Donetsk Mariupol - Advice Tips?

[gandalf34]

I will be heading to Mariupol via Donetsk in a couple of weeks. Any advice on how to get from Donetsk to Mariupol? Should I rent a car? Or should I go for the bus or train? From what I understand its like two hours with the bus. But never been to Ukraine so really need advice for travel tips.

Thanks

[Hammer2722]

Your best bets are to either take the train (pretty cheap) or hire a taxi to take you there from Donetsk if you can haggle a good price out of one the drivers in Donetsk.
 
If its your first time in Ukraine, I would not recommend renting a car and driving yourself. You'll see why when you have experienced Ukraine after your first trip.

[Wayne]

If you going to visit one certain lady, you might ask her to make the travel arangements.
 
If not, driving in Ukraine is not reccomended. Also, many cars have manual shift. Roads and traffic are terrible in most of Ukraine.

[Nat]

I will be heading to Mariupol via Donetsk in a couple of weeks. Any advice on how to get from Donetsk to Mariupol? Should I rent a car? Or should I go for the bus or train? From what I understand its like two hours with the bus. But never been to Ukraine so really need advice for travel tips.

Thanks

Don't rent a car - the roads are awful - if you're not used to driving round knee-deep holes, it won't do you any good. The train is probably really slow. A taxi will be very expensive. I think the best way is to take a bus, but I strongly advise you to ask your gf to come and meet you in Donetsk, because English is a problem here and I doubt you'll be able to do all this on your own.

[mobob]

Have your gf meet you, at the airport! Getting from the airport to the bus station would be extremely difficult without help. Getting from the bus station to Mariupol would be worse. The ride from Donetsk to Mariupol should be as you said, about two hours, give or take a little, depending upon stops and any transfers. A regular taxi would cost at least $100, if you can get one to go that way. You might find someone going that way at one of the bus stops/transfers. The H20 (from Donetsk to Mariupol) is a 'main' highway and has lots of traffic heading to/from Mariupol, including lots of busses. If you get a ride from a taxi or someone that you pay a bit for the gas, be sure to get their number for the return trip. Has your gf been to Donetsk before? Does she know where the bus station is? And how to get to the airport-which bus line?
 
Don't rent a car! All the stories about the roads are true. Oh, make sure you visit the toilet one last time before you get on the bus.
 
Now, if I haven't scared you half to death... I'll be landing there 17 Sep. My fiance meets me at the airport to escort me to the bus station. After a few trips through there, I recognize the area, but wouldn't yet make it alone.
 
If you'd like any more info, what little I've got for Donetsk, pm me.
 
John

[olgaply]

Made the same trip from Donetsk to Maruipol in June, traveling by way of taxi.  Trip takes a good 2 hours each way.  Cost was just under $100 round-trip.  I second the consensus that renting a car is not the way to go.  The roads are terrible and drivers, especially taxi drivers, drive agressively, although most taxi drivers seem to drive well and the experienced ones know where the pot holes are. 
..........................
But do not be scared, people are very nice there.  My husband really enjoyed the trip.

[mtnviper1963]

I have been to Mariupol 4 times to visit my gf. Always have to fly to Donetsk and then take taxi. I have my gf arrange driver and I have used the same one every time. I would not advise renting a car...roads are terrible condition and very dangerous and police are corrupt and will extort US citizens. I usually paid around $120 round-trip. I would not advise taking the train if you do not speak russian.

[CanadaMan]

I usually paid around $120 round-trip. I would not advise taking the train if you do not speak russian.

I'm curious to know why you and another person in this thread talk about round-trip?

I assume that you are traveling to Mariopol and will not return to Donetsk the same day?

Perhaps you mean that your fare $120, is acceptable to cab driver.
That he will have enough profit for him to return to Donetsk (round-trip)?

But you wouldn't be making a round trip right?

