Public Transportation Phrases in Ukrainian – Фрази про публічний транспорт українською

The public transport system in Ukraine will probably differ from your own country. In today’s blog post, you will find out practical phrases for «surviving» Ukrainian public transport system.

1. It is better to be sure that the bus or mini-bus is going to the place you need, so it is good to know the phrase:

Вибачте, ви зараз (now) їдете до … (your destination) –

I am sorry, but do you go now to …

2. Unfortunately, we still pay in cash on most of our buses, mini-buses, trams, and trolleybuses in the Ukrainian towns and cities. Usually, you won’t see the electronic paying system on our public transportation.

If on trolleybuses and trams there are usually conductors who come to you to take your payment, on buses and mini-buses usually it is a driver who receives cash. And it means you need to know these phrases:

Візьміть за проїзд, будь ласка. (You say it to a driver or a conductor). – Take the payment, please.

Передайте, будь ласка, (один) за проїзд. (You ask the passengers in front of you so they can pass the payment to the driver or the conductor). –

Pass the payment (for one ticket if you need a change), please.

When the driver is working along, he is also passing change through other passengers so you will hear:

Передайте здачу з 10 (десяти) (50 (п’ятдесяти), 100 (ста) гривень…). –

Pass the change from … hryvnia.

3. On public transportation you may sit in any available seat. As a gesture of politeness, men and young people may give their seats to women, elderly people, or people with disabilities. If you also would like to do that here is a short dialogue:

-Сідайте, будь ласка. –

Take a seat, please.

-Дякую. (If a person agrees to sit.)/ Дякую, я постою. / Я виходжу на наступній зупинці. (If a person doesn’t accept your offer). –

Thank you. / Thank you, I will stand. / The next stop is mine.

4. And, finally, on many buses and mini-buses there are no stop buttons, so it means that you need to ask the driver to stop.

На зупинці, будь ласка! (You need to say it loud so the driver can hear you). –

At the bus stop, please!

Or you may ask to stop at a concrete location: near a shop or a market which is close to the bus stop.

(Зупиніть) біля маркету «Лавіна» (магазину «Продукти»), будь ласка. –

(Stop) near the market «Lavina» (shop «Produkty»), please.

We hope we didn’t scare you away from using Ukrainian public transportation.

Have you ever used Ukrainian public transportation? Share your experiences in the comments below.