FAQ – UKRAINE POP-UP TOUR

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ARRIVAL – GETTING TO YOUR HOTEL

At Hotel Salute, the room booking is in your name (address: 11B, Ivana Mazepy Street). The easiest way of getting there is catch a taxi or Uber. Look for a line-up of “official” taxi’s – not the “unofficial” guys who may approach you. These are normally metered taxis. I can’t give you a precise price – it may be around 20 EUR to the Hotel Salute. Stick to the marked Taxi’s, and your chances of being ripped-off are slim.

Cheapest way is the airport “Sky Bus”. The instructions below seem complicated, but really, they’re not. In summary, you will catch the Sky Bus right from the arrival terminal, to a metro stop, hop on the metro, transfer to a different line at one point, and walk a few minutes to the hotel.

Detailed instructions (or click here for a Google Map version):

a) catch the Skybus to the stop “Kharkivska”. The tickets for the Skybus are purchased on-board, in cash, using Ukrainian currency only. Kharkivska is the first stop, about half an hour (depending on traffic) from the airport. You will see many people getting off. Ask someone if you are unsure – just say “kar-kiv-ska?”

b) Kharkisvka is a metro (subway) station stop – look for any steps that go downstairs, head on down, and look for the station entrance. It’s underneath the main road where the bus stopped.

c) buy a “token” from the cashier, and catch the metro to “Zoloti Vorota”. UPDATE JANUARY 2018: TOKENS ARE BEING PHASED OUT, YOU MAY NEED TO BUY A METRO CARD FROM THE MACHINE – YOU CAN PURCHASE USING YOUR CREDIT CARD OR UKRAINIAN CURRENCY.

d) transfer at “Zoloti Vorota” – stay underground, and walk to “Teatralna” station. From Tealtralna, catch the subway to “Arsenalna”.

e) departing at Arsenalna, walk left down the street to the Hotel Salute, which is on your left about 5 minutes walk (more-or-less).

NOTE: there is a good chance one of us can come and meet you at Kharkivska station – just ask.
NOTE: the Kiev metro is safe, quite easy to read/navigate – with station names generally in English.

CASH MONEY

ATM/Bankomat machines are everywhere in Kiev, however, we have found they often have excessive charges and very limited withdrawal limits. You can use the machines, but I also suggest bringing cash in Euro or US dollars, to change at the many currency exchange outlets. The ATM’s at Kiev Borispol airport are limited to around $100 USD per withdrawal (equivalent in the local currency, which is called the “Hryvnia”. Credit Cards are widely accepted.

WEATHER IN KIEV

Typical temperatures in Kiev during January, are for most people, cold. Daily low temperatures range from -7°C to -4°C, falling below -15°C or exceeding 1°C only one day in ten. Daily highs are around -1°C throughout the month, exceeding 5°C or dropping below -9°C only one day in ten.

HOW TO DRESS FOR COLD WEATHER

The key to cold weather dressing is layering. Wear multiple layers of garments, one on top of the next. Several lighter layers will keep you warmer than one very thick one – air is trapped between each layer and warmed by your body, creating a heat shield that will insulate you from the cold.

Look at wearing thermal undershirts and pants as your “base” layer, and some kind of warm and preferably waterproof jacket as your “outer” layer. In between, as many layers as you feel comfortable with squeezing in. Bring warm gloves, a hat/beanie, and maybe a scarf.  Boots (warm and waterproof) should be considered essential. We’re all in this together, and will make indoor stops as required to warm up.

OUR PLANS FOR AFTERNOON/EVENING ONE

As people are flying in from all over the planet, at different times, we won’t plan anything for day one – other than an evening meal at a location very close to the Hotel Salute. However, we’re happy to catch up with you and take a look around if you arrive early. We will make sure you are aware of the dinner arrangements, once we have figured out when everyone is arriving. Check your email using the free Wifi at Hotel Salute for any updates.

For now, that’s all. If you have any questions, send an email to either me (Nate) or Darmon.

Nate Robert / Darmon Richter
YOMADIC / THE BOHEMIAN BLOG