Many people travel to Ukraine as part of pre-arranged package tours. Typically they are met at the airport by a driver who takes them to their destination, and stays with them throughout their visit. I have no experience with this kind of travel, but it obviously offers advantages in terms of comfort and convenience if one is willing to pay extra for this kind of personalised service. Tour companies may take you to interesting places that you would not otherwise know about or be inclined to visit. (One such company, operating out of Lviv, is Lviv Ecotour. Although I have not used their services myself, I have met one of the partners and I can vouch for the fact that he speaks perfect English and can take you just about anywhere you want to go in his own vehicle.)

Alternatively, if your budget is limited, with a little advance knowledge and spirit of adventure one can do things on the cheap, and still get a flavour of the real Ukraine whilst interacting with the local people and customs.

Air travel

One option is to enter through Lviv (also known as Lvov or Lemberg, in former times), which is well served by daily flights, for example, from Vienna on Austrian Airlines or via Warsaw on LOT Polish Airlines. Both airlines are part of the ‘Star Alliance’, so it is relatively easy to mix and match itineraries. Lviv is also served by Ukrainian Airlines International from various European destinations.

The small airport in Lviv, with its characteristic Stalinist-era architecture, is located on the outskirts of town. In former times, after arriving in the terminal building by shuttle bus there was always a scrum in the small, crowded arrival hall to obtain immigration forms and customs papers.

As of 2005, customs formalities upon entering Ukraine – at least in Kyiv – were relaxed, giving arriving passengers the option of going through a 'green channel' without the need to fill in a customs form if you have nothing to declare. I'm not sure whether the formalities in Lviv have been similarly lightened. There are normally two immigration officers on duty; they are generally hospitable and the queue is usually processed fairly quickly. In any case, it always takes quite some time for the baggage to be transported a few hundred meters from the aircraft to the luggage room next door, so it’s not worth fussing about the time it takes to get through immigration.

After collecting your bags, you will be asked to put them through an x-ray scanner, normally only a formality. There is one final check before exiting the hall, where you will be asked whether or not you have medical insurance. I have never answered anything other than “Yes” to this question, which assures that you will be sent quickly on your way into the airport lobby to face a thick crowd of people waiting to greet the arriving passengers. On the other hand, if you really do require travel insurance, before your journey you might want to consult www.tryukraine.com which gives details of reasonably priced health insurance (and lots of other practical information and advice on Ukraine).

There are a couple of options if you are heading into the city, in order to catch a connecting train or, better yet, to stay overnight to see the sights of this charming city :

(1) Normally, there is a cluster of private taxi drivers around the entrance who will approach you with an offer to take you in their car for the journey into town – about 15-20 minutes depending on traffic. The vehicles might not be in the best of condition, but I have never had any difficulties with these drivers. The first price they quote will likely be inflated, but this can be negotiated downward if one is firm about it. It’s not worth haggling too much though, as the fare is normally only about 40 Hryvnia (roughly USD 8). Just make sure the rate is agreed and understood by both parties before setting out. (Note that hotels in the city centre typically charge upwards of 80-100 Hryvnia for airport pick-up. Meter taxis do exist in town, and I find these to be the least hassle of all and the most economical for the return journey to the airport (less than 20 Hryvnia). An extra charge for luggage in the boot offers their only opportunity for taking advantage of you.

(2) For the more adventurous, thrifty types, there is also a trolley bus into town which departs from a stop located about 40 m off to the left as you exit the airport building – more or less in front of a store selling bathroom fixtures and tiles. The trolley bus costs only about 2 Hryvnia, and is okay if you are not burdened by heavy luggage. Otherwise it can get rather crowded and uncomfortable since it collects passengers as it approaches town. I am not sure exactly where it stops and, unless you have a map showing where your hotel is, it is perhaps not so convenient to use this cheap mode of transport when you first arrive.

Depending on your arrival time in Lviv and the amount of time needed to get through the arrival formalities, it is technically feasible to catch a connecting train that departs from Lviv's main station for Chernivtsi, about one hour after landing. (I have done this successfully a few times, after arriving on the LOT flight from Warsaw; whereas the Austrian Airlines flight misses the connection.) This is predicated on knowing how to buy a train ticket, where to find the platform, and which wagon to get on etc., and is, therefore, probably not realistic for first-time visitors.  

