If you are traveling to Kiev, Ukraine for the very first time, it will be an experience. Break through the clouds and you will notice a land of abundance nature and beauty. A landscape of trees covers the countryside. The abundance of rainfall and annual snow makes Kiev a wonder of forests, lakes, rivers and pristine landscapes.
Boryspil International Airport is the main airport for all of Ukraine. It services not only international flights, but also all domestic flights. Boryspil has one of the largest runways in the Ukraine and can service any type of aircraft. When the Ukraine was still part of the Soviet Union, Boryspil was used strictly as a military airfield. Later after independence was declared, the airport was converted into a civilian airfield. Prior to Boryspil, Lugansk airport was the main international airfield.
Delta and a few other carriers are allowed to use the tarmacs, all other planes must park away from the terminals. Passengers are bused to and from the main terminal. It is a short bus ride to Terminal B, the main international center.
You will quickly be greeted with an old style soviet passport control center. Be prepared to wait for up to two hours as lines are long and customer service is not a priority. It is critical to have all your paperwork filled out and ready. Not being prepared will cost you more time. In the seven times I have been to the Ukraine, I have only waited two hours one time. After that bad experience I always booked my flight to arrive very early in the morning or late at night. 9 am to 2 pm are peak hours at Boryspil Airport.
Be polite and patient while in the passport control line. Ukrainian officers are not in the mood for jokes or small talk. Answer their questions fully and respectfully. Officers speak English and will understand you.
Once you make it through passport control, you will see the baggage claim area. Digital readouts will tell you where your baggage is located. It is a small area and impossible to lose track of your baggage. Boryspil is like all airports. There is not much difference in their baggage claim area.
If the airline loses your baggage, there is a lost baggage office that will assist you in tracking down your bags. I have traveled seven times to the Ukraine and only had to use the service once. It was a surprise to me, but the people that worked there were very helpful and spoke very good English. They were immediately able to track down my luggage. The representative called New York for me and found my baggage still there. Apparently my luggage never made the flight.
In the morning I had my luggage in hand. I paid a nice tip for the one minute service of retrieving my luggage. Now if you don't know what I am talking about, Ukraine runs on tips. Think of giving a tip that is too small and Ukrainians have no problem in pointing out your grave mistake. Normal tip fair for getting your baggage reclaimed $6.00. Taxi trip to get back to the airport to retrieve your baggage $55.00. Knowing that you paid the right tip and avoiding the embarrassment of getting screamed at for failing to understand the tip policy, priceless.
Now that you are out of baggage claim it is just a short walk up a small incline into the heart of the Kiev, Boryspil Airport. Walk through the double doors and you are greeted with a large crowd of families, friends and business associates awaiting the arriving passenger. Get through the crowd and you are bombarded with taxi drivers willing to take you anywhere in Kiev.
Stay clear of the taxi drivers and find your way to one of the many kiosks in the airport that will help you find a taxi. The price is fair and shown to you up front. Taxi kiosks are easy to find and the word "TAXI" is written across them.
In the international terminal, you will find four currency exchange booths. The worst exchange rates can be found at the airport. It is best to only exchange a small portion of your money here. Wait until you get to the center of the city where the rate is much better. I usually only exchange $200 dollars at the airport. This covers my taxi, food and most other expenses. No worries about finding a currency exchange booth in the center of the city. They are all over the place. The US Dollar, Euro and Russian Ruble are accepted everywhere.
Currency that is old is not accepted at exchange booths. It so happened that I learned this lesson the hard way. I was unable to exchange five hundred dollars because of the age of the currency. Ensure you take newer currency that is in good condition. All currency is inspected by eye and then by machine. Any wet spots or torn, worn bills are not accepted.
Going to another part of the country? Then it only takes minutes to walk to Terminal A. This terminal is reponsible for all domestic air travel. Two booths in this airport sell plane tickets to anywhere with an airport in the Ukraine. Modern digital screens show all activity and gates of departure in English. Now once you are at your gate, pay close attention. Boarding calls are only done in Ukrainian and Russian. If in doubt ask an attendant and they will be happy to point you to the right boarding line.
Not fond of the airport crowds and long waits? Then the airport VIP service is what you want. Terminal C will take you by the hand and guide you through everything. They provide a personal shuttle for all arrivals and departures. They provide a 15 minute passport control service and personal baggage claim assistance. They do this for the a starting price of $150.00 USD. You also get access to the lounge where wireless internet, fax and phone is provided. Google Boryspil Airport to find contact information for this service. All VIP representatives speak English.
Enjoy your stay in the Ukraine!
