First time in Ukraine?
First time in Ukraine?
First time in Ukraine. Coming to Kiev for the first time.
When you're planning a trip to Kiev, you are choosing between a hotel and an appartment to stay. Appartments are usually quite nice and cheaper, although might involve additional risks and hassles.
I've booked appartments for me and friends quite a few times in Kiev, and had to face difficulties of different kinds couple of times.
Once we had to stand and wait near the appartment door, because the guys from the appartment-renting company happen to forget we were coming, and the other time we were not able to reach anyone from the office when we needed to hand them the keys as we were leaving and had the flight to catch. Another time, when my friend ordered a transfer from the airport to the appartment he booked, they sent an old creaky Soviet Union car with a driver who didn't spak English and had a hard time finding the appartment.
So, even though I can advise you on where to book the appartment, and even book it for you, I can not guarantee that everything will go smooth, since I don't work for any of the companies. Sometimes, Ukrainians just hate to have to work, and
there is hardly anything you can do about it...
It is best to have someone meet you at the airport when you are visiting Ukraine for the first time.
Be prepared, that a few seconds after you enter the terminal's welcome zone, you will be surrounded by the bunch of taxy drivers persuading you to use their services.
Unless you are willing to pay like a $100 for a ride to Kiev, I suggest you learn a "no, thank you" mantra and repeat it every time some man approaches you.)
However, if noone is picking you up anyway, and you don't speak Ukrainian/Russian (to call and order a regular taxy), you don't have much of a choice but to use one of the local ones. In this case, you may want to try and bargain with them.
The fair price for a ride to downtown would be something around $30, but you are lucky if those guys will settle with $50.
An alternative to taking a taxy from the airport is renting a car from such well-known companies as Avis or Hertz. Both their offices can be found in the airport, but it is probably wiser to make arrangements beforehead, so you wount have to wait till your car is delivered.
In Ukraine, it is vital for you to have some cash all the time. Even in the capital of Ukraine, you will sometimes be unable to pay with your credit card or dollars.
Changing a big sum in the airport is a bad idea, since the exchange rate there is probably the worst you can find. But buying some hryvnyas (local currency) or using an ATM there may come in handy.
You will find a much more friendly rate in the downtown area, where there are plenty of exchange offices.
If you are planning on staying in Ukraine for a while, you may want to buy a local sim card to call landlines and mobile phones. Usually, you can find those in the press stores, in the post offices, and on the streets, from the guys who sell prepaids: they usually have a big stand with all sorts of cards on them.
As you will need to charge your card with money very soon, it is best to buy a sim card and a prepaid at once.
Useful Links:
Kiev Borispol Airport (Kyiv Boryspil Airport)
Kiev Borispol Airport (Kyiv Boryspil Airport) - Virtual Tour
Ukraine (Kiev, Crimea, Karpaty) Maps Collection for Download
Ukraine in Wikipedia
Interactive Ukraine Map: