Ukraine is a diverse Eastern European nation rich in history, culture, and natural beauty. From the golden-domed churches of Kyiv to the charming cobblestone streets of Lviv, Ukraine offers travelers architectural marvels, vibrant cultural traditions, delicious cuisine, and warm hospitality.
- Public
- Kyiv has an excellent metro (3 lines), extensive bus, tram, and trolleybus network; Lviv and Odesa have good tram systems; all major cities have comprehensive public transport at $0.20-0.40/ride
- Taxi
- Bolt and Uklon apps are excellent — affordable, reliable, and safe; typical city ride $2-8; Bolt often cheaper than Uber which is also available
- Rental
- Car rental from $25-60/day available at airports and city centers; useful for Carpathian road trips; international license required; road quality varies
- Walking
- Historic city centers of Kyiv (Old Town, Podil), Lviv, and Chernihiv are very walkable; cobblestone streets can be challenging with luggage
Transport at a glance
Airport transfers
Getting from the airport to your accommodation.
- Taxi
- Sky Bus express to city center: $3-5, 40-60 minutes
- Shuttle
- Taxi: $15-25 to city center, 30-50 minutes
- Bus
- Uber/Bolt: $10-20 to city center
Local transport
Getting around the city.
Bus
Hours: 05:00-23:00 typical, some night routes
- Cost
- $0.20-0.40 per trip
- Payment
- Pay driver or use contactless card
- Notes
- Extensive network in all cities, marshrutkas (minibuses) run on similar routes for $0.30-0.50
Alternatives
metro, tram, trolleybus, taxi, rideshare, bike_rental
Taxis & rideshare
What to expect from taxis and apps.
- Regular
- $0.50-1.00
Intercity travel
Getting between cities and regions.
Bus
Cost: Generally cheaper than trains, $5-20 for major routes
- Operators
- Numerous private companies, major operators include Gunsel, Autolux, East West Eurolines
- Popular routes
- Extensive network connecting all cities and towns
- Booking
- Bus stations, online platforms like busfor.ua, apps
- Notes
- Modern coaches on main routes, more frequent than trains, can be faster for some routes, comfort varies by operator
Flights
Routes: Most domestic air service currently suspended
- Operators
- Limited domestic flights due to ongoing conflict, previously served by Ukrainian airlines
- Notes
- Ukrainian airspace closed since February 2022, ground transportation primary option for domestic travel
Transportation details
Full breakdown of how to get around.
Airports
Boryspil International Airport
From centre: 29 km east of Kyiv
Options: Sky Bus express to city center: $3-5, 40-60 minutes; Taxi: $15-25 to city center, 30-50 minutes; Uber/Bolt: $10-20 to city center; Kyiv Boryspil Express train (currently suspended); Airport shuttle services available from hotels
Lviv Danylo Halytskyi International Airport
From centre: 6 km west of Lviv
Options: Bus #48 to city center: $0.40, 30 minutes; Taxi: $5-10 to city center, 15-20 minutes; Uber/Bolt: $4-8 to city center; Hotel shuttle services available; Car rental available at airport
Odesa International Airport
From centre: 7 km southwest of Odesa
Options: Bus #117 to city center: $0.40, 30 minutes; Trolleybus #14: $0.40, 35 minutes; Taxi: $7-12 to city center, 15-20 minutes; Uber/Bolt: $5-10 to city center; Marshrutka (minibus): $0.50, 25 minutes
Kharkiv International Airport
From centre: 12 km southeast of Kharkiv
Options: Bus #152 to city center: $0.40, 35 minutes; Taxi: $6-10 to city center, 20 minutes; Uber/Bolt: $5-9 to city center; Airport shuttle buses available
Useful apps
Download before you arrive.
Bolt
Most popular ride-hailing app in Ukraine; cheaper than Uber on most routes; accepts cash and card; works in all major cities
Uklon
Ukraine's homegrown taxi app with excellent Kyiv coverage; Business and Comfort class options; cashback program for frequent users
UZ App (Ukrzaliznytsia)
Official Ukrainian Railways app for booking intercity and overnight train tickets; essential for intercity travel planning
busfor.ua
Best platform for booking intercity bus tickets; covers routes across Ukraine and to neighboring countries
Alarm
Air raid alert app mandatory for all Ukraine travelers; provides immediate notification of air alerts by region; free to download
Transport tips
Travel smarter, not harder.
Download Bolt and Uklon apps before arrival — far cheaper and safer than street taxis, with in-app pricing and GPS tracking
Kyiv metro is the fastest way around the city during peak hours — trains every 2-4 minutes, $0.20 per trip with contactless card
For intercity travel, book Ukrainian Railways (Ukrzaliznytsia) tickets online at uz.gov.ua or via the UZ app at least a few days ahead, especially for sleeper trains
The Sky Bus express from Boryspil Airport to Kyiv city center ($3-5) is reliable and much cheaper than taxis — runs every 15-20 minutes
Marshrutky (shared minibuses) are the cheapest intercity option but least comfortable — good for short regional routes, depart when full
Lviv city trams are charming but slow — use them for the experience but take taxi for getting somewhere quickly