Kiev, Ukraine

Take the train from the UK to Ukraine...

It's easy to travel by train from London to Ukraine, an adventurous journey that's also safe, comfortable & affordable, far superior to any soulless flight.  Eurostar and German Railways link London with Warsaw, then there is the comfortable and safe daily sleeper train Kiev Express from Warsaw to Kiev.  Change in Kiev for Odessa.  This page will tell you train times, approximate fares and how to buy tickets.

Train times, fares & information...

  London to Kiev & Odessa - times, fares & tickets.

  London to Lviv - train times, fares & tickets.

  Yalta, Balaclava: 1945 & charge of the Light Brigade

  Train travel within Ukraine, a beginner's guide

  How to buy Ukrainian train tickets online

  Trains from Kiev & Lviv to other European cities

  Trains from other European cities to Kiev & Lviv

  Useful country information - visas, currency, etc.

  Kiev station

  Hotels in Kiev, Lviv, Odessa & Ukraine

  Odessa-Istanbul by ferry

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Useful country information

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London to Kyïv (Kiev) & Odessa

Which route to choose?

It's safe & easy to travel from London to Kyïv (Kyïv in Ukrainian, Kiev in Russian) by train.  It takes just 2 nights, taking Eurostar & luxurious German ICE trains from London to Berlin on day 1, a EuroCity train from Berlin to Warsaw on day 2, then the safe & comfortable Kiev Express sleeper train from Warsaw to Kyïv overnight arriving on the morning of day 3.  Or you can now travel exclusively by fast & comfortable daytime trains with overnight stops in Berlin & Krakow.  The journey is an adventure in itself.  Why not spend some time in Berlin, Warsaw or Krakow on the way?

  Option 1, using the Warsaw-Kiev Kiev Express - the most time-effective option, taking 2 nights...

  Option 2, by daytime trains with overnight stops in Berlin & Krakow - if you prefer comfortable daytime trains & hotels to sleepers, don't mind it taking a day longer, and fancy a morning in Krakow into the bargain...

  Option 3, using the Vienna-Kiev overnight sleeper - another good option, taking 2 nights including a day in Vienna.

Option 1, London to Ukraine by Warsaw-Kiev Kiev Express...

This is the most time-effective option.  Departures are daily all year round except Christmas Day.  You get some time to see a bit of Warsaw, too!

London ► Kyïv & Odessa

• Day 1:  Travel from London to Berlin by Eurostar to Brussels, ICE3 or Thalys to Cologne and ICE2 train to Berlin, using any of the daytime options shown on the London to Germany page.  For example, you can leave London St Pancras at 11:04, arriving Berlin Hbf at 21:05.

• Stay overnight in Berlin.  The 3-star Meininger Hotel is ideal as it's right next to Berlin Hbf and a 10-minute walk from the Reichstag or a 15-minute walk from the Brandenburg Gate, it's inexpensive and gets good reviews.  If you want to push the boat out, try the famous Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin right next to the Brandenburg Gate.  More hotels in Berlin.  If you're on a tight budget, see www.hostelworld.com.

• Day 2 morning:  Travel from Berlin to Warsaw by EuroCity train, leaving Berlin Hbf at 09:37 and arriving Warsaw Centralna 15:33.

  The Berlin-Warsaw EuroCity trains are comfortable air-conditioned trains with a trolley refreshment service and a restaurant car serving drinks, snacks and full meals.  Treat yourself to a meal in the restaurant:  Three courses, a beer and a coffee only come to around €12. 

  Alternatively, on Mondays-Saturdays you can take the early 05:43 Berlin-Warsaw EuroCity train arriving 11:11, which will give you an afternoon in Warsaw, see the Warsaw Centralna station & city information.  A left luggage office and lockers are available.  Warsaw's historic old town is a 20 minute walk from Centralna station - if you fancy a modest splurge, the celebrated Ufukiera restaurant (www.ufukiera.pl) is excellent and right on the square in the heart of Warsaw's old town.  The Palace of Culture (a wedding cake style Soviet skyscraper and distinctive Warsaw landmark, www.pkin.pl) is right next to the station and has a viewing terrace on the 30th floor.

• Day 2 evening:  Travel from Warsaw to Kyïv by Kiev Express leaving Warsaw Centralna at 18:05 arriving Kyïv main station 11:00 next morning.

  The Kiev Express has comfortable Ukrainian sleeping-cars with 3-berth compartments, you can book all 3 places for single or double occupancy.  There may be a buffet car serving tea, coffee, beer & snacks, but it's a good idea to take your own supplies of food, water and wine or beer.  Late at night, around 00:30, the train is shunted into the gauge-changing shed at Yagodin (on the Ukrainian border) and jacked up to have its wheels changed from standard European (4' 8½") gauge to Russian 5' gauge.  You remain on board while this is done, an interesting experience.  See Tim Richards excellent blog entry about of the Kiev Express.

• Onwards to Odessa:  A daily fast train (Intersiti 763) leaves Kiev at 16:30 and arrives in Odessa at 23:44.  If you make a same-day connection in Kiev, you can leave London on day 1 and arrive in Odessa late evening on day 3.  Alternatively, a daily high-quality sleeper train (train 105) leaves Kiev at 21:15 and arrives in Odessa at 05:59, with 1st class 2-berth & 2nd class 4-berth sleepers.

• Onwards to Simferopol, Sebastopol, Yalta in the Crimea:  With the Russian occupying eastern Ukraine, there are currently no trains between Kiev and the Crimea.  Check the current situation in eastern Ukraine at www.fco.gov.uk.

