Transportation of Kiev, Ukraine

Transportation of Kiev, Ukraine

Local transport

According to Allcitycodes, public transport in Kiev includes the metro (underground), buses, trolleybuses, trams and funiculars. The publicly owned and operated Kiev Metro system is the fastest, most convenient and accessible network that covers most, but not all, of the city. The metro is continually expanding towards the city limits to meet the growing demand, while the other types of public transport are not as well maintained. In particular, the public transport service has unreliable hours. Public electric trolleybuses and tram lines are more reliable, but their equipment has aged and their funds run out. The historic tram system, once a well-maintained and widely used method of transportation, is now being phased out in favor of buses and trolleybuses.

An unusual mode of public transport Kiev has is the funicular, which goes up the steep right bank of the Dnieper River. It carries 10,000-15,000 passengers daily.

All public road transport in Kiev is operated by the municipal company Kyivpastrans. This is heavily subsidized by the city for large groups of people (pensioners, etc.) who have a free service on their lines. Kiev’s public transport system uses a simple fare system, regardless of the distance traveled: tickets for ground transportation must be purchased each time a vehicle is boarded. Discount tickets are available to elementary school and higher education students. Pensioners make free use of public transport. The monthly passes, which are sold at the price of 60 trips, are also available on all combinations of public transport: metro, bus, trolleybus and tram. Recently privately owned minibuses, marshrutkas, have appeared on the streets of Kiev. These provide good coverage of small residential streets with convenient routes. Minibuses carry fewer passengers, move faster, stop on demand and are more available, albeit with a higher frequency of accidents. The price of the ticket and the itinerary of private minibuses are regulated by the city government, and the cost of a trip, although higher than in public buses, is still much lower than in Western Europe.

The taxi market in Kiev is expansive, but it is not adequately regulated. In particular, the taxi fare per kilometer is not regulated. There is strong competition between private taxi companies. Many allow pickup scheduling over the phone. Also, it is very common for a local citizen with a car (or even people from other parts of Ukraine) to be able to offer taxi service on an ad hoc basis, generally when picking up people looking for a taxi on the road. Traffic jams and lack of parking space is a growing problem for taxi services in Kiev. Current regulations allow sidewalk parking, which pedestrians may find inconvenient.

Suburban transportation

Suburban transportation is provided by buses and short-haul trains (elektrichkas). There are few bus stations within the city that provide suburban transportation. Private minibuses (marshrutkas) provide faster and more frequent suburban service, winning the competition against large buses.

The Elektrichkas are cared for by the publicly owned Ukrzaliznytsia company. The commuter train service is fast, and the safest in terms of traffic accidents. But the trains are not reliable, as it can fail with long delays, it can be unsafe in terms of crime, and the elektrichka cars are in poor condition and are overcrowded at peak times.

There are 5 elektrichka addresses from Kiev:

  • Nizhyn (northeast)
  • Hrebinka (southeast)
  • Mironivka (south)
  • Fastiv (southwest)
  • Korosten (west)

More than a dozen elektrichka stops are located within the city allowing residents of different neighborhoods to use the commuter trains.

Boat service along the Dnieper is no longer available, limiting river transport from Kiev to cargo and tour boats and private pleasure boats.

Railways

Railways are the main mode of intercity transport in Kiev. The city has a developed railway infrastructure, including a long-haul passenger station, 6 charging stations, depots and repair facilities. However, this system still does not meet the demand for passenger service. In particular, the Kiev Passenger Train Station is the city’s only long-distance passenger terminal.

Construction is underway to convert the large Darnytsia railway station on the left bank of the river into a long-distance passenger hub, which can ease traffic at the central station. Bridges over the Dnieper River are another problem that restricts the development of the city’s rail system. Currently, only one rail bridge in two is available for heavy rail traffic.

Air Transport

Airline passengers arrive in Kiev through one of two airports: Boryspil Airport, which is served by many international airlines, and the smaller Zhulyany Airport, which serves mainly domestic flights and limited flights to countries. neighbors. The international passenger terminal in Boryspil is small, but modern, and was expanded in 2006. There is a separate terminal for domestic flights within walking distance. Passengers traveling to other countries from Ukraine usually travel via Boryspil, because other airports in Ukraine such as Donetsk, Simferopol, Odessa provide very limited international connections. There is also the Gostomel cargo airport in the suburb of Hostomel northwest of Kiev.

Kiev is notable in the world of aviation industry as the headquarters of the Antonov aircraft manufacturing company.

Roads

Kiev roads are in poor technical condition and road maintenance is poor. According to the Kyivavtodor municipal road corporation, 80% of road surfaces in Kiev have been in use for 15 to 30 years, which is 1.5 to 3 times longer than the standard period (12 years).

Transportation of Kiev, Ukraine