Train travel

[Wayne]

Does anyone have experience with long distance train travel within Ukraine?  I have heard some stories where people have been robbed!  Can you lock the compartment? I only traveled by train once, it was many years ago, and in USA.

[Sailor291]

We have taken the train from Kiev to Chernovtsy many, many times.  Never any problems.  Yes you can lock the compartment door.  I would suggest you buy some food and drink at a store to take on the trip, I would not eat out of the dinner car, food is too expensive.  But, the trip is very relaxing, I enjoy it very much and I am a Texan accostomed to travelling by car. 

[innakrug]

I liked to travel by train. But I am Russian Wouldn't recommend it to American gentlemen, unless you can survive without food for length of a trip. Did you think what you are going to eat? Russian can buy food which sold by babushkas on a train stops, but we accustomed to some viruses and bacterias. It is very bad idea to get food poison on a train trip. It is only 1 toilet for 50 people . I was taking very good care of my husband when he came to Russia, but he got seek anyway, spent in bed 7-10 days

[tfcrew]

A tiny bit off topic...
Ever seen TransSiberian?
Woody Harrelson and Ben Kingsley.
 About a train trip from North China to Moscow.

[kievstar]

I travel train in Ukraine all the time.

Some tips - get a 1st class car and buy all the seats.  Second bring your own food unless you have a good stomach.  Third when you go toilet let your GF watch your belongings in room.  Finally - lock the door when you sleep.  Finally - have fun. 

[Daveman]

I liked to travel by train. But I am Russian Wouldn't recommend it to American gentlemen, unless you can survive without food for length of a trip. Did you think what you are going to eat? Russian can buy food which sold by babushkas on a train stops, but we accustomed to some viruses and bacterias. It is very bad idea to get food poison on a train trip. It is only 1 toilet for 50 people . I was taking very good care of my husband when he came to Russia, but he got seek anyway, spent in bed 7-10 days

ack! I always buy/bought food from the babushki at the train stops.  I have a serious shaslik addiction.  I take fruits, cheese, bread from the supermarket, but always looked forward to jumping off and getting my shaslik fix.

I guess I have been seriously lucky in not becoming ill.  Yes indeed, being ill on a train would be a rough ride.  I guess though that by the time it hit, unless you were on a more than 12-24 hr trip, you'd just about be meeting your lady by train at the very time your eyes met and illness ensued... a  story for the grandkids.  :evil:

I travel train in Ukraine all the time.

Some tips - get a 1st class car and buy all the seats.  Second bring your own food unless you have a good stomach.  Third when you go toilet let your GF watch your belongings in room.  Finally - lock the door when you sleep.  Finally - have fun. 

1st class is the way to go.. some of the cabins have TV's and kitchenettes, depending on the destination/train involved. 

I've traveled pretty much all over the place by train, and about half the time alone - north/south in eastern Ukraine/Crimea.  Still want to do the Lvov run.. and then jump southwest into Romania to visit Vlad Dracula..  :evil: 

At first I used to just get a standard ticket, riding with three other people.  That was kinda cool trying to communicate with the natives, but it does get old after the 2nd, 3rd, 4th time..  then I bought all 4 beds... then finally moved to 1st class. 

The biggest problem riding the trains is actually buying the tickets. Often the ticket agents don't speak much English.  A few years ago, one needed to buy their tickets from a special "foreign passport" window... but I haven't had to do that in a while so I guess that's not an issue anymore.

You really should not have any problem using the train system. MOST places where you will go will have a display showing times/destinations/track numbers.  If necessary, brush up on your Cyrillic reading skills so you can easily read the information because those station PA systems can be very difficult to understand, language notwithstanding..  kinda like the teacher on the Peanut's cartoons -- "WONK waaaaaah WAHwohWAAAAAAA"

As far as being robbed -- don't worry about it too much, just act normal and keep a low profile.  Don't flash money, or expensive items.. be cognizant of everything around you.. keep cash in your underwear, or in inside front pockets.  That's just not a big problem unless you let it be one. 

