It was of course a joke, but anyway it really exist and it is possible to see it together with many other more serious things at the Water information center of Kiev. (Водно-інформаційний центр).

It is a place where you can learn many interesting things about water and they way we waste it…

Water information center of Kiev

Address: ul. Grushevskogo, 1v (Kreshchatyy park) Kiev
Web site: http://aqua-kiev.info

Results region by region

Source: Central, Election, Commission, Ukraine

Results voters abroad

Source: Central, Election, Commission, Ukraine

For to know more

Commissione Centrale elettorale

http://www.cvk.gov.ua/vp2010/wp0011.html

Source: Central, Election, Commission, Ukraine

NEWS: Tymoshenko called for a third round of elections.

Exit polls (margin of mistake 5%):

Source: National exit polls

Ukrainian elections live, with a lot of detailed information:
http://www.cvk.gov.ua/vp2010/wp0011.html

On February 7th, will take place the 2nd round between Yanukovych and Tymoshenko.

Notes

In Ukraine is also possible to vote against all, proty vsikh… and not few people voted in this way (2.2%).
Among all the candidates there is one, number 15, which surname is right Protyvsikh

They are composed by wagon of first and second class with only sitting places divided in compartment of 6 places (we tried only the first class).

Stolychnyi ekspres Kyiv – Kharkiv

Locomotiv Siemens. Train Kyiv – Kharkiv

Locomotiv stolychnyi ekspres

Train Kyiv – Kharkiv

Stolychnyi ekspres, waiting at the Kyiv’s station

Wagon of the train Kyiv – Kharkiv

Stolychnyi ekspres Kyiv – Dnipropetrovsk

Train Kiev – Dnipropetrovsk

Stolichniy-express to Dnipropetrovsk

Inside wagons

First class wagons are quite clean and offer a good comfort.

Corridor train Kyiv – Dnipropetrovsk

Corridor first class wagon, stolychnyi ekspres

The are equipped with very nice reclining seats and in the middle of the compartment there is also a small table.

Compartment of the train Kyiv – Dnipropetrovsk

As in the “renewed” wagons, there is a control panel (lights, radio, wc status and AC plug).

The control panel inside the compartment

In each compartment there are 2 monitors where is possible to watch movies in Russian language.

One of the monitors, train Kyiv – Dnipropetrovsk

Toilets of the train

There are 2 WC for each wagon and, at least in the first class, they look even better that the ones available on the renewed sleeping cars. They look very clean and have also a dispenser of hygienic paper covering for WC.

Toilet of the train Kyiv – Dnipropetrovsk

WC of the train Kyiv – Dnipropetrovsk

Price of the tickets

First class tickets are quite expensive if compared with the elekrickas’ ones. Anyway it is possible to feel the difference.
The first class during our trip was almost empty.

One way ticket for the route Kyiv – Kharkiv
1 class: 176.17 UAH
2 class: 104.43 UAH

Videos of Ukrainian trains

Train “Zakarpattia” departing from Kiev:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6k7Z4mN5Clg

Freight train in Donetsk:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhPAFR4myPk

Other kind of Ukrainian trains

Elektrichka (Электричка) or Elektropoezd
http://en.ukrlandia.com.ua/elektricka

Overnight trains
http://www.ukrlandia.com.ua/treni-ucraini

Train timetable

http://www.uz.gov.ua (site in Russian and Ukrainian)

NEW Rules

Since October 14th, the rules for to call within Ukraine and from Ukraine to abroad changed.
In this way the new syntax is more similar to the one of western European countries.

To call a different oblast, you don’t need anymore to dial 8 before the area code. The same happen if you want to call a mobile phone.
For to call abroad simply dial 0 before the country code at the place of the old 8 10.

Another change concern the area code of the Kiev oblast. The prefix change from 044 t0 045.
The city of Kiev stay with the old 044.

Local calls

Dial the number without area code.
ex.: if you are in Kiev and you want to call within the city, dial the number without 044.