[JayH]

I have been to Mariupol 4 times to visit my gf. Always have to fly to Donetsk and then take taxi. I have my gf arrange driver and I have used the same one every time. I would not advise renting a car...roads are terrible condition and very dangerous and police are corrupt and will extort US citizens. I usually paid around $120 round-trip. I would not advise taking the train if you do not speak russian.

I have driven myself on all my  Ukraine trips -- and driven many 1000's of kms all over Ukraine. Unless you are normally a 110% involved driver do not even think of renting a car.Driving there requires 100% attention at ALL times and preferably some advanced driving skills. In a few weeks-- unless you come from snow & ice region that would compound the issues-it will be even more difficult.
Realistically--if you are only going to one city-there is less reason to be driving yourself. Once you have seen conditions you can always rent a car there--it is not hard to do.
I dont understand why so many guys think it is ok to ask a girl you have never met to travel hours  to meet you-it is unreasonable request in my view.
To the op-- a few guys in thread have done trip and price sounds about right to me-- send a pm and see if you can contact the same people-that can take all the difficulty out of it.

[CanadaMan]

To the op-- a few guys in thread have done trip and price sounds about right to me-- send a pm and see if you can contact the same people-that can take all the difficulty out of it.

The OP is 1.5 years old. 

[JayH]

The OP is 1.5 years old. 

in that case he can tell us what it cost and how he got there !!!

[CDW]

I dont understand why so many guys think it is ok to ask a girl you have never met to travel hours  to meet you-it is unreasonable request in my view.

I have 100% success rate of meeting girls (total of 6 girls) whom I have never met, met at the airport.  There was one time I predicted a girl who wouldn't turn up at the airport, so I had asked my friend instead to meet me, and turned out I was right at all. 

3 of these girls live far away from their home.   Evigeniya from Gomel, Maya from Vitebsk to come to Minsk, and Claudia from Foscani to meet at Bucharest.  But they did not come alone though.  Evigeniya came with her sister and her sister's boyfriend.  Maya came with her parents, and Claudia came with her sister.

If you are very good at reading their body language, and so on, you will know whether they will meet you at the airport or not. 

[Patagonie]

If you going to visit one certain lady, you might ask her to make the travel arangements.
 
If not, driving in Ukraine is not reccomended. Also, many cars have manual shift. Roads and traffic are terrible in most of Ukraine.

Sorry but if he have never met this woman, he should never ask her any arrangement for coming.
The man, an especially a beginner should solve any logistical problems by himself and not involve lady/ladies.
He would avoid many potential problems.

[cc3]

I have driven myself on all my  Ukraine trips -- and driven many 1000's of kms all over Ukraine. Unless you are normally a 110% involved driver do not even think of renting a car.Driving there requires 100% attention at ALL times and preferably some advanced driving skills. In a few weeks-- unless you come from snow & ice region that would compound the issues-it will be even more difficult.
Realistically--if you are only going to one city-there is less reason to be driving yourself. Once you have seen conditions you can always rent a car there--it is not hard to do.
I dont understand why so many guys think it is ok to ask a girl you have never met to travel hours  to meet you-it is unreasonable request in my view.
To the op-- a few guys in thread have done trip and price sounds about right to me-- send a pm and see if you can contact the same people-that can take all the difficulty out of it.

I never asked my fiancee, on our first meeting, to come from Lugansk to Donetsk to meet me; she volunteered it. I still am deficient in my Russian for negotiating with taxi drivers, for a ride from Donetsk Airport to the train station, or for purchasing train tickets, so my fiancee still travels the three hours from Lugansk. But, we have managed to make it fun, because we stay the night in Donetsk, after she meets my flight. We travel at our leisure the next day to Lugansk. When we go to Donetsk for my departure, we go the day before and, again, spend the night in Donetsk. For a girl from the smallish city of Lugansk, the overnight stays are very enjoyable for her. For me, I get to normalize away from jet lag much earlier than if I had to jump on a bus or a train, for three hours, after traveling 23 hours from Denver. Going back to DOK, I don't have to worry about surface transport delays causing me to miss my flight, since we are traveling to an overnight stay.

