How to make it to Kiev airport in time for check-in?

[The Natural]

My flight back home from Kiev, Borispol, is on June 13 at 08:50. We're looking at possibilities of getting there in time for checking in, but we are unsure as to how much time we should be there in advance.


First flight from Simferopol is too late. We can take the overnight train which will be at the train station in Kiev at 06:33. Then there's transportation time from the train station to the airport. 60-90 minutes? I guess the Euro 2012 Football championships will be then and not sure if I should allow for extra check-in time at the airport.


One option is to arrive the day before in Kiev. But is there any available hotel rooms/apartment?


Any tips and insights here, folks?

[Shadow]

With the bus expect 90 minutes rather than 60 as traffic will be present. As the Euro will just have started, there should not be a lot of people leaving hovewer the time window is pretty short.
Kiev does have a good hotel capacity, but with French, English and Swedih playing there it would be wise to find reservarions early. There are hotels located at or near the airport.

[Patagonie]

It should be ok.  Don't loose time after the train station, get a taxi, you mustn't pay more than 170 grv. If you have trafic jam, you will need one hour or a little more. Without 40 minutes. At Boryspol, play the security, register your luggage as soon as possible and assess the line along the security check (upper level) of the new terminal. If you want a taxi i know one, so PM but as this guy is highly reliable so you should consider to  pay him a little bit  more (at this moment perhaps he don't still work as a taxi).

[The Natural]

Thanks shadow and Patagonie,


Traffic is an issue and we will certainly take a taxi and not a bus. After breakfast, we will go to the train station where my girl will ask for info about a possible train arriving in Kiev at 05:05. She found the times on the net but said one can't be certain before asking about it at the train station.


Don't mind the taxi fare and your tip about a driver is welcomed. I'll get back to you if this will be our plan.

[BdHvA]

You have a very small window from arrival at the train station to departure from the airport.

The taxi's around the train station tend to charge more. But the bigger issue is you most likely will leave from the new terminal that may or may not be fully working! What this will mean with your time is a guess at this moment.

[XMan]

It was very slow getting through the lines at Terminal F, and it was not a busy time of year during my last trip. 

If you can get a decent hotel room, stay overnight in Kiev. 

IMO, it is not worth the hassle of missing a flight and changing your itinerary.

[LAman]

I think it all depends on what you are comfortable with.....i just don't like any kind of stress/worries when on vacation. Many times when I have morning flight out of Kiev, i just fly in night before and stay at Borispol hotel( short walk or use tram) and get good night sleep. Usually costs around ~$65usd, only problem is it is cheaper to get room when at hotel ( you run risk of fully booked) or pay addl fee and book ahead of time on Borispol site.
Question.....why are you using train?

[Patagonie]

You can gain a lot of time by asking the driver to let you at the entrance of the airport and go by foot, it is no more than 500 meters and it worths it. The parking of the new terminal is a trap in car.

[Boethius]

Go to Kyiv the night before.  It won't be worth the hassle and expense if you miss your flight.

[onlyFSU4me]

Go to Kyiv the night before.  It won't be worth the hassle and expense if you miss your flight.

 X2,  I've had the same problem getting back to Kiev in time for a morning flight in time from Dnepropetrovsk. If everything went right I could make it but just barely and if anything went wrong I'd miss the flight. Play it safe and get there the day before.

[The Natural]

I will depart from Terminal B if that makes any difference. Yes, it is close and I'm not thrilled about being stressed for time. We didn't go to the train station yesterday, but will today.


Can't take the plane from Simferopol because the first one goes at 7 which is way too late. Cost much more too and as the overnight train ride was very comfortable, I'd rather leave the saved money with my girl.


We did a quick check on hotel prices in Kiev. It was vastly more expensive than normal, must be because of the Euro 2012.

[onlyFSU4me]

Try looking in Borispol. I stayed at a nice bed and breakfast there last november and the owner even gave me a ride to the airport the next day to catch my flight. I cant seem to find the contact info for that place but it was 45 bucks a night at the time, cheaper than most places we could find in Kiev and it was nice and close to the airport.

[Vinnvinny]

Assuming your train arrives on time it will be a breeze. At that time in the morning it shouldn't take no more 45 minutes. Given the overall cost of your journey I wouldn't be refusing to pay more than 170 griefnotes. 250 should get you the first driver you see.


