How to come to Ukraine from Romania: convenient routes and useful tips for foreigners
The skies over Ukraine are currently closed, making it difficult to travel. However, the land borders remain open. We have prepared the most convenient transfer methods for those who want to get to Ukraine from Romania, as well as useful travel tips
In the conditions of martial law, foreign tourists continue to travel to Ukraine, explore the country's culture, architectural and natural sights. In the first half of 2023, Ukraine was visited by 1.3 million travelers, half a million of whom came through the Moldova-Ukraine border, and many tourists visited the country in 2022 as well.
Due to the imposed martial law, the airspace in Ukraine is closed, but the country's land borders are working as usual, entry is allowed for both Ukrainians and foreigners. To make the trip as comfortable as possible, you need to plan it in advance.
How to get from Romania to Ukraine? We have prepared the most convenient routes and many useful tips for you.
Ukrainian-Romanian border
Romania and Ukraine have a common border with a length of 613.8 kilometers. The Romanian counties of Satu-Mare, Maramures, Suceava and Botosani border the Zakarpattia, Ivano-Frankivsk and Chernivtsi regions of Ukraine. Also, the Danube River and its territorial waters separate the Romanian regions of Galati and Tulcea from the Odesa Region in Ukraine.
11 international checkpoints and 3 local checkpoints have been opened on the Ukrainian-Romanian border. Two checkpoints have been operating recently: Krasnoilsk - Vikovu-de-Sous and Dyakivtsi - Rakovets. Another one is in the planning stage.
Convenient routes to Ukraine from Romania
Due to the fact that the airspace in Ukraine is closed, and Ukraine and Romania share a common border, the most convenient routes are by ground transport:
By bus from Romania to Ukraine
Comfortable buses from Bucharest, Iasi, Suceava and many other Romanian cities arrive in Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Khmelnytskyi, Chernivtsi, Ivano-Frankivsk and Uzhhorod.
The duration of the trip from Bucharest to Kyiv is about 21 hours. Flights from Bucharest depart from:
- "Filaret" bus station, Strada Doctor Constantin Istrati 1;
- Railway station (main entrance), st. Kalea Gravity, 140;
- "Bosfor Turizm" bus station, Viilor road, 54.
Daily flights to Kyiv leave Bucharest at 03:00 (arrive in Kyiv 22:00), 16:00 (arrive in Kyiv 12:20 the next day), 19:00 (arrive in Kyiv 18:30).
Additionally, several routes with a short stopover in Chisinau are available.
The price of the ticket is from 75 euros, with a transfer it is cheaper - from 55 euros.
You can also get from Bucharest to Odesa quite quickly and economically. Travel time is 12-14 hours. There are many flights, both day and night. Ticket price from 50 euros.
Usually, carriers offer comfortable passenger buses for the trip. The salon is equipped with soft seats, a toilet and an automatic climate control system, a large luggage compartment, Wi-Fi, which allows you to travel comfortably.
Romania-Ukraine railway connection
Many tourists prefer rail travel because of its speed and comfort. You can get from Romania to Ukraine by changing at Ungeny station (Moldova).
Train #402 from Bucharest departs once a day at 19:20 and arrives at Ungheni station at 04:08. Travel time is 8 hours 48 minutes. The price of the ticket is 40-45 euros.
Train No. 351 Chisinau-Kyiv departs from Ungeny station to Kyiv. The route is available three times a week - on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. Travel time is 15 hours. The train to Kyiv from Ungeny station (Moldova) departs at 20:21. Arrival in Kyiv at 11:48. The price of the ticket is 25-50 euros.
You can also leave from the Iasi-Sokola station in Romania. The train departs at 17:40 and arrives in Ungeny at 18:57. This route is also convenient due to the fact that the international airport is located next to Iasi. Details in our material.
Plane + train/bus
A fast and quite convenient route includes a combination of a plane with a train or a bus.
You can fly to Chisinau from Bucharest on a direct flight. Departure at 12:35, 18:05 and 22:05. Travel time is about 1 hour. There is a direct train from Chisinau to Kyiv.
You can also get to Odesa from here quite quickly by direct bus. The distance between the cities is 195 km, the travel time is about 5 hours. The price of the ticket is from 15 euros.
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Where to buy tickets to Ukraine?
An important stage of preparing a trip to Ukraine is the process of purchasing tickets. To make your trip as comfortable as possible, you should choose only proven ticket purchase services. Thousands of travelers book tickets on the Visit Ukraine portal. Plane, train or bus - a ticket for any type of transport in one place. You can see the schedule and make a reservation by following the link.
From Romania to Ukraine by own car
The distance from Bucharest to Kyiv is 915 km. Travel time is about 12 hours. The travel route will pass through Moldova or immediately across the Romanian-Ukrainian border.
To enter Ukraine by car, you must have a Green Card insurance policy. The rules for traveling in Ukraine by car with foreign registration were discussed in detail in this article.
You can check the current state of queues for entry into Ukraine from Europe by following the link.
In addition, we draw your attention to the fact that, despite the fact that checkpoints are open 24 hours a day, there is a curfew on the territory of Ukraine due to the state of war.
Do Romanians need a visa to Ukraine?
There is a visa-free regime between Romania and Ukraine. However, the trip must meet the following requirements: the planned duration of stay in Ukraine must not exceed 90 days within a 180-day period, and the purpose of the trip can be exclusively tourism, visiting relatives or other short-term trips. It is prohibited to work or study without a visa.
List of documents for visa-free entry to Ukraine:
● Foreign passport, which must be valid for at least 6 months after the date of entry into Ukraine.
● A document that will confirm the purpose of the trip to Ukraine - a tourist voucher, tickets to seminars, exhibitions, fairs, invitations from companies and organizations.
● Confirmation of residence – hotel reservations, apartment rental contracts, etc.
● Confirmation of sufficient funds for stay in Ukraine ($45 per person for each day of stay in Ukraine).
When crossing the border, you no longer need to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 and wear a protective mask. As of July 1, all Covid-19 restrictions and quarantine measures have been canceled in Ukraine.
If the planned period of stay in Ukraine exceeds 90 days or you plan to work, get an education in Ukraine, etc., then you need a visa for such a trip. To get help with collecting documents for entering Ukraine, advice on crossing the Ukrainian border or help with legal issues on the territory of Ukraine - order a consultation from a qualified migration lawyer.
How to plan a trip to Ukraine from Romania?
In order to plan a trip to Ukraine, you need to book an interesting and safe tour or make an individual travel itinerary. Also, Visit Ukraine announced the launch of a special project - Donat-tours to Ukraine, which is designed to attract foreign tourists to travel to the de-occupied and front-line regions of southern Ukraine and to give everyone the opportunity to become a volunteer and part of Ukraine's victory. Read about the difference between military tours and donation tours here.
The second step is to find housing and purchase insurance that covers war-related risks.
We talked about the peculiarities of organizing a trip to Ukraine in more detail earlier – this article contains a lot of useful information for foreign tourists.
Visit Ukraine is an organiser of tours around Ukraine. 800 tours. Choose yours on the website.
Ukraine is an interesting and multifaceted country that will make every traveler fall in love with it. Therefore, we invite you on a fabulous journey!
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