Driving in Ukraine: Not for the Timid, but a Great Experience

In previous visits to Ukraine, I had flown into Kiev and either spent some time in the capital city or taken the overnight train immediately to the south. My wife is from Ukraine, and her parents live in Kherson. We decided to go by car this time.

My sister-in-law lives in Kiev, and has a Nissan Versa. She took her vacation to coincide with ours, and we all took the trip down together. She asked me to drive a portion of the trip with some particularly bad roads. I'm licensed as a commercial driver, and have years of experience with a variety of vehicles.

We also drove down to Zaliznyi Port on the Black Sea on two separate occasions, about a 1 1/2 hour drive from Kherson. It was great to see the countryside, the villages, towns, and cities, and the people. The trip down from Kiev to Kherson on the route we took is about 600 kilometers. I drove between 300 and 400 each way.

Know your route

The roads can be varied, to say the least. Some very nice multi-lane highways can give way to rough-and-tumble in no time. I normally wear sunglasses while driving on sunny days, but I kept them off so I could see road hazards coming easier.

Decide if you want to drive at night or not. If you are driving, say M05 straight down from Kiev to Odessa, anytime is fine. At night you will still have a good road surface and services available roadside. If you are going on a less traveled road, it is best to do it in the daytime if you can, just to have the extra visibility.

While signage is fairly consistent with Europe and where it's not it's easy to figure out, it's a good idea to learn the Cyrillic alphabet. You don't have to understand very much, but it helps you get where you are going. Say you were going to Kherson, like we were. In Cyrillic you will see "XepcoH." The "H" at the end will be in lower case as well, and is equivalent to "n."

Pay attention, know the rules

As a driver you choose to mope along with the old Lada's, the slower trucks, and get stuck behind farm equipment at times on the two-lane roads, or you can go the other way, and keep up with the faster side. That's what I did, but it takes constant awareness.

If you see slow traffic coming at you, always be prepared for someone trying to pass it. If you aren't on a newer road surface, look ahead for rough spots. Aggressive driving is the standard, but still within reason, and with an understanding. Although the traffic is quick and aggressive, it flows. Like a quick dance, it looks hectic, but it works.

The allowed alcohol level when driving is - none. 0.0 content. Seat belt rules, although not enforced, are on the books. Speed limits on the open road are widely disregarded. Construction zones aren't very well marked and you can come upon them quickly, and often there isn't a flagger to help traffic around, that's left to drivers to sort out.

Enjoy yourself, take it all in

Look at the countryside, the villages, the people selling fruit, honey, and other things from the side of the road. If it's the season, stop and pick some apricots from the trees that line many roads. When you're driving, have fun with it, but keep your eyes on the road. Talking on cell phones or texting are also prohibited.

I've found mixed information on whether or not an International Driving Permit is required. I didn't have one, but I was driving a family member's car. If you are going to rent, I would advise getting one.

If the police stop you, use your head and be polite. There is some corruption and you may be asked to pay a "fine" on the spot. Just do so and be on your way, and learn to watch for the police. Drivers will routinely flash lights to warn of police ahead. For the most part, drivers are skilled, but much more likely to drive outside of the box.

While there is some discussion about the precise roots of the word "Ukraine" it is thought to be something like "land on the edge," or "border" or something similar. It's a fitting name for a land that has been in that status for centuries. Don't call the country "The" Ukraine like you often hear people say. It's wrong, and it will make you sound like an idiot. It's no different then saying something like "I'm going to The California, but I have to drive through The Texas to get there."