A Few Travel Questions

[XMan]

In no particular order:

1) Anyone been through KBP (Kiev) airport since last September?  Wondering if there is any new construction, changes in the terminals, anything else I should be aware of. 

2) Haven't been to Kharkov in 3 years.  Stopping there for a while, then onto Chernovtsy.  Changes to the airport in Kharkov?  Any heads-up on anything related to travel there?  Never had any problem when I was there previously, but seems I read a thread somewhere a few months ago about corrupt Customs / bribes or something.  Or perhaps I am misremembering.  Never had a problem with that in Ukraine, but had some real problems in Russia in the past.

3) Anyone use 3G on a laptop there?  My preference is an apartment with Wi-Fi, but it seems few of the ones I have seen have Wi-Fi in the apartment (though I had it in Chernovtsy).  Never have a need for 3G here, so I hesitate to get the hardware I would need to for a Macbook Air.  (Incredibly lightweight and very convenient, but at times a pain of a laptop.)

4) As an extension of #3 above, if you have a specific apartment rental agency (or whatever you wish to call it), or even a specific apartment that you liked in Kharkov, I'd be interested in knowing about it.  You can post it or PM me.  I prefer to be somewhere near the city center.  I stayed in one I liked quite a bit 3 years ago, but no Internet access then or now, even though it's one of the more "high-end" apartments with 2 bedrooms.  I did like the location and how the apartment was equipped otherwise.  But having to try to get 3G working in Ukraine, or walking to a cafe with wireless access every time I need to check something work-related, is not something I'm too excited about.

Thanks.

[dbneeley]

XMan,

I haven't yet been in it, but the international terminal has changed to the new terminal F at Borispyl.

3G dongles are readily available here from the various cell suppliers. They seem to run 300 to 400 griven for the dongle, plus of course the air time charges. Any cell phone shop should be able to fix you up with that--but I have no idea about software requirements for the Macbook to use one. I believe the typical airtime card is good for 5 GB of data in a month--that is what a friend has, anyway, with his. I believe he uses MTS, but they are available from others as well, including Kyivstar at least.

As for Kharkov, I'm afraid I can't help you as I've never been there.

David

[ace131]

Hello Xmas,
 there is one British man from Kharkiv. he is married to a lady from Kharkiv and has a few apartments for renting in Kharkiv. i will try to find him and let you know.
by the way if need nay help from Chernivtsy with anything let me know. i am from Chernivtsi.

guide-interpreter

[Kuna]

In no particular order:

1) Anyone been through KBP (Kiev) airport since last September?  Wondering if there is any new construction, changes in the terminals, anything else I should be aware of. 

Came out via Borispol in early October and it was all basically the same as my previous visits.  I think inside the Passport line there have been some renovations but nothing that will confuse you.

3) Anyone use 3G on a laptop there?  My preference is an apartment with Wi-Fi, but it seems few of the ones I have seen have Wi-Fi in the apartment (though I had it in Chernovtsy).  Never have a need for 3G here, so I hesitate to get the hardware I would need to for a Macbook Air.  (Incredibly lightweight and very convenient, but at times a pain of a laptop.)

If you've got a 3G phone that can tether (like an iPhone) you can buy a prepaid SIM with a data package. I was pre-paying I think 100Grivna at a time,  using HEAPS of data (ended up having to work for a bit while away), and found it to be very convenient and very economical.

[Vinnvinny]

3G can be very patchy dependant upon your location. Both international terminals at Borispol are currently being used as certain airlines are still using the old one. I have been through both several times recently, passport control has been a breeze at the old one but very slow at the new one.

[ML]

My Kharkiv report in the trip section addresses many of your questions.

[Nat]

3) Anyone use 3G on a laptop there?  My preference is an apartment with Wi-Fi, but it seems few of the ones I have seen have Wi-Fi in the apartment (though I had it in Chernovtsy).  Never have a need for 3G here, so I hesitate to get the hardware I would need to for a Macbook Air.  (Incredibly lightweight and very convenient, but at times a pain of a laptop.)

There are plenty of ISPs offering 3G, but be careful - only one or 2 have actual 3G, others offer low speed and ban VoIP, so Skype won't work. It's better to figure that out before buying a modem and a sim-card.

[XMan]

Thanks all.

KLM flight coming from Amsterdam to Kiev, not sure which terminal, if F, then I guess it will be a new experience.  I have a 2 hour cushion, so hopefully will be OK before catching the next flight.

Appreciate it ACE131.  I have everything lined up in Chernovtsy, but I will contact you if I need assistance.

I'll review your Kharkov thread, ManLooking.

Thanks

[LAman]

Xman......that KLM flight is probably a codeshare with Ukrainian airlines which flights do land in Terminal F. Not that far a walk to Terminal A (if domestic flight). A 2 hour cushion is not a lot depending on on-time flight, immigration and picking up luggage. Have a nice trip!!