Kyïv & Odessa ► London

• Coming from Odessa:  A daily high-quality sleeper train (train 106) links Odessa with Kiev, leaving Odessa at 22:25 arriving Kiev at 07:10.  It has 1st class 2-berth and 2nd class 4-berth sleepers.  Alternatively, Intersiti 764 leaves Odessa at 05:40 and arrives in Kiev at 12:46.

• Coming from Sebastopol, Yalta or Simferopol:   With the Russian occupying eastern Ukraine, there are currently no trains between Kiev and the Crimea.  Check the current situation in eastern Ukraine at www.fco.gov.uk.

• Day 1:  Travel from Kyïv to Warsaw by Kiev Express leaving Kyïv main station daily at 19:13 (18:48 some dates), arriving Warsaw Centralna 10:05 next morning.

  The Kiev Express has comfortable Ukrainian sleeping-cars with 3-berth compartments, you can book all three berths for single or double occupancy.  There may be a buffet car serving tea, coffee, beer and snacks, but it's a good idea to take your own supplies of food, water and wine or beer.  Around 4am, the train is shunted into the gauge-changing shed at Yagodin (the Ukrainian border point) and jacked up to have its wheels changed from Russian 5' gauge to standard European (4' 8½") gauge.  You remain in your sleeping-berth on board while this is done, an interesting experience.  See Tim Richards excellent blog entry about of the Kiev Express.

  On arrival, you may have an hour or two to explore Warsaw, see the Warsaw Centralna station & city information.  A left luggage office and lockers are available.  Warsaw's historic old town is a 20 minute walk from Centralna station, if you fancy a modest splurge, the celebrated Ufukiera restaurant (www.ufukiera.pl) is excellent and right on the square in the heart of Warsaw's old town.  The Palace of Culture (a wedding cake style Soviet skyscraper and distinctive Warsaw landmark, www.pkin.pl) is right next to the station and has a viewing terrace on the 30th floor.

• Day 2:  Travel from Warsaw to Berlin by EuroCity train, leaving Warsaw Centralna daily at 12:30 and arriving Berlin Hbf at 18:16.  Alternatively, daily except Saturdays there's a later Warsaw-Berlin EuroCity train leaving Warsaw Centralna at 16:20 and arriving Berlin Hbf at 22:16, giving you more time in Warsaw.

  The Warsaw-Berlin EuroCity trains are comfortable air-conditioned trains with a trolley refreshment service and a restaurant car serving drinks, snacks and full meals.  Treat yourself to a meal in the restaurant:  Three courses, a beer and a coffee only come to around €11.

• Stay overnight in Berlin.  The 3-star Menninger Hotel is ideal as it's right next to Berlin Hbf and a 10-minute walk from the Reichstag, it's inexpensive and gets good reviews.  If you want to push the boat out, try the famous Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin is right next to the Brandenburg Gate.  More hotels in Berlin.  If you're on a tight budget, see www.hostelworld.com.

• Day 3:  Travel from Berlin to London by ICE2 to Cologne, ICE3 or Thalys train to Brussels and Eurostar to London, using any of the several daytime options shown on the London to Germany page.  For example, you can leave Berlin Hbf at 06:50 arriving London St Pancras at 16:05 or you can leave Berlin Hbf at 10:50 arriving London St Pancras at 19:57 (21:33 on Saturdays).  It's up to you.

What's the journey like?

1)  London to Cologne by Eurostar & ICE3:  See the video guide

2)  Cologne to Berlin by ICE2...

Pride of the German Railways, ICE2s travel at up to 280km/h (175 mph).  The ICE2s feature both a cafe-bar and restaurant serving proper sit-down meals.  I recommend the weissbier!

3)  Berlin to Warsaw by EuroCity train...

4)  Warsaw to Kiev by Kiev Express...

The Kiev Express has modernised Ukrainian sleeping-cars with 2-berth & 3-berth compartments.  All bedding is supplied, and washrooms and toilets are at the end of the corridor.  Berths convert to seats for daytime use.  A smartly-uniformed Ukrainian railways sleeper attendant travels with each car.  There's no dining-car, so take a picnic and your own supplies of wine or beer.  Photos courtesy of www.andybtravels.com.  See Tim Richards excellent blog entry about of the Kiev Express.

How much does it cost?

How to buy tickets online...

• Step 1, book your London-Berlin ticket online following the step by step instructions here.

• Step 2, now book your Berlin to Warsaw ticket, using the German Railways website www.bahn.de/en.  You print your own ticket, although eastbound tickets from Warsaw to Berlin need to be sent by post for a small fee to any address worldwide.

• Step 3, now buy a ticket for the Warsaw to Kiev Kiev Express. 

  First, see if you can book online at Ukrainian Railways booking.uz.gov.ua/en.  This can (just about!) sell tickets in the Warsaw to Kiev direction, but listen up:  First thing to note, booking only opens 30 days ahead.  If you look further ahead than this, no train appears.  Next thing to note:  Only a tiny allocation of 6 eastbound places (2 x 3-berth compartments) is loaded onto the Ukrainian ticketing system for sale by Ukrainian Railways.  If you find a berth available, great, if not, it does not mean the train is fully-booked, it just means that the tiny Ukrainian allocation of eastbound berths has sold out.  Next thing to note, it only finds this train if you book from Warszawa Zachodnia to Kyiv.  If you enter Warsaw Centralna, no train appears.  So book from Warszawa Zachodnia even if you plan to get on at Centralna, that's fine. Final thing to note, if you want dual or sole occupancy of a sleeper compartment, you'll need to buy all three tickets in a compartment (if available).  You can see on a carriage plan where the free berths are.  You get a print-at-home ticket.

