When to Visit Ukraine?
The best time to visit Ukraine is from June - September, when the weather is nice and warm, and summer activities are in full swing in vibrant cities like Kyiv and Lviv.
Usually, I do not recommend traveling in the mid-summer months in Europe due to the number of tourists you will encounter. But thankfully, Ukraine is not suffering from overtourism. In order to maximize sunny days while you are in Ukraine, it is best to travel around this period.
That said, the locals do still travel in their own country, so if you want to avoid the local crowd, be sure to visit touristic towns like Chernivtsi and Kamianets-Podilskyi on weekdays and spend your weekends in cities like Lviv and Kyiv, where all the cool events are happening.
How to Get to Ukraine?
There are several ways you can get to Ukraine: flying directly to Kyiv, the capital city of Ukraine; taking an overnight train across from Poland to Lviv; or hopping on an international bus from Moldova or Romania to Odesa.
Depending on where you are coming from, you can use this itinerary and travel in a circle from any of these 3 big cities, but for the sake of this one-month itinerary, I will recommend you start from Kyiv and go from there.
From the US, there is a direct flight from New York to Kyiv via Ukrainian Airline that you can take directly to Ukraine, or you can fly via several European airlines like KLM, Lufthansa, and Air France and transit through European airports to go to Kyiv.
From Europe, you can either fly with a low-cost airline like Ryanair or WizzAir, or you can simply travel by train from any of the main European hubs like Berlin through Poland. However, the time it takes to travel will increase considerably if you choose trains (24 hours from Berlin to Kyiv).
From Asia, the simplest option is to fly directly from Bangkok to Kyiv via Ukrainian Airline. It is cheap (costs me 300 USD) and flies directly to Kyiv in 11 hours.
To find a cheap flight to Ukraine, I would recommend you use Skyscanner or Expedia to look for the cheapest route and schedule so that you can compare and pick the best one.
Getting from Kyiv Airport to Kyiv Central Train Station
Kyiv Airport has an easy and affordable connection to the city center (Kyiv Central Train Station) directly from the airport via Skybus.
Skybus will take you from the airport bus terminal (follow the BUS sign, and you will find Skybus waiting for you outside the terminal) to Kyiv Central Train Station. The bus number is 322, so make sure you get on the right one.
Skybus operates from 5:40 to 23:30, and it runs every 30 to 60 minutes or so. The bus will cost you around 100 UAH, and they only accept cash. The journey will take you around 1 hour, depending on the traffic and the time you arrive.
How to Get Around Ukraine?
Getting Around in Cities
Walking is free and fun to do when you arrive in a new city in Ukraine. In most cases, the tourist attractions in Ukraine are within walking distance of the accommodation I recommended here, so you won't need to take any local transportation. However, if you want to, there are a few options available for you.
Local Buses/Marshrutkas are the main way you can get around in most cities in Ukraine. They are cheap and easily navigable with Google Maps, even if you don't read Cyrillic. However, you will need a local SIM card to navigate the Ukrainian bus lines.
To find the correct bus/marshrutka number to take in any city in Ukraine, you will have to enter your destination on Google Maps. The app will then recommend the route to take and the bus stop to reach. It is recommended to have Internet access if you plan to travel by local bus.
The way local buses work in Ukraine is pretty straightforward. It usually costs around 3 - 7 UAH per trip (depending on the city you are in). You get on, take a seat, and when you are about to arrive at your destination (use Google Maps to know where to get off), press the red stop button by the door, pay the driver, and get off.
Sometimes, there might be a person coming to collect the money while you are on the bus, so keep an eye out for that. If not, just pay the driver as you get off. They accept only cash.
For marshrutkas (minivans), you will have to tell the driver to stop. Just tap the driver on the shoulder and say "stop," and they will drop you off at the next stop.
Metro is a great way to get around a large city like Kyiv and Kharkiv. It's easy, straightforward, and you get to see the beautiful metro stations that you often find in post-Soviet cities like Kharkiv.
