Transportation system in Ukraine is very developed and involves various transportation means.
First of all, it is closely associated with public city transportation which includes buses, trolley buses, and trams and is the cheapest way to travel within cities. Prices range from 10 cents to 50 cents a ticket. One can purchase a ticket at the bus stops at the little kiosks, however its possible to get the one from the conductor once you board. At that, it is the best way to get acquainted with a city. Should you make up your mind to travel by these kinds of transportation, be sure not to use them during rush-hour periods.
As for the metro options, Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Dnipropetrovsk feature this fastest way of transportation that is renowned also for its decorative designs and architectural solutions.
You can also take a taxi by phoning or simply by putting out your hand on the street.
Another very convenient and fast way of traveling is done by marshrutka, or a taxi van. Marshrutkas are very popular in every town and city in Ukraine. These taxi vans not only travel within a certain town/city, but they also operate intercity routes. Train is a very popular way to travel within Ukraine for it to reach a final destination on time or with minimum delay. One can purchase a train ticket both at the railroad stations and offices. As a rule, one can buy a ticket within 42 days term prior to the departure date. Its recommended to buy the tickets beforehand, especially on the holidays eve. When traveling by train just observe some advices and your journey will be safe and pleasant. Keep your money and valuables near yourself; try not to leave your luggage with strangers; always lock the cabin door during the night time.
Ukrainian trains are equipped with the wagons of 3 types: 1st class cabins, 2nd class (coupe) and 3rd class, (platzcart) that offers the lowest tickets price. The quality of services in such wagons depends on trains and destinations, yet the best solution is to take an express train providing good quality and services and traveling at high speed.
Moreover, Ukrainian international railway links connect Kyiv to many CIS and European countries. Thus, there are trains operating to Warsaw (Poland), Moscow (Russia), St.Petersburg (Russia), Minsk (Belarus), Berlin (Germany), Bratislava (Slovakia), Prague (Czech), Vienna (Austria), etc.
Bus traveling is also popular in Ukraine: apart from domestic routes there are regular bus schedules to the majority of European cities.
As for Ukrainian sea connection, it is carried out via the Black sea ports of Odessa, Sevastopol and Yalta with the major part of ferries serving Turkey and Greek destinations.
One can also take advantage of traveling by air with most international flights operating to and from Boryspil International Airport in Kiev (KBP) and domestic flights in Zhulyany (IEV). The most popular Ukrainian airlines are Aerosvit, International Ukrainian airlines, UMA and WizzAir.
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All in all, traveling in Ukraine can be of a big fun, provided you think through your transportation priorities and ponder over all prons and cons of the time spell youd like to spend en route.
Kiev (or Kyiv) is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The name Kiev is derived from the name of Kiy, one of four legendary founders of the city.
By the ancient legend Kiev was founded by three brothers Kiy, Schek, Khoriv and their sister Lybid. They were surprised by the beauty of Dniepers hills, stopped to settle here and called the town in honour of the eldest brother-Kiev. A monument to the founders was erected at the Dnieper embankment in our days. The towns place was chosen aptizedlly, the high Dniepers slopes were perfect protection against the raids of nomad tribes.
Kiev stretches for the space of more than 20 km along the picturesque banks of the biggest Ukrainian river Dnieper. Its square consists 827 sq.km. The population of Kiev is about 3 millions people.
Kiev is one of the oldest Slavic centres, Mother of Russian touns so it was called in olden times, its age is more than 1500 years. The first settlements on the territory of modern Kiev appeared from 15000 till 20000 year ago.
During the time of Vladimir the Great (980-1015) government our city begins to develop especially rapidly. In order to consolidate Kiev Russ and to increase its international influence the prince Vladimir aptized the Russ in 988. Christianity and became that impulse for further development of written language and culture.
Today Kiev is an important industrial, scientific, educational and cultural centre of Eastern Europe. It is home to many high-tech industries, higher education institutions and world-famous historical landmarks. The city has an extensive infrastructure and highly developed system of public transport, including the Kiev Metro.
The capital of Ukraine has got great cultural potential. There are more that 30 museums, about 200 unique architectural monuments, 33 theatres, enormouse quantity of constant active art exhibitions. Kiev is one of the greenest cities of the world, it has more that 60 parks. In spring and summer the city resembles one huge park.
