Uzhhorod

Uzhhorod (Ukrainian, Russian: Ужгород, Hungarian: Ungvár, German: Uschhorod) is a city in Western Ukraine, the administrative center of Zakarpatska Oblast (Transcarpthian Region). Its population is 120,000 people.

Understand

The Regional Administration Building

Korso - the main street

Uzhhorod, or Uzhgorod as transliterated till the end of 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. 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. 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. Anyway, Uzhhorod is a very interesting place to visit because the cultures cross here.

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

• Tourist Information Center, Street Dukhnovicha 16/1. M-Sa 07:00-16:00. (updated Oct 2018)

Get in

By plane

Uzhhorod Central Rail Terminal

Uzhhorod Airport has been closed since 2014.

By train

• 🌍 Uzhgorod Train Station (Залізничний вокзал), Zaliznychna (Stantsiina) str., 7 (you will have to get on a taxi or marshrutka to get to downtown.), ☎ [phone]. Uzhgorod has one bidirectional line, which heads north towards Lviv, and south towards Chop . There are no direct lines to Slovakia. The hub of railway transportation in Transcarpathia (and thus Uzhgorod) is Chop; it has dual-gauge rails for trains coming from Slovakia and Hungary, a line going towards southern Transcarpathia, and the main line going towards Stryi/Lviv that connects one with the rest of Ukraine, Moldova, Russia, and Belarus. From Slovakia: there is a single border crossing train running two to three times a day between Čierna nad Tisou to Chop. Additionally, It is possible to get a train directly between Chop and Bratislava and Vienna for around €20. From Hungary: there are trains running between Záhony (Hungarian Border Crossing) and further westward to Nyiregyháza and Budapest. Note that connections to Budapest tend to be higher priced; if one wishes to get to Vienna or Prague, it's definitely cheaper to go through Slovakia. From Moldova: a direct route does not exist in Transcarpathia; one must take a train directly to Chernivtsi, and from Chernitvsti there is a daily train going to Moldova. From Romania: there are railway border crossings from Solotivno and one other place. There are direct routes to Odessa, Kiev, Moscow, and Harkiv directly from Uzhgorod. For larger connections to Central Europe and elsewhere in Russia/Ukraine/Belarus, refer to Chop. In general: it's best to consult Ukraine's railway web page, which allows you to examine the schedule of routes and stations. 

By bus

• 🌍 Bus Station No.2 (Avtovokzal, Автостанція Ужгород-2), Zaliznychna str., 2 (At R.S.), ☎ [phone], [phone]. There are daily buses from Nyíregyháza in Hungary; from Košice, and Michalovce in Slovakia; from Kraków in Poland; and domestically from Kiev and Lviv. There are also buses six times a week (i.e., every day except Mondays) from Prague, the capital of Czech Republic. Additionally there is the possibility to go to the border by taxi, cross it, and then take in Vyšné Nemecké, the village next to the border, the bus to Košice (PDF). 

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 Kiev, 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 US$5-10/€5-10.

The newly renovated M06 highway connects Kiev 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 Kiev (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.

Get around

By bus

Locals use marshrutkas (small buses) to get around. Those cost 4 грн per ride, can be crowded and uncomfortable but do their job in getting you there.

By taxi

Taxis in Uzhhorod are very cheap and arguably the easiest way to get around town. A typical fare is between 20-35 hr. Taxi drivers tend to charge foreigners more, so be assertive and agree on the price beforehand.

See

The Castle

• 🌍 Uzhhorod Castle (Ужгородський замок, Замок-фортеця), Street Kapitulna, 33 (Center). built in 9th century. Inside is the 🌍 Transcarpathian Regional History Museum (Закарпатський бласний краєзнавчий музей), Street Kapitulna, 33. A local history museum. 30 halls, 110,000 exhibits. The bronze collection of museum is one of the biggest in Europe.  

