Travel to Kharkiv, Kharkiv, Ukraine

[highlander08 9]

Hi everyone. I have been a member for a couple years now. I want to say to everyone that I am sincerely grateful to everyone for the help and advice over the years in my search for my future other half.

I have been corresponding with a great lady for some time now. I am going to Kharkiv in july. I would like help and advice on best and cheapest travel there from kelm airport { Corning/Elmira, NY}. is it cheaper to get a one way flight there and book a return flight from Ukraine as I have been told it is much cheaper for a flight from there to here, than here to there. Also any advice about travel during the current situation with Putin. And about taking gifts with me. someone said a while back about paying a little extra for vip service and avoiding all the long lines and possible fishing for bribes with anything brought along for gifts.

Thanks everyone.

[abella 13]

Hi, I always use ITN (International Travel Networks) I always get a better price than the typical, travelocity, cheaptickets etc. I call and they find me the best deal and best itineraries. I have been in Ukraine 3 times and Belarus once and only one time I gave a 20 dollar bribe to an official, but I now realize it was probably unnecessary. have never had any problems, but you never know. Just don't take with you too many gifts of value, or too much cash for that matter. ATM are abundant and you should have no problem withdrawing money over there. I never had, but always take a few hundred in cash just in case.

[natashenika 0]

I am from kharkiv. You can use aerofrlot and fly from jfk to moscow and the Kharkiv from there, layover is not bad price is ok as well

In regards presents, do not tell them the true value, take all price tags off and say that you only have personal stuff and may be $50.00 worth presents

otherwise you will have to pay 40% duty fee. It happened for me once. I paid $140.00 for saying to have presents for $300

Good luck.

[highlander08 9]

Thanks. I have another question. I asked if her ex would cause problems to bring her 11 yr old daughter here if things work out. she said that when the crisis in ukraine started, She spoke to him in case she needed to go to relatives in russia or friends in italy. And he gave no problem. now she has her daughter attached ?? to her passport. This is new to me. If she comes on fiance visa will that be good or does she need an official document signed by the ex for her daughter to come here. does her daughter need a separate passport also ?

[highlander08 9]

I am from kharkiv. You can use aerofrlot and fly from jfk to moscow and the Kharkiv from there, layover is not bad price is ok as well

In regards presents, do not tell them the true value, take all price tags off and say that you only have personal stuff and may be $50.00 worth presents

otherwise you will have to pay 40% duty fee. It happened for me once. I paid $140.00 for saying to have presents for $300

Good luck.

Thanks, would I need a visa for Russia. Also with the current situation between the us and Russia I don't know if that would be a good idea to go through Russia.

[natashenika 0]

Thanks. I have another question. I asked if her ex would cause problems to bring her 11 yr old daughter here if things work out. she said that when the crisis in ukraine started, She spoke to him in case she needed to go to relatives in russia or friends in italy. And he gave no problem. now she has her daughter attached ?? to her passport. This is new to me. If she comes on fiance visa will that be good or does she need an official document signed by the ex for her daughter to come here. does her daughter need a separate passport also ?

she will need to get the paper that will be verified by notary where he says that he is OK for his daughter to go abroad. she will need a travel passport as well. My friend's mom just came from Kharkiv to JFK through SVO and had no problem. you do not need a visa if you just transfer in SVO.

[abella 13]

Thanks, would I need a visa for Russia. Also with the current situation between the us and Russia I don't know if that would be a good idea to go through Russia.

There is such a thing as a transfer visa when traveling through Russia, but I don't think you need it if the final destination is Ukraine. I do know it is needed if the final destination is Belarus. But you are right, I'd be a little worried as things are a little heated right now. And yes Aeroflot is by far the cheapest option out there!

[highlander08 9]

Do they use metal detectors / walk through , or run baggage through scanner coming out of airport like they do in usa. I will be taking a diamond engagement ring. just to have on hand. where to keep it for least likely for them to find it..... ????

[YandP 6]

As of the tickets - it is cheaper to buy tickets from Ukraine. When my fiance was checking the price it was $260 more than the price I was seeing on the screen being in Ukraine ... I'm not sure why this is so (extra taxes? ) but it is cheaper for her to buy you tickets + dont fly through Russia!!! You'll have just terrible experience and will waste much time. You might save $100 though . There will be direct flights JFK-Boryspil starting May, only 11 hours and you are in Kyiv

At the customs - you just need to say that you are a tourist and to present them with an address of a friend you are staying with. Not bribing needed! Are you gonna be flying to Kharkiv, taking a train? In case of the first keep in mind - the terminals at Boryspil airport are pretty far from each other, and there is no airtrain in between, there is a bus running every 15 minutes or so. + if you dont want to waste money dont go for an authorized airport taxi - they are super pushy and they overcharge greatly!

