Wikimedia CEE Meeting 2014/Travel

Bus / car

All highways in Ukraine are free, but only international roads are of decent quality.

We can recommend the following highways:

Highway M07 for entering Ukraine from the Central Poland (that's the highway Warsaw - Kyiv);
Highway M10 + Highway M06 for entering Ukraine from the Southern Poland (the fastest route from Krakow to Kyiv);
Highway M06 for entering Ukraine from Hungary & Slovakia;
Highway H03 + Highway M06 for entering Ukraine from Northern Romania (Rădăuți)
Highway M15 + Highway M05 for entering Ukraine from Eastern Romania (Galați);

State bus services has poor international connection, so it's necessary to check the routes of private companies. Direct private bus services are avaiable between Kyiv and Tallinn, Riga, Vilnius, Bucharest, Budapest, Prague, Vienna, Warsaw, Krakow, Minsk, Moscow, St. Petersburg. Other CEE cities (most notably Bratislava and Chisinau) allow to travel either by two buses or bus + train.

Good sources of information about bus services are the following:

Yandex Timetables (Ukrainian only)
bus.com.ua (Ukrainian only)
Ecolines (leading private bus company, multilingual)

Train

Main article: en:Ukrainian Railways

Kyiv Pasazhyrskyi is the central railway station of Kyiv. Metro station Vokzalna (метро "Вокзальна") on the M1 line connects to the railway terminal. The terminal building straddles numerous railway tracks, and effectively comprises two separate buildings adjoined by a bridge. The building on the northern side (next to the metro station) is the main station. The building on the southern side is the south station with its own ticket office and hotel. Public transport stops on both sides of the railway. Buses and trolleybuses to the city centre depart from the main building, buses to the Boryspil and Zhulyany airports operate from the southern station.

The actual information will be provided once the new international schedule is published. We expect that it will happen soon, and there should be no significant changes. At the moment we have direct train connections with Chisinau, Bucharest, Sofia, Belgrade, Budapest, Bratislava, Prague, Warsaw, Minsk and other cities. All these routes should normally remain operational.

Approximate train ticket costs and time (source: Raildude, as of 19 November) in 2nd class. Due to changes in train schedules they are for information purposes only and are subject to change

	Cost (EUR)	Train	Timetable (to Kyiv)	Travel time (to Kyiv)	Timetable (from Kyiv)	Travel time (from Kyiv)	Status
Belarus: Minsk	125 €	086 Minsk—Kyiv	Thursday 22:42 — Friday 07:51	10h09m	Sunday 21:19 — Monday 08:25	09h41m	Confirmed (Ukrainian price)
Bulgaria: Sofia	260 €	059/060 Sofia—Moscow	Wednesday 18:45 — Friday 09:13	38h28m	Sunday 20:10 —Tuesday 11:10	39h00m	Not confirmed: price for 4—7 December
Hungary: Budapest	243 €	015/016 Sofia—Moscow	Wednesday 17:40 — Thursday 20:03	25h23m	Monday 11:03 — Tuesday 10:50	24h47m	Not confirmed: price for 4—7 December
Moldova: Chisinau	133 €	047 Chisinau—Moscow	Thursday 11:45 — Friday 02:15	14h30m	Sunday 20:10 — Monday 23:02	27h52m	Confirmed
Poland: Warsaw (Centr.)	201 €	067 Warsaw—Kyiv	Thursday 16:45 — Friday 10:32	17h07m	Sunday 15:52 — Monday 08:01	17h09m	Confirmed
Romania: Bucharest	184 €	059/060 Sofia—Moscow	Thursday 06:00 — Friday 09:13	26h13m	Monday 09:11 — Monday 23:56	14h45m	Not confirmed: price for 4—7 December
Russia: Moscow	155 €	001/002 Moscow—Kyiv	Thursday 23:09 — Friday 07:32	9h23m	Sunday 20:25 — Monday 06:43	8h53m	Confirmed (Ukrainian price)
Russia: St. Petersburg	225 €	054 St. Petersburg—Kyiv	Thursday 16:20 — Friday 13:52	22h32m	Sunday 13:43 — Monday 12:25	21h42m	Confirmed (Ukrainian price)
Serbia: Belgrade	256 €	015/016 Belgrade—Moscow	Wednesday 06:45 — Thursday 20:03	35h18m	Monday 11:03 — Tuesday 20:50	34h47m	Not confirmed: price for 4—7 December
Slovakia: Bratislava	220 €	015/016 Bratislava—Moscow	Wednesday 13:55 — Thursday 20:03	29h08m	Monday 11:03 — Tuesday 14:05	28h02m	Not confirmed: price for 4—7 December

Get in

The easiest way to travel from the train station to hotel is metro: Red line from Vokzalna to Khreshchatyk - directon east. The easiest way to travel from train station to venue is also metro: First Red line to Khreshchatyk and then switch to Blue line to Palats "Ukraina" - direction south, then there are around 200 m on feet. The other option is mini bus #539 - take off at the Laboratorna street and walk around 200 m.

