Transportation in Ukraine
Ukraine has a well-developed public transport system. It is also connected to many Asian and European cities through a network of roads and railways. In fact, you can get to any place by a train or bus, or by air.
[read more]Start your discovery of Ukraine by choosing the means of transportation that works best for you!
Our Ukraine Transportation Guide below will tell you all you need to know about travelling to and around the Ukraine. One of the best ways of getting around and discovering the Ukraine is to take one of our interesting Ukraine tours and activities. Use our Ukraine Destination Guide or our Ukraine Country Guide if you want to know more general information and what to see and do whilst on your Ukraine holiday. For more local transportation information click on one of our destinations below:
Ukraine Transportation Guide
Getting to Ukraine
By Air
The cheapest route into Ukraine is through the Kyiv Boryspil International Airport. The international hubs for flights include London, Rome, Vienna, Frankfurt, Milan, Munich, Prague, Warsaw and Budapest. Lufthansa, British Airways, Austrian AUA, LOT, Alitalia, CSA Czech Airlines, Air France, KLM, and MALEV (Hungarian Airlines) all operate several flights a day to Ukraine. There is also Ukraine International, which code-shares with these carriers, and AeroSvit, another Ukrainian carrier, which could be considered low-cost. Very recently, Wizzair, the low-cost airline, started operations within Ukraine. It is expected to start one international route between Kyiv and London's Luton airport by the end of 2008. The only other low-cost carrier serving Ukraine is AirBaltic, with flights through Riga, Latvia, or Vilnius, Lithuania.
Several airlines have direct flights to Odessa (Austrian, MALEV, LOT, CSA Czech Airlines), Dnipropetrovsk (Lufthansa), Kharkiv and Lviv (LOT, Austrian Airlines), and Donetsk (Lufthansa, Austrian), but they are expensive.
Within Ukraine, the most common airline is AeroSvit. In fact, it is considered the unofficial national airline; its routes include all major destinations and the planes they use are Boeing 737s and 767s. Meanwhile, Ukraine International too recently introduced flights within the country from its hub in Kyiv.
Visit our partner Air Valid for Airline Reviews and Information about Ukraine.
By Water
Main Ukrainian ports: Izmail, Ilyichevsk, and Odessa
UkrFerry (www.ukrferry.com), as the name suggests, operates ferries from Ilyichevsk to Derince, Turkey; Odessa to Istanbul, Turkey; Ilyichevsk to Varna, Bulgaria; and Ilyichevsk to Poti and Batumi, Georgia. The ferries are also available to the Russian ports of Sochi and Novorossiysk. The River Dnieper is Ukraine's most important internal waterway.
Many companies also offer Black Sea cruises around the Crimean peninsula.
By Rail
The Ukraine rail system connects Ukraine to all its land-bordering neighbours. If you are coming from Europe, however, you will have to wait at the border while the bogies are changed to adapt to a different rail gauge. In fact, it is quicker and also cheaper to buy a ticket to the border and then change trains, rather than wait. Overall, rail travel is far cheaper than flying, and can be compared to taking a bus or a car. It takes about a day to ride across the whole country. So, if you are not in a hurry, take a train. While third-class travel is best avoided, if you do not want to be part of ‘local experiences', the long-distance trains are rather comfortable.
Log on to www.poezda.net for English timetables of trains within CIS states, including trains to Ukraine. To give you an idea, the fastest train from Kyiv to Moscow takes about 10 hours and 30 minutes, and to St Petersburg 25 hours and 30 minutes.
By Road
Outside the urban areas, Ukrainian roads are in poor condition and badly lit. The border points are Uzhgorod, Mostiska and Chop, and one has to pay a road tax at the border. While petrol and repair stations are slowly becoming more common, it is recommended that you carry spare parts. You will have to pay in cash at the petrol stations, which provide diesel, leaded and unleaded petrol. An insurance cover is difficult to arrange.
Coach: Eurolines (www.eurolines.com) has regular coaches to Ukraine. Passes: Tourists can book either 15- or 30-day passes.
Bus: Some buses have daily services between Kharkiv and Moscow.
By Foot
If you are coming from Sighetul Marmatiei in Romania, you have the option of simply walking across the 200-metre bridge to Slatina in Ukraine. However, you will find it difficult to get onward transport from this point. Bicycling is a good option during the summer months.
Getting Around Ukraine
Getting Around By Air
In Kyiv, domestic flights take off from the Zhulany airport (IEV) and Borispol airport (KBP). For more information, you can contact the two main domestic carriers: Aerosvit at (44) 490 3490, or www.aerosvit.ua/eng, and Ukraine International Airlines at (44) 581 5050, or www.ukraine-international.com/eng. Low-cost airline Wizzair has a useful network of internal flights and can be contacted at 0904 475 9500, in the UK. Their website is: http://www.wizzair.com/.
Getting Around By Water
Cruises are very popular with tourists, especially those between Sevastopol Kyiv and Odessa. If you wish to go on one of those cruises why not speak to our local tour operator so that they can organise a Ukraine tour for you.
Getting Around By Rail
In the winter, trains are more reliable than planes. This is because the weather in unpredictable and could result in flights being grounded. Timetables for trains in CIS states and within Ukraine are available in English at www.poezda.net. Ukrainian Railways too publishes information online at www.uz.gov.ua, but not in English.
Getting Around By Road
In Ukraine, right-hand drive cars are not allowed.
Bus: Bus services are available to most cities and towns. The most modern and comfortable fleet is operated by Autolux (www.autolux.com.ua), which runs coaches to all major cities.
Taxi: Hire a driver for a longer journey; it is a realistic and affordable option.
Car hire: Self-drive cars on hire are only now becoming commonly available, with both local and international operators renting cars in major cities.
Regulations: To be able to drive in Ukraine, be sure to take an International Driving Permit with you. Ukraine follows strict speed limits: 60 kph (37 mph) in built-up areas, 90 kph (55 mph) in outskirt areas, and 130 kph (80 mph) on motorways. Do not be surprised if you are stopped by the DAI road police for no fault of yours. They are only looking for small bribes.
Getting Around Towns and Cities
Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv and Kyiv have cheap, clean and very efficient metro networks. Tickets can be bought inside the stations from the vending machines. While the trolleybuses and buses are good value for money, they are also very crowded and slow. Taxis are easy to find only in the main cities. In fact, the official taxis have yellow and black signs on their roofs and are metered. Be sure to negotiate fares in advance in the case of private taxis. Meanwhile, there a few shared taxis and minibuses, known as marshrutky, that ply on fixed routes.
While the locals hitchhike a lot, it is not recommended for tourists. If, however, you have no other option, just make sure you fix a price in advance with the driver.
Please note that there is no public transport service available between 01:00 and 05:00.
