Getting Around Kiev (Kyiv)
Posted on December 11, 2007 | Filed Under Holidays
Kiev is the city where the modern and the old make wonderful opportunities for historical and aesthetical exploration. However, before you become a visitor to this fabulous city, take some time to figure out at least 2 questions: accommodation and transport.
Let us consider picking an accommodation. Depending on your budget and personal preference, you can either choose to stay in a Kiev hotel, or rent an apartment. Mind the class of Kiev hotels to estimate the quality of the service and accommodation and the price you are willing to pay for it.
Kyiv has several luxury hotels. There are literary tens and tens of less luxurious Kiev accommodation opportunities. A five star hotel will be approximately $400-850 per 24 hrs, four star hotels will be around $150-$500, three stars will cost you about $70-300, two stars will cost from $50 to 120 and 1 star hotels charge around 25-100 per night.
There exist as well several hostels in Kiev for youth. In a regular hostel you can have modest but fresh accommodation and some beds in one room.
In case you want to spare some money, you might want to rent an apartment. Instead of a small hotel room for about $90-150 you can rent an excellent flat in the city center. Single room cheep apartments can be found for less than $50. Many companies that give for rent this kind of Kyiv apartments might even offer to meet you at the airport. It would be much safer to book the flat some days ahead.
In case you are pressed for money or would like to have something more extreme, you could rent sleeping space inside a train compartment. There's a train station ?Karavaevy dachi? where you may negotiate a sleeping place for some $15. Attempt this at your own danger.
Surely noone comes to Kiev to spend their time indoors. This city with over two million inhabitants has lots of wonderful places of interest if you can find your way around. Do not worry, though. The system of public transport is quite appropriate.
The most convenient option of moving around is Kiev taxis. They will take you from the airport to wherever you are staying for no more than $35. Generally, for a visitor from the European Union or the US, the Ukrainian taxis should be reasonably affordable. It is easy to taxi Kiev around. However, in case you do not inrend to use only taxis in Kyiv, the city has some other transport options to offer.
First of all, it is the subway that can get you almost anywhere in the city. It is especially convenient when you travel a long way during rush hours with huge traffic jams on the surface. Second of all, there are buses, trolley busses and trams. These types of transport are rather cheep: you pay a fixed amount to drive any distance. However, they don't have a schedule of passage. Third, you could always walk around or use Kiev's special transport - funicular that goes up the shore of Dnieper River. At last, you can simply use your feet.
Make sure you visit Kyiv. The city disposes of plenty of attractions to please an aspiring tourist.