Kiev to Krakow or Warsaw train price estimates?

You can risk :)

Forget it, too long and way too dangerous. Poland has it's problems; but Ukraine is out of the question. The only way I'd travel by train like that in the Ukraine is if a could carry a gun with me; seriously not worth it.

I would highly suggest taking the train. I trained from Kiev to Ukraine last year and it wasn't unsafe or too difficult either. The trains in Ukraine aren't as nice as the ones in Poland but I almost found people to be more helpful because we were English speaking. Your best bet is just going to a train station a day or 2 before to buy your ticket. They have a great train system so there will be several options for you. I can't remember exactly how much it cost but I don't believe it was any more than $30 or 40 (Canadian). If you are worried about taking the train, sometimes flights on RyanAir or EasyJet are basically just as cheap... But the earlier you book those the cheaper it'll be. I hope that helps!

Shurik is right, and Polish trains are no different, especially when summer comes, and they are full of Polish as well as foreign thugs. I was thinking about taking train from Gdansk to L'viv, then meet with my guide in L'viv, and take the train back myself, but it's not safe. I would only take the train, if you are accompanied with a guide. Since your dad is with you, it should be safer, but I'd still avoid it, if possible. Either rent a car, hire a private driver, go with an orginized tour group, or fly. And you don't just take a train to Chenobyl and walk around. You need to apply for a special permit from the Ukrainian millitary, and go with an orginized tour company, which they will assign to you, and there is no guarentee you will get the permit. Chernobyl is a highly radioactive millitary area, it's not the Grand Canyon.