"The Idiot's Guide to Simple Travel in Ukraine"

Trains in Ukraine and Eastern Europe

Note: Technically speaking, the tramvoys, or electric overhead light rail systems, should be part of the ‘trains’ category. But, because they are so much like the other surface mass transits, I elected to include them with those.

The Metro

(pronounced MEE-tro)

One of the real values in Kiev’s transit system is its underground train, or subway system, known as “the metro.” It is a fast, easy to use, reliable, and relatively inexpensive means of getting across town. Built under the auspices of the USSR, it is a well-proven, enduring asset of the city. Like other metros throughout both Western and Eastern Europe, it is also the most popular means of travel by locals within the city. In Kyiv, over half the population, or more than 1.7 million people, will ride the metro on any given day. If you doubt that number in any way, try getting into one of the cars at rush hour, especially around 6 pm, and you’ll find most of those people riding in your car with you!

The metro operates 365 days a year. Normal transit times are from 05:30 am to 24:00 (12:00 midnight). On major holidays like New Years Eve, Orthodox Christmas and Easter, or specified special events, the trains run until 02:00 am. Last New Year, they even extended it further to 03:00 am. Train interval times are short during normal working hours, often less than one minute apart during “rush hour,” spreading out to 2 minute during the day, then 4 minutes after working hours, slowing finally to every 20, then 30 minutes in the later evening. When boarding, move quickly to a spot away from the door. Pay attention to the warning that lets you know the doors are closing: “Oberezhniy dveri zakinchennya! ” Remember, the seats are intended for the aged, invalid, people with small children (under age 8) or school groups, and pregnant women.

Stations are all marked by a very large green neon light “M” next to the entry and exit stairwell. All station areas have multiple access points and the actual station has separate exit and entry doors for incoming and outgoing passengers. All stations also have at least two separate access areas, some are about 500 meters apart on opposite sides of a street, and most have four, with two different points of access at which is each end of the train landing platform, front and rear. All this can be very disorienting if you get off on the wrong end. Believe me, it’s easy to do if you are not really paying attention to which way you are going, and changing trains and route lines several times. I still do it from time to time and end up going out the wrong door and wondering where I am for a few moments. (There’s a common joke among the Americans about whether you are an “above ground “ or “below ground” person..or one who rides the metro and doesn’t drive a car, and if you know your way around the city on the surface, even with a map! It can be just that disorienting at times! LOL).

Travel is easily accomplished by simply going to the token windows, generally waiting in line a few seconds, and purchasing the required blue plastic tokens, or talon, that you will insert into the control gate that grants entry to the landing station. The toll today is 2$ Grivna per use, or about 40 cents, US money at the current exchange rate. You can, and should, buy more than one token at a time, planning ahead for your travel. Otherwise, you’ll be standing in line all the time to buy them. There are also a limited number of monthly passes, or “proezdnoiy” (pronounced PREYZd-noy) sold at the end of each month at the station cashiers or at the bus stop kiosks, and they go quickly. They will save quite a bit if you are traveling all the time. We have yearly passes as we travel constantly and have already made back their cost in just 6 weeks. Otherwise, just buy several tokens at once to avoid standing in line.

Entry through to the landing platforms is simple. You insert your plastic token into the front slot on the seemingly barrier-less entryways. Be sure to wait for the light on the front to turn green before you enter (the turnstile will also give a double electronic beep-beep). If you go in before the light turns, you will find out how well the light sensor activated barrier gates work as they painfully slam into both your legs from each side of the entryway!

As long as you stay inside the system, you can travel anywhere within it, on any of the current three lines (soon to be four in another year).

While a very functional system overall, the fact it was built during the Soviet era and has had little updating past some new technology for the control system, everything is very old and looks it. Most of the cars are in operable condition, but looking very much their 50+ years of age. Some of the metro trains have received the “magic update” of advertising paint jobs, and they look pretty good. Others simply look very old, although they are always painted well. I am told they are going to all be replaced by 2012 for the European Cup Soccer Championship matches that will be held here in Kyiv and throughout Ukraine. I’ll believe that when I see it. Plus, I should add I have only been “trapped” on the subway once in two years when there was a technology breakdown and my train was stopped at “Petrivka” station. Unfortunately at the time, I didn’t know what busses left what station to go back to where I lived then. I knew it wasn’t far, but I lacked the real language skills back then to ask and understand instructions. Fortunately I found someone who spoke some English and found out what was happening. Nowadays, not a problem as I could find out and find a solution readily.

All the landing stations have their name in Russian on the wall. All the access streets are clearly signed inside the stations on the walls and above the landing platforms, so knowing Cyrillic letters is mandatory to be able to read the signs and know where to go to get out, or change stations for another line at an exchange station. Inside the train cars are overhead television style monitors that show advertising (raklami) and also show the station name arriving, and the next one going to. There is also always an audio station landing and departing announcement, but it can be very noisy in the cars at times, and hard to hear. Best to watch the overhead monitors; they work, most of the time, that is.

REMINDER NOTE ON SAFETY:

I’ve had my wallet stolen twice on the metro during rush hour, once right out of my shumka. If you are traveling as an inexperienced tourist, or even as an experienced one, I highly recommend that you avoid traveling on the metro at any time between 07:00 to 09:00 and 17:00 to 19:00 (5 to 7:00 pm). If you do, see my caution notes at the beginning of the Guide to avoid the heartaches and incredible difficulties you will experience, especially if you passport is lost (It is required by Ukrainian law to be on you at all times during your stay in Ukraine) in the process of someone wanting your money!!