The Greek-Catholic Cathedral

Holy places

• 🌍 Krestovozdvizhenskiy cathedral (Cross cathedral, Greek-Catholic Cathedral, Греко-католицький Хрестовоздвиженський кафедральний храм), Street Kapitulna, 11 (Center). A Greco-catholic temple. Built circa 1646 

Roman-Catholic Cathedral

• 🌍 St George Hungarian Church (Hungarian Church of St. Dordya, Угорський костел святого Дьордя), Street Voloshyna, 7/9 (Center), ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Evangelical church (Церква Адвентистів сьомого дня), Street Pidhirna, 48 (Center). 
• 🌍 Svyato-Preobrazhenskaya Orthodox Church (Свято-Преображенська церква), Vul. Petrova, 2 (Center). 
• 🌍 Transkarpathian Reformat Church (Закарпатська реформаторська церква), Square Zhupanatska, 5 (Center), ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Former Monastery of the Order of the Great St. Vasiliy (Греко-католический мужской монастырь ордена Cв.Василия Великого), Street Voloshyna, 54. A Greek Catholic Monastery. It was built in 1912 as a four-story building, and was the highest in the city. Now it has five stories, and houses the physical and biological faculty of Uzhgord University and an unique 'zoological museum'. 

Out of the Center

• 🌍 Pokrova Orthodox church (Православна церква Покрови), Street Kotsiubynskoho, 1 (South side of the Uzh Riverbank). 
• 🌍 Church Petra and Paula (Церква Св. Петра і Павла), Street Franka Ivana, 18 (W 1 km), ☎ [phone], [phone]. 
• 🌍 Cathedral of Saints Cyril and Method (Православный собор Кирилла и Мефодия), Shvabska, 64 (South 1 km). An Orthodox church. The base size 60 m x 45 m, and the height is 60 m. The capacity is 5000 people. Since 2000 hold here services. 
• 🌍 Evangelical Baptist Church (церквa євангельських християн-баптистів), Street Hrushevskoho Mykoly, 37A (SW 1.7 km). 

Museums

• 🌍 Transcarpathian Architecture and Lifestyle Open Air Museum (Закарпатський музей архітектури та побуту), Street Kapitulna, 33A (in front of the castle). 
• 🌍 Transcarpathian Bokshai Museum of Art (in the old City Hall phone=). 

Others

Nevytske castle

• Goranska Rotonda. The oldest building in the city. 

Further afield

• 🌍 Chynadiyovo (Ukrainian: Чинадієвe, Чинадієво; Rusyn: Чинадійово; Hungarian: Szentmiklós, Russian: Чинадиево, Slovakian: Činadno) (east 10 km). Palace "Beregvar" of Shenborn counts or Schönborn Palace (палац графів Шенборнів "Берегвар"), 1890-1895; Castle Saint Nicholas, (замок "Сент-Мiклош", Szent Miklós, Sent Miklos), 14th century, 17th century. 
• 🌍 Nevytske castle (замок Невицьке) (8 km from the city). Built in around 1400. 
• 🌍 Perechyn (Perecseny), NE 22 km. Favorite for locals to escape from the city 

Do

Transcarpathian Philharmony

• 🌍 Transcarpathian Philharmony. Former Uschhorod synagoge 

Downtown

• Strolling in the Old Downtown. 
• 🌍 Cycle hire in Uzhhorod, Vulitsa Dukhnovicha (вул. Духновича), 14 (Center), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 09:00-18:00. "Vertykalnyi myr" rental shop rents winter sports gear, cars, equipment to extreme sport. Ask for it at Tourism Information Centre 1/2/3/8 hours 35/60/80/100 грн. 
• Taste bogrács, the region's staple dish
• Soak in chany, the Transcarpathian mineral water baths
• Explore the city's wine cellars

Buy

Eat

• Hospodar cafe, Voloshina street, 38. A family cafe with home made food. Vegetarian friendly. Bograch, vareniki, vegetable salad and many many more, not only Ukrainian food. 

Drink

• Irish Pub, Street Voloshina, 36 (next to Hospodar). Nice pizzas. 