When/where are you going?  If it is in summer, and your destination is a tourist magnet (simferopol - gateway to crimea, odessa) then you'll want to get your travel arrangements taken care of as early as possible. It can be difficult to get last minute tickets.

[GregfromGa]

I have always maintained that a guy can never  really consider himself a veteran of this process until he has taken an overnight train in Ukraine. I'm rather fond of this mode of travel in Ukraine. The LUX class with 2 beds is nice. I recommend this but you can always just buy all 4 of the other beds in the 1st class car. I've traveled many times on the train in Ukraine and I've never had a problem. On my last trip, we went from Kiev to Lviv. I had a single bed in LUX and low and behold one of the prettiest girls you ever seen was my cabin mate. She was 6ft 2in if she was an inch. I had bought a nice bottle of wine, smoked cheese and meat to share. Her English was not great but we laughed at each other for the first few hours of the trip. She wanted to know all about America. She was a lawyer of some kind with the government.

So after a few hours and another bottle of wine I was ready for bed but she had other ideas. I had told her about my wife but she was adamant about taking advantage of me on the train. I could never ever cheat on my wife so I left that compartment and never looked back. I have absolutely no regrets. Now back to the question posted. The trains will be safe. Make sure and take care of your cabin steward with a decent tip when you get on and you'll have plenty of tea and whatever else you need that he can get on the trip. Some of the trains are very new. The is nothing like an overnight train across Ukraine.

[Wayne]

Thanks for all the information.  My girl will buy the tickets.  I told her to get the compartment with just two beds so we can be alone.  We are going from Kiev to Simferopol.  I was planning to take a flight, but the seats were all taken by the time she went to buy a ticket.  I guess it is a popular time as it is the middle of June.

I only ever took a train on a long journey one time before, and it was many years ago.  I was a college student going to the Rose Bowl.  We went all the way from the M.S.U. campus in East Lansing, Michigan to Los Angles.  The whole trip was a party!

I did not sleep at all on the train.

[GregfromGa]

Thanks for all the information.  My girl will buy the tickets.  I told her to get the compartment with just two beds so we can be alone.  We are going from Kiev to Simferopol.  I was planning to take a flight, but the seats were all taken by the time she went to buy a ticket.  I guess it is a popular time as it is the middle of June.

I only ever took a train on a long journey one time before, and it was many years ago.  I was a college student going to the Rose Bowl.  We went all the way from the M.S.U. campus in East Lansing, Michigan to Los Angles.  The whole trip was a party!

I did not sleep at all on the train.

She better not wait until you get there to buy those train tickets. If the LUX(2 beds) are not available then she'll need to buy 4 beds in another cabin. Oh by the way, Sparty sucks.

[groovlstk]

Thanks for all the information.  My girl will buy the tickets.  I told her to get the compartment with just two beds so we can be alone.  We are going from Kiev to Simferopol.  I was planning to take a flight, but the seats were all taken by the time she went to buy a ticket.  I guess it is a popular time as it is the middle of June.

I did that leg (with an overnight in Zaporozhye) several years ago, I believe it's a 12-hour ride with lots of families headed to Crimea for vacation. She probably knows this but the earlier she buys the tix the better chance you have of securing a cabin for yourselves, as Kiev to Simferopal is a very popular route in the Summer.

With the right person such a trip is glorious - but the opposite is true, also. I did it w/a woman who barely spoke English, and there's really nothing much to do except talk, relax, and lounge around. The scenery consists of endless shabby birch trees so it's not like you'll see much interesting countryside. I'd bring an iPod w/portable speakers, plenty of snacks, and stick with vodka rather than beer because the fewer times you have to visit the toilet, the happier you'll be.

[kievstar]

Greg, why does Sparty suck?

[GregfromGa]

Greg, why does Sparty suck?

