I am a U.S. citizen traveling to Ukraine. Are you 100% sure I do not need a visa?
You really do not need a visa. Many recent visitors can confirm this with their personal experience. If you’re still in doubt, visit this Ukrainian Consulate site.
How can I send an SMS message to someone in Ukraine?
Go to http://www.kyivstar.net/en/sms/ (in English) and enter the cell phone number prefix, the number, and your text message. Not all prefixes are accepted. If you read Russian or can figure this page out, you can send an SMS to any mobile phone operator in Ukraine for free athttp://sms.bigmir.net/.
How can I look up a street address in Ukraine?
Go to http://map.meta.ua/?map=kiev&l=en, select the city at the left and enter the street name in English, Ukrainian, or Russian.
How do I get from the Kyiv Boryspil airport to Kyiv?
The Kyiv Boryspil international airport is located 15 km to the southeast of Kyiv. The domestic airport (Zhuliany) is inside of town. To get from Boryspil to Kyiv you will need to take either a taxi or a “Polit” bus. If you decide to take a taxi and are not up to haggling with the taxi drivers, the best idea is to walk up to the taxi stand INSIDE of the terminal 50 m from where you come out into the lobby and talk to a young lady there. The standard price these days is 100-150 UAH ($20-30USD), depending on where you need to go to within Kyiv. You can go for cheaper still if you agree to ride with other passengers or are stubborn about lowering the price. The Polit buses (“Політ” in Ukrainian) wait in front of the terminal and are either full-sized buses or mini-vans. They run from approximately 4:00 a.m. to midnight every 20-40 minutes (now supposedly they run 24 hours). A ticket costs around 15-20 UAH depending on your destination. The bus stops at Kharkivska metro station, the central bus station (“Avtovokzal”), Peremohy Square, and the central train stration.
How much does a train ticket from Kyiv to Simferopol cost?
It depends on the class of ticket you purchase. Most foreigners prefer second class (“kupe”). One ticket from Kyiv to Simferopol costs about 150 UAH ($ 20USD), with another 15 UAH for bedding.
Where can I find out about domestic flights in Ukraine and book a plane ticket?
You can search for flights between Ukrainian cities athttp://www.kiyavia.com/eng/info/timetable/ and book flights online. Kiy Avia offices are located all around Ukraine and have English-speaking representatives.
How does one get to Yalta from Simferopol?
By taxi, trolleybus, state bus, or minibus, all from the Simferopol train station. An acceptable price for a 100 km taxi ride to Yalta would be around 200 UAH ($40), but if the driver speaks English or has a fancy car the price will be higher. The trolleybus takes 2.5 hours to get to Yalta and can be less comfortable, but it only costs around 12 UAH. The state bus (ticket office next to McDonald’s) costs 20 UAH; minibuses also cost 20 UAH and are quite comfortable and quick.
What’s the cheapest monthly rent I can reasonably expect to pay for a basic, no-frills apartment in Kyiv?
$300-450 USD per month for a somewhat shabby apartment with a phone, kitchen, bathroom, and 1 living/bedroom around the edge of town within 10 minutes walking distance from a metro station.
How do I hook up to the Internet in Ukraine?
Around Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities there are stands on the street in central areas of town withphone and Internet cards. Dial-up Internet service cards are also sold in many stores and post offices. Major Internet providers are IPTelecom and SvitOnline. Cards come in denominations from 5 to 100 UAH, and there are a number of tariff plans to choose from. The cheapest is call-back, where the provider calls your phone line to connect, thus freeing you from having to pay phone bills in addition to Internet access. For high-speed Internet access, the most well-known Internet provider is Volia-Kabel (site in Russian only). However, high-speed access may not be available in many Ukrainian towns or even in certain neighborhoods within big cities.
What are typical prices at Internet cafes in Ukraine?
Usually between 4 and 6 UAH per hour (around $1 USD). The central post office in Kyiv charges 10 UAH, and prices are much higher at the Kyiv Boryspil airport. Internet speed may be slow at many Internet cafes, which are mostly used by local boys for computer games.
Do any discount airlines fly to Ukraine?
Not at the moment, however, Ryanair has introduced a new daily flight from London to Rzeszow, Poland, near the Ukrainian border and flies three times a week from Frankfurt to Rzeszow. The average price is 30 Euros one way. From Rzeszow it’s a few hours’ bus trip to Lviv in west Ukraine. Also, SkyEurope flies to Kosice, Slovakia, just 40 km from Uzhhorod, Ukraine.
Which countries can Ukrainians visit without a visa?
Ukrainians do not need a visa to visit countries of the former Soviet Union except Turkmenistan and the Baltic states (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia). In addition, Ukraine has a visa-free relationship with Malaysia, Moldova, Mongolia. To travel beyond Ukraine, Russia, and most other countries of the former USSR Ukrainians must get an international passport. Ukrainians have no trouble getting visas to Poland, and it is not difficult to obtain visas to Slovakia, Hungary, or Romania. Ukrainians can visit other European countries easily by buying a travel package with a travel agency that gets them a visa automatically. Here is a list of countries and visa regimes in Ukrainian.
Where can I find contact information for Ukrainian embassies and consulates abroad?
Here is a list of Ukrainian embassies abroad from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In addition to numerous embassies around the world, there are also consulates in countries that Ukraine has close relations with. Here is a list of Ukrainian consulates abroad. Generally, visas can be applied for both at embassies and consulates.
