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Planning a trip to Ukraine
I am planning a trip to Ukraine and hame some questions I hope you can
help me with some questions. I speak Russian for travel purposes and have experience with independent travels in Russia, other CIS countries and Poland. Where to go I would like to see Kiev (much to see and do, easiest to get a flight there, best starting point to see other places, student town). The few places I have met who knows Ukraine all says that Lviv is an obvious number 2. Since I travel during winter, I expect Crimea and the Black Sea coast to be less attractive than during summer. Odeassa is on the may be list though. I also think I would like to see Chernobyl - anyone with experiences? When I travel in the CIS I try to see some countryside. Anyone that has suggestions on a nice village not to far from Kyev that is relatively easy to reach by train or bus, farm land or dacha area and something to see or do during wintertime? In my experience it is easy to get into contact with people so anywhere people meet, somewhere for wintersports, markets local museums or excibitions would be of interest. I also try to go to places where students and other young people meet and hang out. In St Petersburg and Minsk, the metro is typical during winter. Is there a metro station young people hangs out in Kyev? Is there other places to meet with young people? (in my experience the gang with dark sun glasses on the night clubs often isn't to attractive. Is the canteen on the university(s) open for other than students? Travel If one is used to negotiating taxi/car prices inside the city and over longer distances in Russia, Belarus and Central Asia - should Ukraine be a problem when it comes to attemts to overpricing foreigners, that the driver will give in when he realises that you know what to pay and that it is generaly quite safe to use unofficial taxies? If I have got it right (almost) all transportation in Ukraine goes via Kiev, meaning that if I want to see different parts of the country it is a good idea to start out in Kiev and I must expect to travel via Kiev on my way from place to place (if they are not on the same train route). Is this correct? Is it worthwhile to check prices to for instance Warshaw an take a train/bus from Western Europe or is that not worth the effort compared to go directly to Kiev? Russian language: It is my experience from Latvia, Litauen and Belarus that it is totally uncontroversial to speak Russian, regardless that some people tends to say something else. From those 3 countries it is also my experience that most people speak Russian and that Russian is by far the most videly spoken foreign/"foreign" language. Will I experience the same in Ukraine? -Prices From previous travels in Russia and CIS I know that the prices they suggest in travel guides published only a year or two ago. Can someone that knows the prices in Kyev / Ukraine please tell me if theese pricelevels are updated? -Metro, bus, trolley and tram 50 - kopek. Mashrutka 1-2 UEH. -Operatheatre in Kyev - 3 to 20$. Is there a two price system where foreigners pay more? -Taxi - 3 to 4$ for 2-3 people for driving through most of the city in Kyev. For 2$ you can cross the city in other towns. - Flatrent 20$ a night -What does dinner in a restaurant cost in Kyev and outside Kyev? -If heating, hot water, a nice/clean bed and a solid lock is requirements for accomondation. What is the price? -What does excurtions to Chernobyl cost? - What is the price in Ukraine for traveling by car/taxi over longer distances? Is the rule of thumb I learned in Central Asia true for Ukrain: 2 - 2,5 x local fuel price? -What does a litre of fuel cost in Ukraine? -According to my travel guide I can get a bed in a kupe for 8-12$. Updated? thank you in advance, best regards, Jan |
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Planning a trip to Ukraine
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Planning a trip to Ukraine
wrote:
I am planning a trip to Ukraine and hame some questions I hope you can help me with some questions. I speak Russian for travel purposes and have experience with independent travels in Russia, other CIS countries and Poland. Big SNIP From personal experience, I strongly recommend avoiding winter there. But summer can be very hot... The facilities for tourists are minimal, and I very much doubt there are any organised tours to Chernobyl. Be sure to ride on Kiev tram line 12 through the woods to the terminus near the lakeside at Pushcha-Vodnitsa (take a picnic). For rail travel, click on the hyperlink to Ukraine at: http://www.steane.com/egtre/egtre.php Feedback/updates after your return would be appreciated ;-) Regards, - Alan (in Brussels - mind the spamtrap) |
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Planning a trip to Ukraine
