Is Ukraine safe for travel and what regions can be visited?
The full-scale invasion has been going on for almost two years now, but tourism in Ukraine continues to grow even in the midst of war. Find out what the security situation in the country is like and which regions are considered safe for travel
The full-scale russian invasion continues, but the vast majority of Ukrainians remain in the country and try to continue living their normal lives and working for Ukraine's victory. At the same time, not only industrial and military industries are operating in the country, but tourism continues to develop. Thus, in 2023 alone, more than 2.4 million foreigners visited Ukraine, many of whom came as tourists. In our previous article, we discussed the most popular countries for foreigners to visit, and today we will talk about the safest regions of Ukraine.
Which regions of Ukraine should not be visited by tourists?
Active hostilities are concentrated in the eastern and southern parts of Ukraine, along the front line. Therefore, these areas are strictly not recommended for tourists. In addition, it is not recommended to visit frontline settlements, such as Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, etc., as they often come under shelling from the russian federation. Thus, the further a city is from the contact line, the safer it is.
Green marks the liberated territories, red marks the occupied ones. Photo: screenshot from deepstatemap
Which cities in Ukraine are safe for tourists?
The western regions of the country, which are located on Ukraine's border and border NATO and the EU, are considered safe to visit. First of all, this is due to the geographical location and distance from the front. However, it should also be borne in mind that the smallest number of strategic facilities that could hypothetically be attacked by russia are concentrated here. Therefore, although there are still risks, they are minimal.
For example, tourists can travel to Lviv, Ternopil, Uzhhorod, Chernivtsi, Ivano-Frankivsk, Khmelnytsky, and the Carpathians, subject to all security measures.
At the same time, back in the fall of 2023, Kyiv was recognized as the safest Ukrainian city, as it has the largest number of air defense systems that reliably protect the skies over the capital of Ukraine.
It is also important that some countries have already begun to ease travel restrictions to Ukraine. For example, on January 22, the UK allowed travel to four regions of the country, namely: Zakarpattia, Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi, and Ternopil regions.
Photo: www.gov.uk
If you are planning a trip to Ukraine, we recommend that you first consult with our managers about the security situation in the region you are going to visit. You can do this through the Visit Ukraine hotline.
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How to travel safely in Ukraine?
Traveling to a country where active hostilities are taking place, of course, is associated with a number of risks, but we can help you organize the most comfortable and safe trip possible. Our website contains the largest database of safe tours in Ukraine, which are accompanied by English-speaking guides. In addition, we can organize a transfer with an experienced driver for you, as well as book a room in a safe and comfortable hotel.
However, the security situation in the country requires not only reliable support when traveling in Ukraine, but also a responsible attitude of the tourist himself. Thus, when planning a trip to Ukraine, a traveler should
– find out in advance about the restrictions in force in the region, in particular, what curfew is set in a particular locality;
– install the Air Alert app in advance, which notifies of the danger (from the App Store or Google Play);
– take out insurance covering military risks.
Read more about all security measures, rules and restrictions here.
To make your trip to Ukraine safe:
1. Visit only safe regions of the country.
2. Read all restrictions and rules of behavior.
3. Take care of reliable insurance.
4. Entrust the organization of your trip to a reliable partner who knows everything about the security situation in Ukraine, as well as how to act in critical cases and will be in touch 24/7 to make your trip truly comfortable.
For more information on organizing a trip to Ukraine, please contact the Visit Ukraine hotline. Thank you for choosing us!
We remind you! Ukraine is always happy to welcome foreign visitors and its borders remain open to tourists despite the war. Read more about how to come to Ukraine and what documents you need to have in our previous article.
Main photo: kashtan.news
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Visit Ukraine Insurance – safe travel in Ukraine (insurance covering military risks);
Visit Ukraine Legal advice – comprehensive legal support on entry to Ukraine;
Visit Ukraine Tickets – bus and train tickets to/from Ukraine;
Visit Ukraine Tours – the largest online database of tours to Ukraine for every taste;
Visit Ukraine Hotels – hotels for a comfortable stay in Ukraine;
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The simultaneous stay of visitors in the hotel lobby not more than one person per 10 square meters of serviceable area is allowed.
Persons can visit hotels and stay there (outside hotel room) only if they wear respirator or face mask (including homemade mask), so that the nose and mouth are covered.
Hotel guests are obliged to keep the 1.5 meters distance.
Online check-in making in advance is recommended to avoid queues at check-in to hotel.
Meals in hotels are provided through meals delivery service to rooms upon prior order or at hotel restaurants situated inside or in open areas, provided the distance of at least 1.5 meters between seats at adjacent tables.
Not more than 4 clients are allowed to stay at the table (excluding children under 14 years old). Unless these tables are separated by a special partition;
Self-serve is not allowed.