Lviv certainly warrants a visit of at least 2 or 3 days. Should an overnight stay be necessary, I can recommend the Swiss Hotel, centrally located on Knyazya Romana Str., with room rates that start at about 540 Hryvnias per night, including breakfast (as of July 2007).

From Kyiv to Chernivtsi   

A second option is to fly into the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv (or Kiev), which is well served by many airlines, and then connect to Chernivtsi by train or by air. It has been many years since I traveled this route by train, but I would recommend it – if only once – because it allows you to soak up the scenery at a leisurely pace. By leisurely pace, I am referring to an overnight journey of some 16-17 hours, passing through Moldova on the way.

For those in more of a hurry, there is also an option of taking a once-daily (14:00) flight of about an hour and a half from Kyiv Borsipol Airport direct to Chernivtsi. In October 2006, the cost of a return ticket from Kyiv to Chernivtsi, purchased at the airport shortly before the flight, was just under USD 150 (including all taxes).

The domestic airline servicing the Kyiv - Chernivtsi route in 2005 had the catchy name of: "Kyiv Aircraft Repair Plant (ARP) 410". This company typically used a 1960's vintage Antonov-24 on the route. This propeller-driven aircraft, shown above, is similar to the ATR-42 used in the West.

		Apart from their age and condition, I found them to be remarkably comfortable and spacious inside, albeit rather noisy. An inflight snack used to be offered en route, a rarity in aviation these days.
In 2006, another company affiliated with AeroSvit appears to have taken over the Kyiv-Chernivtsi sector using similar – possibly more modern – aircraft (below) .

The planes' interior is not as comfortable in my opinion, and the inflight snack has been dispensed with. Nonetheless, this route has become quite popular and the daily flights seem to be flying near to capacity.

A few words about Kyiv Borsipol Airport: with the increasingly popularity of travel to Ukraine in recent years, the capacity of the country's gateway has become stretched. Expect long queues at immigration on arrival, unless you happen to arrive at a quiet time of day. More importantly, upon departure for international flights, be prepared for especially long delays and a bit of chaos at the security checkpoint (after passport control, and before the concourse for the Gates 1-6), as many hundreds of travelers are funneled through just a few security stations.

It used to be that if you were connecting to Chernivtsi from an international flight in Kyiv, you would have to pick up your luggage and take it yourself to the domestic terminal. This burden has been lightened as of mid-2007. You can now have your bags retagged inside the international luggage claim room, and they will be redirected to the connecting domestic flight. The domestic terminal is walking distance, but you must exit the international terminal and walk outside – to the right, past all of the taxi touts – for a couple of hundred meters.

Note: When transferring or checking in for the connecting flight, you will likely be told that you have excess baggage. AeroSvit is very assiduous about maximizing its revenue from this source, which amounts to about USD 8 per kg on international flights and USD 1 per kg on domestic routes. (In other words, if you are 12 kg over the 20 kg limit, this can add more than a couple of hundred dollars to the cost of your return ticket on AeroSvit.) It used to be that the agents in Kyiv would give you a bit of break on the number of kilos if you paid on the spot and did not request an official receipt, but these days everything seems to go by the books. You will be directed to another office in order to pay and secure a receipt, which you then surrender in exchange for your boarding pass.

The reception on arrival in Chernivtsi is decidedly low key. There is no need even to go inside a terminal building. The bags are offloaded onto a trolley which is rolled over to a fence where people are left to themselves to collect their bags before exiting through a gate. On the other side, a number of taxi touts will be waiting to charge exorbitant prices for the journey into town or to the Cheremosh Hotel, which is conveniently located only about 3-4 km away. There might also be a public bus, but the stop appears to be several hundred meters up the lane.  

The daily return flight departs at around 0800 in the morning (as at October 2007). Don't be too anxious to arrive early for the flight, as you are likely to find the terminal building locked until 0700-0715. Unless you are with a driver who is familiar with Chernivtsi, finding the airport at all might be a bit of challenge though, since there are absolutely no signs on the roads leading to it o indicate where it is.


