Travel into Kiev
Kiev is served by 2 airports but Boryspil International Airport is the main airport and most foreign airlines and Ukraine International Airlines(UIA) fly into Boryspil. I took UIA direct flight from Delhi to Kiev. The plane was full and I was wondering how come so many people travel to Ukraine? I got my answer at Kiev airport where barring 4-5 passengers, the rest proceeded to the transfer desk! Looks like it may be cheaper to fly to some of the destinations via Ukraine.
Airport to city centre
Boryspil airport is about ~30+ kms from Kiev city centre. One of the best ways to get to the city is to take the official taxi. Takes between 30 to 45 minutes depending upon traffic. There is a counter just outside the arrival hall, the taxis run by the meter and the counter will inform you about the approximate fare once you indicate the destination and provide a slip that needs to be handed over to the taxi driver. The fare is about UAH 500 or Euros 20 or USD 25 to city centre, rounded off.
If you are carrying Euros or dollars, you can pay for the taxi in that currency. No need to exchange for UAH at the airport as the rate offered is low. For USD 100, you would be short by UAH 300-400. That’s almost upto 15%. There are plenty of exchange kiosks in the city.
You can also take a bus to the city railway station and get on a Metro from there. I did not notice Uber at the airport though they operate in the city.
Commute within city
Metro connects many of key locations/tourist places in the city. One ride, irrespective of distance, costs UAH 8. There are ticket counters at every station so you don’t need to worry about fiddling with ticket dispensing machines. But be prepared for long walks. On a couple of occasions, I preferred to take a taxi to avoid the long walk. For example, while going to Lavra monasteries…you have long walks inside the compound and hence it makes sense to take a taxi to get there, else it can get extremely tiring. Best to check approximate fares in your hotel and agree the fare before boarding a taxi. In the city, taxis do not come by meter.
Some of the metro stations are very deep, and Arsenalna, at about 105 meters, is the deepest metro station in the world. This is also the nearest metro station to the Lavra monasteries.
There are public buses but for some reasons, I have rarely commuted by buses. Language possibly. And also perhaps Metro is easier to navigate by way of a map but for buses, you need someone local to explain.
Accommodation
3-4 star accommodation can cost ~100-120 euros per night. 5 star will be about Euros 150 per night. Rates will obviously vary depending on season. Best to stay in city centre, near a Metro station. Old Kiev area(Shevchenkivskyi district) or near Independence square(Pecherskyi district) or the area near Besarabka market or even Podil could be considered. There are plenty of hotels and even apartments in these areas.
Vegetarian food
Quite a few restaurants serving Italian cuisine. There are very few Indian restaurants and most are accessible by Metro. No ‘Subway’ though there are local ones with similar set up. McDonald’s does not serve vegetarian burger but the outlets appears to be quite popular with the locals. An average meal can cost UAH 300-600 per person. Some restaurants serve ‘small portions’ which is good if you are alone.
There are plenty of roadside cafes/joints serving coffee, ice-cream and cool drinks which are extremely useful when going around tourist attractions.
Safety
On few websites, there have been warnings on several scams….from fake police to camera shots to money lying on the ground….thankfully, my visit to Kiev was incident free and I never got any impression that someone is trying to trick me. Kiev city appeared as safe as it can be. So I guess if you take the normal precautions that you would take anywhere else, you should be fine.
And yes, do avoid areas where conflict in on. Or better still, all the areas bordering Russia, including Crimea which is now administered by Russia.
Language
English is spoken and understood in several hotels and restaurants. Some taxi drivers too understand and speak a little bit of english. The Metro signages are also in English. So it is not at all hard to manage in Kiev. But if you traveling out of Kiev, say to Chernobyl, you need a local guide.
Best time to visit Kiev
April to October are probably the best months to visit Kiev though in the peak of summers, temperatures can rise to 30 degrees celsius making it a bit hot to walk around. In April, the temperatures are beginning to rise while in October, the temperatures start falling so these 2 months could actually be a good time. There is much less crowd in these 2 months. Generally, June to August is considered as the tourist season. There is snow in winter months(November to February) making it quite cold with hardly any sunshine. Rainfall is spread throughout the year with summer months receiving relatively more rainfall.
Visa
Indian passport holders require a visa to visit Ukraine. Visa on arrival is no longer issued for those travelling for tourism. You can apply via VFS Global. The application form is simple and limited documents are asked for. Other than bank statement, no other documents supporting income is required, such as Tax returns, pay slips and so on. Can take 3-4 weeks to get the visa though there is an option for faster issuance with higher fee.