There are many historical places in Kiev. For example, St Sophia Cathedral, which was built in the 11th century, Kievo-Pecherskaya Lavra that was founded in the 11th century, St Michaels Golden-Domed Monastery, which was ruined and recently completely restored, St. Andrews chirch in baroque style?
The monument to Taras Shevchenko, the great Ukrainian poet, is in front of the University, named after him. The monument to Bohdan Khmelnitsky, famous hetman of Ukraine, stands in the square opposite to St Sophia Cathedral.
Kiev is the centre of cultural life of Ukraine. Fans of theatre, cinema, music, painting and other arts can find there many interesting for themselves. There are lots of museums in Kiev: the Museum of Ukrainian Arts, the Historic Museum, the Taras Shevchenko Museum, the Lesya Ukrainka Museum, the museum of M. Bulgakov and others.
No wonder that one of the latest means of travelling is travelling by plane. Nowadays people mostly travel by air. It combines both comfort and speed and you will reach the place of destination very quickly. No doubt, travelling by air is the most convenient and comfortable means of travelling. But if you are airsick the flight may seem not so nice to you. Unfortunately sometimes the flights are delayed because of unfavourable weather conditions, and one more inconvenience is jet-lag.
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Before boarding the plane you must check in at the airport. Passengers are requested to arrive at the airport one hour before departure time on international flights and half an hour on domestic flights. You must register your tickets, weigh in and register the luggage.
The economy class limitation is 20 kg. First-class passengers are allowed 30 kg. Excess luggage must be paid for. Passengers are permitted, to take only some personal belongings with them into the cabin. These items include handbags, brief-cases or ttaché cases, umbrellas, coats and souvenirs bought at the tax-free shops at the airport. Each passenger is given a boarding pass to be shown at the departure gate and again to the stewardess when boarding the plane.
Before the plane takes off the stewardess gives you all the information about the flight, the speed and altitude. She asks you to fasten the belts and not to smoke. She will take care of you during the flight and will help you to get comfortable in your seat. Inside the cabins the air is always fresh and warm. The captain will welcome you on board, tell you all about the flight and the interesting places you are flying over. During the flight you can take a nap or have a chat, you can read and relax. In some planes you can watch video or listen to the music.
When the plane is landing or taking off you have an opportunity to enjoy the wonderful scenery and landscapes. While travelling by plane you fly past various villages and cities at the sight of which realize how majestic and tremendous our planet is. Do not forget your personal belongings when leaving the plane.
Landing formalities and customs regulation are about the same in-all countries. While still onboard the plane the passenger is given an arrival card to fill in, he fills in (in block letters) his name in full, country of residence, permanent address, purpose and length of visit; and address in the country he is visiting. After the passenger has disembarked, officials will examine (check) his passport and visa (to see if they are in order).
In some countries they will check the passengers certificate of vaccination. When these formalities have been completed the passenger goes to the Customs for an examination of his luggage. The passenger is required to fill in a customs declaration form. He must list all dutiable articles. Personal belongings may be brought in duty-free.
Here is a partial list of prohibited articles: firearms, drugs, in some countries meat products, fresh fruit and vegetables. The Customs inspector may ask you to open your bags for inspection. After you are through with all customs formalities he will put a stamp on each piece of luggage.
Modern life is impossible without travelling. Of course the fastest way of travelling is by plane. But many people make their choice on travelling by train as with a train you have speed, comfort and pleasure combined. Travelling by train is of course slower than by air but it also has its advantages. If you are going to travel by train youd better book seats beforehand because many people are fond of travelling by train. There are some reasons why people choose railroad. Train is the cheap means of travelling. If it is summer outside it will be better to think of your trip before the vocation starts. To understand how true this is, you only have to go to a railway station. There you will see hundreds of people hurrying to catch a train. Youll waste a lot of time standing near the booking-office trying to buy a ticket. Modern trains have very comfortable seats in all passenger cars, and there are sleeping-cars and dining-cars which make even the longest journey enjoyable. You can buy first-class, second-class and third-class sleepers in a separate compartment. If you are early before the train starts you can leave your suit-cases in the compartment and walk up and down the platform. Some people forget when and from which platform and track their train will be off. They can always ask for the track, platform and train numbers at the railroad station information bureau and also get information about next trains and their schedules. There are express, slow and long-distance trains. If you want to go somewhere and get there as quickly as possible youd better know that express trains only stop at the largest stations while slow trains stop at all stations. You can get to far countries only by a long-distance train. Once you are in your compartment you have to ask the guide to bring in the bedding. There are usually two lower and two upper berths in a third-class sleeper compartment. Some people like to occupy upper berths because it is more convenient and exciting to travel. During your way on the train you can read newspapers, books, look out of the window, drink the tea, communicate with your neighbors or sleep. I prefer to look out of the window, because you can see the country you are passing through, and not only the clouds as when you are flying. You can have something to eat at the stations when the train makes stops. Though we all seem to agree that the future belongs to air transport, the railroads today still carry a lot of passengers and goods.