Trains — from Lviv or Kyiv to Chernivtsi and Tovste   

Train travel in western Ukraine is extremely inexpensive and, from my experience over the past decade, very punctual and reliable. I would recommend it highly, but with a couple of caveats. There are several trains each day from Lviv to Chernivtsi, with journey times ranging from 5 ½ to 7 hours or more, depending on the service. I have always traveled in a compartment that has four berths (i.e. fold-down beds), which are comfortable for sleeping or just relaxing.

As mentioned above, one can also travel by overnight train from Kyiv to Chernivtsi, a journey of about 16 hours or so, departing early evening. This train actually passes through Tovste around 0630 on the way to Chernivtsi, and one can get off there. Reservations for these trains are hard to come by on weekends, as the sleeping compartments are heavily booked in advance.

Normally one shares the compartment with other people, but the train fare is so cheap that one may opt to pay for the whole compartment in order to have total privacy. I have done this a couple of times from Kyiv, when traveling with family, or when I wanted to be able to spread out papers to work. On the other hand, I have never had a bad experience traveling with other passengers, taking normal precautions with valuables etc. You might use the opportunity to strike up an acquaintance or simply travel undisturbed, minding your own business.

Securing a ticket in the train station can be a bit of an adventure, made easier if you have done a bit of research in advance. TIP: I have found that the train schedules for western Ukraine on the Deutsche Bahn website (yes, German railway system!) are generally reliable and very informative. Select the English language option, and type in Lvov and Chernovcy (note the spelling) in the departure/destination boxes. Armed with the precise train times and numbers makes it easier to deal with the ticket vendors in the Lviv station, who often cannot converse in English.

The train station in Lviv is a bit dreary and crowded, but one can buy food there, eat in the restaurant, and use the washroom facilities etc. The queues for tickets tend to be long and you will undoubtedly experience a sense of frustration when the ticket agents close up shop for about 10 minutes every hour while they take their scheduled break. TIP: It is advisable to travel with food and drink, as there is little if anything on offer on the train itself. When booking the train ticket you will be assigned a particular wagon, compartment and berth. You will need to provide some identification (eg. passport), since the ticket bears your name. The cost of a ticket from Lviv to Chernivtsi remained constant for years, at about 25 Hryvnia (5 USD), but may have increased somewhat in recent years.

It is advisable to go to the platform about half an hour before the scheduled departure, as the train usually arrives about 10-15 minutes in advance, and there is always a scramble to get on board with awkward luggage. As soon as the train pulls in, try to approach one of the conductors on the platform who will direct you to the correct wagon, if you haven’t already figured it out from the ticket. The compartment and berth number is also written on ticket, but can this can be a bit difficult to decipher, so ask for help before or after boarding.

The journey itself should offer no surprises. It’s a great chance to catch up on sleep, paperwork or just enjoy the scenery slip by during the daytime. To avoid any misconceptions, it should be understood that the trains are of a rather old vintage but are otherwise very comfortable. The toilets, though functional, are not for the faint of heart. Normally, sheets will be offered for a modest charge (10 Hryvnia, if I recall correctly), to go on top of the bedding already in the compartment. The trains’ punctuality is such that there is a good chance that you will arrive at your destination precisely at the scheduled time, which is more than can be said for many Western rail systems. If traveling at night, the cabin attendants will alert you about 30 minutes or so prior to reaching your destination, so there is little danger of missing your stop.

NEW:  In June 2007, I traveled from Lviv to Tovste on the overnight train that departs Lviv at 2320, passes through Ternopil and arrives in Tovste around 0630. This is the quickest and, in some respects, most conveniently-timed train between Lviv and Tovste. Organising the ticket at Lviv station was a bit of a challenge because the computer system there seems not to include Tovste. It seems you can buy a ticket only as far as Ternopil, for 25 Hryvnia. The train arrives in Ternopil at around 0130, so there is plenty of time to buy another ticket (15 Hryvnia) for the connecting train to Tovste, which departs at 0247. I found the staff at Ternopil station at that hour of night to be unusually helpful.

