In 2024, there will be no restrictions on entry into Ukraine for foreigners. However, the airspace is still closed, so the travel route should be planned in advance. Find out how to get to Ukraine from Ireland and what border crossing rules are relevant this year

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Even despite the introduction of martial law in Ukraine, foreigners continue to visit the country. According to official sources, more than 2.4 million foreigners entered the country in 2023 alone, including 3,295 Irish citizens. Considering that world powers are gradually relaxing recommendations for their citizens regarding trips to Ukraine, in particular, Great Britain has already allowed to visit certain Ukrainian regions if necessary, we can safely assume that the number of tourists will increase in 2024.

However, in closed airspace, traveling to Ukraine has its own characteristics. It is also necessary to observe certain safety rules during the trip.

How to get to Ukraine from Ireland? What rules for entering Ukraine are relevant in 2024? Useful information for those planning a trip this year is collected in our material.

Air flight from Ireland to the Ukrainian border + train/bus

The most convenient and fastest way to get to Ukraine is to fly to one of the airports in Europe, which is located near the Ukrainian border, and from there continue the journey by land transport - by train or bus.

Ukraine borders Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova. There are many direct flights from Ireland to these countries.

● Ireland – Poland

The airline Ryanair operates direct flights to Poland on the following routes:

- Warsaw can be reached by direct flight from Dublin. Ticket price from 30 euros. Travel time is about 2 hours 50 minutes. Flights are operated daily.

- Krakow is the closest Polish airport to the Ukrainian border, with direct flights from Dublin and Shannon. Ticket price from 50 euros. Travel time - 3 hours. You can fly from Dublin every day, from Shannon only three times a week - Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday.

 - You can fly to Rzeszów (Ryaszów) on a direct flight from Dublin, but only twice a week (on Monday and Friday). Travel time from 2 hours 55 minutes. Ticket price from 80 euros. The airport in Rzeszów is the closest Polish airport to the Ukrainian border, it is located 172 km from Lviv (Ukraine).

You can also fly directly from Ireland to Katowice, Lublin and Wroclaw.

Detailed route from Poland to Ukraine in this article.

● Ireland – Moldova

You can get from Ireland to Chisinau on a direct flight from Dublin to Chisinau. Travel time – 3 hours 40 minutes. Estimated departure time is 22:50. The price of the ticket is 150 euros.

The distance to the Ukrainian border from Chisinau is 130 km - Palanka checkpoint (Odesa region). The nearest large Ukrainian city: Odesa. Tourists planning a trip to the southern regions of Ukraine should choose a flight to Chisinau airport.

There is a direct train from Chisinau to Kyiv. Bus transfers to Odessa are also available.

● Ireland – Slovakia

A direct flight from Ireland to Kosice (Slovakia) is made from Dublin Airport. Departure twice a week - on Thursday and Sunday. Departure time on Thursday at 05:55, on Sunday at 18:00. The duration of the trip is 3 hours.

From Kosice you can reach Chopa and Mukachevo. More details in this article.

● Ireland – Hungary

You can fly to Debrecen, the Hungarian airport closest to the Ukrainian border, only with a transfer, most often in Budapest. Ticket price from 115 euros.

There are direct flights to Budapest from Dublin and Shannon. Travel time is about 2 hours 55 minutes, ticket price from 60 euros.

There is a direct train from Budapest to Kyiv. Detailed route from Hungary to Ukraine by link.

● Ireland – Romania

There are only connecting flights to Suceava, usually in London. The price of the ticket is from 90 euros, the duration of the trip is from 5 hours and 30 minutes.

You can easily get to Chernivtsi from Suceava, there is a daily bus from the bus station, the journey to Chernivtsi takes 2-3 hours.

The detailed route from Romania to Ukraine is here.

Pay attention! If you plan to buy tickets for the near future, the prices may be much higher.

Ferry + bus from Ireland to Ukraine

Ireland and France have a close ferry connection, in particular, the following flights run between the countries: from Cork to Roscoff, from Dublin to Cherbourg, from Rosler Europort to Saint-Nazaire, Roscoff and Cherbourg. The approximate duration of the trip is from 14 hours.

