TAXI
You can order a taxi by calling 059 or numbers which are listed below. It is not advisable to get in a private car with more than one person already in it. Set the price before getting in. Rides are usually equivalent to about $5-10 in the city centre, and up to $10-30 to Kiev's suburbs.
To get from Boryspil airport to Kiev by taxi you are expected to pay approximately $25-30
TAXI SERVICES:
| Blyuz | 529-3000 |
| Boss | 201-0501 |
| Ukrprominvest | 574-0574 |
| Taxi service | 059 or 058 |
| Absolute taxi | 455-9955 |
| Allo taxi | 2377575 |
| Shanson | 548-2828 |
| Prestizh | 241-8241 |
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Trolleys/trams/buses: Public transport in Kiev is very comfortable but often crowded in rush hours. Tickets are sold at any stop or inside the transport. Stamp them during your ride, or you may be fined. At present time you can see shuttle buses that help Kiev citizen with transportation. One-way ticket at shuttle buses costs 2-2.5 hryvnas, as at another transport 1,50 hryvnas. If you often use public transport, it is best to buy an inexpensive monthly-pass for all types of public transport at any yellow kiosks located at major stops or at subway stations. If you buy a simple ticket, you must stamp your ticket in the stamping machines as soon as you board buses, trolleybuses and trams.
Funicular is located at Mykhaylovskaya square, you can take it down to Poshtova square. Funicular works from 6.30am to 11.00pm, costs 2 hryvnas, except on holidays when it is free.
Metro: Kiev's metro is famous for its cleanliness, safety and beautifully-decorated interior. It is also very cheap. A single-use token allows a transfer for one line to another, or you can buy a monthly pass. Both are available at any metro station. The metro scheme is not complicated: it consists of three lines which connect the centre with all districts of the city. Kiev metro has tree underground lines radiating out from the centre to remote districts. Trains come every minute in the rush hour, and you don’t have to wait more than a few minutes even late at night. The subway runs daily from 6am to midnight. The subway uses plastic tokens, which you drop into the turnstile as you enter. Proceed through the turnstile when the triangular light shows green. One token allows you to travel to any other station on the subway network and costs 1,75 hryvnas.
Kiev subway (metro) map is here
RAILROADS
The best way to travel within Ukraine is by train. This way is cheap and quick but train classification in Ukraine differs from the European and American one.
EXPRESS TRAINS – the most popular and comfortable train, usually going several hours or overnight between the large regional centers of the country. They make a few stops and have good quality service and carriages. These trains have 1st, 2nd and 3rd class carriages.
PASSENGER TRAINS – these trains are not as fast as EXPRESS trains and have more stopovers. Traveling by this train might take more than 24 hours. The quality of the train may vary from good to acceptable. Usually these trains doesn’t have 1st class carriages.
SUBURBAN TRAINS – these trains are very slow and can be of two types: electric and diesel. They travel within 1 or 2 regions which are very close to each other. The quality of such trains are very low.
TRAIN CARRIAGES: the classification of train carriages in Ukraine also differs from European and American standards. We have 5 kinds of train carriages in Ukraine.
- SW (sleep coach, 1st class) - every cabin consists of 2 berths only and a small unfolding table by the window and between the berths, this type of carriage is the most comfortable and expensive.
- COUPE (sleeper, 2nd class) – each cabin consists of 4 berths (2 lower and 2 upper ones). Such cabins also have a small unfolding table by the window between the berths. This type of carriage is cheaper then CW, but sufficiently comfortable and the most acceptable one.
- PLATZCART (sleeper, 3rd class) - this carriage consists of 54 berths, 36 of which are of the normal type (in cabins) and 18 are along the passageway. The cabins don’t have any doors in such carriages. Berths also are in two levels as in the 2nd class carriages. So such trains are more noisy and uncomfortable but because of their low price tickets they are popular in Ukraine.
- OBSHIY (common wagon, 4th class) - you can see this type of coach on some routes only. It’s totally unacceptable way of traveling.
The Kiev railway station is located not far from the downtown - subway station is "Vokzalna». You can buy tickets at the preliminary desks (38/40 Shevchenka blvr, subway station "Universitet")
