That was until March 27th 2011 when the Wizz Air flights were moved from Terminal F of Kiev Boryspil to Zhuliani, which is a good airport for low cost companies.

Airport Zhulyany di Kiev

How to reach the airport

- From the main station: Trolleybus 9
- Form the trade center Boshevik (metro Shulyavskaya), trolleybus 22 o mashrutka taxi 213
- Metro Petrovka, mashrutka taxi 499, 496
- Metro Kontraktovaya plosha, mashrutka taxi 302

Trolley Zhuliani

From the railway station is possible to reach the airport by car in just 15 – 20 mins.

The Check – in

Just inside the terminal you will find the check in counters in a corridor on the left.

Inside the airport

The check in counters are simple but in good number, the luggage is simply weighted on a normal balance.

Area Check – in (notice the balances)

Once the boarding card is issued, your luggage will be taken by some man and brought to the plane.

Check – in counters

In the “hall” there are is also a king of waiting room and some vending machines (ex. the one for to recharge the phone).

waiting room Zhuliani

Passport control and security checks

With your boarding card you can proceed to the boarding room through a door with a large sign “Wizz Air Boarding” .

Door which lead to the security check

This door leads to an open air area that connect with another building where the controls will take place.

Zhuliani

From that door you will reach the controls zone

- Security check, here will be checked your luggage
- Passport control, they will put the stamp on your passport (the immigration card is not more required)

Boarding area

After these controls you will finally reach the waiting room where you can wait for the boarding time.

boarding area Zhuliani

Since there are not other planes, the take off is quite fast.

Wizz Air planes

In the waiting room should be also a Duty free. (the airport was partially renewed with the coming of Wizz Air)

For to know more

Official site of Zhulyany airport: http://www.airport.kiev.ua

Terminal F Kiev airport

Previously, all international flights were departing and arriving at the Terminal B. Now with the exception of some flights, especially those of Aerosvit, almost all others companies (Lufthansa, Alitalia, etc …) use the new terminal.

The new terminal is situated not far from the other terminals. Terminal A (domestic flights) is  within a walking distance from Terminal F.

Terminal F, airport of Kiev Boryspol

As soon as we got off the plane we arrived (via bus) in a large room where there is the passport control. The counters are divided into three types: citizens of Ukraine, No Visa or Visa. In reality this devision is not strictly followed.

After the passport control (the immigration card is not more required), we arrive in the baggage claim area.

After the passport control

Pick up your luggage and proceed as usual to customs control (Green or Red Channel). We crossed the green one and we were asked to put our luggage in a scanner. Nobody asked us to open our bag.

Finally you will get in the public area where you will be met by several taxi drivers waiting for customers. (say niet and they will let you alone)

Area arrivi, Terminale F aeroporto di Kiev

Arrivals, Kiev airport

Outside the terminal there is a large parking lot, many “taxi” and should be also there a bus stop of Polit.
Who wants to go to the hotel of the airport, there is a free shuttle few meters away (between Terminal F and Terminal B, it is a white minibus Mercedes).

So far we don’t have more information to share:)

For to know more:

Official site of Boryspol airport: http://kbp.com.ua/english/general/index.html

It was of course a joke, but anyway it really exist and it is possible to see it together with many other more serious things at the Water information center of Kiev. (Водно-інформаційний центр).

It is a place where you can learn many interesting things about water and they way we waste it…

Water information center of Kiev

Address: ul. Grushevskogo, 1v (Kreshchatyy park) Kiev
Web site: http://aqua-kiev.info

They are composed by wagon of first and second class with only sitting places divided in compartment of 6 places (we tried only the first class).

Stolychnyi ekspres Kyiv – Kharkiv

Locomotiv Siemens. Train Kyiv – Kharkiv

Locomotiv stolychnyi ekspres

Train Kyiv – Kharkiv

Stolychnyi ekspres, waiting at the Kyiv’s station

Wagon of the train Kyiv – Kharkiv

Stolychnyi ekspres Kyiv – Dnipropetrovsk

Train Kiev – Dnipropetrovsk

Stolichniy-express to Dnipropetrovsk

Inside wagons

First class wagons are quite clean and offer a good comfort.

Corridor train Kyiv – Dnipropetrovsk

Corridor first class wagon, stolychnyi ekspres

The are equipped with very nice reclining seats and in the middle of the compartment there is also a small table.

Compartment of the train Kyiv – Dnipropetrovsk

As in the “renewed” wagons, there is a control panel (lights, radio, wc status and AC plug).

