Ukraine: Difference between revisions
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→Sensitive issues: There's probably some Ukrainians who disagree with this, but this is the official Ukrainian government position as reflected in the Ukrainian state media. |
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| region4color=#b0ba91
| region4items=
| region4description=Includes the heavily industrialised and Russified coal-mining region of
| region5name=[[Southern Ukraine]]
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[[File:Ukraine visa policy map.svg|thumb|right|375px|
{{legend|#
{{legend|#
{{legend|#22B14C|Visa not required (90 days)}}
{{legend|#B5E61D|Visa not required (30 days)}}
{{legend|#DDF395|Visa not required (14 days)}}
<!--{{legend|#9FD5BE|eVisa (suspended)}}-->
{{legend|#C0C0C0|Visa required}}]]
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===Entry requirements===
For the most up-to-date information please visit the [https://
====Visa-free====
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[[File:2019-07-10 Intercity+ train Przemyśl-Kyiv at train station Przemyśl 1.jpg|thumb|Intercity+ train Przemyśl-Kyiv at train station Przemyśl]]
* Tickets to/from
* Tickets to/from Poland can be bought on [https://www.intercity.pl/en/site/for-passengers/information/journey-planner.html PKP Intercity].
* Tickets to/from Czech Republic (via Przemyśl or Košice) can be bought on [https://www.cd.cz/en/spojeni-a-jizdenka/ České dráhy].
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* Tickets to/from Austria (direct or via Przemyśl) can be bought on [https://shop.oebbtickets.at/en/ticket ÖBB].
Information can be found on Ukrainian railways [https://www.uz.gov.ua/en/passengers/timetable/ timetable]{{Dead link|date=
===By bus===
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===By boat===
Passenger traffic is suspended because of the war. The Russian navy has
<!--
There are ferries to Ukraine several times a week from Batumi and Poti in Georgia (48 hours), and from Istanbul Haydarpasa (27 hours). For schedules, prices and tickets see [https://www.ukrferry.com Ukrferry]. These ferries land in Ukraine at Chornomorske (formerly called Illichivs'k) 20 km SW of [[Odesa]] – see that page for onward transport options. They run all year and take vehicles.
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Getting into Ukraine by car from abroad is straightforward. Be prepared to show the car's registration certificate as well as a proof of insurance (the "green card"). It can be very time-consuming or even impossible if your car's paperwork is incomplete or inaccurate. Anyway, long waiting times are almost ubiquitous at all major border checkpoints and in both directions.
Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the land borders with [[Belarus]], [[Russia]], and [[Transnistria]] are closed
==== From Hungary ====
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Crossing the border on foot or by bicycle is generally not allowed at major road border checkpoints (especially at those designated for large trucks) between Ukraine and the EU (Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia).
Pedestrians and cyclists are allowed to use less important border checkpoints on secondary roads, such as the one between [[Sighetu Marmaţiei]], [[Romania]] and [[Solotvino]], or the one between ''Ubľa'', Slovakia and ''Malyi Bereznyi''. Alternately, if you need to use a major border checkpoint which is only for motorized traffic, you can try getting into someone's car just before the checkpoint. Locals know that pedestrians are not allowed to cross the border there and some
In addition to that, there are a few border checkpoints '''for pedestrians and cyclists only'''. One of them is between the villages of ''Veľké Slemence'', Slovakia and ''Mali Selmentsi''. Such border checkpoints are typically open only during daytime hours, and only for citizens of the European Economic Area (EU + Iceland + Norway + Switzerland) and Ukraine. Holders of other passports are not allowed to use them. These checkpoints are usually of no particular importance to most tourists; their only advantage is the absence of queues, which are ubiquitous at border checkpoints for cars, especially at those on major routes. Instead of waiting several hours, you can get to the other side in a matter of minutes.
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[[File:Поїзд львів запоріжжя.jpg|thumb|300px|View from a passenger train near Lozove, Western Ukraine]]
Trains are operated by state-owned [https://www.uz.gov.ua/en/ Ukrainian Railways]{{Dead link|date=
Ukrainian trains are quite old and slow by West European standards, and not very frequent, but they are punctual, reliable and very cheap (as of April 2022, they have remained quite reliable despite the war, although service on some lines has terminated). For example Kyiv to Odesa only has 3 direct services per day, 7 hr & 550 грн by the fastest "Inter-city", 9–10 hr & 400 грн by the slower "express". So for a 500-km journey with some half a dozen stops, the trains are averaging about 50 km/h on straight level terrain – the Bullet Train, it is not.
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Generally, in Ukraine, for long distance the train is preferred over the bus because of their comfort and because often they are even cheaper. The "Lux" sleeping cars have a two-berth cabin. Second class are cabins with four berths. Third class have six berths through which the aisle passes.
