Trains, Planes, Bus, Taxi, Mini-Bus Public Transportation in the Ukraine
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Your first experience with public transportation in the Ukraine is probably going to be with a taxi cab at the Kiev Airport. Many of the cabs are illegal and run by private citizens trying to make a view extra dollars. As such, when you first exit the customs and immigration area you will go through two wooden doors out into the main terminal. There you will be overwhelmed by an onslaught of men screaming taxi and offering to take you into the city. There are three things you will want to make sure to discuss when hiring a taxi and they are 1) how much – get a price from several drivers (in USD) for the prices will vary widely 2) what is the size of their vehicle – make sure it can accommodate your luggage, 3) where is the drivers vehicle parked.
Once you are in your flat in Kiev ((I recommended spending at least 2-3 days in Kiev before traveling out to one of the smaller cities/villages) you will have several options in the form of transportation. They include;
1. Train
2. Taxi
3. Bus – Mini Buses
4. Private Taxi
5. Underground – Subway
6. Trolley
1. Train: I have written about the train elsewhere on this blog so to read about the trains CLICK HERE.
2. Taxi: There are lots of Taxi’s in the Ukraine and particularly in Kiev. Be sure you have the phone number to the local taxi cab (have your translator get you a local cell phone as soon as you arrive in the Ukraine). If you do not speak Russian have the addresses of where you need to go written down on paper and negotiate the fee using your fingers.
3. Bus: There are lots of buses in the Ukraine. They travel marked routes and have schedules. They are free to the elderly (or discounted rates) and are typically full of old and unemployed people. Because of this most working people (particularly in the cities outside of Kiev) ride the mini bases which are privately owned, cost about 10 cents and run on a more regular basis. Reportedly many of these many buses are controlled by the Russian Mafia and the busy routes provide a payment back for “route security”.
4. Private Taxis. Every car owner in the Ukraine is a virtual private taxi. Many car owners will pick up a few extra dollars by hiring out as taxi cabs. If you use these drivers (and I recommend them) be sure you negotiate a flat fee with these drivers. They are quite inexpensive and because fares are so hard to find they will “wait” for next to nothing. Along these lines I remember one time I had finished a boat ride in Zaporojie and the translator grabbed us a taxi cab. We stopped at a Ukraine shoe store and were still there almost two hours later while the taxi cab was out front waiting. I was a nervous wreck because I new we were paying for the taxi cab to wait. Finally, we finished our business and drove back across town to my flat. Total fair $12.00.
5. Underground Subway: Kiev has an excellent underground subway that will get you wherever you need to go in 30 minutes or less. The subway is deep underground and entrances are everywhere. If visiting the city center you should definitely take the subway. At the city center is a underground mall, theatre, cafes, monuments and a McDonalds. Tokens for the subway can be purchased at most subway entrances as are many kiosk and shops.
6. Trolley: Not all cities have trolleys and they are rackety and typically not well run. The stops for them are not well run and areas they service are often more timely serviced by buses. However, they are fun to ride if for no other reason but the experience.
Public Transportation of recent years has started to sport advertising. The below buses are advertising credit cards which is also a new capitalistic venture in a cash society.
