How to Make Telephone Calls from Ukraine -- Part 1

Vendors selling refill cards for cell phones in Kiev.

Telephone Calls in Ukraine

Calling home from your hotel room can be very expensive in Ukraine. Even in an inexpensive hotel, the charge to call the USA was over $3 per minute! Here are some less expensive options for calling Europe and America from Ukraine.

International Calling Cards

You can buy these cards right in Kiev at many kiosks, or often at small shops inside the Post Office. These cards give you a local number (in Kiev for example) to dial. Then you enter your access code (from your card) and the international number that you want. The prices for such calls seems to be around 50 cents a minute to the US. Plus, your hotel will probably charge you something even for local calls.

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Post Office in Ukraine

A Ukrainian Post Office offering "Internet - Telephone" and "Post"

Calling from a Post Office

Many Post Offices in Ukraine also offer international telephone service. The price is quite reasonable. About 50 cents per minute to the USA, and about 60 cents per minute to Western Europe. Look for their standard yellow-and-blue logo shown in the photograph above.

Using a Callback System

Another option for international calling from Ukraine is with a callback service. Sign up for a callback account (over the Internet -- check the adds on this page). Then make a call to your assigned telephone number in the US (as an example). Hang up before there is any answer, so you won't be charged for this direct call. The system will then call you back at the number you specified when you signed up (your hotel or apartment, usually). When you answer, you will have a dial tone and can make your actual international call. Such services cost around 20 cents per minute (though the prices are very volatile, so check them out yourself.) One drawback to this kind of service is that you do have to make a direct call to the destination county first (even though it should be free, as you will immediately hang up as soon as it begins ringing.) From an apartment where international calls have been blocked, this cannot be done.

(In the next part of this series, read about using Skype and Cell Phones)

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