Located on the Southern Bug River, this western Ukrainian city maintains a cultural center with an opera house, regional museum, and international airport.
Khmelnytskyi, a city of 274,452 residents in western Ukraine, sits along the Southern Bug River. Walk through the Regional Art Museum to see works by local painters, catch a classical concert at the philharmonic hall, or browse through hundreds of stalls at one of Ukraine's biggest wholesale markets. The presence of six universities fills the streets with students, especially around the central Proskurivska Street.
Getting Around Khmelnytskyi
You can reach Khmelnytskyi from Kyiv in 4-5 hours by train, traveling 366 kilometers. The city's railway station connects directly to major Ukrainian cities and European destinations. Three major highways intersect here: Kyiv-Lviv, Odesa-Lviv, and Chernivtsi-Kyiv. Within the city, trolleybuses and marshrutkas (minibuses) run from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM.
Cultural Life and Entertainment
Watch Ukrainian plays and modern productions at the Khmelnytskyi Oblast Ukrainian Music and Drama Theater on Soborna Street. The Regional Art Museum displays paintings by Ukrainian artists from the 18th to 21st centuries, with rotating exhibitions throughout the year. Children will enjoy the puppet theater's weekend performances. The philharmonic hall hosts classical concerts every Friday and Saturday evening.
Education and Student Life
Six universities spread across the city create active zones around their campuses. The main building of Khmelnytskyi National University on Instytutska Street has an impressive modernist architecture from the 1970s. Student cafes and bookshops line Proskurivska Street, the main thoroughfare connecting most educational institutions.
Markets and Shopping
The wholesale market on Lvivske Highway spans several blocks, with hundreds of vendors selling clothing, accessories, and household items. Visit in the morning hours (6:00 AM - 2:00 PM) when the market is most active. Local producers sell fresh produce at the central market on Proskurivska Street daily.
Southern Bug River Activities
Walk or cycle along the riverside paths that stretch for 5 kilometers through the city center. In summer, you can rent canoes near the pedestrian bridge. The river banks include several parks with benches and playgrounds, particularly popular during weekends. The best views of the river come from the observation point near the Music and Drama Theater.