  In the return direction (Kiev to Warsaw) there should be no problem booking online at booking.uz.gov.ua/en, because in this direction the whole train is held on the Ukrainian system (barring a few berths allocated to the Polish system), and you can happily book to Warsaw Centralna, that works fine.

  If you don't succeed in booking online at the Ukrainian website, then order tickets online via reliable and highly recommended Polish train ticketing agency http://booking.polrail.com.  They book using the Polish system, so can access all the berths.  Tickets can be collected in Warsaw or (at extra charge) shipped to any address worldwide.  Polrail are also pretty good at arranging the return reservation back from Kiev as they have close contacts with Ukrainian Railways.

• Step 3, you can buy tickets for train journeys within Ukraine online at either the official Ukrainian Railways site booking.uz.gov.ua/en (see the advice below) or you may find it easier to use Omio.com (formerly GoEuro.com) which connects to UZ's ticketing system to sell in plain English.  A number of seat61 correspondents have successfully booked tickets this way, using UK or other foreign credit cards.

How to buy tickets by phone...

If you want to buy all your London-Kiev tickets together by phone, with booking opening 60 days before departure, the best agencies to call for this trip are:

• Deutsche Bahn's UK phone line on 08718 80 80 66, lines open 09:00-20:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday & Sunday.  Prices are the same as those charged by European Rail, though an advantage is that DB don't charge a booking fee, just a 2% fee for credit cards.  However, their staff aren't always as familiar with more exotic bookings like this, so make sure you are clear about exactly which trains you want to book before calling.

• To buy train tickets for train journeys wholly within Ukraine use booking.uz.gov.ua/en.

• A note about booking westbound trains from Kiev back to Warsaw:  All the outward reservations from London to Kiev can easily be booked from the UK.  However, for the return journey, the sleeper reservation from Kiev back to Warsaw is sometimes difficult to obtain from outside the Ukraine.  Deutsche Bahn can sometimes book your return train from Ukraine using a small allocation of berths for the return Kiev-Warsaw journey held on the German reservations system, but not always.  If they are unable to book this part of the return journey for you, simply ask them to book the section from Warsaw back to London.  You can easily book the return leg at the reservations office when you reach Kyïv or by contacting reliable Polish train travel agency www.polrail.com in Warsaw who can easily book tickets back from Kiev to Warsaw or Berlin, and either send them to you for a fee or (if your outward journey arrangements permit) you can pick them up in Warsaw on your eastbound journey from the Polrail agency desk at Warsaw Centralna open 08:00-20:00 Mondays-Fridays, 08:00-14:00 Saturdays, closed Sundays & holidays.  Yet another possibility is to ask local travel agency www.arktur.ua to buy Kiev-Warsaw/Berlin tickets for you.

• Buy a special add-on ticket from almost any station in Britain to London International (St Pancras)

• To buy onward tickets from Kiev to Odessa & other Ukrainian cities, see the section below...

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Option 2, London to Kiev by daytime trains via Krakow...

It's now possible to reach Kiev using comfortable air-conditioned daytime trains with an overnight hotel stop in Berlin and Krakow, using the modern air-conditioned Przemysl-Lviv-Kiev fast train introduced in December 2016.  If you prefer daytime trains and hotels to sleepers, and fancy a morning (or more) in Krakow on the way, this is ideal.

London ► Kiev

• Day 1 & 2, travel from London to Krakow as shown in detail on the London to Poland page.  You travel London to Berlin on day 1, stay overnight in Berlin, then travel Berlin-Warsaw-Krakow on day 2.

• Stay overnight in Krakow - ideally longer so you can see the city.

• Day 3, travel from Krakow to Ukraine on one of two new fast air-conditioned daytime connections:

  Leave Krakow Glowny at 08:52, change at Przemysl (arrive 11:53, depart 13:10) and arriving Lviv at 16:02 and Kiev at 23:08. 

  Leave Krakow Glowny at 11:00, change at Przemysl (arrive 14:10, depart 15:45) and arriving Lviv at 18:36 and Kiev at 23:53. 

  The Krakow-Przemysl trains are comfortable Polish TLK trains.  The Przemysl-Lviv-Kiev trains are smart air-conditioned Ukrainian express electric trains, introduced in 2016.  If you get any feedback or photos of these new trains, do let me know! 

  To check times, first check the Ukrainian train at www.uz.gov.ua/en/passengers/timetable.  Then check times for a suitable Polish connecting train at Polish Railways www.intercity.pl.

Kiev ► London

• Day 1, travel from Kiev to Krakow on one of two new fast air-conditioned daytime connections:

  Leave Kiev at 06:00 or Lviv at 11:20, change in Przemysl (arrive 12:32, depart 13:31) and arrive Krakow Glowny at 16:54.

  Leave Kiev at 06:50 or Lviv at 13:55, change in Przemysl (arrive 15:06, depart 15:50) and arrive Krakow Glowny at 19:06.

  The Kiev-Lviv-Przemysl trains are smart air-conditioned Ukrainian express electric trains, introduced 2016.  The Przemysl-Krakow train is a comfortable air-conditioned Polish Intercity train (the 13:31 from Przemysl) or a comfortable slower TLK train (the 15:50 from Przemysl).

  To check times, first check the Ukrainian train at www.uz.gov.ua/en/passengers/timetable.  Then check times for a suitable Polish connecting train at Polish Railways www.intercity.pl.

