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Photo by Sean Howman, The Pamir highway in an unseasonably cold late October, Tajikistan

I haven't been everywhere...
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Photo by Sean Howman,
The Pamir highway in an unseasonably
cold late October, Tajikistan



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  #1  
Old 14 Aug 2014
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Ukraine
Has anyone entered Ukraine from Romania recently. We're in Romania and heading for Hungary but thought we might pop in to Ukraine as I've been told it's a nicer way to get across to Hungary.

Apparently as UK passport holders we don't need anything special for Ukraine.
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Old 14 Aug 2014
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Crossed over from Romania to Ukraine yesterday from Suceavea, Siret in Romania along E85/M19 up to Kam Yanets in Ukraine. Border crossing was easy but met some extremely corrupt an unpleasant ukranian cops along the road. This months scam seems to be alcohol. Was stopped and asked about alcohol and had to breath into a cops face. One in our group came a little later and had to breath into a breathalyzer that showed he got 2,8 level of alcohol. Which of course were totally ridicolous as he havent bern touching alcohol at all that day. Wanted 600 US dollars, held him back for 1 h 15 minutes, threatend him by confiskating the bike, his passport, driving licence etc. 8 cops and one poor westerner. Not a pleasant meeting at all...... Almost forgot - he ended up with paying 120 US dollars.

The road standards are several steps down from Romania and Hungary by the way. Very little english seems to be spoken here.
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Old 15 Aug 2014
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lonesome George View Post
Has anyone entered Ukraine from Romania recently. We're in Romania and heading for Hungary but thought we might pop in to Ukraine as I've been told it's a nicer way to get across to Hungary.

Apparently as UK passport holders we don't need anything special for Ukraine.
You don't, they just stamp your passport for EU.

Western Ukraine is lovely, very backward and poor but the people are extremely nice and some of the scenery is beautiful. Well worth the trip.

I spent most of last September in Ukraine and had no problems at all. As soon as you leave the L'Viv, Kiev tourist hack, there is very little English spoken. Never had any problems at all.

Some of the roads are diabolical though, and it isnotalways easy to guess what will be good or bad, it could take you 3hrs to do 100km, or 50 min. Its often better to stay off the secondary type main roads because they are usually the worst.

Given that all the 'trouble' is in the East you should be perfectly safe. It is a pleasant place and the people very helpful. The cops aren't meant to be great at times (but where are they??) as the above poster states, but I had no bother at all with them.
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Old 15 Aug 2014
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Thanks both of you. If we do go we'll only be there two days. Crossing from Sighetu Marimatei in Romania. Heading west and crossing back in to Hungary. We were told it might be a nicer more interesting way to get back into Hungary. We're travelling alone so I don't want the hassle of being ripped off by the police but we might give it a go.

Sate travels.

Dom
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Old 18 Aug 2014
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Hi Dom:

Honestly, I don't think this summer is a good time to visit Ukraine, even if you are at the opposite end of the country from where all the troubles are.

I've been to both Ukraine and Romania on my bike. I'll never go back to Ukraine, this due to poor quality roads, corrupt police everywhere, and a general sense of unease that I had all the time I was there. You can be assured that you will be hassled and ripped off by the police and other government officials. It's not a question of 'if', it's a question of 'how often is this going to happen today'. Last time I was there, I was stopped 5 times in one day for document checks, accused of speeding every time, etc. Truly, a massive PITA.

Romania, on the other hand, is a very pleasant place, and it is "100% EU", which gives you some assurance that the worst excesses of corruption, etc. will be held in check.

Geographically, there's not a whole lot of difference between the two countries along the border area... hence I don't see any benefit (only downsides) to entering Ukraine.

Michael
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Old 18 Aug 2014
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Originally Posted by PanEuropean View Post
Hi Dom:


Romania, on the other hand, is a very pleasant place, and it is "100% EU", which gives you some assurance that the worst excesses of corruption, etc. will be held in check.

Geographically, there's not a whole lot of difference between the two countries along the border area... hence I don't see any benefit (only downsides) to entering Ukraine.

Michael
There is plenty of unchecked corruption in the EU. I would imagine that a lot of the people in Romania (as in much of the EU) would find it very difficult to agree with those sentiments. Personally when I get out of the damn place it feels like a breath of fresh air; you can top looking for signs telling you what you are allowed to do

Some of the countryside in Western Ukraine is similar to Romania, but it is a very different place. There is less logging for one thing (because it is not in the EU). And yes the roads are rubbish, but many people just use the road to get from place to place. Not rate a place by the roads.
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Old 18 Aug 2014
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Originally Posted by PanEuropean View Post
You can be assured that you will be hassled and ripped off by the police and other government officials. It's not a question of 'if', it's a question of 'how often is this going to happen today'. Last time I was there, I was stopped 5 times in one day for document checks, accused of speeding every time, etc. Truly, a massive PITA.



Maybe it depends on who you run across...


Been to Ukraine two times in 2011 towards and back from Central Asia and I crossed it West to East and East to West (Uzghorod to Sverdlovsk and back), and I've always found helpful and polite officers (close to Kharkiv they even accepted a picture together, with one of them that was sitting on my Harley I had at that time).


It's not 100% sure you will find corrupted officers, even if it's likely, maybe.
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Old 18 Aug 2014
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This won' help Lonesome George but I think is good to share experiences.
Iive just crossed Romania to Ukraine through Moldova and Transdniestria.

In Moldova border I was ripped of by the military. They asked me 20€ and after a brief discussion I finally gave them 10$; but no problem at all neither in Transdniestria nor Ukraine.

Regards.



Basauritik mundura... motorrez: RUMANÍA, MOLDAVIA y UCRANIA en moto
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Old 20 Aug 2014
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Thanks again to everyone for their thoughts and advice. We decided not to bother with Ukraine. We would only have been there for 48 hours so it didn't seem worth it. Instead we crossed back in to Hungary direct from Romania and are today heading for Budapest.

All I can add is that Romania was fantastic. More details on my blog at The Dom way round

Dom
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