City Travel In Ukraine

Travel in Ukrainian Cities

Ukraine Subway & Ukraine city travel — A new generation (81-7021) Kyiv metro train

Taxis In Ukraine

On 24 February 2022, Russia launched an unprovoked, large-scale military invasion of Ukraine, its neighbor to the southwest, marking an escalation to a conflict that began in 2014 with the Russian annexation of Crimea and the Donbass region.

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 used to 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 5.30 am until midnight. Previously you bought your token from the ticket booth or from a machine and dropped it in the gate to open it. Now the system uses paper QR tickets or contactless cards.

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 52 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 Kyiv metro was the third to be built in the former Soviet Union after Moscow and Leningrad (St Petersburg). It consists presently of three lines and 52 stations.

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 - 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 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.