• Stay overnight in Krakow.

• Day 2, travel from Krakow back to London using any of the options shown in detail on the London to Poland page.  You travel Krakow to Warsaw to Berlin on day 1, stay overnight in Berlin, then travel Berlin to London on day 3.

How much does it cost?

• See the London to Poland page for fares from London to Krakow.

• Krakow to Przemysl costs around €9.

• Przemysl to Lviv costs €7.10, Przemysl to Kiev costs €13.40.

How to buy tickets online...

• Step 1, book trains from London to Krakow online, see the London to Poland page for step-by-step instructions.

• Step 2, book the Krakow-Przemysl-Kiev tickets through reliable Polish ticketing agency www.polrail.com.  Tickets can be collected in Krakow or for an extra fee, sent anywhere worldwide. 

  It's also now possible to book the Przemysl to Lviv or Kiev train at Ukrainian Railways booking.uz.gov.ua/en.  You can then book the Krakow to Przemysl train at Polish Railways www.intercity.pl.

• To buy onward tickets from Kiev to Odessa & other Ukrainian cities, see the section below

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Option 3, London to Kiev via Vienna...

This is a convenient and comfortable option, which can all be easily booked online.  It also takes 2 nights, with a day to explore Vienna.  See Ukrainian news report showing the new Vienna-Kiev sleeping-car service.

London ► Kiev

• Step 1, travel from London to Vienna using any option shown on the London to Austria page.  For example, you can travel London to Vienna in a day and stay overnight in Vienna.  Or travel by Eurostar & Thalys to Cologne and catch the Cologne-Vienna sleeper.  Either way, you have the best part of a day to explore Vienna.

• Step 2, travel from Vienna to Kiev by direct Ukrainian sleeping-car. leaving Vienna Hbf at 16:42 every day arriving Kiev at 17:21 next day.

  Introduced in 2017, this train has a Ukrainian sleeping-car with comfortable 1, 2 & 3 berth compartments with washbasin, see the photos below.  At Chop on the other side of the border the through sleeping-car is jacked up to have its wheelsets changed from European standard gauge (4'8½") to Russian gauge used in Ukraine (5').

  A Hungarian restaurant car operates between Vienna and Zahony (on the Ukrainian border just before Chop), treat yourself to dinner.

Kiev ► London

• Step 1, travel from Kiev to Vienna by direct Ukrainian sleeping-car, leaving Kiev at 13:07 every day, arriving Vienna Hbf at 11:21.

  The sleeping-car has 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, see the photos below.  At Chop on the border with Hungary the through sleeping-car is jacked up to have it's wheelsets changed from Russian gauge used in Ukraine (5') to European standard gauge (4'8½").

  A Hungarian restaurant car operates between Zahony (on the Ukrainian border just after Chop) and Vienna, treat yourself to breakfast.

• Step 2, travel from Vienna to London using any option shown on the London to Austria page.

How much does it cost?

• For fares between London & Vienna, see the London to Austria page.

• Booked through oebb.at:

  Vienna to Kiev costs €80.50 in a 3-berth sleeper, €90.50 in a 2-berth sleeper or €152.90 in a single sleeper.

  Vienna to Lviv costs €62.10 in a 3-berth sleeper, €70.10 in a 2-berth sleeper or €119.30 in a single sleeper.

• Booked through Polrail:

  Vienna to Kiev costs around €138 in a 3-berth sleeper €149 in a 2-berth sleeper, or €241 in a single-berth sleeper.

  Vienna to Lviv costs around €120 in a 3-berth sleeper €129 in a 2-berth sleeper, or €207 in a single-berth sleeper.

How to buy tickets...

• Book from London to Vienna as shown on the London to Austria page.

• Book the train from Vienna to Lviv or Kiev online at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at.  This will only book one-way or round trip starting in Vienna because tickets need to be collected from an ÖBB station in Austria.  They cannot be collected in Ukraine.  Booking this way you pay no fee or mark-up, just the official fare.  Book well in advance as this sleeping-car has become popular!

• If you have any problems or want a one-way ticket starting in Ukraine, you can also book the Vienna-Kiev train via reliable agency www.polrail.com, with tickets posted or couriered to you for a small fee.  Polrail are based in Poland so charge in zlotys, but as they have access to Ukrainian ticketing system they are good for booking this train.

What's the journey like?

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The opera house, Lviv...

If Krakow has become the new Prague, then Lviv is the new Krakow...  Lviv (spelt Lviv in Ukrainian, Lvov in Russian) is a beautiful city that escaped most of the ravages of world war 2.  For accommodation in Lviv, whether your budget is 1 star or 5 star, check out the faded grandeur of the excellent and historic George Hotel.  This is the place to stay in Lviv, £35-£70 per night.

Option 1, London to Lviv via Krakow...

It's also possible to go via Krakow, using the daily Krakow-Lviv sleeper train, an ideal route to stop off in Krakow and see two great cities on one trip.  Why not go out one way and back the other?  Indeed, it's possible to go London to Prague, sleeper train Prague to Krakow, then this sleeper train from Krakow to Lviv - three of Europe's best cities in one trip!

London ► Lviv

• Step 1, travel from London to Krakow as shown on the London to Poland page.  Ideally, stop off for a day or two in Krakow.

• Stay overnight in Krakow.

• Alternatively, why not combine Lviv, Krakow and Prague as well in one great trip, eastern Europe's Big Three?  First travel from London to Prague as shown on the London to the Czech Republic page.  Spend a day or two in Prague, then take the overnight sleeper or daytime EuroCity train from Prague to Krakow?  You can buy online in advance as shown here.