Airplane

Kyiv has two airports:

Kyiv International Airport (Zhuliany) — IEV - International Airport Kyiv (serves mostly domestic routes and low cost companies);
Boryspil International Airport — KBP - Boryspil International Airport (serves mostly foreign routes).

These airports have direct connection with many big cities of Eastern Europe. It is possible to reach Kyiv with one stopover from any middle international airport in Eastern Europe (with stopover in Istanbul, Moscow, Warsaw or Vienna).

Approximate air travel costs and time (source: Skyscanner, as of 19 November), for departure on 18 December and return trip on 21 December:

Destination	Airfare (EUR)	Airlines	№ of stopovers	Travel time	Notes
Albania: Tirana	302 €	Turkish	1 (Istanbul)	10h05m	Return from Kyiv: 10:55 (9h55) or 21:15 (12h, night stopover)
Armenia: Yerevan	215 €	Ukraine International	Direct	2h45m	Departure possible on 19 December: arriving at Kyiv at 8:15
Austria: Vienna	255 €	LOT	1 (Warsaw)	5h10m
Austria: Vienna	409€	Ukraine International	Direct	2h05m
Azerbaijan: Baku	358 €	Ukraine International	Direct	3h20m	Departure possible on 19 December: stopover in Minsk for arrival at 8:35, 6h travel, same time
Belarus: Minsk	166 €	Belavia	Direct	1h	Departure possible on 19 December: arriving at Kyiv at 8:35
Bosnia: Sarajevo	308 €	Turkish	1 (Istanbul)	9h50m	Return from Kyiv: 10:55 (9h50) or 21:15 (12h15, night stopover)
Bulgaria: Sofia	232 €	Aeroflot	1 (Moscow)	6h30m
Bulgaria: Sofia	304 €	Turkish	1 (Istanbul)	10h10m	Return from Kyiv: 10:55 (9h50) or 21:15 (12h15, night stopover)
Croatia: Zagreb	278 €	Austrian	1 (Vienna)	3h15m
Cyprus: Larnaka	151 €	Wizz Air	Direct	2h45m
Czech Rep.: Prague	180 €	Austrian	1 (Vienna)	4h05m
Czech Rep.: Prague	190 €	Ukraine International	Direct	2h25m
Estonia: Tallinn	214 €	Air Baltic	1 (Riga)	5h00m
Estonia: Tallinn	244 €	Estonian	Direct	1h45m
Georgia: Tbilisi	137 €	Ukraine International	Direct	2h45m	Departure possible on 19 December: arriving at Kyiv at 8:25
Georgia: Kutaisi	173 €	Wizz Air	Direct	2h45m	Early morning departure on 21 December: no flight on 22 December
Greece: Athens	147 €	Ukraine International	Direct	2h40m	Departure possible on 19 December: arriving at Kyiv at 8:10
Hungary: Budapest	99 €	Wizz Air	Direct	1h45m
Kazakhstan: Astana	310 €	Air Astana	1 (Almaty)	15h40m	Night stopovers in Almaty both ways
Kazakhstan: Astana	394 €	Belavia	1 (Minsk)	8h20m
Kazakhstan: Almaty	236 €	Ukraine International	Direct	6h40m	Return on 22 December
Kazakhstan: Almaty	237 €	Air Astana	Direct	5h20m	Late arrival on 19 December at 11:30
Kazakhstan: Karaganda	361 €	Aeroflot	1 (Moscow)	7h15m	Arrival at 09:25, departure at 15:40
Latvia: Riga	273 €	Air Baltic	Direct	1h50m
Lithuania: Vilnius	101 €	Ukrainian International	Direct	1h20m	Early morning departure on 21 December
Macedonia: Skopje	295 €	Turkish	1 (Istanbul)	10h05m	Return from Kyiv: 10:55 (9h55) or 21:15 (12h, night stopover)
Moldova: Chisinau	153 €	Ukraine International	Direct	1h15m	Departure possible on 19 December: arriving at Kyiv at 8:20
Montenegro: Podgorica	276 €	Austrian	1 (Vienna)	7h10m	Return from Kyiv: night stopover (19h10)
Poland: Warsaw	101 €	Ukraine International	Direct	1h35m
Poland: Krakow	198 €	LOT	1 (Warsaw)	4h00m
Romania: Bucharest	251 €	LOT + Austrian	1 (Vienna / Warsaw)	5h35m	Stopover in Vienna to Kyiv, in Warsaw from Kyiv. Departure from Kyiv and arrival to Bucharest on 22 December morning.
Russia: Moscow	114 €	Ukraine International	Direct	1h35m	Departure possible on 19 December: arriving at Kyiv at 8:20
Russia: St. Petersburg	97 €	Aeroflot	Direct	2h05
Serbia: Belgrade	263 €	Aeroflot	1 (Moscow)	6h35
Slovakia: Bratislava	428 €	Czech	1 (Prague)	16h25	Little meaningful connections: use Vienna airport or train
Slovenia: Ljubljana	305 €	Adria + Ukraine International	1 (Vienna / Zurich)	8h40
Turkey: Istanbul	191 €	Aeroflot	1 (Moscow)	7h45m
Turkey: Istanbul	231 €	Turkish	Direct	1h55m
Turkey: Ankara	318 €	Turkish	1 (Istanbul)	4h15