The control panel inside the compartment

In each compartment there are 2 monitors where is possible to watch movies in Russian language.

One of the monitors, train Kyiv – Dnipropetrovsk

Toilets of the train

There are 2 WC for each wagon and, at least in the first class, they look even better that the ones available on the renewed sleeping cars. They look very clean and have also a dispenser of hygienic paper covering for WC.

Toilet of the train Kyiv – Dnipropetrovsk

WC of the train Kyiv – Dnipropetrovsk

Price of the tickets

First class tickets are quite expensive if compared with the elekrickas’ ones. Anyway it is possible to feel the difference.
The first class during our trip was almost empty.

One way ticket for the route Kyiv – Kharkiv
1 class: 176.17 UAH
2 class: 104.43 UAH

Videos of Ukrainian trains

Train “Zakarpattia” departing from Kiev:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6k7Z4mN5Clg

Freight train in Donetsk:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhPAFR4myPk

Other kind of Ukrainian trains

Elektrichka (Электричка) or Elektropoezd
http://en.ukrlandia.com.ua/elektricka

Overnight trains
http://www.ukrlandia.com.ua/treni-ucraini

Train timetable

http://www.uz.gov.ua (site in Russian and Ukrainian)

It is not a complex thing, the terminal A is just at few meters from the main terminal (B).

Just outside the terminal B, there is a signboard showing the direction for to reach the other two terminals (A and C).

Signboard showing the direction to reach the Borispol’s terminals

Turn to the right (as described on the signboard) and follow the white stripes on the ground for to reach the terminal A.

Way to the terminal A of Kiev Borispol

Along the way to the terminal A, you can find several sits which are a very good place where to have rest when the weather is good.

From terminal B to terminal A of Borispol airport

Walking along the white stripes, you will see a large signboard with written “Терминал А”, we are already very close to our destination.

Next to the terminal A of Kyiv Boryspil

Few steps and we are arrived, the building in front of you is the terminal A.

The terminal A of Kiev Borispol

Video of the “tour” Terminal B to Terminal A

You can see the video guide on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vQ0DC_7QA4

Have a nice flight:)

For further information

Kyiv Boryspil official website:
http://www.airport-borispol.kiev.ua

Guide to the Terminal B of Kiev Borispol:
http://en.ukrlandia.com.ua/borispol-terminal-b

Guide to the Terminal A of Kyiv Boryspil:
http://en.ukrlandia.com.ua/boryspil-terminal-a

How to reach the Borispol airport:
http://en.ukrlandia.com.ua/polit-boryspol

Boryspil airport terminal B

This is for sure the largest and modernest terminal of Ukraine. From here arrive and depart all the main national and most of all international airlines: Lufthansa, Delta, Airfrance, British airways, Alitalia etc.

Inside the terminal: Public area

Once inside the terminal B, you will find a large waiting room where you can wait for the check-ins checking time the situation of you flight on the monitors.

Inside the terminal B

The waiting room is often crowded and it is not easy to find a free sit.

At few steps from the entrance you can find a bar, it is not the only one in the building, you can find some other ones before and also after the check-ins.

The bar next to the entrance of the terminal B

Se ne avete bisogno, potete chiedere informazioni ai vari sportelli delle compagnie aeree che operano su questo aeroporto…

Alitalia and Delta’s offices at Boryspil

Or if you prefer you can take advantage of the multilingual information points (Easy Kiosk) available in Borispol.

Information point at Borispol airport

Multilingual touch screen

Inside the public area of the airport (the area before the check-ins) you can also find some ATM and other machines for to recharge the credit of your mobile phone (read post).

Arrivals

On the left, shoulder to the entrance, you will see the arrivals’ area. Here is the exit door of the baggage claim area.

Arrivals at the Borispol airport

This is the strategical area where taxi drivers wait for the coming passengers. Jjust say “net spasibo” (no thank you) if you don’t want a taxi. They will not push you too much.

Next to this area, you can also find some shops (MTS, Kyivstar) a newsstand and the Budget’s office (car rental).

The office of this car rental company is also the place where Turtess (an Ukrainian tour operator) give tickets to the departing passengers. So you might find no few people waiting outside it… (ask what they are waiting for, before to make the queue).

Departures

Walking in the opposite direction of the arrivals’ area, you will find several offices of different airlines companies, a small shop of souvenirs and on the left (next to the monitors) some stairs which bring to the toilets.