Arriving in Tovste shortly after sunrise can only be described as enchanting. But unless you happen to have a welcoming party, hauling one's bags a few hundred metres to the station over rough track is much less agreeable!

In any case, my first attempt to reach Tovste from Lviv by train proved the feasibility of the concept with flying colours.

  

Travel from Chernivtsi to Tovste   

It is assumed that most visitors to Tovste will want to use Chernivtsi – 75 km to the south – as a base, since there is only limited accommodation available in town and not much on offer in nearby Zalishchyky either (although the situation there has improved since mid-2006).

If you have not arranged a private car and driver, there are a couple of options for getting to Tovste from Chernivtsi. Some 'slow trains' do pass through Tovste but their departure times are generally not convenient for day trips and they are, by definition, very slow, stopping at every village along the way. Taxis are available from the Cheremosh Hotel, but their rates tend to be considerably more expensive than if negotiated with drivers who wait on the street a couple of hundred meters from the hotel. You can arrange for a one-way trip, or round-trip whereby the driver stays with you the whole day. The one-way fare has increased considerably, thanks to higher petrol prices in recent years. The going rate used to be 1 Hryvnia per km (which worked out to about 75 Hryvnia for the journey to Tovste), but nowadays most drivers insist on 150 Hryvnia or more. Of course, the price is negotiable, but many drivers can't be bothered to make the long journey if they don’t get their asking price.

Another less expensive (though less comfortable and somewhat less convenient) option is to travel to Tovste by public bus. The depot is located about 10-15 minutes walk from the Cheremosh Hotel down the road leading east (to the right as you exit the hotel).

The fare is cheap – only about 8 Hryvnia or less than 2 USD one way to Tovste – but you get what you pay for. All of the buses are very old and are sometimes prone to breakdowns. The smaller ones can get extremely crowded, with passengers picked up along the way having to stand in the aisles for most of the journey.

NEW:   In May 2006, I discovered a wonderful bilingual website (Ukrainian-English) that gives schedules for bus services within Ukraine. Departures from Chernivtsi and Tovste are included. It is very useful as a planning tool, especially to show when the first and last buses of the day operate. From what I can see, the schedule appears to be accurate though it seems not to cover all of the buses heading south from Tovste, nor does it show independent local services (say, from Zalishchyky to Tovste).

Traveling from Chernivtsi on a good day, after a short stop in Zalishchyky to allow for a cigarette break or for passengers to use the unspeakably abominable toilet facilities at the bus depot (you have been forewarned!), you can make it to Tovste in about 2 hours. Otherwise, if the bus stops for many passengers along the way, it can take as long as 2 ½ hours. You can ask to be let off in Tovste just about anywhere, but there is a scheduled stop at the 'depot' more or less opposite the Greek Catholic church.

Returning to Chernivtsi in the evening can be a bit problematic, as it used to be difficult to find out the schedule for the last bus and to predict when it will actually arrive. To be on the safe side, one should stand on the main road leading to Zalishchyky between 1700 and 1800, and hope for the best. There is now a schedule on the wall of the bus depot in central Tovste which seems fairly accurate for forecasting local bus arrivals and departures, as long as you can read Cyrillic.
		Click on image to enlarge bus schedule.

Alternatively, there are also 'free-lance' mini-buses that travel this highway at random times. These can be hailed from in front of the supermarket opposite the bus depot – its costs only 3 Hryvnia for a shared journey to Zalishchyky, versus about 50 Hryvnia by taxi.

As a fallback, there are always individuals in town who are prepared to go to Chernivtsi for 150 Hryvnia or so, but identifying the reasonable ones is only done through 'word of mouth'. The drivers hanging around the bus depot will demand outrageous prices and should only be used as a last resort. I have never had the slightest problem with any driver, except perhaps running out of petrol en route. My Ukrainian hosts seemed to be much more concerned about what might happen to foreigners being driven somewhere by a stranger. I do not know whether this concern is real or imagined, but it might be advisable to try to find out a little about your prospective driver, through an introduction by one of the townspeople who is able to communicate in English or German.  

