Kiev Transportation

Unfortunately the central bus station at Moskovs'ka ploscha is still out of service due to European renovations. The only redeeming point is the candy factory across the road, so just follow the sweet smell.
Left luggage room is situated near the cafe area and works from 06:00 to 11:00, 11:30-17:00, 17:30-22:00. A currency exchange office is next to the main exit, and just outside there is an ATM, which is better, because exchange rates usually not so good in this kind of places.
Inside the entrance from the bus lot there are two coin-operated public telephones; card-operated ones can be found near McDonalds.
If you want to get to the city center, you may use either trolleybuses (#1, 2, 4, 11, 12 and 42 to "Lybids'ka" subway station and then pass four stops on the blue metro line till the "Maidan Nezalezhnosti" station) or take a taxi (it will cost around 40 UAH/6 euro).

We took a train from Yalta to Kiev and from the train station we had to cross a square to get to the subway station. From there it was piece of cake, the subway maps are of course in Ukrainian (or some in Russian) so if you know the alphabet and destination, it's a piece of cake.

On the buses and trolley-bus you have to pay a lady when you get on, however you are expected to know that you have to punch the ticket in a device on the upright rails. Now there are no signs telling you this and the lady might inform an inspector to come aboard and to check your ticket, and then start shouting at you and demanding monies in a form of a fine. This happened to me, but I was lucky to have won support from the public on the bue and I just walked pass the guard and inspector and got off the bus. So beware! Remember there are no signs or notices to inform you of this and the old lady that sells the tickets won't always tell you also, and probably informs the inspector.

Hi all,

I landed at Kiev airport this morning. I asked at the info desk about public transport into the city and was pointed to outside the terminal where I was told there would be a bus service. Sure enough there was a mini bus that for 22 Grevny (sp?) whisked me into Kiev city centre with a drop off at the main train station.

From there I jumped on to the metro and for a flat fee of 50 kopeks it was 3 stops to Kreshchatik.

For anyone heading for the university it is only 1 stop on the metro from the train station.

Couldn't be easier and it cost peanuts.

Keep well,
Stevie

Athens, Belgrade, Bucharest, Kaunas, Kiev, Krakow, Minsk, Moscow, Prague, Riga, Rome, Sofia, Warsaw, Zagreb.

Something all of these places have in common is no shortage of taxi drivers who see it as a divine right to rip off tourists. In Bucharest, Kiev, Minsk, Moscow in particular it is utterly outrageous and if there is an honest taxi driver anywhere in these cities then I am yet to find them.

Some thing else each of these cities have in common is a well developed public transport system based on any of metro / tram / trolley bus. The public transport systems are simple, efficient, quick and inexpensive and provide a welcome alternative to the inevitable taxi driver rip off.

the overnight train is the best option to get from Kyiv to Lviv if you don't want to spend too much money for the plane.

there are two trains #91 and #97. #91 leaves Kyiv in 22:20 and arrive in Lviv at 6:37 am.
#97 leaves at 22:07 and arrive in Lviv at 8:00 am. the return train to Kyiv leave in the evening (check Lviv to Kyiv transportation tip)

the price for one way kupe ticket (sleeping compartment with 4 beds) is around 100 Hr ($20).

if you decide to travel by train take into account that a lot of people comute to and from Lviv on the weekends and for holidays (Christmas, Easter). so make your reservations in advance.

If you will travel in Ukraine (to or from Kiev) the best choice is train. For a small amount you can travel first class in a sleeping cart, but be sure to travel first class. My experience is that the ukrainian trains are very comfortable. They do shake alot, but according to me that only makes you sleep better.

Some things to be aware of:
* You have to show your tickets and passport to the conductor before getting on the train and when the train is leaving the station.
* All carts have their own staff that will take care of you and serve you tea.
* A warning to the sensetive traveller for the train toilet. Do what you need to do before getting on the train! Toilets are not to be used when the train has stopped.

Getting around Kiev is fast, easy, and incredibly cheap on the Metro. Living in a city (NYC) where the cost of one subway fare is $2.00 (& going up), the fare on the Kiev Metro is very small (i think it was about 50 cents a ride). Anyway, the Metro in Kiev is essential to getting around the city, so get to know it.
And going underground in Kiev is quite the adventure. Sometimes the escalators take you about 100 meters down, or more! And once you're on the platforms you notice designs and sculptures on the walls from Kiev's soviet past. The Metro is very clean and efficient, and as you enter some stations from the street you'll see people selling everything from batteries and cigarettes, to flowers and sausages.
I don't recall any signs in English in the metro. So if you don't have a guide you have to have a basic understanding of reading signs in Ukrainian, and certainly an idea of what station you want to reach.
My companion in Kiev was not from Kiev, so we both navigated our way on the Metro together and found it to be relatively easy. Maybe we took a wrong turn here or there, but we never got lost or missed a stop or got on the wrong train. I think the metro in Paris is far more complicated than Kiev.
Another tip for people not use to taking metro's: ALWAYS buy more than one or two tokens at a time. If you go to the token booth with 5 grivnas, just say "maximum"