City public transport

Underground Railway

Entrance to the Underground

Kharkiv underground’s working hours are 6 a.m. to 12 midnight. The interval between the trains is 2–3 minutes in rush hours, 5–10 minutes at day time and up to 20 minutes late at night, which should be taken into account when changing lines.

There are three underground lines in Kharkiv: Kholodnogirsko-Zavodska, Saltivska and Oleksiyivska lines. They connect the suburbs of the city with the downtown area. The distance between the terminals of the longest Kholodnigirsko-Zavodska line is 45 minutes. It takes about 20-25 minutes to get to the downtown area from the terminal stations.

Underground ticket offices are situated at the entrance to each station. Here you can buy a single journey ticket (a token) or a card which will save your time if you use the underground regularly. The card is not disposable and value can be added to it at an Underground ticket office. Unlike in many countries of the world, the fare is fixed and depends neither on the number of stations you pass, nor on the number of interchanges.

The Underground Rules are located in carriages and halls where you can also see the underground plans which will allow you to choose the best route. Besides, you can always turn to the station officer, underground police officer or to other passengers who will help you to find your way.

Kharkiv Underground is a safe zone even late at night, but it is always better to keep an eye on your bag in crowded carriages.

Land transport

Trolleybus

Sometimes it is more convenient to take a bus, trolleybus, tram or a route taxi than to go by underground (for example, if you travel a short distance, or if you prefer to have a glimpse of the city). If you are not familiar with the route, it is better to ask a conductor or passengers for help.

Tram or trolleybus tickets can be purchased from the conductor onboard. Even if you travel only till the next stop, you need to buy a ticket which must be kept till the end of your journey. You will be entitled to a fine, 20 times exceeding the fare, if you do not have a ticket.

Bus and route taxi fares are higher and depend on the route distance. The fare is paid to a driver or a conductor when boarding the vehicle. Children under seven travel for free, given they rest on their parents’ knees and do not occupy a separate seat. The private route taxi is a convenient means of transport which follows the routes of public buses, trolleybuses and trams. Route taxi vehicles are buses and minibuses of a variety of types. You can choose the route you need with the help of a sign on the windshield or a side window where the number of the route line, major stops on the route and the fare are indicated. The major advantages of this means of transport are fastness and manoeuvrability.

The land transport circulates from 6am till 12midnight, but it might not be worth staying away from home that late — in some neighbourhoods of the city a taxi might be the only available means of transport after 9pm.

Taxi

Taxis in Kharkiv are automobiles of a variety of makes. They can be distinguished from ordinary cars by a coloured roof light with black squares on it. There are no special taxi ranks, but there are specific car parks or on street areas where they usually stay waiting for an order. The most expensive sites for taking a taxi are the airport and the railway station. As a rule, taxi drivers staying close to casinos, night clubs and hotels also charge high fares. Thus, it will be cheaper to order a taxi by phone and pay according to the per-kilometre rate.

There are several radio taxi companies in Kharkiv working 24 hours a day. Their fares and principles of charging the client differ. Thus, it might be useful to ask the dispatcher about the fares and any further details. Please be aware that idle time is also surcharged. If you need to visit several destinations in the city, the per-hour rate might be more advantageous for you. The same is true about out-of-town drives.

Taxi fares after 12midnight and on holidays may be higher.

If for a variety of reasons you are not capable of driving your own car, some radio taxi companies will offer you the service of a driver. Their fees are higher than taxi fares and are payable only in cash.

A taxi can be ordered by dialling short telephone numbers 15-56, 15-02, 15- 61 or 15-73 (but only from a land line phone). A receptionist at the hotel or a waiter at any bar or restaurant will order a taxi for you if you ask him to do so.

If for any reason you failed to order a taxi by phone, you can always catch a car right in the street, just raising your hand. You will not have to wait long: either a taxi or a driver of a private car who wishes to earn a little will pick you up. A drive in a private car may cost you less, but it is not worth ignoring safety reasons.

Car rental

If you do not want to use public transport or taxis, you can always rent a car. To do that, you will need a passport, international driving licence and immigration card which you filled in when crossing the border.

It is worth mentioning that there are quite few companies renting cars for a short period. They offer cars of a variety of classes, the latter defining the amount of depends the refundable deposit and the rental value. The rental value also depends on the rental period: the longer the period is, the lower is the rate.

After paying in the deposit, rental and signing a rental agreement, you will receive a document confirming your right to drive this car.

Before driving away, check the availability of a first aid kit, fire extinguisher and a breakdown triangle, which are compulsory items onboard.