists of only one line of less than 8km with six stations and is currently the shortest metro in the world.
Preparations for Kiev's commuter train system have also entered their final stages, a project which is one of key planks in improvements in the city's infrastructure ahead of the Euro 2012 finals.
Driving yourself around Ukraine's major hubs (indeed, anywhere in the country) is not advised. Even those well versed in city driving might be startled by the recklessness and ignorance of locals, not to mention the poor quality of Ukraine's roads. You can hire a car in Ukraine with an international driving license but think twice about doing so, though the practice is increasing.
Marshrutki & Local Buses
Local buses in Ukraine are of two main types: usually state-operated avtobusy that stop at designated stops and marshrutki (маршрутнi таксі) - private minibuses that operate as shared taxis and pick up and drop off passengers where they can. Marshrutki are the most popular form of urban transport in Ukraine and are similar to the dolmus in Turkey or jeepney in The Philippines. Pay on entry and try to announce your destination to the driver before you get there to give him time to stop. Marshrutki are mainly white or yellow Ford Transit type vehicles in Kiev such as the Russian GAZelle and the Japanese Isuzu Bogdan and Toyota Hiace.
Trolleybuses (tramvai) stop at designated stops. In Kiev you need to purchase a ticket from a booth before you get on and validate it on a machine inside the tram.
Kiev Funicular
Kiev also has a funicular (Київський фунікулер) that opened in 1905 and connects the historic, touristy Uppertown from Mykhailivska Square with the lower business Podil area at Poshtova Square. Journey time is a brief 3 minutes.
Ukraine Rail Passes
Raileurope offers a number of flexible rail passes for Ukraine and Poland.
European Travel Information
City Travel in Austria & Switzerland
City Travel in Germany
Trains in Poland
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