Edited April 4, 2014 by YandP

[vbtwo 54]

I don't think it's a good idea to fly through Russia now, not so much with the US/Russia relations but with Ukraine/Russia relations being so terrible (they might hold the plane somewhere, do a bunch of "security checks" on everyone or pull a lot of other #######). If you do this anyway, there is no transit visa or any visa required in Russia if you just stay in the airport (sometimes there are tickets with TransAero that are cheap, but require a change of airport - you cannot do this without a visa, Aeroflot is fine as they just use Sheremetyevo).

Ukraine International Airlines will have direct flights from JFK to Kiev starting in late April, you can just use that as that will be the easiest. Or you can use a bunch of different European airlines to fly to Kiev. You can also use UIA to fly from Kiev to Kharkiv, if you just buy it on one ticket it shouldn't really cost that much more than just to Kiev (or you can take a bus from the airport or train from Kiev).

If you arrive in Kiev, they do not scan every piece of luggage, and if you don't look like you're carrying a lot, you can just go through the green line at customs without anyone stopping you or asking any questions at all. It's possible that you might get pulled over for a random scan, but very unlikely. Then even if you fly to Kharkiv or anywhere else in Ukraine, no more customs as it's domestic flights.

When I went last time to Dnipropetrovsk, I went through Moscow and then straight to Dnipropetrovsk, and they scanned every single piece of luggage at customs and I had to pay them a $20 bribe because "you can't bring in food to Ukraine" and I had some things.

[Brian&Larissa 73]

I just returned from Ukraine yesterday. I flew KLM via Amsterdam. I would agree that you should stay away from Russia....why take unnecessary chances for hassles? There are a lot of options to choose from...Flying non-stop from JFK to KBP is a great alternative. Just be aware of flight times for arrival and departure into/from Kiev. If you plan on taking a train from Kiev to Kharkov you need to get to the train station and that is a good distance from the airport. Going through customs in Kiev is a breeze. I have been to Ukraine over 6 times and never had a problem, nor had to bribe anyone. Act like you have been there before. Regarding the engagement ring...not proud of this, but it worked for me...I wore a necklace with the ring attached...if questioned I was going to say it was my mother's before she past away. I was not even stopped. Just use your head and common sense. If you go expecting the worse...then the worst is what will happen. I think Kiev is one of the easiest airports I have ever gone through! Yes, easier than the USA.

[Loving_girl 38]

Same idea give you: DO NOT FLY VIA RUSSIA (pain in the ####, had several friends flying from there different destinations, always with problems and misunderstanding), taking into account that now we and russia are not in the best relations, just avoid the airport in there.

As already guys said, soon there will be direct flights from JFK to KBP (Kyiv) so it will save up a lot of nervs and layovers, from Kyiv you can easy fly to Kharkiv airpot (you buy ticket online without any problems). Pages where tickets to Ukraine seems to be cheaper: CheapOair and Tripadisor...from what i've noticed.

As for bribes.........WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT???? Never in my life gave a signle bribe at KBP to anyone, so did my fiance, i assume people who "according to them gave bribes" had some issues like being nervous or something....donno....never heard anyone saying he/she gave a bribe at the airport.....plus take into account now in Ukraine new government is fighting any kind of bribes and stuff like that so i bet not a single soul will make even a slight hint for a bribe.

Do not over plan your journey, you stil have several months (and if you follow news, things in Ukraine develop and change pretty fast), just plan your trip and chill.

Good luck!

Edited April 5, 2014 by Loving_girl

[highlander08 9]

Thanks. I just checked UIA site and from jfk to Kharkiv is about 300. - 400. cheaper than cheapoair and tripadvisor.

[highlander08 9]

Thanks everyone !! Are there any immunizations that it might be a good idea to get or that are required to travel there. Has anyone had and problems with the water there ? Any places to avoid ? Do I need to register any where when I get there.?

[highlander08 9]

Any prescription meds to take in case of bad diarrhea. I have read about travelers getting this.