Leaving for eastern Europe. any advice

Old Jun 7th, 2000, 12:07 PM
  #1  
JK
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Leaving for eastern Europe. any advice

Hello. I am leaving on july Fifth on a six week tour of eastern Europe. I will begin in Prague, then travel to Budapest, to Kiev, to Moscow, to St. Petersburg, and then on to Tallinn. If anyone has any advice of things to do (mainly in the ares between the cities), please tell me. Thanks
 
Old Jun 7th, 2000, 04:31 PM
  #2  
Thyra
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JK. You didn't say how you were getting to and from each city? Do you drive or take a train? Anyway, I have been to Budapest and my only advice is watch out for taxi drivers! We got ripped off 3 times and we are seasoned traveller's. Enjoy lots of wonderful food! Have a save trip.
 
Old Jun 7th, 2000, 04:32 PM
  #3  
Thyra
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Make that "safe" trip...
 
Old Jun 7th, 2000, 05:29 PM
  #4  
JK
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I renting a car to drive from to drive from Prague to budapest to Kiev, then I will be taking a train to the other cities from there.
 
Old Jun 7th, 2000, 05:51 PM
  #5  
Christine
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We loved Budapest!!! We stayed at the Marriott - but there are much cheaper places to stay. (we redeemed reward points) The Marriott does have the best view though. Whatever you do, you have to go to one of the public baths (no nudity). It is such a unique experience. I think it was recently written up in the latest issue of Travel + Leisure. Check it out. The food is great and cheap and local pottery is too! Have fun!
 
Old Jun 7th, 2000, 07:23 PM
  #6  
zenna
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Loved prague i could of spent two wks there easily try to make it to the opera at the state opera its so cheap to eat out. Language barrier yes.. but worth it.
 
Old Jun 8th, 2000, 02:07 PM
  #7  
Nino
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I was in Prague last year and loved the city and atmosphere. I also went to Budapest and can tell you that if I had the same 10 days again I would spend 9 in Prague and 1 in Budapest. Go see concerts, go to the pubs, walk Charles Bridge during the night and just leave your heart there.
 
Old Jun 9th, 2000, 05:43 PM
  #8  
JK
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Thanks for all the great advice.
 
Old Jun 30th, 2000, 03:26 PM
  #9  
D.B.
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For some important and recent info about crossing the Ukraine border by car, you can read for yourself at:

http://www.brama.com/travel/travelboard.html
 
Old Jun 30th, 2000, 03:36 PM
  #10  
D.B.
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Here is one cut/paste:

I have traveled by car from Warsaw to Lviv via Hrebenne/Rava Ruska and back via Vlodymyr Volynski last month. The border crossing in Hrebenne was about 1,5 hours. On the Ukrainian side there is a little chaos -- they will send you from office to office to buy insurance, prepare temporary import papers for the car etc... it can be a problem if you do not speak Ukrainian, Russian or Polish. Make sure you have some (30-50) Hrivnia on arrival (you can buy them in any KANTOR before the Polish immigration checkpoint). The guy who sells insurance does not want to accept dollars, or will at a very bad rate. I had to pay 10 Hrivnia for car customs paper, I did not have any Hrivnia and paid 10 Zloty.

On leaving Ukraine, you have to pay 7 USD "environment charge". You pay it at the police post long before the actual border. You also have to get a stamp from the police. I did not know it and was turned back from the border, and the police has instantly charged me 60 Hrivnia fine for not getting the stamp (I have actually got a
receipt for 40 Hrivnia only).

Driving in the country was not a problem for me. I just took basic precautions, like in any other country: I did not leave the car on the street at night (every hotel should have a guarded parking) and locked the car properly. My car has an alarm and an immobilizer, it is good to have these things nowadays, regardless of where you are
travelling.

Other adventures: I was stopped by the police and had to pay a fine 20 Hrivnia (with receipt) for having my fire extinguisher (you must have one) in the boot, not in the passenger cabin. Not a big amount, just a little hassle and a friendly chat with a policeman. You will have to take these things easy, otherwise you will not enjoy this beautiful country.