Accommodation  

Until fairly recently there was no accommodation whatsoever in Tovste, however this has changed since the opening, around 2004, of a motel cum guesthouse, which began to advertise its services in 2005. The "Dvir Guesthouse" is located on the way into town, on the left hand side of the road as one approaches from Zalishchyky.

From appearances, it has all of the amenities of a proper guesthouse, with at least three or four rooms upstairs and a restaurant on the ground floor. The guest rooms, costing in the order of 100-200 Hryvnia per night (irrespective of the length of stay) are fairly new and are very spacious, with en suite bathroom, including shower. There is even a sauna and Turkish bath on site, which the locals seem to use. Noise from the main street and adjacent pub (occasionally used for all-night wedding celebrations) may be a nuisance for light sleepers.; and there are some ongoing "issues" related to the water supply and lax operating procedures.

Notwithstanding these inconveniences, the Dvir Guesthouse remains the only option readily available in Tovste, and it avoids the long journey to/from Chernivtsi. Also, the food in the restaurant (open until at least 2200) is pretty respectable and good value for money. As a bonus, much of the menu has been translated into English, and makes for an amusing read while waiting for the food to be served.

In 2005, I discovered a couple of other alternative accommodations options in nearby Chortkiv (Tchertkov), about 20 km to the north: Hotel Tanya (03552 22755); Hotel Avianosez (03552 21830); and Hotel Hetman (03553 31284). I know nothing about the first two, but I did visit the Hotel Hetman, which has clean rooms, with shower/toilet for 80 Hryvnia per night. It is situated only about a 5-10 minute walk from where the bus stops, on its way to Tovste.

Zalishchyky, 25 km to the south of Tovste, was a thriving resort town in the 1930s, but until recently it had no accommodation to speak of. This situation changed for the better in mid-2006, when the renovation of the "Old Zalishchyky" hotel was finally completed. It offers rooms of various sizes ranging in price from 60-80-120 Hryvnia per night. All of the bedrooms have been freshly painted, and the largest suites are very spacious. The mid-size room is more than adequate for two people. All of the en suite bathrooms are small and very basic. One side of the hotel faces a park and nearby street, while the other looks onto a courtyard and restaurant (both potential sources of noise). In any case, the "Old Zalishchyky" hotel offers visitors a cheap alternative to staying in Chernivtsi, making Tovste and the surrounding attractions much more accessible.

In Chernivtsi, which is worth visiting in its own right for at least a couple of days, there are several accommodation options available: three or four large hotels catering to outside visitors, as well as private accommodation in furnished apartments. The Cheremosh Hotel, situated on the outskirts of town, is well equipped to handle large tour groups and individual guests.

Facilities include a number of restaurants, a discotech, currency exchange office, internet facility, in-house translation / interpretation service, multi-lingual tour guides etc. The room prices are variable – with a very basic double room costing in the order of USD 20 per night, excluding breakfast, and more recently renovated rooms costing closer to USD 30 per night. The rooms are by no means luxurious and they are definitely showing signs of their age, but they have all the basic amenities: hot/cold water, television, telephone, and modern refrigerator. For such a modest room rate, one could hardly expect much more.

UPDATE:   In Summer 2006, the Cheremosh Hotel was purchased by a Russian-Ukrainian consortium, and there were plans to upgrade the facilities. (Price increases will be sure to follow). Already some cosmetic changes have been implemented and quite a number of staff have been let go.

Depending on ones' tastes, the Cheremosh might not be convenient for those who would prefer to stay in the centre of town. On the other hand, it is handy to shops and a market nearby, and to the bus terminal down the road, and it is easily reached by taxi and public transport. Also, being on the outskirts of town there is plenty of greenery nearby.

		A comparable alternative to the Cheremosh is the Bukovina Hotel, located on a main road a little closer to town. Some parts of the hotel were modernised some years ago. While I have seen the rooms – which look okay in the new wing – I have never stayed at the Bukovina Hotel and therefore cannot comment on the services.

At least the hotel management has made a sustained commitment to maintaining the appearance of the outside of the hotel and the grounds. The colourful flowers on the balconies always seem to be in full bloom.

Unfortunately, if you are expecting or looking to find a higher standard of accommodation in Chernivtsi, it is simply not available from my experience, except perhaps in more expensive, privately furnished flats.  

