I recently returned from a month long europe trip where I spent

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>>1168063
>How well is english generally spoken there?
Very rare to find someone who speaks decent English. Not even young people speak English. No chance with anyone over the age of 30 unless they work daily with foreigners.

>What's the nightlife like? Will I find good parties during the week or only weekends?
I happened to meet an English speaking tour guide from Tinder and we went bar hopping during a weekday in Lviv. It was pretty empty.

>How many days should I look forward to spend in Kiev and Odessa?
Depends what you want to do. Kiev is quite big but not very touristy. I'd say 3 days and you'll manage everything. Chernobyl/Pripyat is a day trip but you won't find any tours under 100€. Odessa has a decent inner city and beaches on the black sea. It isn't very commie blocky and still has old buildings. I'd also say 3 days and you'll see everything.

>Is there anything going on in Odessa in autumn? I've got a feeling that it's more like a summer destination.
It is more of a summer destination imo. I went in May to see the beaches. Unfortunately I didn't stay long enough to enjoy the city itself.

>Any other cities worth visiting?
Yes. Lviv is definitely worth visiting.

>Is it safe? I'd be travelling solo, 19/m
I encountered 0 zeros the entire time. People were more surprised to see a western tourist in Ukraine than anything else. The war in the east really ruined their economy. I solo traveled Ukraine for 2 weeks and I am 20/m.

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>>1168063
>I only have about 600 euros to spend so I thought of going to Kiev and maybe Odessa
I spent two weeks in Lviv, Kiev, and Odessa eating out every day, taking trains between the cities, using Airbnb, bars, etc and only spent about 400€ on the entire trip and I wasn't even trying to budget. Everything is extremely cheap especially if you're coming from the west.

>Also any general advice about Ukraine that pops into your head is greatly appreciated.
If you're tall, western looking/dressed, uptight and clean you will definitely stick out. I had a friend in Kiev that I went to visit and whenever I spoke English to him everyone would look at us and stare. If you look nordic/germanic and are handsome be prepared for stares from women.

Tinder isn't really popular but I did to try to meet some natives using it. All I did was say something like, "From [western country], in [UA city] for a while" and I literally matched with every girl I swiped right on.

Alcoholics, drunks, and bydlo are a serious problem though. If some underclass looking drunk tries coming up to you don't take shit from him and either walk away or assert your dominance if he gets pushy.

Don't drink the water, ever.

Government services aren't reliable. Nothing is automated. Everything is old school. That means there are no ticket machines, no automatic stamps, nothing of the sort. I rode a tram and I had to physically give money to the train driver and he gave me a ticket. I think had to walk to the back of the crowded tram and stamp the ticket in a clamp. If you're in a tram and someone passes you money, pass the money onto the next person so it reaches the driver and then once the ticket comes back pass it along to the person who handed you the money. Same goes for buses.

All public transport vehicles are 40+ years. Nothing is new.

Squat toilets are a thing in Ukraine. It was a shock when I first saw it. No doors or seats lol

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Buses look like pic related btw. To buy a ticket, you have to tap the bus driver on the shoulder, give him money, he thens puts the money on a carpet rug placed on the center console, gives you a paper ticket, and then you have to walk back and stamp the ticket on a clamp that hangs from the walls of the bus.

Same for trams and street cars. Long distance trains however are more reliable. You purchase a ticket at a station like everywhere else. Do remember to bring your passport when purchasing a ticket or else you will be refuses. I suggest taking the express trains between Kiev and Odessa. They are 5 hours long and brand new compared to the old school sleeper trains that take 10+ hours, have no AC, no dining car, and are 60 years old. If you do take a 10 hour train ride without a dining car you will stop half way in some random town where babushkas gather and try to sell you local fish, meats, and baked good. Buy some because you won't be able to eat anything for 10 hours if you didn't bring your own food. I made the mistake of thinking that there was a dining car which turned out to not be true.

Food sharing is extremely common onboard long distance trains. Many people bring tea bags and ask the train car attendant for hot water. People share sausages and sweets with each other. Card games are also common. I can't speak a word of Russian or Ukrainian but people still shared food with me to build relations each other.

Also, don't ever lose sight of your belongings while riding the train. Suitcases are fine to leave behind if they are locked up but either bring your backpack with you to the bathroom or (if you speak Russian) ask an older couple to watch them for you.

>>1168842
>>1168845
>>1168846
thanks mate. great advice

>>1169326
No problem. If you're OP I hope it helps you out