• Step 2, then travel from Krakow to Lviv on one of two new fast air-conditioned daytime connections:

  Leave Krakow Glowny at 08:52, change at Przemysl (arrive 11:53, depart 13:10) and arriving Lviv at 16:02.

  Leave Krakow Glowny at 11:00, change at Przemysl (arrive 14:10, depart 15:45) and arriving Lviv at 18:36.

  The Krakow-Przemysl trains are either comfortable Polish TLK trains (08:31 & 10:48 or an air-conditioned InterCity (14:08).  The Przemysl-Lviv-Kiev trains are smart air-conditioned Ukrainian express electric trains, introduced in December 2016.  If you get any feedback or photos of this new train, do let me know!

  A 3rd connection is also available, this time using a conventional Ukrainian train between Przemysl & Lviv, en route to Odessa:

  Leave Krakow Glowny at 15:25, change at Przemysl (arrive 18:24, depart 18:09) and arriving Lviv at 22:40.

  To check times, first check the Ukrainian train at www.uz.gov.ua/en/passengers/timetable.  Then check times for a suitable Polish connecting train at Polish Railways www.intercity.pl.

• There's also a direct sleeper train from Krakow to Lviv, see details here.

Lviv ► London

• Step 1, travel from Lviv to Krakow on one of two new fast air-conditioned daytime connections:

  Leave Lviv at 11:18, change in Przemysl (arrive 12:25, depart 12:53) and arrive Krakow Glowny at 15:02.

  Leave Lviv at 13:53, change in Przemysl (arrive 15:03, depart 16:00) and arrive Krakow Glowny at 19:25.

  The Kiev-Lviv-Przemysl train is a smart air-conditioned Ukrainian express electric train, introduced in December 2016.  The Przemysl-Krakow train is either a comfortable air-conditioned Polish Intercity train (the 12:53 from Przemysl) or a comfortable slower TLK train (the 16:00 from Przemysl).

  A 3rd connection is also available, this time using a conventional Ukrainian train between Lviv & Przemysl, which comes from Odessa:

  Leave Lviv at 07:10, change in Przemysl (arrive 09:03, depart 09:47) and arrive Krakow Glowny at 12:47.

  To check times, first check the Ukrainian train at www.uz.gov.ua/en/passengers/timetable.  Then check times for a suitable Polish connecting train at Polish Railways www.intercity.pl.

  There's also a direct sleeper train from Lviv to Krakow, see details here.

• Stay overnight in Krakow.

• Step 2, travel from Krakow back to London using any of the options shown on the London to Poland page.

• Alternatively, why not combine Lviv, Krakow and Prague in one great trip?  You can take the overnight sleeper or daytime EuroCity train from Krakow to Prague.  Spend a day or two in Prague, then travel from Prague to London as shown on the London to the Czech Republic page.

How much does it cost?

• See the London to Poland page for fares from London to Krakow.

• Krakow to Przemysl costs around €9.

• Przemysl to Lviv costs €7.10.

How to buy tickets online...

• Step 1, you can book trains from London to Krakow online, see the London to Poland page for step-by-step instructions.  To book a London - Prague - Krakow journey, see the London to Krakow via Prague section on the London to Poland page.

• Step 2, you can order Krakow to Lviv tickets through highly-recommended Polish train booking agency www.polrail.com.  They charge a small fee, and either allow ticket pick up in Krakow or can send to any country worldwide.

  It may now be possible to book the Przemysl to Lviv train at Ukrainian Railways http://booking.uz.gov.ua/en - if it works for you (or if it doesn't), do let me know.  You can then book the Krakow to Przemysl train at Polish Railways www.intercity.pl.

How to buy tickets by phone...

• You can book all the trains from London to Lviv by calling Deutsche Bahn's UK telesales office on 08718 80 80 66 (lines open 09:00-20:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday & Sunday).  Before calling, I suggest writing a clear list of exactly which specific trains on which dates you want to book.

• You may not succeed in booking the inwards Lviv to Krakow sleeper outside of Ukraine, although by all means ask.  So for a return journey, simply book the whole outward journey from London to Lviv, plus the Krakow or Prague to London part of the return journey, and simply buy the Lviv to Krakow ticket at the station when you reach Lviv.  This really isn't difficult.

Option 2, London to Lviv via Vienna...

This is a convenient and comfortable option.

London ► Lviv

• Step 1, travel from London to Vienna using any option shown on the London to Austria page.  For example, you can travel London to Vienna in a day and stay overnight in Vienna.  Or travel by Eurostar & Thalys to Cologne and catch the Cologne-Vienna sleeper, which from January 2020 will start in Brussels twice a week.  Either way, you have the best part of a day to explore Vienna.

• Step 2, travel from Vienna to Lviv by direct Ukrainian sleeping-car, leaving Vienna Hbf at 16:42 every day arriving at Lviv at 10:14 next day.

  Introduced in 2017, this train has a Ukrainian sleeping-car with comfortable 1, 2 & 3 berth compartments with washbasin, see the photos below.  At Chop on the other side of the border the through sleeping-car is jacked up to have its wheelsets changed from European standard gauge (4'8½") to Russian gauge used in Ukraine (5').

  A Hungarian restaurant car operates between Vienna and Zahony (on the Ukrainian border just before Chop), treat yourself to dinner.

Lviv ► London

• Step 1, travel from Lviv to Vienna by direct Ukrainian sleeping-car leaving Lviv at 20:00 every day arriving Vienna Hbf at 11:21 next morning.

