Money

The national currency is the hryvnia (hr), which replaced the transitional karbovanets on September 2, 1996. Don’t be confused if your amount is given in roubles. You haven’t been transported to Russia or taken back in time to the USSR - some people just have trouble letting go of the past! Paper bills carry denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 50, 100 and 200 hryvnias. Another word to the wise: two versions exist of the 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 hryvnia bills, and both are accepted everywhere. There are 100 kopecks in a hryvnia, with 1, 2, 5, 10, 25 and 50 kopeck coins. If you’re lucky, you may become the proud owner of the recently-issued and still rare 1hr coin. You’ll have no problem finding currency exchange points, but rates are better from central street kiosks. If it’s traveller’s checks you need to cash, look for a big respectable-looking bank. ATMs have become plentiful in Kyiv, and many hotels and restaurants now take Visa and MasterCard - American Express is not very popular. There have been scattered reports of credit card fraud in upscale restaurants, though, so you may want to think twice before charging it.