Boryspil International Airport is the main airport for all of Ukraine. It services not only international flights, but also all domestic flights. Boryspil has one of the largest runways in the Ukraine and can service any type of aircraft. When the Ukraine was still part of the Soviet Union, Boryspil was used strictly as a military airfield. Later after independence was declared, the airport was converted into a civilian airfield. Prior to Boryspil, Lugansk airport was the main international airfield.
Delta and a few other carriers are allowed to use the tarmacs, all other planes must park away from the terminals. Passengers are bused to and from the main terminal. It is a short bus ride to Terminal B, the main international center.
You will quickly be greeted with an old style soviet passport control center. Be prepared to wait for up to two hours as lines are long and customer service is not a priority. It is critical to have all your paperwork filled out and ready. Not being prepared will cost you more time. In the seven times I have been to the Ukraine, I have only waited two hours one time. After that bad experience I always booked my flight to arrive very early in the morning or late at night. 9 am to 2 pm are peak hours at Boryspil Airport.
Be polite and patient while in the passport control line. Ukrainian officers are not in the mood for jokes or small talk. Answer their questions fully and respectfully. Officers speak English and will understand you.
Once you make it through passport control, you will see the baggage claim area. Digital readouts will tell you where your baggage is located. It is a small area and impossible to lose track of your baggage. Boryspil is like all airports. There is not much difference in their baggage claim area.
If the airline loses your baggage, there is a lost baggage office that will assist you in tracking down your bags. I have traveled seven times to the Ukraine and only had to use the service once. It was a surprise to me, but the people that worked there were very helpful and spoke very good English. They were immediately able to track down my luggage. The representative called New York for me and found my baggage still there. Apparently my luggage never made the flight.
In the morning I had my luggage in hand. I paid a nice tip for the one minute service of retrieving my luggage. Now if you don't know what I am talking about, Ukraine runs on tips. Think of giving a tip that is too small and Ukrainians have no problem in pointing out your grave mistake. Normal tip fair for getting your baggage reclaimed $6.00. Taxi trip to get back to the airport to retrieve your baggage $55.00. Knowing that you paid the right tip and avoiding the embarrassment of getting screamed at for failing to understand the tip policy, priceless.
Now that you are out of baggage claim it is just a short walk up a small incline into the heart of the Kiev, Boryspil Airport. Walk through the double doors and you are greeted with a large crowd of families, friends and business associates awaiting the arriving passenger. Get through the crowd and you are bombarded with taxi drivers willing to take you anywhere in Kiev.
Stay clear of the taxi drivers and find your way to one of the many kiosks in the airport that will help you find a taxi. The price is fair and shown to you up front. Taxi kiosks are easy to find and the word "TAXI" is written across them.
In the international terminal, you will find four currency exchange booths. The worst exchange rates can be found at the airport. It is best to only exchange a small portion of your money here. Wait until you get to the center of the city where the rate is much better. I usually only exchange $200 dollars at the airport. This covers my taxi, food and most other expenses. No worries about finding a currency exchange booth in the center of the city. They are all over the place. The US Dollar, Euro and Russian Ruble are accepted everywhere.
Currency that is old is not accepted at exchange booths. It so happened that I learned this lesson the hard way. I was unable to exchange five hundred dollars because of the age of the currency. Ensure you take newer currency that is in good condition. All currency is inspected by eye and then by machine. Any wet spots or torn, worn bills are not accepted.
Going to another part of the country? Then it only takes minutes to walk to Terminal A. This terminal is reponsible for all domestic air travel. Two booths in this airport sell plane tickets to anywhere with an airport in the Ukraine. Modern digital screens show all activity and gates of departure in English. Now once you are at your gate, pay close attention. Boarding calls are only done in Ukrainian and Russian. If in doubt ask an attendant and they will be happy to point you to the right boarding line.
Not fond of the airport crowds and long waits? Then the airport VIP service is what you want. Terminal C will take you by the hand and guide you through everything. They provide a personal shuttle for all arrivals and departures. They provide a 15 minute passport control service and personal baggage claim assistance. They do this for the a starting price of $150.00 USD. You also get access to the lounge where wireless internet, fax and phone is provided. Google Boryspil Airport to find contact information for this service. All VIP representatives speak English.
Enjoy your stay in the Ukraine!
About the Author:
Art Saborio is a Fiance K1 Visa Professional. His free series, "A Quick-Start 7 Step Guide to Guaranteeing Your Foreign Fiance a Visa" is now available at http://www.k1visaexperts.com/k1success.html. While you are there, also take a look at his very informative must read articles http://www.k1visaexperts.com/blog
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