To the check-ins

Keeping going in this direction you will arrive in the area just before the entrance to the check-ins (restricted area). Here in general there are not few people waiting for the check-in time.

L’area prima dei check-ins a Boryspil

You can enter in the restricted area only when the check-in for your flight starts. You need to show your ticket for to enter in this area.

Green and Red corridor at Borispol

Once inside you need to chose if to go straight to the check-ins (Green corridor) or if to stop and declare something (read post) at the custom control (Red corridor), you can find some custom declaration form right in this area.

By experience we can say that in Borispol, when you depart, unless you will not stop to declare something , nobody will ask you anything.  Anyway everything is possible.

If you have filed out a custom declaration at your arrival in Ukraine, it maybe asked now.

Check-ins’ area at Kiev Borispol

Restricted area: Departures

After the check-in, take the escalators and go upstairs with your boarding card.

Once upstairs, you will have probable to pass first the security check and only after it the passport control which is some meter after it.

At the passport control, you need to show your passport and to give the side of the immigration card you got at your arrival in Ukraine.

Done even this, you are free to wait your flight in the waiting room.

The waiting room is divided in two areas:

- A smaller waiting room next to the gates from B7 to B11.

- A much larger one next to the gates from B1 to B6.

In the first waiting rooms you will find several sits, a bar, WC and most of all a large and very nice Duty Free.

Waiting room in Kiev Borispol (Gates B9-B11)

Duty free Kiev Borispol

The next and larger waiting room is possible to reach taking the stairs under the panel (Gates B1 – B6). You can come and go back from a waiting room to the other one without any restriction.

To the new waiting room

Just after the stairs, on the left, there is a nice souvenirs shop, selling typical Ukrainian stuff.

Souvenirs shop in Borispol

In this room you will find some bar an another Duty Free of smaller dimensions at the end of the room.

If you want to have just some rest, you can for sure find a place where to sit.

Sala d’imbarco di Kyiv Boryspil

WC are available in both waiting rooms.

Restricted area: Arrivals

Once outside your plane, you will be brought to a large room where you will have to pass the passport control.

The queue are divided according to the nationality. Some are just for Ukrainian citizens, other ones for all foreigners and one more is only for the crew.

Often all these division are not respected so in you queue you can find in front of you several people holding Ukrainian passports…

The most important thing, is not to lose time filling out the immigration card (read post) the soonest possible. In general they give it directly on the plane. If not you can find many of them right in this room.

Remember to fill out both sides of the immigration card (Arrival and Departure).

The officer, will put a stamp on your passport and on both sides of the immigration card. He will give your passport back together with the Departure side of the immigration card which you need to keep until your departure.

Now you can finally catch you luggage at the baggage claim area. In this room you can also find WC, customs declaration forms and most of all very nice and totally free maps of Kiev (they are free because they are full of advertising).

With you luggage, go to the customs control. Here you need again to chose if to take the “Green Corridor” or the “Red Corridor”. If you need to declare something, remember to fill our the customs declaration (read post).

Here the situation differ from the one at the departure. Control are more frequent and even if you take the “Green Corridor”, they can ask you to open the bag.

After this last check, you can finally go out to the public area of the airport where taxi drivers are waiting for you.

For further information

Kyiv Boryspil official website:
http://www.airport-borispol.kiev.ua

Guide to the Terminal A of Kyiv Boryspil:
http://en.ukrlandia.com.ua/boryspil-terminal-a

How to reach the Borispol airport:
http://en.ukrlandia.com.ua/polit-boryspol

In this post we will discover what are the buses called Polit Полит and why, from our point of view, are the best way to reach Kiev.

What are Polit Полит buses?

Polit are buses which connect the Boryspil airport with Kiev.
They are not all identical but there are buses of different brand and dimensions.
Some are large buses and other are just mashrutke.

Two large buses polit…

another polit bus, this time yellow

…a polit bus of smaller dimensions…

…another one even smaller and older…

…a Polit – Mashrutka, waiting outside the Kiev railway station

How to recognize them

It is possible to recognize them from the plate with the number “322” and the direction of the Bus (Boryspil).

Notice the number 322 on the plate

Where they go and where they depart

They connect the Kiev Boryspil airport with the Kiev railway station.

The raid last 50 minutes with only one intermediate stop before the airport

These buses depart from the parking just in front of the terminal B (on the left of the parking)

Buses parking area

In Kiev are possible to be found right outside the main railway station (new side).

