An international driver's licence is required to drive in Ukraine but driving is not advised for tourists since the standards of the roads are so poor and fuel supply is unreliable outside major cities.

The breakdown service is run by the Ukrainian Transport police whose emergency number is 04 or 05. If you hire a car in the country, your rental provider should be able to give you full details of what to do if you break down.

The Central Bus Station (tel: (044) 265 5774) is on Moskovskaya Square close to Libydksa metro and is the terminus for most local and some domestic and international routes.

Buses also run to and from Boryspil airport to every other major city in Ukraine, from Kharkhiv (7 hours) to Odessa (8 hours). Autolux Transport Company (tel: (044) 536 0055/3; website: www.autolux.ua/english) runs this domestic service.

Lviv Inturtrans (tel: (044) 272 3340 or 238 2731; website: www.lviv-inturtrans.com) offers weekly connections to Italy, France and the Netherlands. Kiev Grand (tel: (044) 486 5908; website: www.avtobus.kiev.ua) offers regular connections to Germany and the Czech Republic.