There are only two ways to get from Boryspil airport to Kyiv now:

• taxi, going anywhere in the city by your demand, and
• public bus/mini-bus to the railway station. 
  

There is neither subway (metro) nor train connection between the airport and the city of Kyiv.

1. GETTING BY TAXI

To get from the airport to Kyiv by taxi you can choose between several options:

(a) Call a taxi to the airport or ask a local to call it for you 

Presently (Mar’11), taxi called from the city to the airport back to downtown costs about UAH 140-160 (ca USD 17-20), depending on the taxi company. 

The problem is most Kyiv cab services don’t speak English and request the caller’s phone number, but don’t make a call to a foreign mobile.

There are also several web-sites offering on-line taxi arrangements. Except for self-promotions, there was no real experience shared here. So the reliability of these service is yet to be confirmed.

Here are some web-sites with lists of Kyiv taxi companies, their contact details (some have web-sites) and tariffs; all in Ukrainian/Russian only, so use google translate should you need:

Kievtaxi 

http://www.kartka.com.ua/dovidnik/tra...  

Taxi.org.ua 

(b) Hire a taxi in the airport through the airport taxi service 

You will see their counters with large signs TAXI as soon as you leave the arrivals area into the airport hall.

There are at least two of them now: one to the left; blue stall with yellow top bearing TAXI and Cars for Rent signs. Another one is straight ahead, near the exit from the Terminal; the desk in blue bearing large TAXI sign.

Presently (Mar’11), taxi hired from the airport counters to downtown costs UAH 300 (caUSD 38). Minivans for large groups available; cost from UAH 450 (caUSD 57).   

Major currencies accepted: USDollar, euro, also hryvnia, of course. Chances are the price in FX would be rounded, so payment in hryvnia looks more beneficial.  

(c) Take touting taxi drivers 

There’s no chance you miss these guys. They are already there as soon as you get from the arrivals to the airport hall. They are around as you try to make your way out from the airport terminal. They are still there on the street hopeful for their last chance to take you downtown.

If you are going to take one of them, be prepared to bargain. Do it before you even agree to take a ride. Don’t forget to say which currency you’re paying in. Normally they are fine to take hryvnia, USDollars and euro. Paying in currency you are in for certain loss as the cost will be rounded and the exchange rate will never be in your favour.  

The further you proceed from arrivals zone outside, the cheaper the price gets.

Presently (Mar’11) the bargaining outside the airport starts at UAH 250 - «dvesti pyatdesyat hryven» (caUSD 32). 

Do bargain. There are more drivers than passengers wiling to take them.

SIDE-NOTE: Tipping a taxi driver is not really common in Ukraine, unlike the personal driver you hire for a day or half-day. You can leave the change if the ride was enjoyable and the driver was helpful. But don’t feel obliged to tip, especially on the airport transfer. Taking a taxi in the airport you can’t help overpaying, so consider the tip included.  

!! Please mind that presently anything more than USD 40 for the taxi ride to downtown is an overcharge. In winter prices can grow higher.  

2. GETTING BY PUBLIC BUS/MINIBUS 

An alternative to taxis are public buses, so-called Polit (ukr. ПОЛІТ), or Atass (ukr. АТАСС), or #322 buses or mini-buses. They are regular, reliable and represent good value for money.   

 city airport shuttle bus "Atass-Skybus"

Buses run from Boryspil airport to Pivdennyj (aka Yuzhnyj) Railway Station. It's the new part of the Railway Station; adjacent to the Central one. You can take a subway (metro), a mini-bus (marshrutka) or a taxi to get further to your destination in Kyiv from the Railway station.  

The #322 bus schedule can be found here  3rd column shows its capacity enabling to define if it’s going to be a coach or a mini-bus.

These buses are easy to spot as you leave the terminal B; they stand right in front of it, on the square. Mini-buses are coloured in some wide strips, rose colour dominating. Large buses are silver white (or rather silver grey). 

The payment is on board. Presently (Jun’10), it costs UAH 25 (caUSD 3) per person. 

They would try to wait until all seats are taken before the bus leaves. But unless in slow hours with no or few arrivals, it shouldn’t take too long for the mini-bus to depart. 15-20min is said to be the regular interval between departures.  

On week-end, as well as early in the morning and late it night (in other words, before and after rush hours) the ride should take only some 40-50min. Otherwise allow extra half an hour or so for traffic.  

The bus makes a stop on the left bank near Kharkivska metro (subway). No stops on demand. There is presently no stop on Peremohy Sq. and Peremohy Ave (prospect). 

SIDE-NOTE: To reach subway (metro) upon arrival to Yuzhnyj, walk through the Railway Station to its opposite side, the Central Railway Station, and head to the left searching for large «M» sign on the building. Tips on getting around by subway in Kyiv are available here  

To take a mini-bus (or a taxi, which however will also be overpriced) from the Central Railway Station, head straightforward to Vokzalna Square and you will see the mini-buses there.

Transportation Cost from Boryspil to Downtown Kyiv, as at March 2011