Advance online booking is highly recommended, firstly because some trains are popular and will sell out, secondly because it avoids having to negotiate your journey at a frenetic foreign railway station. For timetables, prices and bookings visit '''[https://booking-new.uz.gov.ua/en
If you have to buy on the day, write your destination and train number on a piece of paper; desk clerks have little English or German. Large stations have big screens that show tickets available for the upcoming trains.
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===By marshrutka===
[[File:
In addition
▲In addition, just as in Russia, there are numerous of the ''marshrutka'' called minibuses. These run on fixed routes and may be licensed as either buses or taxis. You can board one at the start of the route or at fixed stops. Some of them will also stop at any point between designated stops, but this largely depends on the region and even on the driver's mood. Officially, they are not supposed to drop passengers outside designated bus stops, but in reality they do it quite often. At the start of the route and at fixed routes, you may find a queue you will have to stand in. At other places, just wave your hand when you see one. if there are seats available, the minibus will stop for you. To get off, tell the driver when you reach your destination and they will stop. You need to pay the amount of your fare to the driver (except in Odesa, where you pay upon exiting). It is generally safe to send money from back to the driver through a crowd, return is provided by same way. You don't get a ticket, unless you ask for it. Often it's not easy to figure out which marshrutka will take you to your destination, as in any city there are hundreds of different routes. Probably only option how to stay in touch with marshutkas networks is app Easyway, which cover most of cities with marshutkas network.
===By taxi===
Taxi is probably the most safe way to get around a city
It might seem unreasonable to hire a taxi to take you 100km to the next city. If you use your hotel's referral, you will get a decent rate. It might be twice as expensive as train, but convenient, less time consuming, and secure. Keep in mind, you will need a taxi to take you to the bus or train station anyway. Some may find the buses for long distance travel crowded and uncomfortable.
Ride-hailing is available in Ukraine, some providers include:
* {{listing | name=Uber | alt=Убер | url=https://www.uber.com/ua/en/ | lastedit=2023-09-19
| content=Operates in 18 cities
}}
* {{listing | name=Bolt | alt=Болт | url=https://bolt.eu/en-ua/ | lastedit=2023-09-19
| content=Operates in 38 cities
}}
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It is possible to get around in Ukraine by car, but:
* The signs are all in Ukrainian (Cyrillic alphabet). Only a few signs (every 200 km or so) are written in the Latin alphabet, and indicate main cities. Have a good road map (those available are mainly in Ukrainian, but Latin alphabet maps are starting to appear), because place names aren't well posted on road signs.
* Respect the signs, especially speed limits. Unlike in Western countries, where limits are repeated several times, in Ukraine, an obligation or a prohibition is often indicated on a single sign, which you must not miss. And even these signs are often far off the road, covered by branches, etc. The police are always
* Speed in cities is limited to 50 km/h. However people do drive fast anyway.
* Speed in "nationals" (single carriageway countryside roads) is limited to 90 km/h (55 mph). The poor average quality of the roads already acts as a speed checker.
* Speed
Corruption is widespread among Ukrainian police, and tourists are an especially profitable target. When you are stopped for speeding or other offences, officers might aggressively try and extract ridiculous sums of money from you ({{EUR|100}} or more) keep in mind going 20-50km/h over the speed limit is ~{{EUR|8}} and above that ~{{EUR|45}}, offering "reductions" if you pay on the spot (the proposed alternative being some unpleasant and more expensive way, all made up). If you're asked anything beyond that, demand a written ticket for you to pay later instead or to pay by card (they are required to have a payment terminal) on the spot. Don't let them intimidate you,. It's very useful to have an embassy phone number handy for these cases. If you mention that, they'll let you off the hook quicker than you know it. Write down the officers' badge numbers, rank, plate number of the police car, and notify the nearest embassy/consulate in detail, to help fight these corrupt practices.
Fuel is no longer a problem in Ukraine, especially for those who remember travelling to Ukraine during the early 1990s, when petrol was considered precious. Today, there are plenty of service stations. There are varying types of fuel, such as diesel, unleaded 95 octane, and (more rarely) unleaded 98
The state of the roads is a huge issue. The quality of the roads is shy of [[Western Europe]] (with the exception of
The main roads are OK for all cars, as long as you don't go too fast. Numerous running repairs have created a patchwork road surface, and it will seriously test your suspension
Secondary roads are passable, but some zones can be full of potholes and you must treat them with extra care, or avoid them entirely. Roads between villages are often little more than dirt tracks and not metalled.
Be careful when driving in
Bicycle traffic is not very common, but you will sometimes see an aged man transporting a sack of grass on an old road-bike or a cycling enthusiast in bright clothes riding a semi-professional racing bike. Those are even more likely to be met on well-maintained roads where the pavement is smooth. Also cyclists will use both lanes of the road in both directions equally, i.e., you are just as likely to meet a cyclist coming towards you, riding on the verge, as you will travelling in your direction. And almost invariably without lights or bright clothing so be extra careful when driving at night and dawn/dusk.
