PLEASE NOTE THAT TOIT+ STARTS IN KYIV AND ENDS IN KHARKIV. PLEASE BE AWARE THAT YOU SHOULD CONSIDER THIS WHEN BOOKING YOUR FLIGHTS. INFORMATION ON TRAVELLING IN UKRAINE CAN BE FOUND IN THE FAQ AND IF QUESTIONS REMAIN, THE TOIT+ TEAM WILL BE HAPPY TO BE OF ANY HELP.


Do I need a visa?

Citizens of the E.U., Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Vatican, Iceland, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Israel,  Turkey, Mongolia, the U.S., Canada, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Argentina, Paraguay and the Commonwealth of Independent States (except Turkmenistan)  can stay in Ukraine up to 90 days within a 180 day period without visa. However, we strongly encourage you to check the visa requirements before you travel.

Please be aware that to the Ukrainian government, entering Crimea on a Russian visa is illegal entry to Ukrainian territory. If you later try to visit Ukraine and show any evidence of your travel to Crimea, you could be refused entry or arrested and fined.

Which airlines fly to Kyiv?

Boryspil International Airport is located 36km south-east from the city centre.

Most flights here are operated by the national carrier Ukrainian International Airlines. It serves most European capitals and has frequent overseas flies to a.o. Los Angeles, New York and Toronto, to Hong Kong, Delhi, Beijing and Bangkok, and also serves many cities in the Middle East.

Only recently was put into operation Kyiv - Boryspil Express Train with convenient train schedule connecting Boryspil International Airport (KBP) and Main Railway Station. There are also frequent bus services connecting the airport and the Central railway station.

A taxi to the city center should not cost more than 300 UHA (€10).

Zhulyany Airport is located 8km southwest of the city center. It is mostly served by budget airlines. Wizzair is the major airline operating to this airport. It regularly serves destinations to many European countries, such as Germany, Portugal, Great Britain, France, Denmark, Poland, Hungary and Greece. Ryanair flies to Kyiv from many cities from Spain, the United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden, Greece, Bulgaria, Czech Republic and Austria. Additionally Alitalia, Vueling, Belavia and some other smaller carriers serve this airport.

It is best to take a taxi to the city center. I will cost around 100 UHA (€3-4).

Trains in Ukraine

To travel from/to Kyiv by train, be sure to buy tickets in advance. All train tickets - inscribed, while boarding the train need to show your ID. The national train company is state-owned Ukrainian Railways "Укрзалізниця/Ukrzaliznytsya". The tickets can be booked online.

Direct day and night trains are available from all major cities and towns in Ukraine.

There are good international connections with central Europe and Russia, f.e. to Budapest (24h), Bratislava (29h), Chisinau (15h), Minsk (12h), Prague (35h), Sofia (37h) via Bucharest (26h), Vienna (24h) and Warsaw (16h).

Changing money

Ukraine's official currency is the hryvnia (₴, UAH), and you will certainly need it to purchase goods. Currency exchange points that exchange Euros, US dollars are very common in cities, and the exchange rate is usually very fair (except in Kyiv, where the exchange rate is higher compared to other cities).

ATMs are very common and you find several at every frequented place, like airports, train stations, shopping malls and international hotels.

The biggest ATM provider in Ukraine is PrivatBank (ПриватБанк). However, the bank may charge a 4% fee of the withdrawal amount if a foreign bank card is used (it may be different in other banks). ATMs accept 4 digits PINs and have an English language interface option. International banks are also operating in Ukraine, f. Ex.  BNP Paribas.

The current exchange rates are approximately €1= 31UHA; $1=26UHA

What electricity current is used in Ukraine?

Electrical voltage in Ukriane is the same as EU standard. In Ukraine the power plugs and sockets are of type C and F. The standard voltage is 220 V and the standard frequency is 50 Hz.

Can I drink the tap water?

No, it is not safe to drink tap water in Ukraine.

Is Ukraine safe nowadays?

Yes, Ukraine is perfectly safe to visit, excluding Crimea and the de facto war zone in Eastern Ukraine. Please nevertheless check for the latest travel advice including safety and security, entry requirements, travel warnings and health with your respective embassy.

Internet in Ukraine

Almost every cafe and restaurant in big cities are covered with free wireless internet network. Although in a lot of cases you’ll need a password, so going there once to sip a coffee pays rewards for the future.

If you’re in Ukraine even only for a short period it’s well worth buying local sim-card. They cost starting from 80 UAH (<3 EUR) are a ready to be used right after you put it into your phone. I personally use “Life” mobile operator. Calls are free inside the network while the rest are very cheap. Internet is also reliable and fast enough for a mobile. 4G is standard.


Taxis in Ukraine

Please be sure to go to the official taxi booths inside the airport terminal when arriving in Kyiv.

The fare from Boryspil Airport to the city center should be around 400 UHA (€13), from Zhuliany to the city center pay no more than 150 UHA (€5).

When using Taxis inside the cities we advise you to use Uber in Kyiv and ontaxi in Kyiv and especially Kharkiv. They are also available in English. Taxi drivers rarely speak English, but the app helps you to orientate and to self-regulate the prices.

Weather information

In Ukrainian capital Kyiv the weather in late September is mild at 13-17°C: afternoons can be somewhat warm with average high temperatures reaching 17 -21°C , whereas overnight temperatures are generally lower, around 5-10°C. There can already be rainy days, so please also bring a jacket and an umbrella with you. In the evenings it can be quite cold.

Time zone

Ukraine operates on the CEST time zone. Time in Ukraine is defined as UTC+02:00 and in summer as UTC+03:00.



Where can I find more information about Ukraine and Ukrainian culture?

Here are some links for you to get informed about Ukraine:

Videos:

Movies:


Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software