Sleep

• 🌍 Five Flags Hostel, 19, Vul. Voloshyna, #3, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Check-in: 11:00, check-out: 11:00. Friendly hostel in the centre. It offers an 8-bed dorm and a private room with a double bed. The hostel has clean bathroom, a fully equipped kitchen and a common room with cozy sofas and an Internet-connected computer. 
• 🌍 Innovatsiia (Готель Інновація), Vul. Verkhovynska, 36 (NW next to 'Praga'), ☎ [phone], [phone]. 
• 🌍 Praga (Готельний комплекс Прага), Vul. Verkhovynska, 38 (NW 2.4 km). Four star Sgl/dbl $38/46 breakfast incl.. 
• 🌍 Evropa (Гостиница Европа), Street Verkhovynska, 3 (NW 2 km), ☎ [phone]. Dbl from €35. 
• 🌍 Vizyt (Готель-ресторан Візит), Vul. Sobranetska, 150 (NW 1.8 km), ☎ [phone], [phone]. 
• 🌍 Rodos (Готельний комплекс Родос), Vul. Dokuchaieva, 6 (NW 1.5 km), ☎ [phone], [phone]. 
• 🌍 Izymrud (Готельний комплекс Ізумруд), Vul. Malokamyana (вулицa Малокаменной), 10 (N 1 km), ☎ [phone]. Three star 614753 Standart room from 240 грн, pollyuks room from 280 грн, lyuks from 280 грн plus 5 грн p.p.. 
• 🌍 Druzhba (Готель Дружба), Vul. Vysoka, 14 (N 0.5 km), ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Duet Plus (Ресторанно-готельний комплекс Дует плюс), Vul. Koshytska, 6 (Center), ☎ [phone]. sgl or twin from €35, twin with bath €55/60, suite (premium-lyuks) €110. 
• 🌍 Motel U Anity (Мотель У Аніти), Vul. Bercheni, 24 (Center), ☎ [phone], [phone], [phone]. 
• 🌍 Atlant (Готель Атлант), Koriatovycha sq., 27 (Center), ☎ [phone], [phone]. Two star. room with shared bath/with shower/with bath €18/28/33. 
• 🌍 Ungvarskyi Kompleks (Курортний комплекс УнгварЪскій), Vul. Elektrozavodska, 2 (East 0.5 km), ☎ [phone]. 
• Olymp (Готельний комплекс Олімп), Vul. Hlentsa F., 4 (Center), ☎ [phone], [phone]. Four star. sgl from €38. 
• 🌍 Eduard (Частная гостиница Эдуард), Vul. Bachinskovo (вулицa Бачинского), 22 (Center-North). Four star? 
• 🌍 Old Kontinent (гостиница Олд Континент), Square Sandora Petefi (площадь Шандора Петефи), 4 (Center), ☎ [phone], [phone]. Four star. 
• 🌍 Inturist-Zakarpattya (Гостинично-туристический комплекс Интурист–Закарпатье), Square Kirilla (пл. Кирилла и Мефодия), 5 (South 1 km). A postsoviet monstrum. Rooms are vary. sgl from €16, dbl €23-39-55 depend of amenities. 
• Izabelly (Гроно Изабеллы), Vul. Schedrina, 118, ☎ [phone], [phone]. 
• 🌍 Barsiy maetok (Готельно-ресторанний комплекс Барський маєток), E50hwy (4 km E), ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Romany Yag (Готельно-ресторанний комплекс Романі Яг), Vul. Telmana, 1 (3.7km E), ☎ [phone], [phone]. 
• Mirazh (Готель-бар Міраж), Vul. Mukachivska, 16,, ☎ [phone]. 

Stay safe

Connect

Lake Synevyr, Zakarpatska National park

Go next

• Khust (SE 120 km) - St. Elizabeth church, (костел св.Єлизавети) 1450.
• Lake Synevyr (озеро Синевир, Felsőszinevéri Tó), Synevirska Polyana (E 155 km). 
• 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.
• Svalyava (E 60 km). St.Nicolas church, (Миколаївська церква) 1588, 1759. One of the oldest in the Oblast and in good condition