Trams/Trolleybuses are also a great way to get around a city. The Trolleybus works the same way as the regular bus, where you can pay the driver at the end. For trams, you will get the ticket from the driver when you get on, and you will have to stamp the time yourself with a manual stamp lever inside the tram. Both cost around the same price as the local bus (3 - 7 UAH per trip depending on which city).
Uber and Uklon are also great ways to travel around the city if the places you are going are a bit further or if you are in a rush. They are very cheap and quite reliable. Uber and Uklon are available in Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, and Kharkiv.
Traveling Between Cities in Ukraine
Trains are my recommended way to travel long distances from one city to another. It's cheap, easy to book online, and Ukraine's train stations are very easy to navigate with a clear main schedule board that includes a platform number and time. Most of the signs at all train stations are also in English, as well as the ticket you receive, which should have all the information you need.
Unfortunately, the ticket is in Cyrillic, but do not sweat. I have mastered the ticket-reading skills through trial and error (lots of errors), and the image above shows you how to read the Ukrainian train ticket properly.
You can book your trains online through 12Go or Tickets.ua. You can simply pay with your credit card, and you will receive an email with a QR code. All you have to do is show it to the ticket master when you are on the train.
That said, trains may not run as often to some of the cities I have recommended here, and as I had hoped, and some routes, the train may only run overnight, which is not ideal. That's where the intercity Marshrutka/bus comes in.
Marshrutkas/Buses are an interesting and alternative way to travel short distances around Ukraine. It is a little harder to navigate, especially when it comes to finding the right marshrutkas/buses to get on at a busy bus station like Kyiv, but it is not impossible. You just need to be patient and spare some time for confusion and panic (just kidding 😂).
You can book your bus ticket online from 12Go. Depending on which bus you take, you will have to find the right one and board the correct bus. Make sure to be at the bus station at least 30 minutes before your bus departure time as you may need to ask locals, who rarely speak English, where your bus is.
I found that learning what your destination name is in Cyrillic, writing it down, and asking other bus drivers where your bus is by showing the bus company name, destination, and time shown on your bus ticket is the most effective way to get around their chaotic bus system.
This is why I recommend you take the train instead, if you have the option. But if not, for example, for the route from Kyiv to Lutsk and Lutsk to Lviv, simply follow the instructions above and you should be fine.
Planes are also an option if you do not fancy traveling overnight on a train, but it will be more expensive. Fortunately, with my itinerary breaking your trip into many stops, you won't be required to take a plane at all if you don't want to.
How Much Money Do I Need for Ukraine?
Ukraine is quite affordable, and with the one-month itinerary I have in mind, we can calculate approximately how much money you will need for the entire trip. Let's start with the basics:
Accommodation: 25 nights x 10 USD = 250 USD (6,043 UAH)
Food: (100 UAH x 3 meals per day) x 26 days = 7,600 UAH (322 USD)
Transportation: 1,912 UAH (6 trains) + 485 UAH (2 buses) + 100 UAH (local transportation) = 2,497 UAH (100 USD)
Activities: 3,825 UAH (158 USD)
Total Budget for 30 Days in Ukraine: 21,877 UAH (905 USD)
Keep in mind that these are very rough estimates and may vary depending on activities (I've included Chernobyl as well as Wild Odesa Catacomb tours under activities) you want to do and where you choose to stay. Please use this only as a guide to your budget for spending one month in Ukraine.
Is it Safe in Ukraine?
You may have heard many bad things about what was happening in Ukraine from the news of the revolution that broke out in 2014, but that was a long time ago and most of the conflicts are contained only in the most eastern front of the country where we are not going, so rest assured, traveling to Ukraine is very safe, even more so than Western Europe, as pickpockets and petty thefts are not as rampant as in big cities like Cologne and Prague.
Just keep in mind the dropping money scam in Kyiv where someone will walk in front of you, drop a stack of money, and ask if you want to share the money with them.