[dbneeley]

KLM may have some code shares into Kyiv from Amsterdam, but they also fly there directly. That is how I traveled on my trip to Texas last Summer.

In either event, you'll probably go to Terminal F anyway.

If you travel with only a carry-on bag, you can be among the first in line at passport control and thus you should be fine with a two-hour window. Otherwise, you may be in for a rather tight schedule.

Personally, I vote for the carry-on-only approach wherever possible.

David

[Vinnvinny]

It's possible to see which airline is using which terminal here:

http://www.flightstats.com/go/FlightStatus/flightStatusByAirport.do

[erudite]

I have made four trips through Kharkiv and Borispol Airports since mid November, arriving and departing.  They are a breeze and the Kharkiv airport is particularly nice even compared to Terminal F at Borispol.  Customs does not even ask for forms any longer and I have not been delayed or hassled in either situation except for the resident parasite Policeman that occasionally shows up at the Kharkiv airport seeking a bribe.

I saw him only once in November when I was leaving Kharkiv.  Smooth travel too.  You can eat a nice breakfast in the Kharkiv terminal if you have an early flight.  Terminal A in Borispol hasn't changed much in looks or amenities in the past several years nor has the main terminal but Terminal F is beautiful and very nice with a lot of duty free shops upstairs once you clear customs.  Everyone I crossed paths with in these terminals was courteous, helpful and friendly with the exception of the parasite policeman and he is just a nuisance, even the Ukrainians hate him because he gives a bad impression of the country to travelers.

If you have an overweight bag or an extra bag be aware that you will have to pay by Credit Card or in Hryvna and there is no exchange for this currency in Terminal F in Borispol.  Either weigh your bag(s) before and keep them close to 20KG or have some extra Hryvna on hand.  Also the Duty Free shops upstairs at Borispol will take Credit Cards, Euros or US Currency as do the two restaurants (there is a TGIF Fridays there of all places).

If you want a nice apartment or some other local service in Kharkiv, I can provide you with a very reliable local guide and translator who is a member of this forum.  They have been my only guides in Kharkiv on four trips and are completely trustworthy.  I have been staying at a very nice and well located three room apartment on Gagarina Street the last three trips.  This is just down the road from the airport and is a very good location being close to Metallist Stadium. Just send me a private email for the contact information.  

[LAman]

KLM may have some code shares into Kyiv from Amsterdam, but they also fly there directly. That is how I traveled on my trip to Texas last Summer.

In either event, you'll probably go to Terminal F anyway.

 David

David.....you probably had an KLM flight but it was still a codeshare flight with Delta and UIA and any flight(international?) associated with UIA will fly into Terminal F.....as far as I can tell........just as a flight (AF)from Paris-KBP would. be. 

[XMan]

Appreciate the terminal F info, and hope to avoid the bribe seeker(s).
Fairly certain it is codeshare Delta/KLM/UIA, so most likely F.

Actually, it's a 2 hour 20 minute window switching terminals / flights in Kiev, so I feel a little more comfortable with that. 

Would love to do carry-on only, but just not possible for me.  I do stay at least 2kg under on the checked bag.  6Kg total weight on the carry on bag (reading Aerosvit's website regarding weight limitations).  That's fairly limiting for a carry-on, but such is life.

Thanks again.

[ML]

XMan, you can avoid some of the luggage weight hassles regarding local flights by flying directly from Vienna to Kharkiv on Austrian Air.

[XMan]

XMan, you can avoid some of the luggage weight hassles regarding local flights by flying directly from Vienna to Kharkiv on Austrian Air.

Wish I could.  Looked into it, actually, before acquiring my current itinerary.  From where I must fly, it added $1,000 to my ticket price.  Of course, had no choice but to deal with the hassles of an extra flight, switching terminals in Kiev, luggage issues, etc.

Thanks.

[poacher]

My wife is from Kharkov. I had at least 7 trips to go see her. Flying from the USA it was at least $1000 extra. Me and my buddy whose fiancee is here in the US is from Kharkov too. It was soooo much cheaper to take the Autolux bus or the scary Aerosvit flights. I'm a bus guy personally. Luckily I am not going back for a while. I"m all about Boryspil to save some jack. My Russki wife takes enough of my nickel. PS. I'm half drunk.

[ML]

Interesting the differences we encounter.  So far for me, the flight tickets have been less expensive to fly into Kharkiv via Vienna rather than route through Kyiv.  Maybe next time I will  encounter something different.

[erudite]

There is a GREAT deal of difference in PRICE and Layover times by booking a flight from DFW in Dallas to Kyiv and then a local to Kharkiv than by booking a trip straight through to Kharkiv.  So I always book from DFW to Kyiv and then book the local flight from Kyiv to Kharkiv and save the money and the wasted time.  Two totally different round trip bookings.  Easy deal to do because I HATE long layovers and don't want to sleep in an air terminal if I can avoid it. The flights I get usually take from 17:00 to 19:00 hours total from DFW to Kyiv. Then another hour to Kharkiv after three hours in Borispol.

