[dterenty]

Hi all,
sorry that have no time to go through FAQ, a question is the following:
soon I'll have to come to Kharkov. So I'm gonna take a flight to Kiev and then somehow get to Kharkov.
(1) do you guys know how long it's gonna take to reach Kiev railway station from Kiev airport ? (what is the best way to do it?)
I saw that there are few night trains, but I don't how I can book a ticket for it. Do you know if it is possible to book a ticket via web ? or I can easily buy a ticket anyday ?

Thanks for your help,
Cheers

[wandercam]

Hi mate,

There are buses going from Borispol to the central railway station every 30 mins or so (used to be 25 grn in February). Takes 40 mins roughly.
Now about booking tickets online... you've got to be fucking kidding mate? Best you can do, go straight to the offices and try to get tickets there. Hopefully there are some available, there are quite a few trains going to Kharkov indeed. The trains usually tend to be less busy during the working days.
Just in case, try their site: uz.gov.ua, may be they can offer you a telephone booking or something.

Hope this helps.

[dterenty]

Cheers !
I see. if I understood correctly, there are also busses going from Kiev to Kharkov (in case there will be no ticket available). Do you know how far is the bus station from the central railway station ? or I could probably take a bus directly from Borispol ?
Anyway, I'll try to call to central railway station, but I have feeling that i'm gonna need to talk Ukrainian, is that right ?

[NAL]

After July,14 it gonna be the best : http://wizzair.com/default.asp?slid=clear&language=EN

[Hardgr]

There are direct flights between Vienna and Kharkov.

[Theresa]

Cheers !
I see. if I understood correctly, there are also busses going from Kiev to Kharkov (in case there will be no ticket available). Do you know how far is the bus station from the central railway station ? or I could probably take a bus directly from Borispol ?
Anyway, I'll try to call to central railway station, but I have feeling that i'm gonna need to talk Ukrainian, is that right ?

Hey there!

I think some buses are going either from railway or airport. If you need I might call and find out.
Also about calling to railway station, I think they don't have service in English unfortunately. But they have this website, where you can check if the tickets are available. http://uz.gov.ua/?m=services.transppl.schedulkiev&lng=uk but again, it is only in Russian or Ukrainian.:( i just found out:(

The central bus station is pretty far from railway and better would be to take taxi, because there's no underground near bus station.

[Theresa]

There are direct flights between Vienna and Kharkov.

How do you know dterenty's from Vienna? :eek::D

[Arty]

the busses going to kharkov directly from borispol airport.
there are at least two companies, "autolux" http://www.autolux.ua/english/schedule and "gunsel" http://gunsel.com.ua/en/schedule_list/1/0.html

but afaik there is at least two daily flights borispol-kharkov

[Arty]

the flight viena-kh costs more than $500

%)

[NAL]

the flight viena-kh costs more than $500

%)

Toronto-Vienna-Kharkov by Austrian Airlines - 1000-1400 CAN(round trip) depend on season:).

[Arty]

yep, I do know $)

[dterenty]

Cheers,
thank for suggestions. indeed the V.-K. flight is way to expensive (in fact it is about 700). I'll arrive at 16-15, so I guess I can still cath a bus going directly from airport to Kharkov. Thanks links.
Another question, though. When I'll arrive to airport, do you think I can check availablity of train tickets at the airport ? do you think I can also book or buy a train ticket at the airport ? may there is some travel agency which may help me ?
thank you in advance !

[Klim_Chugunkin]

dterenty
Unfortunaly you have almost no chanses to get bus tickets in Borispol airport. I mean get available tickets.
But there are no problem to get from Borispol airport to railway stantion. There is direct buses. Ticket costs about $5. Travel time is about 40 minutes.
They arrive directly to internation railway stantion. You can buy tickets there. There are tons of trains from Kiev to Kharkov. So your chances are bigger there.
Other way is flight from Kiev ro Kharkov. It costs about 150$ AFAIK.

[NAL]

dterenty
Unfortunaly you have almost no chanses to get bus tickets in Borispol airport. I mean get available tickets...