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Every country has its own customs and traditions, which were formed over centuries. Ukrainian traditions are interesting and versatile. They mean a lot for local people. Even young people eagerly respect and follow them. National traditions determine the way people live: their language, religion, life values, relationships, even food and clothing. Like in many countries, traditions in Ukraine are closely connected with everyday life and the agricultural calendar. Ukrainians also have harvest songs for seasonal works, certain entertainments, ritual greetings and even superstitions. For example, local people believe that shaking hands in the doorway may bring misfortune, or sitting between two people with the same name brings luck. Ukrainians are family-oriented people. The origination and existence of the family is followed by many rituals and rules. For example, there are certain merry elements of formal marriage proposal, engagement and bachelorette party. The ceremony of marriage in Ukraine is called veselye, which literally means fun. Very often parents and even grandparents live with their children and help them to raise the kids. This tradition goes back to old times, when the majority of Ukrainians lived in villages. Poetic and mysterious is the Midsummer Night or the holiday of Ivana Kupala. Young girls, wearing flower wreaths, sing and dance in a ring. Afterwards, they put their wreaths into the water and watch their way. This ritual shows the girls future and fortune. Christmas night is also a good time for fortune-telling. Ukrainians are known for their hospitality. They like having guests over and for this occasion they put all the best food on the table.
When it is a religious holiday in the calendar, the Ukrainian families go to the church to pray, on these days we are taught not to work.Nativity to our Lord is celebrated all over the world. In Ukraine it is celebrated on the 7th, 8th, 9th of January. On these days all the family gets together to have the Christmas supper, during which 12 dishes must be put on the table. Christmas carols are sung by children and grown-ups. It is a tradition to go from one house to another singing carrols.We have one more great holiday the Easter, it's Resurrection of our Lord. In our Ukrainian tradition Easter is the greatest holiday of the year, while in Western Christians the greatest holiday is Christmas. We are persecuted by our enemies too long. That's why the Resurrection of our Lord, the victory of Lord's truth is for us the most important assurance in our victory. The traditional Easter greeting is "Lord has Resurrected, Really it has Resurrected" is often changed and quite right like."Lord has Resurrected Ukraine has Resurrected". On Saturday afternoon or on Sunday early morning people put Easter, painted Easter eggs, butter, cheese, salt, sausage, horse-radish on the best embroidered napkin in the basket and go to the church to holy all this. Cross is the main decoration of the basket. They sing Resurrection songs.Pisanka (painted Easter egg) is one of the most interesting forms of Ukrainian decorative art. Ukrainian spring pisanka has always been considered as an example of the artistic taste. It is no wonder that the great Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko, in describing the Ukrainian countryside compares it with a beautiful pisanka.
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In 1665 Queen Anne traded her regular breakfast beverage, ale, for tea imported from the Far East and soon began the tradition and ceremony of English tea. By 1700 there were more than 500 coffee houses selling tea in the city of London alone and tea had become an ingrained part of the British culture.
Although tea is the non-official preferred beverage of England, tea ceremonies sadly, have been on the decline. Most of the ceremonies are reserved for special occasions such as weddings or parties or for tourists at fancy hotels like the Ritz. If you are going to England for a special ceremony, I certainly want you well prepared and educated or your first British ceremonial tea!
If you were invited to tea between 3-5pm, you would be invited to afternoon tea. Although tea and a piece of cake in the late afternoon is still very common, due to work schedules of the modern day, afternoon tea is mostly reserved for special occasions. Afternoon tea began in the 1800s when the Duchess of Bedford couldnt wait until 8 or 9pm for dinner to be served without feeling overwhelmingly hungry. Tea and bread with butter was enough to tie her over and she enjoyed sharing it with her high society friends. Soon enough, to be invited for Afternoon tea was the invite all the British ladies desired.