GO IRISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[wendaaaal]

Daveman and groov's advice are spot on. It's super slow, lots of 3 am stops when you just dropped off to sleep, but it's the essential Ukrainian / Russian experience. Done Kharkov / Simferopol , Kharkov & Kiev / Odessa, and Moscow / St. Petersburg. Agree the purchasing of tickets is the biggest POTA, the disorienting 6 or 7 am arrival in a new city (face it, they're not morning people over there) will also make you wonder "who am I, and why am I here" (thanks Admiral Stockdale) [youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKpX-5jQjQ0[/youtube]

[innakrug]

Thanks for all the information.  My girl will buy the tickets.  I told her to get the compartment with just two beds so we can be alone.  We are going from Kiev to Simferopol.  I was planning to take a flight, but the seats were all taken by the time she went to buy a ticket.  I guess it is a popular time as it is the middle of June.

If you are going with FSU girl, you will be fine For sure she knows how to survive. You are in good hands. She, probably, will get boiled potatoes, eggs, smoked kolbasa, fruits and vegetables.
Have fun Oh, how bad I want to go to Crimea

[Wayne]

She has purchased the first class tickets, meaning we will have the compartment to ourselves.  She said, there is air conditioning.  It leaves at 5:30 p.m. and arrives, I think at 9:30 a.m.

We are going to spend at least five days traveling around Crimea.  She has everything all planned out. She said to get my hair cut short and buy a hat because the weather will be hot. 

[innakrug]

She has purchased the first class tickets, meaning we will have the compartment to ourselves.  She said, there is air conditioning.  It leaves at 5:30 p.m. and arrives, I think at 9:30 a.m.

We are going to spend at least five days traveling around Crimea.  She has everything all planned out. She said to get my hair cut short and buy a hat because the weather will be hot. 

You are making me jealous End of May - time when I was going to Crimea for summer when I lived in Russia Have fun.

[GregfromGa]

Wait until you get to Simferopel to get your haircut. A wash, cut and style will cost you a lot less there and it's fun to tip the girl cutting your hair. Evidently they Ukrainians dont tip their hairstylist. I do envy you though. The weather should be nice. I'm not quite sure if cherry season will be in when you go. Alushta is nice and there are lots of places to see. There's nothing like a nice train ride to Crimea with your girl.

[kievstar]

Wayne, I would get your haircut before you go and be careful on the hat.  I have yet to see a hat worn in America that would pass as something you would put on your head in Ukraine. Best to buy hat in Ukraine or ask your GF what she thinks is good.

For haircut go two blade over entire head. 

[cranehand]

Kiev to Kherson maybe 10 times in the past 6 months 13 hours each way.  Always with my SO and never a prob at all other than not much rest compartments are a bit cramped for 6'4" guy. We have been also in economy class and still not much rest but very interesting for people watching. 

If she brings food and drink for the two of you,  You will know you are on the right track with this woman. 

Ditch the hat unless you gots no hair on your heeeed!! go for the sun screen and enjoy every second in Crimea.  I just returned home yesterday from a week long trip to see ma girl,  man the weather was awsome there.

As far as the hair cut goes,  If it was her suggestion to get your hair then she is trying to tell you something other than it will be hot in Crimea.  Don,t see alot of flowing locks on the men but the younger crowd wears it a bit more shaggy.  Just make sure it is nice and neat, by that I mean no scruff on the back of the neck.  Trim your brows and the shnozz hairs you will be good to go.

[Wayne]

Well, my flight leaves this Saturday.  I am as ready as possible.  Wish me luck!

[mikegl]

Good luck! 

[Daveman]

 Trim your brows and the shnozz hairs you will be good to go.

Or, you can grow them out, use a little wax, and twist them into shnozzlebars...

The best haircut to fit in is to shave your head -- all but a circle on the top/crown, grow that extremely long and braid it...   

Good luck Wayne... have a blast... If you have time as you pass trough Simferopol, take her to the Flamingo restaurant very near the statue of Lenin.  Steaks, Lobster..  nice place, romantic, great food...

[Faux Pas]

Good Luck Wayne