Someone will then approach you and claim that you stole his money and will ask to see your wallet as proof. He will then empty all the contents of your wallet and disappear. When this happens, simply ignore and continue on.
As mean as it sounds, if someone drops something in front of you, do not stop and pick it up. Just walk on as if nothing happened and you will be fine.
Visa for Ukraine
Ukraine has recently opened up the country a little to non-European visitors with an E-Visa process, so if you are among those from countries listed here, you can get your e-visa from their official website.
Which tourist SIM card is best for Ukraine?
WIFI is widely available and reliable in big cities like Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, and Kharkiv where you can simply go to a cafe and be at your hostel/hotels to stay connected.
In places like the Carpathians, it will be a little harder to find a WIFI spot, but it is not impossible. Most tourist restaurants and cafes have reliable WIFI, so you can always rely on them. However, if you want a more self-reliant solution, I would recommend getting a local SIM card. This will also help you navigate the bus system in Ukraine, as Google Maps works very well in the country.
You can get a local SIM card from Vodafone or Kyivstar. They both offer similar plans with data ranging from 2GB to unlimited, costing between 55 UAH - 220 UAH.
For more information about Ukraine local SIM card: Ukraine Prepaid Data SIM Card.
Tips: To stay connected with your loved ones at home, make sure to have a VPN service like NordVPN installed before traveling, so that you can bypass any local Internet censorship you might encounter while in Ukraine.
What to Pack for Ukraine?
As you may already know, I am an advocate of light traveling, and indeed, packing light for a journey like this is a unique art form. Here are some packing tips for your upcoming trip to Ukraine:
- Walking/Hiking Shoes: With all the walking and possible hiking during your travel, a comfortable pair of shoes is a must. I recommend the Timberland 3-Eye Classic Boat Shoes that are my go-to pair for long strolls and hikes.
- Breathable Shirts: Given the potential for hot weather, pack a few breathable shirts for your outdoor adventures.
- Shorts/Jeans: Anticipate lots of walking during your travels? Be sure to pack some breathable shorts and a pair of Levi's jeans for when the weather cools. For women, leggings are excellent for both hot and cold climates, so consider packing some as well.
- Fleece Jacket: For colder weather, layering is the key, and a fleece jacket makes an excellent insulating layer. I recommend the Columbia Steens Mountain Fleece (for women).
- Outer Shell Jacket: An outer shell jacket is great for windy or rainy conditions. I highly recommend the Columbia Watertight Jacket (for women). It's lightweight, breathable, and even comes in a cool orange color.
- Microfiber Towel: A Microfiber towel is the ideal backpacker's towel due to its lightness, quick drying, and compressibility.
- Camera: You should also pack a good camera for your trip so that you can capture all the beautiful experiences you might have. I recommend the Sony a7R V camera together with the Sony 24-70mm f2.8 GM II lens, which is probably the highest-performance camera and lens combination you can get right now.
- Power Bank: Keep your electronics charged on the go with a 20,000+ mAh Power Bank.
- Water Bottle: The Hydro Flask Trail Water Bottle is a great insulated water bottle to have with you in cities or on hiking trails. It is lightweight and can keep your water cold or warm for more than 12 hours. It's a total game-changer.
- Universal Adapter: You'll need just one universal adapter to plug in your electronics in any country you visit.
- Packing Cubes: Packing Cubes will help you save space in your backpack and keep all your belongings organized.
- Daypack: The Langly Alpha Globetrotter is my go-to everyday camera backpack. It's large enough to carry all my travel gear, and it comes with plenty of slots and pouches. Plus, it's stylish as hell!
- Large Backpack: You will need a large backpack to carry all of your stuff. I recommend the Osprey Atmos AG 65L backpack. With excellent weight distribution and a lifetime guarantee, you can't go wrong with Osprey.
For more information on what I pack in my backpack for this trip, check out: My Packing List: 60 Travel Essentials.
