Pripyat Bus Station

[UrbanX]

Pripyat’s bus station actually falls just outside of the city boundary (and is a rubbish place for a bus station if you ask me). But, it’s somewhere I’ve never seen before, and not seen reported before, so thought I’d go for a drive out there.

Outside:

Inside:

Phone boxes:

Locker room:

Ticket office:

Map:

There appears to be a sort of play room to keep children entertained whilst waiting

Oh if any of you were wondering what the fence to Pripyat looks like it’s like this:
Admittedly not that imposing, and only around 5ft high (and full of holes). They more rely on the people side of guarding…

 

[flyboys90]

Great set of photos thanks again.

 

[UEP-Wales]

Epic as always! I think you will be waiting quite a while for a bus to arrive there

 

[Derelict-UK]

So how far can you drive up to the point where you have to pay for a visa/guide to take you in further? Is there still alot of abandoned stuff in the areas that are 'free' to roam?

 

[UrbanX]

Epic as always! I think you will be waiting quite a while for a bus to arrive there

Ironically the residents of Pripyat had to wait ages for one, then 1,100 turned up at once:

So how far can you drive up to the point where you have to pay for a visa/guide to take you in further? Is there still alot of abandoned stuff in the areas that are 'free' to roam?

Ah sorry, this is the inner most fence. There are 3.
At 30Km is the Dytyatky checkpoint. Military patrols, passport checks, visa checks etc. And on the way out there are full body scanners for people, as well as a new whole-vehicle scanner, which looks like the worlds weirdest car wash. Chernobyl town, and all of the re settler villages are inside this checkpoint.

Then there is a 10Km checkpoint, normally just a drive through. They check your vehicle details, and sometimes count passengers. The Power plant (and this bus station and dancing hall) are inside this checkpoint. This checkpoint is in constant radio contact with the city checkpoint, to say "Expect Vechicle X in 10 mins" We always try and amuse them by setting lap times between checkpoints, and are normally travelling the fun side of 100!

Then there is the city checkpoint, and a fence around the city itself. Which is what this is.

Like I say the fences aren't amazing, there's hundreds and hundreds of miles of perimeter to the outer fence. But I wouldn't like to get caught climbing it!

 

[Derelict-UK]

so outside of the 30km checkpoint everything is 'normal'?

It's interesting to know the workings of the borders, I take it they are not photo happy around checkpoints?

I heard that if you are over exposed that they cart you off to a hospital, is this true? and if so, have you had the pleasure yet?

 

[Seffy]

Very interesting as per usual. Cheers for sharing

 

[UrbanX]

so outside of the 30km checkpoint everything is 'normal'?

It's interesting to know the workings of the borders, I take it they are not photo happy around checkpoints?

I heard that if you are over exposed that they cart you off to a hospital, is this true? and if so, have you had the pleasure yet?

Well, they're mixed really. City, and 10Km you don't get out, and the vehicle only stops for a few seconds. I normally just shoot a bit a video of going through.

At the 30Km checkpoint they can be funny. Last year I arrived around midnight, and there is a strict curfew of 8pm. They were not happy. Then I got off the bus and started shooting (only dirty high ISO from the hip job)

They went mental "NO FOTOGRAFF! NO FOTOGRAFF!"

But then I spent a fair amount of time there. When I eventually left, they let me shoot at the checkpoint for a full half hour without question!

Yeah, if you're over the limit you will be given a bleachy shower, given some iodine tablets, and if your bad off to hosp you go. I reallly thought I was going to at least lose some shoes last year (I got a bit lost on my own in some woodland) but came back clear. They scanned me, and my clothes seperately too.

I think it's only ever happened to one person, but around 1:600 have to leave shoes behind.

Oh the radiation level at the 30km checkpoint is similar to the UK.

Where I sleep in Chernobyl town has a lower radiation level than where I sleep in the UK.

 

[Derelict-UK]

thats some great info, thanks for that. My mate is in Kiev now, should hear what went on by the weekend!

 

[nelly]

Brilliant as usual fella, and a fantastic insight too

 

[UrbanX]

thats some great info, thanks for that. My mate is in Kiev now, should hear what went on by the weekend!

They've both been texting me all weekend, trust me, they had fun

 

[Stussy]

Another beauty of a report, your fairly making your way through the more unusual buildings such a refreshing change from the tourist route you see so much!

 

[onthebusescrazy]

Brillant i love old buses and depots thanks alot

 

[kevsy21]

Nice work,you have captured it well.Always interesting to see reports from the area.

 

[Priority 7]

Nice work Urbs can't believe I didn't see this one earlier. Still you know what they say about buses

 

[megaangelic]

I like your reports, it's great to see something different from Pripyat.

Been meaning to go for years, but haven't for one reason or another... Definately in the next year though.

 

[skeleton key]

Great stuff there mate what a loaction