  The sleeping-car has 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, see the photos below.  At Chop on the border with Slovakia the through sleeping-car is jacked up to have it's wheelsets changed from Russian gauge used in Ukraine (5') to European standard gauge (4'8½").

  A Hungarian restaurant car operates between Zahony (on the Ukrainian border just after Chop) and Vienna, treat yourself to breakfast.

• Step 2, travel from Vienna to London using any option shown on the London to Austria page.

How much does it cost?

• For fares from London to Vienna, see the London to Austria page.

• Booked through oebb.at, Vienna to Lviv costs €62.10 in a 3-berth sleeper, €70.10 in a 2-berth sleeper or €119.30 in a single sleeper.

• Booked through Polrail, Vienna to Lviv costs around €120 in a 3-berth sleeper €129 in a 2-berth sleeper, or €207 in a single-berth sleeper.

How to buy tickets...

• Book from London to Vienna as shown on the London to Austria page.

• Book the train from Vienna to Lviv online at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at.  This will only book one-way or round trip starting in Vienna because tickets need to be collected from an ÖBB station in Austria.  They cannot be collected in Ukraine.  Booking this way you pay no fee or mark-up, just the official fare.

• If you have any problems or want a one-way ticket starting in Ukraine, you can also book the Vienna-Kiev train via reliable agency www.polrail.com, with tickets posted or couriered to you for a small fee.  Polrail are based in Poland so charge in zlotys, but as they have access to Ukrainian ticketing system they are good for booking this train.

What's the journey like?

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London to Yalta & Balaclava

These places now lie inside Russian-occupied Ukraine.  But I visited whilst it was part of Ukraine, so for the record...

Yalta...

A seaside resort and site of the 1945 Yalta Conference, Yalta has no railway station but it can be reached by trolleybus from Simferopol.  These run every 20 minutes throughout the day.  It's the longest trolleybus ride in the world, taking a very scenic (but bum-numbing...) 2 hours 40 minutes across the mountain range and down to the coast.  The fare is just a few hryvnia.

Livadia Palace, site of the Yalta Conference 1945:  Don't miss the Livadia Palace on the coast just outside Yalta town centre - the famous photographs of Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin seated side-by-side at the 1945 conference was taken in the courtyard here.  The photo on the right shows the same courtyard today.  For a mass-murderer, Stalin was pretty good at choosing cool conference locations...

Balaclava...

Balaclava, 7 miles from Sevastopol, also has no railway station.  It's most easily (and very cheaply - about £2) reached by taxi, but there are also buses (with a change of bus required from trolleybus to diesel bus at the out-of-town trolleybus terminal).  In recent times a submarine maintenance base, it was closed to foreigners until 1996.  During the Crimean war of 1854-55 the British used it as their supply port for the siege of Sevastopol.  You can climb up to the ruined fortress on the hill overlooking the harbour on one side and the Black Sea on the other.

The charge of the Light Brigade, 1854... 

"...into the Valley of Death rode the six hundred..."  wrote Alfred Lord Tennyson.  Walking or taking a taxi the three miles inland from Balaclava town you can visit the site of the Battle of Balaclava, where the famous 'charge of the Light Brigade' took place during the Crimean war.  The battlefield is completely unmarked, so take a good map.

The photo on the left shows the site of the battle and the famous charge today, when the Light Brigade would find their horses hindered by the endless vineyards.  In the photo, the Light Brigade would have charged from left to right towards the line of Russian guns which were lined up across the shallow valley roughly where the line of tall pointed trees is in the distance.  Only about 100 of the 600 British cavalry survived.

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Train travel in Ukraine

What are Ukrainian trains like?

Classic Ukrainian sleeper trains offer the normal 'Russian' range of sleeping accommodation:

• Spalny Wagon 2-berth compartments (1st class).  Some trains have Russian-style compartments with both beds at the lower level, other trains use European-style cars with an upper and lower berth plus a washbasin.

• Kupé 4-berth compartments (2nd class), 9 compartments per coach.  Toilets and washrooms are at the end of the corridor.

• Platskartny open-plan dormitory cars (3rd class).  Bunks are arranged in bays of four on one side of the aisle, in bays of 2 alongside the coach wall on the other side of the aisle, 54 bunks per coach.

Whichever class of travel you choose, each coach is looked after by a pair of attendants called a provodnik (male) or provodnitsa (female).  The provodnik will check your ticket at the door to the sleeper when you board.  Shortly after departure, the provodnik will come round to take your ticket.  You may be asked if you would like a glass of black Ukrainian tea ('chai') - this costs about 10 Hyrvnia, about 30p/€0.35.  Bedding (two sheets, pillowcase and towel) is then handed out in sealed packs - blankets and mattresses will already be stacked in your compartment.  After a few journeys, you will become quite proficient at making up your bed!

A samovar with unlimited free hot water is available at the end of the corridor - pack some tea or coffee, sugar, cuppa soups or water-based drinking chocolate and bring your own mug.   Most long distance trains have a restaurant car serving drinks, snacks, and inexpensive full meals - reckon on less than £6 for two courses and a couple of bottles of beer.

There is no need to worry about security on Ukrainian trains, it's the way Ukrainians themselves travel, including families and women travelling alone.  Just use the same common sense that you would use anywhere, use the locks on your compartment door at night and don't leave valuables unattended.  In addition to the normal lock on the compartment door, spalny vagon and kupé compartments have a security latch which stops the door opening more than an inch or two, and which cannot be released from outside.  There's also a safe place for your bags at night - if you have a bottom bunk, there is a metal box underneath the bunk which you can only get to by lifting up the bunk - in other words, for anyone to get to your bags, they will have to shift you off your bunk first!

