Ukraine
 Ukraine | |
|---|---|
| Information | |
| Language: | Ukrainian, (Russian) |
| Capital: | Kyiv |
| Population: | 38,000,000 (2024 estimate) |
| Currency: | Hryvnia (UAH) |
| Hitchability: | <rating country='ua' /> |
| Meet fellow hitchhikers on Trustroots | |
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| Check out hitchhiking spots on Hitchmap | |
- As of February 24th Ukraine is under attack. Can we help Ukrainian refugees?
Ukraine is one of the biggest countries in Europe. It borders Moldavia, Romania, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and the Black Sea.
It has been at war with Russia since 2014 and since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022, a large part of the country remains under military occupation. However, traveling to the country is still possible and can be a valuable experience. Some safety measures are described below.
Hitchhiking
Ukrainians understand the concept of hitchhiking very well, although it seems to have become more difficult since the war with Russia began in 2014.
There are significant regional differences, as in the countryside many people still regularly travel between villages. In recent years, the expectation to share the fuel costs has become more rare, however it is still useful to let your driver know that you are an international hitchhiker and traveling for free. Like other European countries, truck drivers always recognize hitchhikers and know they are travelling for free.
You can hitchhike anywhere along the roadside, even on real motorway like the Kyiv-Odessa road. The first two letters of the Ukrainian number plates indicate the region which can be helpful for finding a ride in the right direction.
The state of the roads is pretty dire in general, and the distances involved are usually pretty big (for example Lviv to Kyiv is around 550 km, 8 hours of driving). Getting an early start is essential.
Language
The biggest problem you could encounter is that few people speak English or other foreign languages. Polish is widely understood.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, many Ukrainians have shifted away from speaking Russian. Especially in the West, you might get unpleasant reactions when speaking Russian.
Dialects or Surzhyk (a mixed form of Ukrainian and Russian) are common.
When the language barrier is overcome, Ukrainians are generally hospitable and open people.
Safety
Air Raid Alerts
As Ukraine suffers missile and drone attacks regularly, it is paramount to recognize alerts and seek shelter immediately.
Siren sounds differ from region to region and might not always be available at all. Many Ukrainians have alerts set up on their phone through apps (Android, iOS) and as long as you are in a crowd, you will hear the sound go off on phones around you. In addition, various Telegram channels and some websites offer more information about the type of attack and allow people to react accordingly.
Most of the attacks happen at night. If you hear a siren at night, it is important to assess the situation and determine whether or not you need to seek shelter.
Shelter
Shelters are marked as "укриття" ("ukryttya" – Ukrainian) or "убежище" ("ubezhyzhzhye" – Russian, in the East). Some cities offer maps of the shelters available to the public.
Usually marked with graffiti on the walls or floor, most shelters are situated in the basements of public or residential buildings. There are also suitable alternatives such as metro stations, underpasses or underground supermarkets available. In the East, many cities equipped public transport stations with mobile concrete shelters that are quite small but will still save your life in an emergency.
Do not let the locals' behavior misguide you. Many people will ignore the siren because it is their daily life. As a visitor, you do not have the experience to make such a judgement for yourself.
Telegram Channels
- Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (Official Military Information)
- єТривога – Volunteers monitoring and reporting alarms and other threats (usually quickest)
- Kyiv City Channel – PSAs from the mayor, city council and administration in Kyiv
- monitor – Updates and alerts about the war with more technical focus
Climate and Weather
In winter Ukraine can get very cold, for example in January 2006, it hit −35 °C, which makes hitchhiking very dangerous. The cost of train travel is very cheap – usually around one Euro for every 100 km (for overnight sleeping carriages), so bear that in mind when going from city to city.
It might be hot in summer (up to +35 °C), so don't forget to take a hat with you to protect yourself from lots of sunbathing.
Areas like the Crimean peninsula (which you can now only access via Russia as a foreigner) can be quite uncomfortable to hitch during the summer due to the heat.
Public Transport
Train
Ukrzaliznycia is the state rail transport company. It is beloved by most Ukrainians and for good reason – low prices, good availability and almost every train is a sleeping carriage. With their new website and app, booking a ticket is easily done online. Bed sheets are optional (80 UAH) but should be booked out of respect unless you plan to sit for the entire duration.
If you want to enter Ukraine without a car, you would usually do so by train through Przemyśl. It is significantly faster by train than by car.
Marschrutka
Marschrutkas are widely available in Ukraine and will stop anywhere. These are quite affordable even on longer routes (ca. 3 € / 100km).
Every city and village will have a line running through them, but it can be hard to find out when or where they go. Do not hesitate to ask the locals or going to the ticket counter. Google Translate will be your friend. Otherwise, they are comparable to the Turkish "Dolmuş," as you can stop them anywhere on their route and pay your ride in cash.
Oftentimes, when no train is available, a short Marschrutka will be your cheapest and quickest way to travel.
Food
Of course you can get stuck easily on the motorway next to a turn-off from the main road because of nightfall. But there is also nice night-traffic of trucks caused by warm weather from May to September. Usually, there are some gas stations near to such places and there some favorite and famous places for stops known by drivers – something like unofficial rest-stations (there are no official but a lot of unofficial ones). You can easily find something to eat and to drink there and at almost all gas stations there are 24 hour shops. You can eat in some restaurants on the road, which are significantly cheaper than in the EU - a nice meal for around $5, or a baguette and cheese for much less.
Puzata Hata is a good place to eat quick and cheap. A full meal will rarely cost you more than 5 euros and usually consist of quite traditional food. Ukrainians will sometimes call it the "Ukrainian McDonalds" but this doesn't do the place justice – the food is really good and nutritious!
Crime
Crimes related to hitch-hiking are not common in Ukraine. But a hitchhiker should avoid cars with drunken drivers or passengers. When you are a single girl it's better to find truck or a car with family for your safety. Avoid night rides with “funny” drivers. Keep your money (carry a bank card instead of a lot of cash) and phone in a safe place.
Personal Experiences
I hitchhiked from Khust to Ivano-Frankivsk in just two rides in August, 2024 (as well as between some villages). It is advisable to speak a fairly good level of Ukrainian, but doesn't seem necessary at all. Drivers were quite nice, but women will not stop for single men. People seemed to know exactly where I wanted to go, what I was doing and had a good attitude. In the Carpathians, there are many military checkpoints which might discourage people from picking up men, in my case, usually soldiers would stop and take me across. – Rebew (talk) 14:56, 2 September 2024 (CEST)
Regions and Cities
- Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast
Under occupation
The following regions and cities are under military occupation by the russian federation and aren't adequate for touristic travel.
- Donezk Oblast
- Kherson Oblast
- Luhansk Oblast
- Zaporizhzhia Oblast
- Kharkiv Oblast (partially occupied, still highly dangerous)
- Autonomous Republic of Crimea (fully occupied and unable to travel from Ukraine)
A current map of war updates is available at liveuamap.com.
Border crossing
- Belarus
- Hungary
- Poland
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Vyšné Nemecké-Uzhhorod border crossing
- Ubľa-Malyi Bereznyi border crossing
- Velké Slemence-Mali Selmenci border crossing (pedestrian crossing, EU/EEA & Ukrainian passports only)
Further Information
- Ukrainian hitchhiking community (Russian), but you can ask questions and get replies in (English)
- Short video summary of the Ukrainian World Championship qualifiers in 2012 giving an idea of the roads travellers will encounter there.
- Public transport in Ukraine
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