Lugansk1

LUGANSK (LUHANSK, Луга́нськ)

Formerly known as Voroshilovgrad , is an eastern frontier city bordering Russia. It is also one of the industrial hubs of Ukraine (think Mumbai or Surat of India)

This city has its own anthem which the people here sing at every state festival, like the Victory Day, the Founding Day and the Independence Day of Ukraine. We shall talk about the festivals of Ukraine and of its each city in a separate segment. But for now, we will talk about the festivities hosted by Lugansk only. 

This city roughly has a population of about 4 million.. ( I know right.. my Indian followers must be laughing their rocks off now .. well bear with me .. this is Europe we are talking about.. a population of this size is BIG BIG for these people )

                                    

 The primary language of communication is Russian

The primary currency in use is Gryvna (Hryvna, UAH)

The current rate of conversion for USD($) to Grv(UAH) is :

       $1= 8.5 UAH      ($= USD, INR= Indian Rupees, UAH= Gryv.)

         1 UAH = 7.5 INR (Approx.)

## Secret Information##

“Legend has it that Russian Empress Catherina in the early 18^th century, was so proud of her own beauty that she decided to exile all the beautiful girls of eligible age to the city of Luhansk (formerly known as Voroshilovgrod), and as history turned out to be, this city came to be known as the house of some of the most beautiful girls in the world. Well, as for me, I am not sure if the legend is authentic, but during my visit in this city, I was really awestricken by the appearance of the people here… they are gorgeous.. I am not saying that people in other parts of Ukraine are ugly, but this place has its own charm. 

                                   

 In the first appearance it might seem that this town is sleepy, but come summer, you will witness people of all ages (mostly young) thronging the streets, pairing up with friends, lovers and relatives.

The attitude towards foreigners is very friendly. There has not been a single incident of racial attacks in the last 5 years... and the crime rate is in negative values. 

The main of conveyances in the city are: 

Buses (marshrutkas) ; Fare: 2.5 UAH

                                   

                                                                            

 Trams (Tramvoy) ; Fare : 1.25 UAH

                        

                                                                          

 Trolley Buses ( Trolley bus) ; Fare: 1.5 UAH 

                                 

Taxis (taxi) ; Fare: depends on the distance, but a minimum of 12 UAH.

You can either order a taxi over the telephone from numerous taxi operators in the city (which is very easy, all you need to know is the origin and destination of your travel and a little Russian to understand the number of the taxi and the approximate fare they shall tell you over the phone)

                                   

Train (Poezd); Fare: depends upon the distance and type (inter-city or long distance)

The trains are of 2 types: 1. Inter-city which runs for short distance destination like neighboring cities and are high-speed MAGLAV trains. The fare in these trains can be quite high, depending on the type of class you opt for.

2. The long distance or Express Trains, which run from one state to another (like Rajdhani, Shatabdi Express in India) and again the fair depend on the distance and class of your seat.

## You can book your travel tickets for trains online.

                                   

Last, but not the least, Deluxe coaches (Avtobus); Fare: Depends on the distance.

These buses are like trains running both short and long distance destinations.

These buses are air-conditioned with upholstered seats and recliners. (Think deluxe Volvo buses of India)

The fare depends upon the distance travelled and is generally more expensive than the Express trains. Why  ? Sorry, I have no idea. 

## There is no underground metro system in this city, which is a bummer, but again, the public transport system is VERY efficient, so you really won’t miss it.

I will run you through a detailed description of the trains and metro system here in a separate post, after we are done talking about the cities.

In the next post, we shall talk about the places of interest in Lugansk, the places to see, the places to eat, stay and have fun. If you are the cultural geek type, then again you shall have ample opportunities to quench your cultural appetite.

So, sit tight my little bunnies, while I give you the virtual tour which will blow your mind off in my next post. !! you might want to hold on to your seats :D

Adios Amigo..