As the last you get twice as many "taxi" vultures;) Its normal for them to push, its like cattle rush at peak periods. I felt robbed the other day paying UAH120 for a taxi to Boryspil but by then my normal company "BOSS"I had used the whole time figured out I was American and wanted me to have something to remember them by;)
But they are still cheap around Kiev otherwise at about 40 to somewhere or 60RT and 10 for waiting for you to do something.
Tip for new guys going needing dependable transportation and I know its been said before but quite a while back,
always call a company and deal with dispatch who will tell you what the price is before the taxi comes. Dont speak Russian or Ukrainian? Then Im sure you already have an on call translator picked out and have spoken with them...right?
It is stressful to hurry. It can become a habit. I won't do it unless I have to. It's better to take my time and lose that ten to fifteen minutes. I usually have someone already waiting for me at the airport. I see what they do. They go past the taxis and go to the minibuses behind.
Those minibuses are cheap. I went from the train station downtown to the Boryspil Airport Hotel for 25 UAH. My gf was worried because she had me take the train back from Simferopol by myself. She thought the bus would cost around 35 UAH.
If I had noone waiting, I would just take the free shuttle to the Boryspil Airport Hotel. There for $65 USD single, I can SSS, take a nap, confirm my plans, and negotiate the next transportation without being in a hurry.
Can anybody tell me about the procedure of this Kiev, terminal F? I'm not quite sure, and since this is my first time traveling, I'm quite anxious. I will be traveling Aerosvit Airlines, from JFK, NY(USA), to Kaliningrad, Russia. My stopover however, is in Kiev. Is Aerosvit using terminal F? My itinerary says terminal B.... I'm also wondering, won't I be given my complete boarding pass at JFK? Do I have to re-check in in Kiev, to get to Russia? I only have a 45 minute layover, because that's all the airline has available. I'm prepared to miss my flight, though I'd like to avoid it. Also, for transers, do they transfer the baggage onto the connecting flight for me?
Your intinery is correct if aerosvit lands in Terminal B. You most likely will be leaving from there also BUT question.......is all your booking on same ticket? And is aerosvit airline your 'likely' connecting flight to kalingrad?)??? The 1pm flight?
The 45 minutes layover is very tight for connecting flight because you will need to go through immigration too( I did for conecting flight to St P).......not sure about your luggage depending on your airline and booking. Your luggage may arrive later than you to kalingrad.......
More info is needed.
I made a couple of Aerosvit transfers at KBP in June.
At present, all Aerosvit flights at KBP (Kiev) operate from Terminal B. And yes, they will transfer your baggage for you, so you won't need to worry about it in Kiev. You can confirm this when you check in at JFK; the baggage claim ticket should have KGD on it.
I expect you will get both boarding passes at JFK (at least, I did) -- if so, no need for check-in at KBP.
45 minutes is a short time (as in barely possible) for making the connection -- I suggest that you not be shy at KBP, about letting people know that your connecting flight leaves VERY soon! Do you know, whether there is any later flight to Kaliningrad, should you miss the connection?
I didn't have to go through passport control in Terminal B -- there is a special pathway for transfer passengers. There are one or two jetways at Terminal B, but most flights park on the ramp and passengers are brought to the terminal by buses. If you are brought by bus, after you pass through the doors into the terminal, you'll see almost everybody go to the right for passport control. Transfer passengers (like you) go straight ahead, through a door for transfer passengers to stairs that take you up one floor. But if you don't get your second boarding pass at JFK, then you'll first have to stop at the couple of desks to your left, immediately after you enter the terminal.
If you don't have to check in at KBP, then the 45 minutes ought to be just enough time, but there is often a queue waiting to pass through a checkpoint for transit passengers :( This is where yelling "Kaliningrad!" repeatedly might help.
Two pieces of brotherly advice: 1) make sure your Russian visa will be ready at least a few days before you depart, and 2) if you are driving/riding to JFK, allow PLENTY OF TIME -- you want to be at your terminal at least 2 hours before your flight time, and traffic delays getting to JFK are very common, and frequently very long.