I got ticket last month without any problem in one hour before departure:)

[Klim_Chugunkin]

NAL
Lucky you ;)

[GreenTea]

http://www.autolux.ua/english/
i used them about 10 times. they are quite reliable and the service is improving every year

you can book the tickets over the internet at their site

usually it's not necesary to book the tickets in advance on kiev-to-kharkov bus, there are always seats available. although, once i rode their bus sitting at the back where it's noisy and hot from the engine.

you buy tickets at the bus. a station lady comes to evey bus to sell tickets. have your cash with you. you can easily get UA-cash from an ATM in the terminal. the bus ticket was about 75 grivnas last year.
look for purple busses with Kiev-Kharkov board on the windshild.

there will be plenty of private taxi cabs. i found their drivers a little pushy and annoying, especially some years ago. last year there were much more relaxed and polite.
bus and station personnel were not eager to anser my questions if i had some. they can be happily chatting over the phone, but when they see a customer they turn sad and annoyed.

you could go to kharkov via kiev by train. trains are much more comfortable then busses. but tickets are usually hard to get.
you'll definetelly get to kharkov<>borispol faster by bus. you can catch a bus to kharkov almost every hour. trains from kiev to kharkov leave maybe 3-4 time max a day

[Tatka]

dterenty
Unfortunaly you have almost no chanses to get bus tickets in Borispol airport. I mean get available tickets.
But there are no problem to get from Borispol airport to railway stantion. There is direct buses. Ticket costs about $5. Travel time is about 40 minutes.
They arrive directly to internation railway stantion. You can buy tickets there. There are tons of trains from Kiev to Kharkov. So your chances are bigger there.
Other way is flight from Kiev ro Kharkov. It costs about 150$ AFAIK.


We actually got bus tickets on a couple occasions by just walking to the tickets window, but yes it's not easy.

If it's possible I'd recommend calling them beforehand and reserving tickets, I think it has some small cost but well worth it. :)

Also if I am correct, Autolux has it's own website.

http://www.autolux.ua/english/

Booking: http://www.autolux.ua/english/book

[dterenty]

Cheers guys...
again, sanx a lot !
I see that there are quite a few night trains and I think I'm gonna shoot for a train.
I have checked booking at 'autolux bus company' and it seems that there are no busses (which arrive at the same day to K.) after 16-00. And I'll be in Borispol by 16-30.
Special sanx to greentea for details - I'll keep it in mind. How much do you think the taxi-cab may cost ? would I get reciet ?

[Arty]

Possible the flight borispol-kharkov will be the best way. and you can book your tickets with no prob in advance.
there are two in the evening: Aerosvit Airlines (VV 033) at 20-20 and Dnieproavia (Z6 352) at 21-40

keep in mind that going thru the pass control and getting your luggage in borispol could take something about 1-2 hours easily.

[dterenty]

Hi Arty
r u sure , that it could take up to 2hours ? easily ? so I should defenetely shift my schedule by 2 hours ?
could you please send a link to the flight companies you mentioned. Thanks !

[Arty]

yep, i'm sure...
I've got it in jan this year when we spent about a hour for pass control only, and fortunately we haven't luggage

http://www.dniproavia.com/view.aspx?id=26&lang=2
http://www.aerosvit.ca/e_us.html

[Dizzy]

I highly recommend to fly dneproavia…They bought aircraft embaer from british airways,
Aerosvit company has yak 40, this is old Russian aircraft, that hard to move even fly ;)….
It cost about 150$ two way…

[balik]

let me tell you how would I get to Kharkov from Kiev.

It really depends on how much you are willing to spend as well as your arrival time.

The best way for sure would be to take a cab from Borispol directly to Kharkov, but this way is quite pricy.

There are two sets of buses going from Kiev to Kharkov. They are all passing by Borispol Airport.
The schedule is pretty simple. Some of them leave Borispol early in the morning.. I would say 7 to 10AM and some later at night.. 8PM to midnight.

I am not sure how will you buy a bus ticket at the airport. You may want to ask in there.

Another way is the train.
It will take you more then an hour to get to train station, because of the traffic so consider that. Also as Arty had mentioned it might take you for about couple of hours to pass the custom depending on... actually depending on many deferent little things :)

There is an Express Train that stops at Borispol, but once again you need to check the schedule first. I am afraid it only goes mid day.

Anyway I would prefer the bus over the train at this point.

[M*RD*]

I highly recommend to fly dneproavia…They bought aircraft embaer from british airways,
Aerosvit company has yak 40, this is old Russian aircraft, that hard to move even fly ;)….
It cost about 150$ two way…

I would deffinitely go for for ERJs - these are great commuter planes! I fly'em all the time (not Dneproavia). Comfortable, quiet, safe.

