Uzhhorod

Uzhhorod (Ukrainian: Ужгород, also transliterated Uzhgorod from Russian: Ужгород; Hungarian: Ungvár, German: Uschhorod) is a city in Western Ukraine, the administrative center of Zakarpatska Oblast (Transcarpthian Region). The population of Uzhhorod is multiethnic. The majority of the natives are Ukrainian, but there are a lot of Russians (who immigrated here after World War II), Hungarians, Slovaks, Germans, Jews and Gypsies. Uzhhorod is a very interesting place to visit because the cultures cross here.

Understand
Uzhhorod, or Uzhgorod as transliterated till the end of the 20th century, is the administrative center of Transcarpathia, which was annexed to the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1945. Until then it was part of Czechoslovakia and before 1919 it was Austro-Hungarian.

Its population in 2020 was 116,000 people. A foreigner has to be very patient with the natives, because some of them will be glad to help you, but some might like to make your life tougher.

Uzhhorod's downtown is very nice with shops, restaurants, and even a small hotel.



By plane
The closest operating airport is in Košice:



By car
Make sure you have all necessary documents relating to car registration, insurance, etc., when crossing the border into Ukraine.

Uzhhorod has a 24-hour entry point from Slovakia, where an extensive border complex has been constructed with financial support from the European Union. This is on the E50 European highway route which should eventually extend from Vienna to Kyiv, via Bratislava and Košice. Eastward travel by road experiences little delay, but there are often extensive queues in the other direction. In theory pedestrians are allowed to cross this border, but in practice Slovak guards prevent them. One option for those without their own transport is to walk back down the road and hitch a lift through from a Ukrainian vehicle, which they will generally do free or for 200-400 грн.

The M06 highway connects Kyiv with Budapest and runs through Uzhhorod. Driving from the direction of Budapest (Chop) you need to go straight after Rizivka through Mynay. If you drive from the direction of Kyiv (Mukachevo), you must turn right after Rozivka. The road from Rizivka-Mynay will take you as far as Zakarpattia Hotel (the city's largest hotel) and then Petofi Square in downtown.

If travelling by rental car from Hungary or Slovakia, make sure to check the rental agreement to see if you will be allowed to enter Ukraine. Many car rental agencies will not allow their cars to be taken there. If this is the case then you will likely be turned away at the border.



By public transport
Uzhhorod has a convenient public transport system:

Single ride tickets in buses and marshrutkas cost 12 грн.
 * 6 bus routes
 * 12 marshrutka routes

Schedules are available on rozklad.in.ua (in Ukrainian).

You can also check information about public transport on DozoR (for city and intercity buses, in Ukrainian), EasyWay and Google Maps.

By taxi
Taxi is the easiest way of getting around the city. Some popular taxi companies include:



Do

 * Taste bogrács, the region's staple dish
 * Soak in chany, the Transcarpathian mineral water baths
 * Explore the city's wine cellars
 * Soak in chany, the Transcarpathian mineral water baths
 * Explore the city's wine cellars

Go next

 * Khust (SE 120 km) - St. Elizabeth church, (костел св.Єлизавети) 1450.
 * Lviv - The non official capital of Western Ukraine. A 'piece' of Vienna.
 * Mukachevo (SE 40 km)) - Mediaeval Castle "Palanok", the largest one in the region and gothic St. Martin chapel.
 * Mukachevo (SE 40 km)) - Mediaeval Castle "Palanok", the largest one in the region and gothic St. Martin chapel.