Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Bus
Buses serve every city and small town, but are best for short trips (three hours or less), as
vehicles are generally small, old and overcrowded. If you're travelling around Ukraine for
a longer period of time, bus will be your most common mode of transport. Some stations,
especially in the far west, have become quite orderly; others remain chaotic.
SURVIVING UKRAINE'S BUSES
For the uninitiated, Ukrainian bus travel can be a bemusing and uncomfortable or-
deal. Here are our survival tips.
»
Bus can mean anything from a lumbering 60-seater 1980s Hungarian coach to a
luxury Mercedes minibus.
»
Your ticket has a seat number printed on it, but on small buses passengers gener-
ally just sit where they like (but not always!).
»
Don't sit in a seat that has something on it. This means someone else has 're-
served' it while they go shopping/visit the toilet/call on relatives across town.
»
Yes, the bleary-eyed guy stumbling towards the bus - one dose of salo(raw pig
fat) away from a coronary - is your driver. His job is to drive, not answer questions.
»
Luggage should be stored in the bagazhnyk(luggage space) under the bus. It's
normally free to do so.
»
Even if the mercury is pushing 40°C (95°F), all windows will be slammed shut as
soon as the bus moves off. The roof hatch may be left open.
»
Buses often stop at stations for between five minutes and half an hour. Make sure
you know how long the break is, as drivers rarely check if everyone is back on
board.
»
Buses act as an unofficial postal system, with anything from punnets of strawber-
ries to large car parts transported between towns for a small fee.
Bus Companies
There are literally thousands of tiny transport companies operating services across
Ukraine. However, on the main intercity routes large operators use Western-standard
coaches.
Autolux
(
www.autolux.ua
)
Ukraine's top coach operator. Runs services between Kyiv and
most regional centres. The company's nonstop 'VIP' coaches have airline-style seats,
acres of legroom and free refreshments.
