train vs. plane again . . .

[Ramblin]

I have heard from Oscar, Dan, and Rojack on this concerning their Kiev-Dnipropetrovsk travels but still would like others to chime in to help me decide on my Kiev-Sevastopol travel.  I hear the plane costs about twice as much and is unsafe or at least risky but will get you there in about one sixth of the time it takes a train.  And I hear that the trains are noisy, uncomfortable, and have unsanitary toilet rooms and you have to keep an eye on your luggage.  Does anyone know how long each trip would take by plane and by train?  Also, if going by train, would it be better to take the overnight to Odesa, spend the day there and that night and go on to Sevastopol the next day, as in good rest and a shower, or spend something like 24 hours on the train and get it over with in one shot?  I can’t imagine 24 hours on a train.  Someone please help me make an informed decision here for me and my lady.

[John K]

... in response to train vs. plane again . . ., posted by Ramblin on Mar 26, 2002

I took the train from Kiev to Sevastopol the second time I was in Ukraine.  Count on 22 - 26 hours each way.  It's a great way to see if the two of you can tolerate each other over an extended time.  It's cheap, even if you get a private cabin, but remember you are wasting two days of your vacation simply by travelling.

You might look at catching a local airline flight to Simferopol and catching a bus/taxi/train from there.  Then your travel time gets knocked down to 6 hours or less.  You will need to go to the other airport in Kiev to do that (You'll initially fly into Borispol, but that's the international airport).  Of course, you need to have a backup plan in case you lose your suitcase for a day or two.  Also, the local flights do get cancelled once in a while, without any known reason.

If you do travel by train, here's some things you ought to know.  First, get yourself a private cabin.  If it has 4 berths, buy all four of them.  It's cheaper if you buy 2 adults and 2 children.  Second, bring lots of food and drink, enough for the two of you for the entire trip.  Bring a roll of toilet paper and extra bottled water, for use in the bathroom.  Bring an extra bag for trash.  Bring a rope or cord to tie the door shut while you sleep.  If they want in badly enough, they'll have to knock.  You might even go so far as to pack a couple of eyelet screws, in case you can't find anything to tie to.  We didn't use ours, but you never know.

Hope this helps...

[Ryan]

... in response to train vs. plane again . . ., posted by Ramblin on Mar 26, 2002

I feel the train is safe... I went from Kiev to Luganks..  You put your luggage under the seat you sit/lay on it. It is safe...  The toilet room is bad but I have seen worst at a rock concert, just get in and get out and live with it...  Your not going to die..  The train lets you see some of the countryside if you have never been... If your going in June it can be hot!.. No mater what I always change my clothes when I get on the train.. First thing! I get in my pajama's pullover shirt. What ever makes you comfortable.. Sit in your underwear if you want...  Pop a couple benadryl and read a good book... You will sleep like a baby...  Get the whole compartment... Why?  Ok I am going to get killed for this comment....  I cannot stand the smell of other people from another country (Especially Ukraine, Asia, Middle east...)  I am not used to it and it makes me uncomfortable...  The smell comes from what they eat not from not washing...  So for me to be comfortable I get a compartment for myself or someone I have been around. (If I am around someone from a different country for a time then I get used to their smell...)  I am sure I smell different to them also....It goes both ways...

Travel by train......Ryan
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[Oscar]

... in response to train vs. plane again . . ., posted by Ramblin on Mar 26, 2002

Do yourself a huge favor and fly!  If the plane ride from Kiev to Dnepro is 1.25 hours, (Half way to Odessa) it may perhaps take 2.5 to Odessa or Sevastopol..  I don't know how long the train is but from Kiev to Dnepro it is 12 hours and you have to go again that far for Odessa!  Now whether the train goes a little faster to get to someplace like Sevastopol sooner, I don't know, but with what I know, it wouldn't matter, I would fly!
Yes the trains are uncomfortable (bumpy), yes the toilets stink and you would NEVER want to sit on one!  But I never worried about my luggage, it was very safe and private, just miserable in my opinion!  For double the money, there is just no contest in my opinion!

For what it's worth...
Oscar

[Rags]

... in response to train vs. plane again . . ., posted by Ramblin on Mar 26, 2002

My (now) wife and I took the train from Kyiv to Simferopol last summer and it was great. I don't really know if the train goes all the way to Sevastopol or if you have to catch a bus/taxi to get there. Anyway, we left Kyiv at 1730 and arrived at around 0900 hr. The return trip ran a couple of hours sooner (1330- 0700 I think).

As long as you have good company and get the first class (A) coach berth it is a great way to see some beautiful country. If you are less that adventurous or a real clean freak maybe it's not for you but then again have you ever been on a short hop Tupe?

I would highly recomend the train as the better choice as long as there are no time restraints. It is a romantic and cultural expirience to be savored long after the trip. I have taken trains in all the classes of coaches (A-B-C) and although I didn't sleep much on any of the rides, they were all trips that I fondly remember.

[Zink]

... in response to train vs. plane again . . ., posted by Ramblin on Mar 26, 2002

I don't know about in Ukraine but I spent 24 hours on a train in Russia. It wasn't that bad. But I had company and plenty of food. Remember to take everything that you want to eat and drink along. You may not be able to buy anything for long periods.