Miscellaneous practical advice   

Visas

Until recently citizens of most countries had to apply, before travel, for a visa to enter Ukraine. This entailed paying upwards of USD 100 for the privilege of sitting for long periods in the anteroom of an embassy or consular office, waiting for officials to deign to serve prospective visitors to their land. Fortunately, in 2005, visa requirements were waived completely or relaxed for nationals of countries of Europe and North America, among others. This eminently sensible decision on the part of the new administration should help to attract more visitors to Ukraine, who might otherwise be deterred by bureaucratic red tape.

Language

From my experience, finding people in western Ukraine who speak English is fairly rare. Therefore, a good phrase book comes in handy and should be adequate for most day-to-day situations. There are some exceptions, however, among Ukrainians who have lived and worked abroad elsewhere in Europe for a number of years. In such case, one may be pleasantly surprised to discover that German or Italian hold the key to being able to communicate relatively easily, even in towns. Menus in restaurants tend to be written only in Ukrainian, so ordering food can be challenging wherever you are.

Currency exchange

Changing money in Ukraine, even in small towns, is transparent and very easy thanks to the large number of exchange outlets. Banks and small money changers use billboards to advertise the exchange rates for dollars and euros, which may fluctuate from day to day. What you see is what you get – there are no hidden commission fees. I have the impression that the Hryvnia continues to be pegged to the US dollar, since it has fluctuated very little for at least a couple of years (at around 5 Hryvnia to the dollar) . This is great for Americans with currency that has devalued just about everywhere else in the world. The Hryvnia does float freely against the Euro, and there are subtle changes from one day to the next, depending on international circumstances. The Hryvnia had depreciated to just over 7 Hryvnia to the Euro in October 2007.

Generally speaking, there are only small variations in rates from one exchange outlet to another on a given day, except perhaps at airports and train stations, which do not offer as good a rate. This is especially true of the exchange offices at Kyiv Borsipol Airport: do not think of exchanging money there unless you are really desperate.

The solitary bank in Tovste - on the main street in the centre of town - is open from Monday to Friday (1000 - 1700) and on Saturday until 1500. Be prepared for longer queues on Monday mornings. Although the largest bill in circulation is 100 Hryvnia (around USD 20), the bank sometimes runs short - leaving you stuck with a fistful of 20's and 10's. Otherwise, it is a very convenient place to change money.

Telephone

If you own a mobile phone that works in Europe and are going to be spending more than a week or so in Ukraine, it is definitely worth investing in a SIM card (for less than USD 15-20 if I remember correctly) and then buying top-up cards at 25-50 Hryvnias (USD 5-10) each, as required. KYIVSTAR and UMC are the two main competing mobile services. The per minute calling charge isn't cheap, but one can't beat the convenience of making/taking a call from just about anywhere in the network. Alternatively, one can still purchase phone cards in various denominations from the official telecom authorities, and these can be used for making inexpensive calls from public pay phones.

To dial abroad, one must use the prefix '810', followed by the country code, area code and number. Phoning from a fixed line within Ukraine can be a little tricky. If you are dialing from one locale (region) to another, you must first dial '8', then the area code of the other location, followed by the number. For example, to call Tovste from Chernivtsi, one would dial: '8' then '03554' then the (five digit) local number. However if you are calling a number within the same area, it suffices to dial only the number (without '8' or area code), otherwise you will not be connected. To date, I still have not had any success sending an SMS message to an international number using KYIVSTAR.

Day-to-day

Toilet facilities are an issue in towns and villages of western Ukraine, even ones of a fairly large size. Such facilities are generally not available, and any respectable ones attached to offices or public buildings tend to be hidden away, out of sight, or under lock and key. Indoor plumbing is a rarity in towns the size of Tovste; more often than not the only toilet available will be a wooden outhouse, located behind the private dwelling you might be visiting. An exception to this rule seems to be the many petrol stations that have sprouted up all along the highway leading from Chernivtsi to Tovste. It may be advisable to stop en route and take advantage of the rare chance of a clean toilet that these service stations offer. No other solution to this problem comes to mind, apart from advising one to drink sparingly before and during the journey!