[calmissile]

I never asked my fiancee, on our first meeting, to come from Lugansk to Donetsk to meet me; she volunteered it. I still am deficient in my Russian for negotiating with taxi drivers, for a ride from Donetsk Airport to the train station, or for purchasing train tickets, so my fiancee still travels the three hours from Lugansk. But, we have managed to make it fun, because we stay the night in Donetsk, after she meets my flight. We travel at our leisure the next day to Lugansk. When we go to Donetsk for my departure, we go the day before and, again, spend the night in Donetsk. For a girl from the smallish city of Lugansk, the overnight stays are very enjoyable for her. For me, I get to normalize away from jet lag much earlier than if I had to jump on a bus or a train, for three hours, after traveling 23 hours from Denver. Going back to DOK, I don't have to worry about surface transport delays causing me to miss my flight, since we are traveling to an overnight stay.

Sounds like a good plan to me.  I disagree with Pat in some respects.  If you have a 'good' woman, she will make your trip easier and she can negotiate your local travel much easier than you can.  Eventually you can do it yourself, but newbies are likely to have more difficulty.  I have also found that most women will also look out for your budget and get the best deals she can so that your money will go further.

If the women is a scammer, you will of course suffer the loss.  Most of the folks that have read all about the scams know beforehand if the gal is a scammer, pro-dater, or just interested in your money.   It is also easy to tell in advance when you are communicating with her about the cost of things.  If she is concerned about costs, she is on your side.   LOL

[JayH]

 On girl coming to meet you when it is some distance -being in a relationship or even a simple return meeting is quite different to never having met before situation. If there has been considerable pre- action contact and you are going to one specific girl having a fair idea of her-- sure-- if she wishes  to travel to meet--great.
My point is that guys with marginal interaction being advised that girl should be asked to come is the wrong way to go -it is an imposition.
Secondly--it opens the potential scam window on excessive costs of taxi etc.If you agree-- you are captive--just read how many guys are still sucked into that.
Last--if you need hand holding because it is a little difficult--ie you don't speak the language-- if you are not capable of managing a little travel detail you have no hope in the mission anyway.

[Patagonie]

On girl coming to meet you when it is some distance -being in a relationship or even a simple return meeting is quite different to never having met before situation. If there has been considerable pre- action contact and you are going to one specific girl having a fair idea of her-- sure-- if she wishes  to travel to meet--great.
My point is that guys with marginal interaction being advised that girl should be asked to come is the wrong way to go -it is an imposition.
Secondly--it opens the potential scam window on excessive costs of taxi etc.If you agree-- you are captive--just read how many guys are still sucked into that.
Last--if you need hand holding because it is a little difficult--ie you don't speak the language-- if you are not capable of managing a little travel detail you have no hope in the mission anyway.

+1 well said.
You avoid many potential problems when you are in charge of your own logistic, let the lady apart.
Too many guys here are doing heavy VO.

[cc3]

+1 well said.
You avoid many potential problems when you are in charge of your own logistic, let the lady apart.
Too many guys here are doing heavy VO.

Heavy VO? Is that too much of Visiting One? The One I visit is the one I was looking for in all of these years of searching.

But I definitely endorse Jay's comment preceding yours.

[Patagonie]

Heavy VO? Is that too much of Visiting One? The One I visit is the one I was looking for in all of these years of searching.

But I definitely endorse Jay's comment preceding yours.

I am sincerely happy for you.
But i maintain that too much guy spend too much time to write, rather too visit. VO or VM, it doesn't matter, they write too much. And especially for beginners. Now a guy has to make a VO as soon as he has met a worthly lady with whom a real connection. Nothing wrong with this.

[Photo Guy]

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[Photo Guy]

delete this

[Photo Guy]

test 2

[cc3]

Makes me happy that most of the factories and materials processing plants in Luhansk have shut down...air quality is quite tolerable there...but just down the road, at Alchevsk, it's another story. That town is a Soviet legacy nightmare.