Get in

Boryspil International Airport (KBP) - Boryspil Airport has 3 terminals in operation: B, D, and F. Most international flights arrive in the terminals D or F, whereas terminal B is used for domestic flights. Terminal B is much older than F and dates back to Soviet times, but in fact they differ in small details only. Both terminal B and F are very cramped and inconvenient, while terminal D is newer and larger. Expect long queues at the immigration control, which is inevitably haphazard. Despite separate lanes for Ukraine citizens, 'non-visa', and 'visa' passengers, few booths are usually in operation so getting through immigration can take over 30 minutes. Airlines operating to/from KBP include Ukraine's two major international airlines: Ukraine International Airlines (Міжнародні Авіалінії України - Mizhnarodni Avialiniyi Ukrayiny) and Aerosvit (АероСвіт), as well as Aeroflot, Alitalia, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Czech Airlines, Delta, Estonian Air, Finnair, KLM, Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, and AirBaltic . Aerosvit and Delta are the only airlines with non-stop service to North America.

Zhulyany Airport (IEV) - Mostly served by budget airlines, Wizzair is the major airline operating to this airport.

To Boryspil Airport

By bus

The easiest way to travel between the city centre and Boryspil (KBP) is the Sky Bus, which operates service to/from the Vokzalna/Central Railway station for UAH40. Buses depart every 15 minutes during rush hour, or every 45 minutes in the middle of the night, 24/7.

Detailed timetable is here

The journey to the city centre takes 40 to 70 minutes and the buses stop in the front of every terminal. Buses terminate at the southern side of the railway station. To get to the metro (Vokzalna station) from the bus stop, enter the railway terminal, follow the bridge over the railway, leave the building, and turn left.

Before arriving at the Central Station the buses also make a stop at the Kharkivska Metro|, in the southwestern suburbs (on the Green Line, M3). If your destination lies on the Left Bank, or if it's rush hour (in which case the bus is likely to run into traffic in the center) and you were going to take the subway anyway, it might be a good idea to exit there. It's a much shorter walk to the station (especially if you have luggage), and the fare is also slightly cheaper from the airport. To do this the other way around (from the city to the airport) is less convenient, since the bus might skip the stop if it's already full (and even if it does stop, you'd be standing all the way, as most seats are usually taken at the terminus).

By taxi

For taxis, the minimum price to the city centre is about UAH200 when you book in advance. The official taxi service at the airport (Sky Taxi) is slightly more expensive at UAH6.50/km. Unofficial cabs may demand higher prices, so always arrange the price before you enter the cab and feel free to bargain.

To/from Zhulyany Airport

By bus

Bus 9 operates service to/from the Vokzalna/Central Railway Station, with connections to Metro Line 1.
Bus Route 78 operates service to Vasylkivska Metro Station, where connections can be made to Metro Line 2.
Trolleybus Route 22 operates service to Dorohozhychi Station, where connections can be made to Metro Line 3.

By train

From Volynsky Train Station (located 500m from the domestic terminal) you can go on elektrichka (commuter trains operate service) to the central/Vokzalna Railway Station. The intracity Urban Electric Train service also operates at Volynsky train station.