New fast InterCity trains...

Fast air-conditioned day trains branded InterCity now link a number of Ukrainian cities, in addition to the traditional overnight sleeper trains.  These InterCity trains have 1st & 2nd class and a bar counter.  For example:

• Kyiv to Lviv:  There are two fast intercity trains, one early morning and another early evening taking as little as 4h59, fare around 465 UAH in first class, about €18.  There's also a classic sleeper train taking almost 8 hours.

• Kyiv to Odessa:  There's one fast InterCity train leaving Kiev late afternoon and taking 6h56, fare around 465 UAH in 1st class, about €18.  There's also a classic overnight sleeper.

To check train times within Ukraine, use the links for buying tickets below such as http://booking.uz.gov.ua/en/.

How to buy tickets...

• Reservations are fully computerised, and you can book train tickets up to 45 days or now sometimes 60 days in advance for any journey within, or originating within, Ukraine at any Ukrainian railway station.  If your Ukrainian or Russian isn't up to scratch, write down your requirements, using the Cyrillic (Russian) script if you can.  Alternatively, to avoid the queues and any language hassles, you can book rail tickets through travel agencies, for example those located in the lobbies of certain major hotels.

Buy Ukrainian train tickets online... 

Option 1, buy from Ukrainian Railways at booking.uz.gov.ua/en...

	The internet ticket collection window at Kiev station.  Note the break times, so don't leave it till the last minute to collect tickets & find them closed!  Though for many front-rank trains you'll now get a print-at-home e-ticket, so no need to collect.  Courtesy of David Aspa.

• You can book Ukrainian train tickets online direct from Ukrainian Railways (UZ, www.uz.gov.ua) using their English-language online booking facility at booking.uz.gov.ua/en.

• It has a few quirky translations, but it's the cheapest way to buy tickets as there are minimal fees.  Remember that Kiev in Ukrainian is Kyiv.  Suite / First-Class Sleeper means beds in 2-berth Spalny Vagon sleepers.  Coupe / Coach With Compartments means beds in 4-berth kupé sleepers.  Berth/Third-Class Sleeper means Platskartny open-plan bunks.  InterCity trains are clearly marked in the search results.

• At the end of the booking you might get a print-at-home e-ticket for some trains which you can just print and board the train, or for other trains you might get a voucher which must be exchanged for a ticket at the station before departure, for example in Kiev main station there's a collection counter at window 12, hall 4 in the old wing of the station, with a self-service collection machine installed there too. Just read the confirmation page carefully to see what you have to do once you have made your booking.

• Several seat61 correspondents have successfully used this to book tickets, using UK or other non-Ukrainian credit cards.  Feedback if you use this service would be appreciated!

Option 2, buy online at Omio.com (formerly GoEuro)...

• Omio.com has implemented a direct connection to UZ's ticketing system, so can sell Ukrainian domestic train tickets in plain English with just a token booking fee.  You may find this easier to use than booking.uz.gov.ua/en.

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Kiev station

Kiev-Pas:  See location map

Kiev has one main central station, usually known as plain Kiev, officially Kiev Passazhyrsky, often abbreviated to Kiev-Pas.  It's one big central station but it has two terminal buildings, one each side of the tracks.  The classic station building on the northern side of the tracks was built in 1949 and is shown in the photos below.  The terminal on the southern side (sometimes misleadingly referred to as Kiev Southern Station) is a striking glass-and-steel building dating from 2002.  You'll find all the usual main station facilities at Kiev-Pas.  The metro station for Kiev-Pas is called Kiev Vokzalna.  Location map showing station.

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Ferries from Ukraine

Various ferries used to run between Istanbul and Odessa, appearing and disappearing.  Further feedback always appreciated!

Istanbul - Odessa ferry:  www.ukrferry.com

• Sails twice a week between Istanbul (= Haydarpasa, on eastern side of the Bosphorus) and Odessa (= Chernomorsk, just south of the city), a 23 hour voyage across the Black Sea.

• Departure from Odessa on Tuesdays & Fridays, usually evening.  Departure from Haydarpasa on Thursdays & Sundays, usually midday.  You can check this at www.ukrferry.com although it takes a bit of effort.  The English selector is top left.

• The company is Ukrferry and the vessels are the Vilnius Seaways & Kaunas Seaways with a range of cabins available, fares from $90 with bunk in a shared 6-berth, deluxe private cabins also available.

• This ferry is operating in 2017 and taking foot passengers, you can contact them to check the current status.  Feedback appreciated!

• Traveller Silvan Wyss took this ferry in July 2017:

  "I booked the ferry some weeks in advance and paid 2580 UAH (€85).  The online booking tool on www.ukrferry.com works quite smoothly and some moments after payment I had the confirmation in my spamfolder.  Foot passengers have to check-in in an office building some kilometres from the actual port in Chornomorsk and the time for that seems to be 2pm no matter when the ship actually leaves.  After some waiting me and around 15 fellow passengers were brought to the port by minibus.  Here I had to go through customs and passport checks which included some waiting in not very welcoming rooms without windows.  Finally at around 5pm I arrived in my cabin which I shared with another passenger, with the scheduled departure at 9pm.