Calls outside the city

Dial: (area code) number.
ex.: for to call Donetsk: 062 followed by the number.

International calls

Dial: 0 and wait for the beep then dial (country code) (area code)  number.
ex.: for to call Milan: 0 03902 followed by the number.

Mobile phone (within Ukraine)

Dial: full number starting from the 0 and not from the 8.

es.: if the number is 8093… simply dial 093.

Call costs

Lets see how much costs to call from a land line phone in Ukraine, the following rates are the ones of Ukrtelecom.

Local calls

A particular number of minutes is included in the account, you pay a fixed amount of money every month and you get several free minutes of conversation. When you pass the number of free minutes, you will have to pay few Kopiykas for each minute of conversation.

ex. of rate:

19,73 Hryvnia for a max of 200 min/month.
Between 200 and 840 minutes you have to pay 5,4 Kopiykas/minute.
After this limit you will pay for each extra minute 3,78 Kopiykas.

So if you want make a call within the city from your hotel or a rented flat, it should be free. For us it was exactly in this way. (anyway ask before to call)

Read:
http://en.ukrtelecom.ua/services/customers/local_telephony/installation/rates

Calls outside the city

There are two different rates, one for the calls placed inside the oblast’ and another one for all the other ones no matter how far is the tow you want to call.

Rates

Calls within the oblast’

-working days
8-18: 0,48 Hryvnia
18-23: 0,29 Hryvnia
23-8: 0,24 Hryvnia

-Saturday, Sunday and holidays
0,18 Hryvnia (all day long)

Outside the oblast’

-working days
8-18: 0,60 Hryvnia
18-23: 0,42 Hryvnia
23-8: 0,36 Hryvnia

-Saturday, Sunday and holidays
0,34 Hryvnia (all day long)

Read:

http://www.ukrtelecom.ua/services/customers/phone_regional/tariff

International calls

The rate vary according to the country you want to call and by the daytime of your call
The countries are devided in 7 areas. All prices are in USD.

Rates for to call the USA and Canada
area 4, North America

8-18: 0,36 USD
18-8 and holidays: 0,29 USD

Rates for to call Great Britain
area 6, western and central Europe, Oceania, Africa, Asia etc…
(almost the most expensive area)

8-18: 0,60 USD
18-8 and holidays: 0,48 USD

The same rates apply also for to call mobile subscribers.

Read:
http://en.ukrtelecom.ua/services/customers/international_telephony/rates

The train depart usually in the late afternoon ad arrive at destination the next morning. This happen on routes as Kiev – Donetsk, Kiev – Ivano – Frankovsk. On other routes as Donetsk – Lvov, the trip last even more than 1 day.

The locomotives

Some are electrical and other are Diesel. We are not expert so we just public some photos of them.

Electrical Ukrainian locomotive

Ukrainian locomotive

Old Ukrainian locomotive

The sleeping cars

The carriages are characterized by their typical light blue color with yellow stripe. There anyway wagons with different colors as the one of the train Uzgorod – Kiev.

Several trains also have a specific name ex. Donbass  for the Donetsk – Kiev, Dnipro for the Dnepropetrovsk – Kiev etc…

Sleeping car  “Donbass” Donetsk – Kiev

Train “Azov”, Mariupol – Kiev

Train “Zakarpattia”, Uzgorod – Kiev

The name and the destination are written on a plate on both sides of the wagon.

“Donbass”, Donetsk-Kiev

“Prikarpattia”, Ivano-Frankisvsk – Kyiv

Apart from the “traditional” wagons, there are also renewed carriages which especially inside are much better than the previous ones.

Renewed wagon, train “Donbass”

Renewed wagon of the train Lviv – Kyiv

A part of the normal sleeping cars exist also a restaurant wagon.

Restaurant wagon, train “Donbass”

Interior of the sleeping cars

Mainly the wagons are possible to be divided in these 3 typologies:

-First class: Lyuks (Люкс) compartments with only 2 beds  (and extra comforts)

-Second class: Kupe (Купе) compartment with 4 beds, 2 up and 2 down

-Third class: Platskart (Плацкарт) there is not division in compartments. You have more than 3 neighbors…

In some trains exist also a forth class Zahal’nyi (Загальний), where there are only sits and not beds.