===By thumb===
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==Talk==
{{seealso|Ukrainian phrasebook|
[[File:Passenger information, Kiev Metro 02.jpg|thumb|300px|Stations on lines in the Kyiv metro; also transcribed into Roman letters]]
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As a consequence of the political development and the war, the status of Russian has changed dramatically since 2013. This also affects other languages: often place names in them were derived from the Russian ones, while parallel names derived from the Ukrainian ones are seeing much more usage since 2022 (e.g. Kiev → Kyiv). When talking to Ukrainians, be sure to use the Ukrainian and not Russian forms of the names, as using the Russian names may be taken to mean that you support the Russian invasion.
'''[[Ukrainian phrasebook|Ukrainian]]''' is the official language of the country and is the native language of
* In [[Lviv]], a special dialect of the language is spoken, with strong influences from [[Polish phrasebook|Polish]] and [[German phrasebook|German]].
* In
Since 2019, all printed publications and the media have by law been required to be in Ukrainian. Post-Soviet generations are also more fluent in Ukrainian as since Euromaidan it has increasingly replaced Russian as the language of instruction in educational institutions.
'''[[Russian phrasebook|Russian]]''', the
'''Crimean Tatar''', a Turkic language spoken by Crimean Tatars as well as by some ethnic Russians and Ukrainians in southern Ukraine (especially in either Crimea or in Kherson oblast) is also spoken, and has special status as an "indigenous language" in Ukraine, and as an official language in Crimea. The language is also spoken in Crimean Tatar neighbourhoods and districts in major Ukrainian cities throughout Ukraine, though is usually confined to those areas. Given the close intelligibility between Crimean Tatar and Turkish, a Turkish speaker is very likely to make themselves understood in areas where the language is spoken.
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| currency=Ukrainian hryvnia
| currencyCodeAfter= грн
| date=
| USD=
| EUR=43
| GBP=
| source=[https://www.xe.com/currency/uah-ukrainian-hryvnia XE.com]
}}
[[File:100 Ukrainian hryvnia in 2014 Obverse.jpg|thumb|300px|100 hryvnia note]]
The unit of currency is the ''hryvnia'' denoted by the
Coins in Ukraine come in denominations of
It is widely acceptable to pay cash. Locals (especially business people) sometimes carry and pay in cash amounts considered unusually large in other countries. Don't suspect criminal activity in every such case. The euro and US dollar
{{cautionbox|Due to a decree issued by the National Bank of Ukraine concerning the depiction of images of Crimea on banknotes issued by the Bank of Russia, the 200 rubles banknote is banned from being exchanged or handled by currency exchange bureaus and banks in the country. Possessing these notes will likely be seen as supporting Russia's unrecognized annexation of Crimea, and will result in these notes being confiscated.}}
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====ATMs====
Debit cards such as maestro do work in ATMs. Cirrus/Maestro/Plus bank cards could be most effective way to get cash in Ukraine. Not all ATMs indicate that they support the Plus system, but in most cases they do support it if they support Visa. PrivatBank ATMs indicate that they support Plus, but they do not work with North American cards.
====Currency exchange====
Every reasonably sized town will have '''exchange booths''' and banks that will convert euro, or US dollars to hryvnia; just look for signs with exchange rates. US dollars and euro are the most widely accepted convertible currency at the exchange booths. Exchange booths
Changing money in '''banks''' is time
Even at larger branches, you cannot expect English-speaking staff. Doing anything other than currency exchange may require a translator or at least a lot of patience.
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===Tipping===
[[Tipping]] at restaurants
==Eat==
Traditional Ukrainian cuisine is quite tasty, with some similarities to [[Russian cuisine|Russian]], [[Poland#Eat|Polish]] and other Eastern European and Central European cuisines. It uses a lot of fat ingredients, especially in festive dishes. Traditional dishes include "salo" (salted lard) and soups like "solianka" (''солянка'' in Ukrainian, meat soup) or "borshch" (''борщ'' in Ukrainian) a soup made of red beets and typically garnished with some sour cream. Western Ukraine also has a green version of borshch, with greens and boiled eggs. The first, salo, is perhaps something you might not make yourself try - however is a delicious side dish, as for the soups being a must-have dish.
If you are outside a big city or in doubt about food, exercise caution and common sense about where you buy food. Try to buy groceries only in supermarkets or large grocery stores,
[[File:Holubtsi.jpg|thumb|Holubtsi]]
You may also find nice places to eat not by
[[File:Medovik.jpg|thumb|Medovyk]]
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There are many mid-range ({{EUR|25-45}}) options outside Kyiv. For instance in Ivano-Frankivsk (near the Carpathians), the going rate is approximately {{EUR|35}} for a suite (bedroom and sitting room) in one such hotel. Many hotels have the choice between renovated rooms/suites ("western style") and not renovated rooms (East European style). The last choice is more than 50% cheaper and gives you a spacious old fashioned 2 room suite, basic but clean!