Sometimes called Low tea Afternoon tea was served on low coffee or side tables around couches or love seats and usually took place in a sitting room.
High tea is a phrase I think most Americans are familiar with but possibly for the wrong reason. It isnt because it is served at high noon, or because it is for high society, it is because they drank their tea on high tables! Served between 5-6pm after workers return home, high tea is not a snack, but rather replaces dinner with hot meats, fish, eggs and cheese being served along side the tea. Also called the not so eloquent meat tea High tea is much more a mans meal than a ladies social call, certainly not the way Americans picture high tea!
So, suppose you were invited to an afternoon tea, lets talk about the dos and dont and the ins and outs of tea etiquette. Placing your thumb at the 6 oclock position and your index and middle fingers at 12 oclock should lift a cup without a handle. Slowly lift and tilt using you extended curved pinkie finger for balance. A cup with a handle is not for you to slide your index finger through! Imagine the whole wasnt there and hold the front and the back of the handle again, using the pinkie finger for balance. Never wrap your hands around the cup or set the cup in the palm of your hand.
A spoon may be used to stir your tea and it should be done in a sweeping, circular wave like motion two or three times quietly without clinking the teacup. After you have stirred, place your spoon on the right side of the saucer. Your cup should also remain on the saucer when not at your lips. The tea will almost always be a gourmet loose leaf black tea made by the host and will be served with options of milk, sugar and lemon slices.
Food placed on a tiered stand is to be eaten in a certain order, from top to bottom. The top of the tier stand will have scones, in the middle tea sandwiches and on the bottom sweets. Start at the top and deliciously work you way down to the bottom tier.
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Although it seems with schedules getting more and more hectic teatime isnt what it used to be, but it is still a celebrated event and certainly time honored. I hope, now that you are prepared, you are able to relish in a British tea ceremony soon as either a guest or as the hostess. And as Henry James once said, There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.
Kyiv is the capital of Ukraine and one of the biggest cities in Europe. It has been standing on steep hills overlooking the Dnipro River for more than 1,500 years. According to the ancient legend, Kyiv was founded by the three brothers Kyi, Schek and Khoryv and their sister Lybid, and it was named after the eldest brother Kyi. Since then, Kyiv has developed into a valuable center of East Europe attracting foreign businesses and investors to its economic and natural potential. In Kyiv, more than 2,000 objects belong to historical, cultural, and architectural monuments.
Kyivo-Pecherska Lavra is a complex of churches, masterpieces of architecture by themselves, has been a holy place of worship for devoted Christians. Famous for its catacombs with the saints' relics, Lavra is also called the Monastery of Caves. Museum collections of miniatures and church treasures amaze visitors from all over the world.
The beautiful exterior of the National Opera House is supported by the majestic interior design. Professional actors, creative lighting, and bright decorations leave the most memorable impression about Ukraine's dramatic art.
On the slope of the Volodymyr Hill stands the imposing monument to Prince Volodymyr who is also called the Baptizer of Rus. The bronze statue was erected in 1853.
St. Nicolas Catholic Cathedral was built in 1899-1909 by the architect Horotetskyi. The building is placed on one of the central streets, and it can be easily recognized by its distinctive Gothic style and a pair of beautiful needle towers.
Golden Gate is fortified wall, defining the limits of the city and serving as a protective barrier from invaders in the centuries past, dates back to 1037, the reign of Prince Yaroslav the Wise. Now serves as the Golden Gate historical museum.
St. Sophia's thirteen gorgeous golden domes nicely blend with the city skyline. The grandiose ensemble was built by Prince Yaroslav the Wise in the XI century in commemoration of the victory over the Pecheneg tribe.
The gorgeous blue-and-cream Mariyinsky Palace designed by Bartolomeo Rastrelli was built in 1750 under the supervision of Russian architect Ivan Michurin and is located on top of the hill in a beautiful park.
The most ancient and steep street in Kyiv is Andriyivsky Uzviz. Cultural museums located here reveal the history of the legendary street and of the whole Kyiv. Overlooking Andriyivsky Uzviz and Podil, the old section of Kyiv, stands the Ukrainian Baroque church of St. Andrew designed in 1754 by the Italian architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli. The Castle of Richard in the modernized Gothic style built in 1902 is Andriyivsky Uzviz' another distinctive feature.
The funicular was built in 1905 and until now it offers quick, exciting, and inexpensive rides from Podil up to Mykhailivska Ploscha. The ride is short, but it is worth seeing a magnificent panorama of Kyiv and the Dnipro River that uncovers from the Funicular.