Then you can continue the route to Ukraine by bus from one of the French cities. Such a trip will last about 25 hours. Flights arrive to many Ukrainian cities - Lviv, Kyiv, etc. The price of the ticket is from 200 euros.

Where to buy bus tickets from France to Ukraine?

Choosing a proven service for buying tickets is one of the most important stages in organizing a trip. That is why thousands of travelers use the ticket purchase service on the Visit Ukraine portal.

By own car from Ireland to Ukraine

Many tourists prefer to travel by their own car. The distance from the capital of Ireland - Dublin to Lviv is 2,500 km. The journey to Kyiv will be 550 kilometers longer. Due to the fact that Ireland is an island state, part of the trip will be by ferry. The duration of the trip is 25-35 hours. Such a trip, taking into account the price of gasoline, can cost from 375 to 550 euros.

It will be most convenient to enter Ukraine with your own car through the checkpoints located on the border with Poland, Slovakia and Hungary. More details about the work of checkpoints in our material.

To avoid a long wait, prefer traveling at the beginning of the week. From Monday to Wednesday, passenger traffic is lower, and accordingly there are no long queues. Starting from Thursday evening until Sunday, the number of people willing to cross the border increases, which increases the load on checkpoints.

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.

Rules for entering Ukraine by car for foreigners

A foreigner is allowed to enter Ukraine in his own car, but he can use it only for his own needs. Foreign citizens can drive cars with foreign license plates in Ukraine for up to one year. Also, if you plan to stay in Ukraine for longer than two months, you need to contact the service center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for temporary car registration. After the expiration of the one-year period, the car with foreign license plates must leave Ukraine.

To enter Ukraine by car, you must have a Green Card insurance policy.

Detailed rules for traveling in Ukraine by car with foreign registration in this article.

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Entry rules for citizens of Ireland to Ukraine in 2024

● Visa is not required. Citizens of Ireland have the right to stay in Ukraine without a visa for up to 90 days, if the purpose of the trip is tourism, visiting relatives, treatment, etc.

If the duration of your stay exceeds 90 days or you plan to work or study in Ukraine, then before traveling you need to apply for a long-term visa (type "D") at the Ukrainian embassy or consulate in Ireland. It is better to start the procedure at least 3 months before the planned trip.

● Entry into Ukraine is based on a valid foreign passport, , which must have at least one blank page for the input stamp.

Also, to cross the Ukrainian border, you must provide:

1. Health insurance policy.

2. Confirmation of the purpose of the trip: a notarized invitation from citizens of Ukraine (relatives, acquaintances, friends), travel vouchers, confirmation of accommodation reservations, invitations from companies or organizations, tickets to seminars, exhibitions, fairs, documents about treatment in medical facilities, etc.

3. Confirmation of financial support (cash, bank statement, check from an ATM, etc.) - proof that you have sufficient funds for the entire period of your planned stay in Ukraine or transit to a third country ($45 per person for each day of your stay in Ukraine ).

Importantly! Foreigners who have been banned from entering Ukraine by an authorized state body will not be able to cross the border. Read about who can be refused entry to Ukraine in our article.

Useful links for those planning a trip to Ukraine

● Booking a tour – if the purpose of the trip is tourism, be sure to search for a tour in advance. The largest database of routes from proven tourist operators is collected at the link. Depending on your interests, you can also plan an individual trip.

● Housing search – book hotels here. Rules for renting an apartment in Ukraine for foreigners in this article.

● Rent a car – to feel more mobile while traveling in Ukraine, we recommend renting a car. Detailed instructions at the link.

● Safety and insurance rules – safety rules must be strictly followed when traveling through Ukraine under martial law. In addition, make sure you have military risk insurance. About the benefits of the policy here.

● Legal support – in the conditions of martial law, certain rights of citizens may be limited, therefore, if you need the help of a lawyer while traveling in Ukraine, you can contact the specialists at the link.

● Contacts of the Embassy of Ireland in Ukraine:

- Address: 01033, Kyiv, 101 Volodymyrska St.;

- Phone: +38 (067) 448-07-88;

- Mail: [email protected];

- Website: https://www.dfa.ie/irish-embassy/ukraine/.

● Souvenirs – stylish clothes and accessories in memory of Ukraine here.

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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