Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
TO/FROM THE TRAIN STATION
The taxi drivers hanging out by the train station can be the biggest rip-off artists in Kyiv,
typically charging 100uah for what should be a 40uah ride into the city centre. Avoid
them by walking five minutes to bul Tarasa Shevchenka, or better yet, save money by
taking the metro.
CAR
All the major car-rental players and various minor ones are represented at both airports
and in central Kyiv.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Although often crowded, Kyiv's metro is clean, efficient, reliable and easy to use if you
read Cyrillic. It is also the world's deepest, requiring escalator rides of seven to eight
minutes! Trains run frequently between around 6am and midnight on all three lines.
Blue-green plastic tokens
(zhetony)
costing 2uah (good for one ride) are sold by cashiers
and token dispensers at metro station entrances. But their days are numbered as the au-
thorites are planning to switch to a more flexible zone-based system of payment. You can
avoid the easy-to-lose tokens by getting a plastic card for 7uah, which can be topped up
using terminals also available at every station.
Buses, trolleybuses, trams and many quicker
marshrutky
serve most routes. Tickets for
buses, trams and trolleybuses cost 1.5uah and are sold at street kiosks or directly from
the driver/conductor.
Marshrutky
rides cost 2.5uah plus.
TAXI
Taxi prices in Kyiv are cheap by world standards. Expect to pay 30uah to 45uah for short
(less than 5km) trips within central Kyiv. Locals prefer booking taxis by phone - they ar-
rive fast and you know the price in advance; ask your hotel reception for assistance. To
do it yourself, you need to speak some Ukrainian/Russian and know the exact addresses
of your departure point and destination - saying something like 'drop me off at Maydan'
won't get you anywhere. If you dial a taxi service, they usually hang up and call you
back immediately.
Troyka
(
237 0047, 233 7733)
is a reliable call centre working with
several taxi companies.
If you flag a taxi in the street - as people still do - always agree on the price before
getting inside, unless it is an official metered taxi. Taking standing taxis from outside ho-
tels, as well as train and bus stations, inevitably incurs a much higher price.