A well-known architect Horodetskyi built his "the Horodetskyi Building" as a private residence in 1902-1903. The walls and the roof of the structure are decorated with intricate sculptural ornaments of mythological and hunting themes.
The structure of Volodymyr Cathedral which was built in 1882 reflects features of the Neo-Byzantine style. The murals of the church interior done by famous Russian painters present considerable artistic significance.
Like most service industries, tourism is labor-intensive; that is, it employs a high proportion of people in comparison to the number that it services. The range of jobs is also very wide, from unskilled to skilled.
A majority of the jobs in tourism have one common feature: contact with public, including both positive and negative aspects of dealing with ordinary human beings. Anyone who has chosen a career in tourism should enjoy working with people and be tolerant.
The tourist industry differs from many others as it employs more women then other kinds of business. Indeed, women are found at all levels. Many successful travel agents are women who have established independent enterprises after gaining expertise elsewhere in the industry. There are many different ways to acquire the necessary experience.
In addition to dealing with public, the travel agent must deal with deal with people who work for the other components in the industry. One of the most important aspects of the job is keeping informed of the highly complex pricing policies of airlines and the resort hotels.
The people who write about travel also receive lavish treatment from the tourist industry. There are relatively few travel writers, but they fill an important place in publicizing the industry.
Tour operators work much more within the framework of ordinary corporate practice then the small retail agencies do. They also employ a large staff to work on advertising and publicity.
Consulting firms also play a part in the tourist industry. A consultant offers the expertise he has acquired through study and experience to individual customers on a fee basis.
Perhaps the most distinctive and difficult job in the entire industry belongs to the tour guide or conductor. A tour guide is the person in charge of a tour pr an excursion. The terms are interchangeable but some people use guide to refer to the person who companies a sightseeing trip and conductor for the person who makes the travel arrangements.
Another distinctive job in tourism is that of a social director. The social director not only has to organize activities, he must also involve the willing and the reluctant guests in the fun and games. In addition to social directors, resorts employ people to supervise activities in which the resorts specialize.
Nowadays, tourism is an industry that is still growing rapidly. And of course, the final result will be a satisfied customer who remembers his trip with pleasure.
There are not so many Youth Hostels in Ukraine and they are all not like the ones in the West. Hostel System by itself is not new for Ukraine, but hostels for tourists or Youth hostels are a pretty recent innovation (the first one appeared in 2003). They just now started to develop and more or less comply with the European standards.
Hostels of the Soviet type are widely spread in Ukraine and meant for the students, workers and their families. They look like the regular 5 to 9 storied buildings, more often without balconies. Typically they have a "corridor" structure, when rooms go both sides of the long corridor. There is usually one bathroom and a kitchen per floor. Some other hostels have a "block" structure, when there's one bathroom per block of two or three rooms. Maybe that is the reason why the newly reated Youth hostels look somewhere in between a hostel and a regular hotel. Sometimes they are just renovated and rebuilt from the Soviet type hostels or old Soviet hotels.
The prices for the bed are also quite high, taking into the account cost / quality definitions and comparing with the Eusropean hostels.
But still, this sphere of the Ukrainian hospitality industry just started to develop and needs more time and experience until it becomes on a level or at least close to the European one.
Nowadays there are lots of websites that offer a wide choice of accommodations, including hotels, hostels, guesthouses to browse online. It is always better to search for your accommodation earlier to avoid stress and find the right option that fits your budget and needs most. Also, do not forget to read some reviews of your fellow travelers to get information from first hand that will help you with your choice.
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Thomas Cook is the worlds best-known name in travel, thanks to the inspiration and dedication of a single man. Thomas Cook began his international travel company in 1841, with a successful one-day rail excursion at a shilling a head from Leicester to Loughborough on 5 July. From these humble beginnings Thomas Cook launched a whole new kind of company devoted to helping Britons see the world
Sir Frederick Alfred Laker (6 August 1922 9 February 2006) was an English airline entrepreneur, best known for founding Laker Airways in 1966, which went bankrupt in 1982. Known as "Freddie Laker", he was one of the first airline owners to adopt the "no-frills" airline business model that has since proven to be very successful worldwide with companies such as Southwest Airlines, Ryanair, easyJet, AirAsia, WestJet and Virgin Australia.