  During the 27 hour trip the restaurant served four meals without any choice, you just have to eat what they cook but this was perfectly OK. Apart from that there is a duty-free shop selling spirits and a bar selling drinks and some crisps at some times during the sailing. The cabin was nice with a small but very clean washroom.  All information aboard the ferry, whether written or spoken is in Russian only.  Foreigners sometimes really had to fight for some info in English.

  While the actual cruise could be described as "boring", sailing through the Bosphorus late in the evening was very nice.  Turkish immigration was rather weird with some officers entering the ship and controlling the passports in the bar area.  After some more waiting time, foot passengers were then guided out of the ship and finally left alone in the middle of the desert of Haydarpasa port.  Not that nice at around 1am.  I decided to walk to Kadiköy, other travellers may prefer a taxi here.

  Did I like it? - Well, yes. the journey itself was very nice.  However, all the procedures before and after are very time consuming with little or no information and medium friendly staff.  After all, it seems as if foot passengers are rather tolerated than actually welcome...
  Would I recommend it? - Yes!  To everyone who has the time and wants to experience something different.

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Definitely invest in a good guidebook. For the serious independent traveller the best guidebook is probably the Lonely Planet or Rough Guide.

Buy Lonely Planet Ukraine online at Amazon.co.uk

 

 

 

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European Rail Timetable & maps

The European Rail Timetable (formerly the Thomas Cook European Timetable) has train & ferry times for every country in Europe plus currency & climate information.  It is essential for regular European train travellers and an inspiration for armchair travellers.  Published since 1873, it had just celebrated 140 years of publication when Thomas Cook decided to pull the plug on their entire publishing department, but the dedicated ex-Thomas Cook team set up a private venture and resumed publication of the famous European Rail Timetable in March 2014.  You can buy it online with worldwide shipping at either www.stanfords.co.uk or www.europeanrailtimetable.eu.  More information on what the European Rail Timetable contains.

A Traveller's Railway Map of Europe covers the whole of Europe from Portugal in the west to Moscow & Istanbul in the east, Finland in the north to Sicily & Athens in the south.  On the back are detailed maps of Switzerland, Benelux & Germany, plus city plans showing stations in major cities.  Scenic & high-speed routes highlighted.  Buy it online for £14.50 + postage worldwide (UK addresses £2.80) at www.stanfords.co.uk/Continents/Europe-A-Travellers-Railway-Map_9789077899090.htm or (in the Netherlands) for €13 + €5.50 postage from www.treinreiswinkel.nl.

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Hotels in Kiev & Ukraine...

Recommended hotel in Lviv:  The George Hotel...

• In Lviv, look no further than the classic and excellently-located George Hotel.  Wonderful, and it's not even expensive, economy doubles from £27, standard doubles from £53.  If for any reason it's full, try Lviv's Grand Hotel, also classic and well located, around £60 a double.

Other hotel sites worth trying...

www.tripadvisor.com is the place to find independent travellers' reviews of all the main hotels.

Backpacker hostels...

www.hostelworld.com:  If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels.  Hostelworld offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in Copenhagen and most other European cities at rock-bottom prices.

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Travel insurance & health card...

Take out decent travel insurance, it's essential...

Never travel without proper travel insurance from a reliable insurer with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover.  It should also cover loss of cash & belongings (up to a limit), and trip cancellation.  An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheapest even for just 2 or 3 trips a year - I have an annual policy myself.  However, don't expect travel insurance to bail you out of every missed connection, see the advice on missed connections here.  Here are some suggested insurers, Seat61 gets a little commission if you buy through these links, and feedback from using insurance for rail & ferry travel is always welcome.

In the UK, use www.confused.com to compare prices & policy features across major insurance companies.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are over 65, see www.JustTravelCover.com - 10% discount with code seat61.

        If you live in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or the EU, try Columbus Direct's other websites.

  If you live in the USA try Travel Guard USA.

Get an EU health card, it's free...

If you're a UK citizen travelling in Europe, you should apply for a free European Health Insurance Card, which entitles you to free or reduced rate health care if you become ill or get injured in many European countries, under a reciprocal arrangement with the NHS.  This replaced the old E111 forms as from January 2006.  The EHIC card is available from ww.nhs.uk.  It doesn't remove the need for travel insurance, though.

Get a free Curve card to save on exchange rates & foreign transaction fees...

Banks often give you a poor exchange rate, then charge you a currency conversion fee on top.  A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, £500 per month as I write this.  The balance goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards.  And you can get a Curve card for free.

How it works:  1. Download the app for iPhone or Android.  2. Enter your details & they'll send you a Curve MasterCard - they send to most European addresses including the UK.  3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app.  4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, just like a normal MasterCard. Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance onto whichever of your debit or credit cards you choose.  You can even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within 14 days of the transaction.

I have a Curve Blue card myself and it's great - I get some commission if you sign up to Curve, but I only recommend such things when I've read up on reviews and tried it myself.  See details, download the app and get a Curve card. Use code MAN61 to get £5 cashback after signing up and using your Curve card the first time.

Get a VPN for safe browsing when you travel.  VPNs & why you need one explained...

When you're travelling you often use free WiFi in public places which may not be secure.  A VPN means your connection to the internet is encrypted & always secure, even using unsecured WiFi.  In countries such as China where access to Twitter & Facebook is restricted, a VPN gets around these restrictions.  And lastly, you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geographic restrictions which some websites apply - for example one booking site charges a booking fee to non-European visitors but none to European visitors, so if you're not located in Europe you can avoid this fee by browsing with a UK IP address using a VPN.  VPNs & why you need one explained.  ExpressVPN is a best buy and I use them myself.

 

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