All you need to do is arrange the schedules to match and allow for some arrival and plane change times.  There are three regular daily flights from Kyiv to Kharkiv, one early, one at 15:20 and another at about 22:00.  So if you arrive before 15:20 into Kyiv, you can catch the 15:20 flight from Terminal A to Kharkiv (if you miss the 15:20 you can wait and get the next flight).  The Kyiv to Kharkiv flight usually costs about $320.00 but I have found it for about $300.00 sometimes on OneTravel.com.  I use SkySkanner.com to book the local flight always and shop all the other internet sites for the long flights from Texas and the USA.  AeroSvit has a direct flight from NYC JFK to Kharkiv but you have to get to NYC JFK and the prices for those tickets are usually over $400.00 so it costs more and sometimes you have to arrive in Newark and taxi to JFK.  I don't like to think about doing that with traffic as it is in NY. 

Conversely returning you will need to leave Kharkiv on the 6:50 or 7:00 flight back to Kyiv and catch the flights out of Kyiv about two or three hours later to various places.  The flight is on some very nice commuter jets and used to be Soviet Air Force surplus planes that were just sort of an adventure to ride all by themselves.  It is only an hour flight in any case.  I have ridden the bus once and although I treasure the experience, I swore never to do it again.  To leave Kharkiv in the middle of the night to catch the early bird flights out of Kyiv is really a bummer and leave your sweetie at the bus terminal parking lot in Kharkiv waving to you through the bus windows.  A novel could not have a more bittersweet farewell.

[dbneeley]

Erudite,

Your experience with booking flights separately for the Kyiv/Kharkiv part of your journey to save cash is precisely my experience with the Donetsk/Kyiv part of my journey. To book the entire trip out of Donetsk and back here was right at $300 more than the tickets from and to Kyiv, while the Donetsk/Kyiv/Donetsk round trip on Donbassaero goes for $97 with a ten day advance.

Speaking of regional airlines, I did notice that Donbassaero services Kharkiv, but their online timetable seems to be down at the moment. I was very pleased with their equipment and their service, but I would certainly not class all the local carriers here equally.

David

[XMan]

Booking a separate Aerosvit flight from Kiev to Kharkov is what saves the $1,000 in my case. Far cheaper to fly Delta and partners from where I live to Kiev, then book a different internal Ukrainian flight.  Flying direct to Kharkov really gets into some serious cash (again, from where I reside). 

Had driver take me once from Kiev to Kharkov.  $250 one way. 
Ditto for Kiev to Chernovtsy.  9 hours and $300 driving over some of the worst roads ever constructed by humankind, or 1.5 hours and $115 flying.  The last couple of trips I decided to stick with flying.  Hopefully the risk is not too high.

Wanted to fly to Lviv once. Triple the cost of flying to Kiev and booking a separate flight from Kiev to Lviv. 

The SAAB A380 Turboprop actually worked out OK.  But I fly on that frequently here as well (and believe it or not, the Aerosvit version seemed to be in better condition)
. 
10 flights ahead of me on this round trip.  Hopefully all goes well.  Plenty of places to have luggage lost, delays, cancellations, etc., that is for certain.

[Shostakovich]

Check my recent report on Kharkiv; Oooh-Weee ..., which sets the standard by which all Kharkiv trip reports are now judged.

[ML]

One other factor to be considered.  When you book different legs separately, your luggage will not be forwarded to you if it doesn't arrive on the plane with you.

Conversely, if you book all the legs with same airline, they will get your luggage to you on the next available flight into your final destination.

This is all a tradeoff between total costs, convience times, waiting time between flights, luggage costs, luggage forwarding, etc.

Keeps us sharp figuring the angles.

[XMan]

One other factor to be considered.  When you book different legs separately, your luggage will not be forwarded to you if it doesn't arrive on the plane with you.

Conversely, if you book all the legs with same airline, they will get your luggage to you on the next available flight into your final destination.

This is all a tradeoff between total costs, convience times, waiting time between flights, luggage costs, luggage forwarding, etc.

Keeps us sharp figuring the angles.

Indeed.
In my case, even if I had to stop in Kiev and wait for lost luggage (and therefore miss my Aerosvit flight), I lose a small amount of cash and just buy the next ticket available.  A hassle, but less expensive.  Hopefully doesn't become an issue....

[dbneeley]

When checking luggage, I prefer to check it to the next destination, then recheck it for the next flight. I find that most mis-routed luggage happens at those kinds of flight changes.

However, whenever possible I fly with carry-on luggage only. That is faster, simpler, and far less trouble-prone. (I did this on the way to the States for a six-week visit this past summer, by the way.)

The rest resource I have found is www.onebag.com to learn about how to travel very light.

David