[max-connext]

You will get from Kiev (its stop in airport in Borispol) to Khrkiv by bus.
Its goes with interval near the 3 hour from 8:00 a.m. to 11.00 pm.

[dterenty]

Hi,
thanks again for suggestions. Okay, let's be clear.
I'm supposed to arrive to Kiev at 16-15, 7th of June. Suppose, it took me 2 hours to get out of the control area and I'm free to enjoy Ukraine.
So I can :
1. catch a flight by aerisvift at 21-something and aenjoy Yak40 flight (145$ two ways). But I really feel not good about Yak-40. Is this a kind of dynosaur ?
2. take a night-bus, at about 22-00. But I really dont dare to sleep in the bus
3. try to take a night train. so go to the station and be there at about 19-15. According to scheduler I still can catch few trains (if places are avilable).

Among all these, I really feel like going on the train. But if there will be no ticket I'll have stay over night in Kiev and next day take a fast train. I guess I can find some hotel for about 50$ - or it is a challenge ? In the worth case, I take a night bus.

So how is this plan, really crappy ?

[Klim_Chugunkin]

Why you can't book flight from Kiev to Kharkov and chain it to yours?
Yak-40 is fine but you probably get Antonov An-140. It's save enought but too loud.
$50 hotel is possible but it's challenge. Guys, correct me if i'm wrong.
Don't worry about train. I'm sure you will find tickets.

[sobachka]

sounds like you have a plan and couple back up plans. but i think it will be too much trouble for nothing. imagine, taking a shuttle bus to the train station, finding out if you can get a ticket for the overnight train. my guess would be that since 7th of june is saturday the tickets will be available. but what if not, you have to take an overnight bus and believe me, 7 hours on a bus with no sleep and in a small seat is hell. and would you wanna waste so much time running around and eventually getting to kharkov the next day. if you're not that short on money, book a flight with aerosvit at 8.20pm. if you book it now, it won't be over 100$ one way, and it's definitely cheaper than a cab from borispil to kharkov. besides, with taking off and landing it's only about one hour to be spent on yak40. And this plane isn't this bad. yeah, it's old, very old, typical soviet era plane but it flies and so far it served me well enough. it's fast and you don't kill your ass by sitting for hours on a bus or express train. and you don't torture your bones on uncomfortable couch in an overnight train, having 3 more people riding with you, and i bet if there's at least one man riding with you he'll be snoring like crazy and believe me, your night will be ruined, with no rest. anyway, of course it's up to you to decide how you want to get to kharkov, it all depends on your priorities, the time you have on your hand and the resources. Good luck!

[Arty]

do not worry, fly by aerosvit or dneproavia

I guess I can find some hotel for about 50$definitely not

[dterenty]

Okay, I'll get this ticket on Yak-40. Let's see what it is.
So, thank you all ! I think the session is closed.
by the by, being in Kharkov, where shell I take some ukrainian speciality ? get along with on-line helpers (if applicable ?) -:)

[M*RD*]

Hi,
....So I can :
1. catch a flight by aerisvift at 21-something and aenjoy Yak40 flight (145$ two ways). But I really feel not good about Yak-40. Is this a kind of dynosaur ?
.....?

Its not really a dynozaur, but I'm not sure if these planes were receiving proper maintenance and checks.

Dneproavia sounds like a better (safer) option with its ERJs.

[mishal]

btw - i've noticed that girl in railway booking office in borispol understands english quite well, opposite to thouse, who works in all other railway booking offices.

[dterenty]

the solution was found. tickets by Aerosvit are booked.
so if there are some english sessions (such as proposed in 'enlgish clubs') scheduled on 8th-13th of June - I'll join with great pleasure.

[olegp]

Hi all,
sorry that have no time to go through FAQ, a question is the following:
soon I'll have to come to Kharkov. So I'm gonna take a flight to Kiev and then somehow get to Kharkov.
(1) do you guys know how long it's gonna take to reach Kiev railway station from Kiev airport ? (what is the best way to do it?)
I saw that there are few night trains, but I don't how I can book a ticket for it. Do you know if it is possible to book a ticket via web ? or I can easily buy a ticket anyday ?

Thanks for your help,
Cheersa lot more easily buying a ticket halfhour before departure