Car hire Kiev

Introduction

Kiev is one of the oldest cities in Eastern Europe. The city culminated between the tenth and thirteenth century. At the time, Kiev was the capital of a powerful Slavic state and an important economic, religious and cultural center. A lot was damaged in Kiev under the Soviet Communists and during World War II. There is, however, still a lot to see in this city which excellently combines old architecture with modernization.

Population

Officially the city has about 3 million inhabitants (but according to unofficial sources it could be almost a million more).

Location

Kiev is located in the north of Ukraine, on both banks of the Dnieper River. The oldest part of the city lies on the right bank; only in the twentieth century buildings appeared on the left bank.

Economy

Being the capital of Ukraine, Kiev is the undisputed center of government, trade and industry. There are large utilities companies and the government provides employment. Industrial activities consist of food processing, engineering and paper production. Aircraft builder Antonov is headquartered in Kiev.

Airports

Kiev Airport is called Boryspil International Airport and is situated 29 kilometers southeast of the city center. It's easily reachable by rental car: the airport lies directly along highway M03 which leads to Kiev's suburbs.

Public Transport

Public transport in Kiev consists of subways, (trolley) buses and streetcars. The subway is most reliable and you can reach almost every destination in town with it. Buses and streetcars are old and less reliable, but Kiev has ambitious plans to drastically modernize public transport. There's also a funicular along the steep right bank of the Dnieper.

Traffic and Parking

You'll have no trouble finding your way around Kiev, although a map comes in handy as all signs are in Cyrillic. To visit the beautiful city center, it's best to park your rental car in one of the parking garages around the center or at a guarded parking lot.

Hotels

In recent years Kiev has developed into an attractive city-trip destination. There are therefore many new hotels and guesthouses in all price categories. Room prices are rather high though; those wanting to stay in Kiev for a longer period are advised to rent an apartment.

External Sources

For more information about Kiev, we recommend Google and the following sources:

• Wikipedia, Kiev
• Official website Kiev
• Tourist Information Kiev