From here depart buses to the airport

This is the signboard of Polit buses at the Kiev railway station

Once at the railway station, you can get to the metro “Vokzal Вокзал” and from there reach your final destination. The metro station is next to the old side of the railway station.

Price

A one way ticket cost 25 Hryvnia about 2 euro/person. There is not difference of price if you take a large bus or a small one.

A ticket for the route Kiev – Borispol

You can buy the tickets directly on the bus, the driver will collect the money and give the tickets before
the bus will depart.

Inside the bus

These buses are in general quite comfortable with obvious differences between new and old buses.

Inside a Polit bus (blu)

Inside another polit bus (the black bus)

A detail of the sits

Polit timetable

Orario degli autobus Polit

During the day they depart every 15 – 20 min. In the night they depart every 50 min.

Autobus VS Taxi and similar

From our point of view, there is not any reason to prefer a taxi at a bus (if you are not in a great hurry)

Buses may take some extra minute but the price difference is evident. Taxi cost much more and the price change according to the driver which sometimes just drive his own car and has not taximeter. With buses you know the price from the very beginning and this price doesn’t became 10 times more if you are foreigner.

If you want to take anyway a taxi, ask the price before to say yes.

Apart of buses and taxi, are also popular those transfers offered by hotels, travel agencies and so on…
Here you may get a driver that speak your language but the price is usually higher than the one of normal taxis.

In the end if you don’t need to run, save money and travel safely inside a polit.

The airport is divided in 3 terminals:
Terminal A: Domestic flights
Terminal B: International flights (the largest one)
Terminal C: only for VIP

These terminals are not connected between each other.
For to move from ex. from Terminal B to Terminal A you have to walk outside (in the parking) for about 100m.

Terminal A and terminal B are very different from each other. While the terminal B is large and modern, terminal A is quite small and offer only the basic services. The terminal C is for VIP.

The terminal A

The terminal B

Entrance of the terminal C

The airport is well connected with the city center by buses and taxis which depart from the parking just outside the terminal B.

Further information

Boryspil airport official website:
http://www.airport-borispol.kiev.ua

Guide to the Terminal A
http://en.ukrlandia.com.ua/boryspil-terminal-a

Here we will talk about the procedure required for the Italian citizens. For other countries can be different.

This procedure is also required for to get the visa from the embassy.

1 You must bring the wedding certificate to the RAGZ of your city.

Donetsk RAGZ (close to the ZUM)

At the RAGZ you will be asked to fill out some document and then to pay (through bank which is not inside the RAGZ, you can find one at the ZUM)

Once you have done all this they will put a stamp on your wedding certificate.

Required time: few hours.

When to come: in the morning.

Price: about 50 Hryvnia

2

Now go to Kiev and bring the certificate to the Consular Department of the Ukrainian Foreign Affairs for to the legalization.

The department is different from the one where you brought the Nulla osta.
This time it is located in Рыльский пер. Ryl’skiy per., next to the Cathedral of Saint Sofia.

Entrance of the department.

In this office you need once again to fill out different documents and to pay in the same way as before. There is a bank next to the department.

In general there are many people, but not all them are there for the same thing. Ask before to make the queue.

This office work expecially for Italy and some other countries ask for to know to which office to go.

Required time: you have your certificate back the same day in the afternoon.

Timetable: bring the certificate from 9 to 12 and get it back from 16 to 17.

Prezzo: about 50 Hryvnia

3 Once your certificate is ready, you can bring it for the translation. This operation has to be done by a translator accreditated by the Italian Embassy. Ask the list of them directly at the embassy (you can send an email).

Required time: Depend on the translator, in general about 1 day.

Price: 50 Hryvnia

In the next post we will talk about the transcription of the wedding in Italy and how to get the visa from the Italian embassy.

Wedding procedures

1 For the list of documents given by the Italian Embassy in Kiev (in Italian) visit:
http://www.ukrlandia.com.ua/matrimonio-in-ucraina

2 How to get the Nulla osta from the embassy:
http://en.ukrlandia.com.ua/get-nulla-osta-wedding

3 What to do once you have gotten your nulla osta:
http://en.ukrlandia.com.ua/after-nulla-osta-ukraine

4 For to know which documents bring to the ZAGS:
http://en.ukrlandia.com.ua/wedding-documents-zags

5 Fill out the wedding request form at the ZAGS (translated in English):
http://en.ukrlandia.com.ua/wedding-applicance-ukraine

6 The wedding day
http://en.ukrlandia.com.ua/wedding-day