A big difference consist in the age of the carriage and if the wagon was renewed or not.

Kupe class “traditional” wagons

These wagons can be quite good (even if not renewed) as the ones of the “Donbass” (see photo) or to be rather old as the ones of the Donetsk – Sevastopol or the ones of  the “Prikarpattia”.

In general, the standard comfort are:

-  “Clean” bed linen (at least they are given in a sealed package)

- Radio and lights for the whole compartment

- A personal light next to every bed.

- Clotheshorses

- Boxes where to put the luggage (over the door and under the two down beds)

- Power plugs, usually only inside and next to the toilet (often they don’t work)

- Heating system and conditioned air (not always working property and sometimes not even available)

There are 2 toilets for every wagon.

Entrance wagon Kupe, “Prikarpattia”

Train Donbass, Donetsk – Kiev

Entrance of the corridor, train “Donbass”

Corridor wagon Donetsk – Kiev

Compartment Kupe, train Donetsk – Kiev

Stair to the upper bed, train Donetsk – Kiev

Upper bed with mattress

Control panel, train “Donbass”

Train Lviv – Donetsk

Corridor of the wagon, train Lviv – Donetsk

Upper bed with bed linen

Train Donestk – Sevastopol

Small table, train Donetsk – Sevastopol

Upper bed with light, train Donetsk – Sevastopol

Between all these trains the most comfortable was the “Donbass”. The worst was the Sevastopol also because when we tried it was winter and the radiators were extremely hot and the air inside the compartment was very heavy.

Renewed wagons

These carriages are completely renewed. They look clean and modern. In general they don’t have anything to envy to the western ones.

Inside the compartments there is a special control panel which also tell if the WC are busy or not. On it there is also a power plug every useful for to reach PC or mobile phones.

The toilets are much, much better than the previous ones.

Train Donbass, Donetsk – Kiev

Entrance train “Donbass”, renewed wagon

Corridor renewed wagon, train “Donbass”

Compartment, train Donetsk – Kiev

Upper bed, train “Donbass”

Kupe, “Donbass” Donetsk – Kiev

Luggage box

Control panel of the compartment

Train “Lviv”, Lviv – Kyiv

Renewed wagon train “Lviv”

Compartment train “Lviv”

Bed and mattress, train  Lviv – Kyiv

The toilets

They are usually not hygienic and essential. Especially before the arrival (so after the night) they are dirty and the floor is often wet.

Much better are the ones of the renewed wagons.

“Normal” wagons

Toilet, train “Donbass”

Sink, Ukrainian train

WC train Lviv – Donetsk

Renewed wagons

Sink, train “Donbass”

WC, train Donetsk – Kiev

Tickets:

The prices of the tickets change according to the distance, the class and the kind of the wagon. The renewed wagons cost a bit more (but the difference of price is truly worthy).

Example:

Kyiv-Lviv

First class: about 500 uah (100 usd)

Second class: about 125 uah (25 usd)

Third class: about 80 uah (16 usd)

The best one is the Kupe (quality/price).

The first class can costs even more than to take the plane.

Remember to book as soon as you can or you risk to don’t find any ticket left.

Keep your ticket in a place where you can easily reach it. The woman of the carriage will ask it two times:
1 before you to come inside her wagon
2 when the train depart and in this occasion she will not give it back (when you are close to your destination, you can ask her to give it back to you).

Notes:

-As rule, the down beds are considered to be the best, since you can also sit there and not only to lie down… and for this reason are also the first that are sold out.
Grannies and grandpa will aspect you to give them such place even if you own a ticket for such place.

-Before to lay down on your bed, you need to “make the bed”
you will find there a kind of mattress, a pillow, several “clean” shits and an heavy blanket.
Prior to your arrival, you have to put everything as it was before and give all those “clean” shits to the woman of the train.