Alan (in Brussels) wrote: wrote: I am planning a trip to Ukraine and hame some questions I hope you can help me with some questions. I speak Russian for travel purposes and have experience with independent travels in Russia, other CIS countries and Poland. Big SNIP From personal experience, I strongly recommend avoiding winter there. But summer can be very hot... I know January is not ideal, but since I am Norwegian I think I will survive The facilities for tourists are minimal, and I very much doubt there are any organised tours to Chernobyl. Unless you have some very new and updated info saying something else, I know for a fact that several travel agencies arrange trips to Chernobyl. Be sure to ride on Kiev tram line 12 through the woods to the terminus near the lakeside at Pushcha-Vodnitsa (take a picnic). Thank you, I will remember that - not too sure about the picnic in January though For rail travel, click on the hyperlink to Ukraine at: http://www.steane.com/egtre/egtre.php Feedback/updates after your return would be appreciated ;-) I will, in the meantime you find my travelreports from Belarus plus St Petersburg and Vilnius he http://www.thorsnas.com/belarus2005/belarus2005.pdf ....and from my trip To Uzbekistan, Kazakstan and Kyryzstan he http://www.thorsnas.com/centralasia/...erapporten.pdf Jan |
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Planning a trip to Ukraine
schrieb:
I am planning a trip to Ukraine and hame some questions I hope you can help me with some questions. I speak Russian for travel purposes and have experience with independent travels in Russia, other CIS countries and Poland. Where to go I would like to see Kiev (much to see and do, easiest to get a flight there, Which air company did you foresee? best starting point to see other places, student town). The few places I have met who knows Ukraine all says that Lviv is an obvious number 2. Since I travel during winter, I expect Crimea and the Black Sea coast to be less attractive than during summer. The view should be the same, although it's too cold to swim in the sea. When I travel in the CIS I try to see some countryside. Anyone that has suggestions on a nice village not to far from Kyev that is relatively easy to reach by train or bus, farm land or dacha area and something to see or do during wintertime? Bila Cerkva but it's a town. In my experience it is easy to get into contact with people so anywhere people meet, somewhere for wintersports, markets local museums or excibitions would be of interest. Winter sports: Volovets in the Carpathian mountains, south-west of L'viv. I also try to go to places where students and other young people meet and hang out. In St Petersburg and Minsk, the metro is typical during winter. Is there a metro station young people hangs out in Kyev? Is there other places to meet with young people? (in my experience the gang with dark sun glasses on the night clubs often isn't to attractive. Is the canteen on the university(s) open for other than students? If I have got it right (almost) all transportation in Ukraine goes via Kiev, meaning that if I want to see different parts of the country A friend of mine just wrote his thesis in tourism management about Kam'anets-Podil'ski http://www.reisenundmusik.nacht-wind...sterarbeit.htm which can be reached from Kyiv by overnight train but has more difficult connections to closer L'viv. it is a good idea to start out in Kiev and I must expect to travel via Kiev on my way from place to place (if they are not on the same train route). Is this correct? No. Quite a number of train services avoid Kyiv, for example L'viv - Odessa. Is it worthwhile to check prices to for instance Warshaw an take a train/bus from Western Europe or is that not worth the effort compared to go directly to Kiev? Russian language: It is my experience from Latvia, Litauen and Belarus that it is totally uncontroversial to speak Russian, regardless that some people tends to say something else. From those 3 countries it is also my experience that most people speak Russian and that Russian is by far the most videly spoken foreign/"foreign" language. Will I experience the same in Ukraine? It's even local in cities of Eastern Ukraine. Inhabitants of L'viv might not like it too much but most of them will agree to speak Russian with Westerners. -Prices From previous travels in Russia and CIS I know that the prices they suggest in travel guides published only a year or two ago. Can someone that knows the prices in Kyev / Ukraine please tell me if theese pricelevels are updated? -Metro, bus, trolley and tram 50 - kopek. Mashrutka 1-2 UEH. Donetsk: bus, trolley and tram 50, 40 and 30 kopek. -According to my travel guide I can get a bed in a kupe for 8-12$. Updated? For fares from Kyiv, see http://www.uz.gov.ua/?m=services.transppl.schedulkiev&lng=uk Kyiv - L'viv by train 57 would be 39 hryven. Regards, ULF |
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Planning a trip to Ukraine
wrote: I am planning a trip to Ukraine and hame some questions I hope you can help me with some questions. I have an additional question. Can anyone help me with a website that lists what goes on in Kyev and other Ukrainian towns? (Something like for instance sptimes.ru and www.afisha.ru). Is there any newspapers in English in Ukraine with internet editions? Best regards, Jan |
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