So, make your preparations, and then relax. I'm certainly curious how your short connection in Kiev will work out, and would like to hear how it works out. Bon voyage, et bonne chance!
OK! THANK YOU ALLLLLLLL FOR YOUR ADVICE. Here is what I have made of the situation. 1) I will recieve both boarding passes (1 to KBP, and the other to KGD). 2) THEY WILL TRANSFER LUGGAGE! 3) Terminal B is arrival, Terminal B is departure. My Russian visa WILL be ready, and I will be arriving to JFK 4 hours early. So, basically, I figure that as soon as I get off my first plane, I will follow the transfer signs, and I should be able to make it. AEROSVIT OFFERS NO LONGER LAYOVERS (EXCEPT COMING BACK, 20 HOURS), LONGER THAN 45 MINUTES. This would lead me to believe that a 45 minute layover works. As long as I can get to the transfer section, I should be able to pass right through and make my next flight. However, if I don't, I have been assured by the airline that they will get me there (even if it's on another airline carrier). I'm sure my luggage will get to Kaliningrad on time. Also, does anybody know if these immigration cards are required for US citizens going to Ukraine?
No, US citizens making short visits to Ukraine don't need a migration card. But that won't apply to your trip anyway, because you won't officially enter Ukraine (at least, on your way to Kaliningrad).
Smashkin......Something for you to chew on. My flight out of JFK was delayed almost one hour due to amount of planes taking off. It was late afternoon , is that when your flight takes off? Luckily, my connecting flight had almost 2 hour layover!!!
Have a posi-tude atti-tude and 'pray like hell' !!!!
Your plane will dock at one of the 2 gates(luckily),have to transverse through maybe 100 or so people and probably for tranfers you would go down stairs to departures area and down to lower area for tram to take you to plane.I think I am right?
@durak....is there screning process using transfer pathway?
"AEROSVIT OFFERS NO LONGER LAYOVERS (EXCEPT COMING BACK, 20 HOURS), LONGER THAN 45 MINUTES."
That's bull!!! My flight connection to St Pete's was 2 hours. Where did you get that from smash?
@ Beemer, got that information from Aerosvit Customer Service, as well as their website. Every time I tried to browse if there were any longer layovers, it just kept coming up with 45 minutes on the way to, and 20 hours on the way back. I think this will work out well. Now that today is the day... I'm just nervous as hell.
Though I made the transfer twice, I was focused only on my wristwatch -- there was definitely a checkpoint, where they were checking documents. But as I think about it, I am fairly certain there was a security screening also.
And then for the second transfer (the one back to the USA), there was an ADDITIONAL security screening at the gate. This is pretty typical for flights to the US. What was not typical, was that the people conducting the gate screening were obviously Israelis. It took me a while to piece it together, but a lot of passengers on the flight to New York were young folks returning from some sort of excursion in Israel by way of Kiev.
Durak....it seems there are checkpoints everywhere now, even when merely transfering.
What I found interesting is screening checkpoints in USA detected my waist holder and credit card in pocket...this never happened before.....including a body scan( arms up).
Hello friends! Today, is October 14th, 2011. I wanted to let you all know, I MADE IT! Though my flight out of JFK was delayed for 1 half hour, when I got to Kiev, I ran like a mad-man! @Durak: your directions helped greatly! The plan that I was taking (vv481), to Kaliningrad, waited for my first flight (vv132). I yelled "KALININGRAD!", and the woman behind the desk grabbed me, ran with me, and put my carry-on, on the scanner for me. I wanted to thank you all for your help, as this was my first EVER flight; and I did it by myself. Now, I have to conquer the adventure of getting home. Guess what though? I made it to Russia, basically on-time, and I have gotten to spend 14 WONDERFUL days, with my Fiance. Once again, that you all for your information and help. I really do appreciate it. Aerosvit is not such a bad airline as I had heard.