For to know how to read Ukrainian tickets:
http://en.ukrlandia.com.ua/train-tickets-ukraine

Videos of Ukrainian trains

Train “Zakarpattia” departing from Kiev:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6k7Z4mN5Clg

Other types of Ukrainian trains

Elektrichka (Электричка) o Elektropoezd:

http://en.ukrlandia.com.ua/elektricka

Freight train in Donetsk:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhPAFR4myPk

Ukrainian train timetable

http://www.uz.gov.ua (only in Russian and Ukrainian)

They are multiple unit trains and they don’t have sleeping cars but normal passengers cars of first and second class.

As always a significant difference is the age of the train. There are new Elektrichka called “comfort” and old ones that of comfortable have really very few…

Usually the newest Elektrichka are operative on the main lines as Dnipropetrovsk – Donetsk, and the other ones are more popular on less important routes.

Here are several photos of different Elektrichka (modern ones).

Elektrichka Dnipropetrovsk – Donetsk

An elektrichka at the Dnipropetrovsk’s railway station

Elektrichka’s wagons

Elektrichka Dnepropetrovsk – Donetsk

Elektrichka Kiev – Khmnelnitskiy

Elektrichka Kiev – Khmnelnitskiy

The elektrichka waiting in Kiev

Elektrichka alla stazione di Kiev (Vydubichi) local service

Elektrichka at Vydubichi (Kiev)

Elektrichka at Vydubichi (Kiev)

Inside the wagons

The quality of wagons ad of the seats depend not only on the class but also on the kind of Elektrichka. You can find carriages with comfortable seats + small table and tv (if it works) and other ones with simple wooden seats.

Elektrichka Kiev – Khmnelnitskiy (inside the first class)

First class elektrichka Kiev – Khmnelnitskiy

Elektrichka, first class (notice TV)

Elektrichka Dnepropetrovsk – Donetsk (First class)

Elektrichka’s wagon

Elektrichka’s seats. Dnepropetrovsk – Donetsk

Having traveled on all these trains, we can say the elektrichka Kiev – Khmnelnitskiy was more comfortable than the one between Dnipropetrovsk – Donetsk even if from outside the second one looks better.

Toilets

The toilets of the Elektichka are not better than the ones of the overnight trains.
They only offer a simple faucet and a turkish WC and they are not even available on all carriages.

The WC of an elektrichka

Price of the tickets

They are quite cheap even if you chose the first class.
For the route Dnipropetrovsk – Donetsk we paid just 29 Hryvnia head (less than 2 euro).

At least for in the first class, you can’t sit where you want. Your place is booked when you buy the ticket.

Train timetable

http://www.uz.gov.ua (site in Russian and Ukrainian)

It is not a complex thing, the terminal A is just at few meters from the main terminal (B).

Just outside the terminal B, there is a signboard showing the direction for to reach the other two terminals (A and C).

Signboard showing the direction to reach the Borispol’s terminals

Turn to the right (as described on the signboard) and follow the white stripes on the ground for to reach the terminal A.

Way to the terminal A of Kiev Borispol

Along the way to the terminal A, you can find several sits which are a very good place where to have rest when the weather is good.

From terminal B to terminal A of Borispol airport

Walking along the white stripes, you will see a large signboard with written “Терминал А”, we are already very close to our destination.

Next to the terminal A of Kyiv Boryspil

Few steps and we are arrived, the building in front of you is the terminal A.

The terminal A of Kiev Borispol

Video of the “tour” Terminal B to Terminal A

You can see the video guide on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vQ0DC_7QA4

Have a nice flight:)

For further information

Kyiv Boryspil official website:
http://www.airport-borispol.kiev.ua

Guide to the Terminal B of Kiev Borispol:
http://en.ukrlandia.com.ua/borispol-terminal-b

Guide to the Terminal A of Kyiv Boryspil:
http://en.ukrlandia.com.ua/boryspil-terminal-a

How to reach the Borispol airport:
http://en.ukrlandia.com.ua/polit-boryspol