Avtonomna Respublika Krym Travel Forum

I will be travelling throughout Ukraine at the end of this month and I need some Information that I can't find on the internet. Is it possible to take a boat from Yalta or Sebastopol to Odessa (+ time-schedule etc.).? and what's the best way to travel from Kiev to the Crimea-area?

It would be without any doubt the nicest way to do the trip Yalta - Odesa by boat - in particular after arriving in the oversized boat terminal to walk up the Potemkin Steps to the city. I wanted to do it some years ago but when I asked for it in the harbour I found out that I would have to wait for a whole week for the next boat - and the prices were outrageously high as compared to what you pay elsewhere (as compared to much richer areas of the world and to much nicer boats - compare the boat traffic between Sweden and Finland!). So the option is the train and unfortunately the Crimea - Odesa trains offer only "Platzkart" tickets which is the "rough" option on Ukrainian trains. But anyway an adventure - just try to keeep the visits of the toilet to the absolute minimum...).

From Kyiv to the Crimea are a lot of good overnight trains (going to Simferopol, Evpatoriya and other destinations on Crimea) but it might be difficult to get a place on them in July and August. So take any train you may get. After arrival on the Crimea it is easy to move on local public transport to any place on the peninsula. If you are absolutely unable to get a place on a train you may fly from Kyiv to Simferopol. I was flying from Simferopol to the now probably suspended airport Kyiv Zhulany (right in the city) on a historical more than 40 years old Antonov AN-24. Was an interesting experience you never get in the West.

No boat between Crimea and Odesa this summer. I guess it turned out to be losing money even at the outrageously high prices.

It's not true that there only platskart seats available on the train between Odesa and Crimea. You have all kinds of seat options. Plus there are quite a few buses going between the two places, some of them are rather comfortable.

Zhuliany airport is still open, AN-24 is a nice plane which I regard much safer than the Soviet jets. Boeings are also available.