I've never been held up in traffic at the airport  so I'd ditch the idea of walking with your luggage 500m as a taxi will drop you off right outside terminal B. Since F opened B seems much quicker these days but you could always push to the from of the check-in, security and passport queues and with the latter two just flash your boarding cards and say to the people at the front your flight is boarding and the guy back there said come to the front (as you point back toward security).

[gabrielly]

I think it will take u 2 hours (+- 15 min). Traffic in Kiev during Euro-2012 will be overfilled and will be a lot of tubes.

[Vinnvinny]

I think it will take u 2 hours (+- 15 min). Traffic in Kiev during Euro-2012 will be overfilled and will be a lot of tubes.

As there are no games in Kiev on the 13th, or either the day before or after, I fail to see how it will be 2 or 3 times busier outbound to the airport at 6:30 in the morning.

[Shadow]

As there are no games in Kiev on the 13th, or either the day before or after, I fail to see how it will be 2 or 3 times busier outbound to the airport at 6:30 in the morning.

The extra traffic will be from the tourists that are present, combined with the normal traffic.
The airport itself will probably not be extra busy at that time, apart from those who are fleeing for the hordes of foreigners.

[SteveOR]

 
FWIW, I walked in the door at Terminal F on the Monday after Orthodox Christmas 2 hours before flight time.  There were long lines to check in and at security.  After the whole process, there was only a short amount of time before they were calling the flight and loading the bus to go to the plane.
 
I'm sure there are times when Boryspil is pretty sleepy, but I wouldn't count on it.  At the time that I was there, I wouldn't have wanted any less than 2 hours. . .
 

[The Natural]

Thanks to all who has offered insights to our situation. It's very helpful and please do know that it's being highly appreciated. Babykova and I have read it and today we went to the train station in Kerch, but there were no earlier train departures, despite what was written on the net!


So we have looked at hotel rooms and apartments in Kiev from the 12th to the 13 th of June. The apartment we rented when I arrived on May 21st is now more than 3 times as expensive! But she sent off an e-mail enquiring about a reasonable rated apartment and I also found one online, the hotel Bakkara at 125 dollars which I will reserve if they don't answer Babykova's e-mail by tomorrow.


Damn that Euro 2012 fun and games for boys who interfer with the business of real men 

[Vinnvinny]

The extra traffic will be from the tourists that are present, combined with the normal traffic.
The airport itself will probably not be extra busy at that time, apart from those who are fleeing for the hordes of foreigners.

Yes, silly me. I forgot that your average football fan likes to be in bed by 10 each night and out sightseeing by taxi at 6 the following morning. And, as Kiev is devoid of any type of evening entertainment that would keep your typical male happy (pubs, clubs, women etc) I guess ‘lights out’ will be much nearer to 9.

[The Natural]

Yes, silly me. I forgot that your average football fan likes to be in bed by 10 each night and out sightseeing by taxi at 6 the following morning.

Haha, that's hillarious. I get all kinds of images in my brain about English hooligans, all tatooed and missing a few teeth, retiring early in order to get up early and jump into cabs, "To Borispol, dear chap".

[Shadow]

Yes, silly me. I forgot that your average football fan likes to be in bed by 10 each night and out sightseeing by taxi at 6 the following morning. And, as Kiev is devoid of any type of evening entertainment that would keep your typical male happy (pubs, clubs, women etc) I guess ‘lights out’ will be much nearer to 9.

6 in the morning is when the average football fans return to their tents.
Then they sleep until 2 and continue the party.

[The Natural]

We have decided to not risk missing my flight, so we just booked the last room at hotel Bakkara at 81 Euros. That means we will leave Kerch by train a day earlier and will go to town and buy the tickets.

[Shadow]

The name Bakkara has multiple associations for me.
Apart from it being the name of a rose and an old music group, Bakkara is the name the Surinam descendents use for white people.

[The Natural]

The name Bakkara has multiple associations for me.
Apart from it being the name of a rose and an old music group, Bakkara is the name the Surinam descendents use for white people.

We can sing "By the river of Dnieper", hehe. Good thing we're white also 

[steveh1155]

It was very slow getting through the lines at Terminal F, and it was not a busy time of year during my last trip. 

If you can get a decent hotel room, stay overnight in Kiev. 

IMO, it is not worth the hassle of missing a flight and changing your itinerary.

I just departed from terminal F Tuesday morning - It took me about an hour to get checked in at UIA and through security to the gate. Hard to predict crowds though, so 2 hours min seems about right.