There are a number of 5-star hotels in Kyiv and
Another option is to rent an apartment on the internet before you leave your country. There are many to choose from in
What many people from ex-Soviet countries do is to go to the railway station, where they try to find people who are willing to rent a room. Prices are usually much cheaper and if there are enough people, offering the room you can make great deals. These deals are usually not legal and they will take you to a corner before negotiating. Make sure they have warm water, and don't be afraid to say it's not what you expected when seeing the room.
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==Work==
Getting a work permit (visa) is a necessity for foreigners if they are going to be employed by any legal entity (exceptions apply only for international institutions and representative offices of foreign companies). The work permit is more of a hiring permit. The potential employer has to apply with the labour administration for hiring
==Cope==
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Ukrainian males aged 18–60 are not allowed to leave, and may be drafted into the military. There have also been cases of males of other nationalities being denied exit.
=== Air raid alarms ===
While in the city The air raid alarm signifies imminent danger from airstrikes or missile attacks, prompting immediate evacuation to shelters for safety. While you will hear it if you're in out and about in a city, you might not hear it if you're far from a city or just inside a well sound isolated. For that there are mobile apps for example the [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ukrainealarm&hl=en_US Air Alert app] and you can track all of Ukraine using [https://alerts.in.ua/en this website] many locals are subscribed to various telegram channels like the official [https://t.me/kpszsu Ukrainian Air Force telegram] which may inform earlier and with more detail on why the alarm.
===Scams, robbery and other crimes===
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[[File:Центр города Припять на фоне 4 энергоблокаа ЧАЭС.jpg|thumb|300px|Pripyat next to the Chernobyl plant can actually be visited by tour]]
===Water===
As a rule, avoid drinking '''[[tap water]]'''. The major reason for this is that water in many regions is disinfected using chlorine, so taste is horrible. Whenever possible buy bottled water, which is widely available
===Infectious diseases===
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Ukraine is by no means a conservative country with respect to clothing or behavior. However, stances on homosexuality range from conservative to outright hostile.
Ukrainians are generally reserved and take time to gradually open up to people. Don't be put off if people deliver brief, terse answers at first — this does not mean that people are uninterested in you.
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* '''Holodomor''' (a 1930s famine caused by Soviet policies) — most Ukrainian families have relatives among the millions who starved to death. The event is regarded by Ukrainians as a genocide and is still an open wound in Ukraine's national consciousness. Denying the Holodomor is illegal in Ukraine, but it doesn't carry any legal penalties.
* Referring to '''World War II''' as the "Great Patriotic War", as it is referred to in Russia, is ''illegal'' in Ukraine.
* '''Historiographic disputes''' between Russia and Ukraine are a sensitive issue, and Ukrainians often accuse Russians of appropriating their history. The Ukrainian view is that Kyivan Rus is part of Ukrainian history, and Russia has no right to claim it as part of theirs. See [[Russian Empire#The Rurikids]] for more information. ▼
* Although '''Stepan Bandera''' and the '''OUN''' are denounced in Russia and Poland for being Nazi collaborators who committed genocides of ethnic minorities during [[World War II in Europe|World War II]], they are venerated by some Ukrainians as national heroes for their role in fighting for Ukrainian independence and resisting Soviet rule. You will often see monuments to him. On 28 April every year, marches are held in Ukrainian cities to commemorate the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS, also known as the First Ukrainian Division. Despite the controversy of it having fought for the Nazis, its role in fighting for Ukrainian independence from the Soviet Union is generally seen as far more important.
* Amongst '''Crimean Tatar''' neighbourhoods or communities in Crimea, Kherson oblast, or in major Ukrainian cities, it is not a good idea to make any mentions to Soviet rule or Stalin; many Crimean Tatar families were broken up, deported to Central Asia, or murdered during Stalin's deportations of the Crimean Tatars and this remains a very sensitive issue for Crimean Tatars and their communities, and one that is highly emotional.
Anti-Russian sentiments are common and widespread. The full-scale invasion of Ukraine further buttressed negative sentiments towards Russia and Russian people.
* '''Russian''' is often regarded as the "language of the aggressor" in Ukraine and some universities have completely banned the use of it. Be mindful of speaking it in public.
* Do not refer to Ukrainian towns and places by their '''Russian names'''; this may be regarded as intentionally offensive.
* Be sensitive to '''the country's situation'''. Offer sympathy and support when the opportunity arises; Ukrainians will appreciate it.
▲* '''
==Connect==
|