Most cruises leave from Turkey, Bulgaria or Romania and stop over in Yalta, but there are also cruises which leave from Yalta. The main stations are Kyiv and Lyiv. There are direct lines to Warsaw in Poland, Budapest in Hungary, Bucharest in Romania, Berlin in Germany and Brest in Belarus. Ukrainian trains are slow. Journeys can range from pleasant to terribly uncomfortable if, for instance, the heating is not working.
Security can also be a problem, as many muggings have been reported.
If travelling by overnight train, do not leave the compartment unattended. From Kyiv to Moscow takes 16 hours and to St Petersburg is about 36 hours. Ukrainian roads tend to be in reasonable condition. Border points are at Mostiska, Uzhgorod and Chop. It is recommended to carry a visa to enable a smooth border crossing.