The current situation in Ukraine: is it worth planning a trip to the country in 2024?
Foreign citizens from all over the world continue to visit Ukraine despite the full-scale invasion of russia. In particular, some countries are gradually easing their rules on travel to Ukraine. Find out more about the real situation in Ukraine in 2024 and whether it is recommended to travel
The full-scale war in Ukraine has been going on for the third year. However, despite the possible risks, foreigners continue to visit the state. In particular, in 2023, more than 2.4 million citizens of other countries entered Ukraine. The vast majority of them were representatives of the USA, Canada, Great Britain, Germany, Poland, Moldova and Romania. Also, some countries are already gradually relaxing their rules regarding visiting Ukraine.
Is it worth planning a trip to Ukraine in 2024? We will talk about the current situation in the state below.
Is there a ban on entering Ukraine during the war?
Despite the full-scale war, Ukraine's land borders are open to visitors. You can enter by car, bus or train through border crossing points with Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova.
Foreigners enter Ukraine for various purposes - volunteering, work, vacation, visiting relatives.
Therefore, there is no ban on entering Ukraine during the war, the main thing is to prepare the necessary package of documents and comply with migration legislation.
Where can you go in Ukraine in 2024?
Western regions bordering EU countries are considered the safest regions of Ukraine. The main reason for this is their geographical location and distance from the front line. Also, the minimum number of strategic objects that could hypothetically be attacked by russia is concentrated here.
Therefore, if safety measures are observed, tourists can visit Lviv, Ternopil, Uzhhorod, Chernivtsi, Ivano-Frankivsk, Khmelnytskyi, as well as the Carpathians.
Residents of the central, northern and partly southern regions of Ukraine also continue to live, work and hold various events.
It is worth noting that certain countries are already relaxing their restrictions on travel to Ukraine. In particular, in January 2024, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Great Britain officially allowed to visit four regions in the west of Ukraine - Zakarpattia, Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi and Ternopil regions.
Which regions of Ukraine are dangerous to visit?
The front line runs in the east and south of Ukraine, where the active fighting is concentrated. It is forbidden to visit settlements located along the front line. It is also not recommended to go to the frontline cities, because they often come under fire from the russian federation - these are Kherson, Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia.
Traveling to border settlements, in particular settlements in the Sumy, Kharkiv and Chernihiv regions, is also considered dangerous.
In the de-occupied regions of Ukraine there is a great threat from unexploded ordnance and anti-personnel mines. Therefore, it is also not worth going here without an experienced escort.
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Is it safe to visit Kyiv in 2024?
Kyiv can rightfully be considered one of the safest cities in Ukraine, because the largest number of air defense systems is concentrated here. They completely cover the sky above the capital and protect citizens and guests from possible air attacks.
There have definitely been situations when rockets broke through this strong defense, but their number is minimal. When visiting Kyiv, follow safety rules and stay in shelter during air alerts to minimize possible risks.
Is it worth going to Odessa in the spring of 2024?
Odesa belongs to the conditionally safe cities of Ukraine. The main tourist spots are open, and this fall, the city management again allowed tourists to visit Primorsky Boulevard. Restaurants, cafes and hotels in Odessa are open.
The only prohibition here is to visit the coast of Odessa, due to the danger of mines.
Is it safe to spend a vacation in Lviv?
The threat of rocket attacks remains in Lviv, but their frequency is low compared to other regions of Ukraine. Also, the city is located far from the front line (more than 1000 kilometers), which reduces possible risks during the trip.
How to travel safely in Ukraine?
To make your trip to Ukraine as smooth as possible, it is important to follow certain rules:
1. Visit only safe regions of Ukraine.
2. Familiarize yourself with all restrictions and rules of conduct (curfew, rules of conduct at roadblocks, etc.).
3. Take care of reliable insurance - take out an insurance policy that covers not only basic medical services, but also passive and direct military risks in case of injury or accident.
4. Be attentive to "Air Alarms".
Missile strikes and drone attacks occur almost throughout the country, particularly in large cities.
Units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine conduct regular airspace monitoring to track threats. When a danger is detected, the defenders transmit information and turn on the danger alert - "Air alarm".
Before traveling, we advise you to install the "Air Alert" application to instantly learn about the danger, familiarize yourself with the rules of conduct, view a map of shelters in the city where you plan to stay and find out what the curfew is in the desired region. You can download it in the App Store or Google Play.
More than 61,000 shelters and bomb shelters have been built in Ukraine, where people can wait out an air attack and protect themselves from danger.
5. 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, so that your trip is truly comfortable.
The largest database of safe tours in Ukraine is collected at the link. Also, depending on your interests, we suggest planning an individual travel route. The main advantages of traveling with Visit Ukraine are:
- Safe routes to the most interesting tourist places of Ukraine.
- Accompaniment by experienced guides throughout the trip.
- Round-the-clock English-speaking support from the moment of vacation planning until returning home.
Visit Ukraine is an organiser of tours around Ukraine. 800 tours. Choose yours on the website!
We wish you a good trip!
Want to know more? Read the latest news and useful materials about Ukraine and the world in the News section.
We recommend purchasing it for a safe and comfortable trip to Ukraine:
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;
Visit Ukraine Merch – patriotic clothing and accessories with worldwide delivery.
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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.