Another thing regarding the Polish side of the border. On leaving Poland, a guy will try to make you pay an "environment charge". The local community is trying to improve their financial standing, but this practice is ILLEGAL in Poland! I just refused to pay and they let me through the border, you should also do so if it happens.

I also filed an official complaint with the Polish Ministry of Interior. The practice is a shame, especially that its victims are usually Ukrainian citizens (they make 90% of the border traffic). They pay this "fee", not knowing that it is illegal. I hope this practice will soon be discontinued.

Generally, the country is nice, people are friendly, roads are "drivable" and there is much less traffic than in Poland. I will drive to Kiev next week and hope to have a more interesting story to tell. Enjoy Ukraine!

Przemek
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Old Jun 30th, 2000, 03:38 PM
  #11  
D.B.
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Here is another:

I just came back from a car trip from Warsaw to Kiev. Practical tips:

1. There are a lot of formalities on the Ukrainian side of the border (Jahodyn). We had to visit at least 7 offices, receive stamps, make payments (total about 100 grivna). It took us about 1 hour. You have to be patient, everybody is friendly, it just takes time. The crossing in Rava Russkaya, which I used last month was simpler and cheaper.

2. We went there via Lutsk, Rivne, back via Sarny. The first road is more interesting, has more traffic, and is a dual carriageway from Rivne. The drawback is that it goes through cities and villages and has many speed limits. Via Sarny the road avoids most of villages and you can drive quite fast since there is very little traffic.

3. There are lots of petrol stations on the way. We've been told that 95 and 98 petrol is all unleaded, but it is better to ask and stick to larger stations. Do not fill up with 92 or less! I do not think it is necessary to remove your catalysator before you go to Ukraine, as some people on this board suggested. We have filled up 95 in Kiev and everything was OK.

4. We felt quite secure on the way. There are frequent police checks. If you have papers in order, everything should be fine. Remember to have a fire extinguisher (in the passenger cabin), emergency medical kit and emergency triangle. If the car is not registered in your name, you must have a notarised authorisation from the
owner, translated into Ukrainian.

5. The customs officers have told us that a customs declaration is not necessary if you have less then 1000 US$ foreign cash.

6. There is also a local tax (ca 7 $) to be paid on leaving Ukraine. You have to do it in a booth BEFORE the police post, otherwise you gonna be turned back. The booth is hard to find, look for a "local tax" sign.

7. There are no fees or local taxes on the Polish side of the border, if anybody wants some payments, don't do it. If you see a sign "local tax", just drive by.

If someone has questions, please ask here. I will try to answer asap.

Przemek

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Old Jun 30th, 2000, 03:41 PM
  #12  
D.B.
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And, one more:

Regarding the road assistance, you should buy a booklet about driving in UKraine, Romania, etc from "Biuro Podrozy PZM" in Warsaw (Pulawska/Madalinskiego). It has all numbers and also other information, some if it useful and true, some not. I lost this booklet somewhere.

I know nothing about the Romanian border. Perhaps other people on this board do?

The border procedure on entering Ukraine as is follows:

1. Getting a tiket for receiving stamps at the gate (free).
2. Waiting to get to passport control
3. Passport control.
4. Buying health insurance (4$ for 9 days p.p.).
5. Back to passport control and getting a stamp at the ticket.
6. Customs control.
7. Preparing the customs declaration for the car (they do it for you at the office).
8. Paying for the declaration at a bank (30 grn).
9. Back to the office to receive the declaration.
10. Go to another office to receive a piece of paper.
11. Go to another bank to pay about 40 grn.
12. Back to that office to receive a long green form (dunno for what).
13. Go to another office to get a stamp on it and on the ticket.
14. Back to the customs officer to get a stamp on the ticket.
15. Drive to the gate and present the stamped ticket to a soldier.
Now you are free.

So, it is not 7 but 15 things you have to do. Take into account that the clerks are not always present, there may be someone being "served" ahead of you, so you have to be patient.

This is the procedure in Jahodin. In Rava Russka it was simpler. I think points 8-13 were not necessary.

Have a nice trip!
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