The toilets are terrible but how long everday do you need to be in there? Take a deep breath get in and out as fast as you can. My personal preference is to get were I'm going as fast as I can. This leaves me more time in that place. If I was travelling alone I would take a plane, but lots of Russian ladies think that trains are romantic. And being locked in a small cabin alone for a day is an interesting test for your compatibility.

It all depends on your personality and preferences. Go first class if possible, but second class is bearable. Coach looks a little scary, unless you really want to get up close and personal with a lot of strangers.

[Rags]

... in response to Re: train vs. plane again . . ., posted by Zink on Mar 26, 2002

Actually if you get the "A" class berth there are people who come through the cars selling soft drinks, juice, snacks, and even ice cream.

In addition, the meals in the kitchen car are reasonable and very good. Just be sure to ask the car attendant to lock your berth for you while you are gone. We had a impromptu "party" with a bunch of total strangers on our return trip that was great! Drinking and dancing as the train rocked and bumped along. LOL!

I would suggest taking along some flip flops to use going back to the toilet as there will be some slosh going on by the time you get to your destination but Hey, thats life.

[Zink]

... in response to Re: "A" class coach, posted by Rags on Mar 26, 2002

The availability of food probably varies depending on the route. I know some trains have dining cars. No such luck on my trip. On the Train from Volgograd to Sochi we had only hot tea to drink for the first 10 hours. Then we stopped at a fair sized town and they had a market beside the tracks where we could buy some other things. We had about 20 pounds of food and nothing to drink. It was hot and my lady had a slight fever so she was almost dying for something cool to drink.

We took turns leaving the compartment. My lady was very paranoid that somebody would steal our luggage.

[Ramblin]

... in response to Re: train vs. plane again . . ., posted by Zink on Mar 26, 2002

Are the 2nd class cabins the same size as the first class cabins.  In other words, if there were three people traveling, would it be better to get two first class cabins or one second class cabin?  Are the sleeping platforms the same size in either?

[Zink]

... in response to Re: Re: train vs. plane again . . ., posted by Ramblin on Mar 26, 2002

The train I was on didn't have a first class car. So I don't know about the differences. What the second class cabin had was a small table and four bunk style benches. It was aproximately 7 feet by 7 feet. We filled the top two bunks with our luggage and slept on the bottom ones. The bunks were about 6 1/2 feet long and 2 feet wide. I'm 6' 3" and still had some head room when sleeping. They were pretty narrow. There were feather mattresses that you put on the seats when sleeping. That was better than without them.

Three people would be relatively comfortable in a second class berth as long as you didn't have too much luggage. My girlfriends mother sent along enough food to feed an army. The food and my lady's couple of small bags filled one bunk. My suitcases filled most of the other. I was travelling heavy because I was in Russia for 4 weeks.

[Dan]

... in response to Re: Re: train vs. plane again . . ., posted by Ramblin on Mar 26, 2002

But in the 2nd Class compartment, you have 4 bunks whereas 1st class has only 2. The additional 2 bunks are mid-way up the wall - about eye level. If only 2 (or 1) are traveling, you can sort of push the upper bunks out of the way so you are not constantly banging into them.

1st class has nicer linens, and sometimes a little cloth to put on the small table.

1st and 2nd class both have locking doors to the compartment and are the same basic dimensions.

I hope this helps.

- Dan

[Richard]

... in response to Re: train vs. plane again . . ., posted by Zink on Mar 26, 2002

While it is nice to get where you are going quickly, one should be aware of the fact many of the trains in Ukraine run at night: you are traveling when you would normally be sleeping.  Also, for the night you are on the train, you do not need to make other arrangements for a place to stay.

That said, I believe the train ride between Kiev and Simferopol is something on the order of 17 or 18 hours.  

When I went to Crimea last October, I chose to fly because my companion really wanted to fly rather than take the train.  If you do fly, buy a round trip in Kiev as the return ticket is more expensive when purchased in Yalta than the outbound ticket in Kiev.

[Ramblin]

... in response to Re: Re: train vs. plane again . . ., posted by Richard on Mar 26, 2002

What if we took the train and I wanted to fly back to Kiev after the lady returns home, is it possible to buy a one way ticket from Crimea to Kiev and get the ticket in Kiev at the lower price you mention?

[Richard]

... in response to Re: Re: Re: train vs. plane again . . ., posted by Ramblin on Mar 26, 2002

Yes, it is.  You just need to go into the local ticket office of the airlines to buy your ticket.

I don't know how much english is spoken in the ticket offices as my fiance' did the speaking for us.

Also, we travelled in October, which is off peak and I had been told in advance that there would be no problem buying tickets at the last minute.  If you are traveling at busier times, you may need to plan ahead.  You might want to seek the advice of those people here who have more experience traveling in Ukraine.

[Del]

... in response to train vs. plane again . . ., posted by Ramblin on Mar 26, 2002

Ramblin,

I've done the trip both ways numerous times. If I'm travelling alone, I prefer the plane, and, if I'm travelling with another, I prefer the train.
Given that either is not the same 'standard' as one may find in the U.S., I must say both were OK. The train you will want to take is #12 (leaves Kiev about 5:00 PM and arrives in Simferopol about 9:00 AM. Get a 'First Class' cabin (2 berth).
I'd seriously suggest you take a car from Simferopol to Sevastopol - nice drive, quicker and a chance to see more.
Look at Eugene's site: www.club.cris.net/crimea/
Here you'll find a lot of photos and useful information.

Enjoy your trip - it's a wonderful area.