How to get from Boryspil airport to Kiev downtown?

Kiev has two international airports - the larger and more modern Boryspil Airport and less significant Zhuliany Airport. The older airport Zhuliany is only 7 km south of the city and mainly serves domestic flights, as well as several international ones. The main airport of Kiev is Boryspil Airport, which serves both domestic and the vast majority of international flights.

With 99% probability you will be arriving to Boryspil Airport.
After you have passed the passport control and have received your luggage, you will most likely get approach by people offering to carry your luggage or give you a lift to the city. These services are obviously not free, so be careful not to get ripped off.

Taxi

Taxi is a convenient and reliable way to travel from Borispil airport to Kiev downtown. Taxi fare should be negotiated in advance and the cost of travel to the center of Kiev (for example, Khreshchatyk) should not exceed $25.

Car rental

You can opt to rent a car – a number of the largest international car rental companies (Avis, Europcar, Sixt, etc.) have their representative offices at Borispil Airport.

Taking a bus

A bus ride is the cheapest way to get to the city center (to Kiev Central Railway Station) from Boryspil Airport. The bus company “Sky Bus” provides regular round-the-clock transportation to and from the airport . Tickets can be purchased from the driver after you boarded the bus, make sure to exchange some money in the airport beforehand. Ticket price is around $4 (100 uah). The duration of the trip is less than an hour unless there is traffic. Buses leave from terminal D approximately every 20 minutes during the day and approximately every half an hour at night.

On the way, the bus also stops at the "Kharkivs’ka" metro station. If you take a bus during a rush hour (7-8am and 5-6pm) you might consider getting off at "Kharkivs’ka" metro station and taking a subway to your destination. The subway will be crowded too, but at least you will not get stuck in traffic for hours. The cost of the bus fare in such case will be lower – 60 uah.

The central railway station is located in the center of Kiev, but there are few hotel near it. Therefore, you will have to either take the subway at Vokzalna station (Kiev Central Railway Station) or catch a taxi to your hotel. The subway is the most convenient and fastest way to get around if you consider using public transportation.

What accommodation in Kiev to choose?

Prices start from $4 per night for a basic bed in centrally located hostel and $20-30 for a room with a double bed. Just as well there is a wide range of luxury properties for rent.

The question is in what area of Kiev to stay?

Kiev is divided into 10 districts located on both sides of Dnipro river.

The main and important districts for tourists are: Pechers’kyi, Podil's'kyi and Holosiivs'kyi districts.

We recommend staying in Pechers’kyi district, especially near subway stations Universitet, Klovska:

Podil's'kyi district:

Holosiivs'kyi district:

Where to eat in Kiev?

Kiev has a huge number of restaurants and cafes that offer international and Ukrainian cuisine, budget and fine dining, vegetarian and vegan too. And the best news about this are the prices – food is very affordable but it doesn’t anyhow influence the quality. Here is our selection of places that we personally checked out and loved.

Affordable places:

Druzi cafe – inexpensive prices, international cuisine, up to date seasonal menu, and refreshing cider available in different flavors. Also huge amount of board games available.
Salateira – a chain of self-service cafés with large portions of fresh soups and salads, which can be that operates on free ingredient choice basis. Great choice for a fast-healthy meal.

Mid range:

Zigzag cafe – a place for those who love wine and jazz, for fans of Ukrainian avant-garde, for travelers and any creative personalities. There you can feel the atmosphere of old Kiev or Europe, and in the evenings they dim the lights and light candles.
Shoti – amazing Georgian cuisine and wine for good prices. In the restaurant where everything is thought out to the smallest detail. The interior designed by an Italian designer is strict, minimalistic, but at the same time filled with symbols. The menu contains dishes from all Georgian regions, and the recipes are as close as possible to the original cuisine.
Napule pizzeria – authentic Neapolitan pizza cooked in a custom made oven, the restaurant holds Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana certificate.

High-end:

IBSEN – the restaurant of Scandinavian cuisine that offers a wide range of seafood. You can choose oysters, lobsters or other seafood while it’s still raw get it cooked in a variety of ways – steamed, in salt, on the grill or in a pan, the chef will surprise you with the exceptional cooking skills.
BAO Modern Chinese Cuisine – luxury Chinese restaurant with modern cuisine that serves everything from DimSam to mouthwatering desserts.

Is tap water potable in Kiev?

We advise you to buy bottled water for drinking, as the quality of tap water in Kiev leaves much to be desired. Many Ukrainians, however, drink tap water on a daily basis. So, we believe a couple of glasses should not affect you in any way.

Cellular service in Ukraine

The most popular mobile operators in Ukraine are MTS-Ukraine, Kyivstar, Life – all of them have large coverage, and a wide range of services including international roaming. The prices for the packages are pretty similar, around $4–5 for a monthly plan.

Sim card packages are sold everywhere: in mobile operators’ centers, in shops, in the subway and right on the streets. Each operator has different tariff plans, so you can choose the most convenient one.

When buying a SIM card from any mobile operator, you are not required to provide a passport.