In 2024, there are no restrictions on entering Ukraine for foreigners, but travel may be complicated due to closed airspace. We talk about the most convenient routes from Switzerland to Ukraine and the current rules for crossing the border

Take care of reliable insurance for safe entry and stay in Ukraine

BUY

Despite martial law, Ukraine's borders remain open, including to foreign visitors. According to official data, more than 2.4 million foreigners visited Ukraine in 2023, including 3,320 Swiss citizens.
In 2024, this trend continued. Most often, foreigners come to Ukraine on personal visits, on trips, and as part of volunteer missions. Given that world powers are gradually easing recommendations for their citizens to travel to Ukraine, for example, the UK has already allowed travel to certain regions in the west of the country, if necessary, the number of visitors is expected to grow, and other governments will also lift restrictions.
However, given the state of war in which Ukraine is currently engaged, traveling here has its own peculiarities, in particular, the country's airspace is closed and certain security rules must be observed.
How do I get to Ukraine from Switzerland? What are the rules for entering Ukraine in 2024? Useful information for those who are planning a trip this year is collected in our article.

Flights from Switzerland to the Ukrainian border + travel by land

The most convenient and fastest way to get to Ukraine is to fly to one of the European airports located near the Ukrainian border, and from there continue your journey by land - by train or bus.
Ukraine shares borders with Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Moldova. There are many direct flights to these countries from Switzerland.

Switzerland - Poland

Switzerland and Poland are connected by many flights operated not only by major airlines, but also by low-cost carriers Ryanair and WizzAir.
— Warsaw can be reached by direct flights from Basel, Zurich, and Geneva. The ticket price starts from 70 euros. Departures from Basel are available four times a week (Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday). Travel time: 1 hour 55 minutes. You can fly from Zurich and Geneva on any day of the week.
— Krakow is one of the closest Polish airports to the Ukrainian border, with direct flights from Switzerland. The distance from Krakow to Lviv is 328 km. Flights to Krakow depart from Basel and Zurich. Many departures are available during the day: there are both morning and evening flights. Travel time is 1 hour and 40 minutes. The ticket price starts from 80 euros.
— Rzeszów (Rzeszów) can be reached only with a stopover, most often in Warsaw. Travel time is from 4 hours. Ticket price starts from 95 euros. Rzeszów Airport is located 172 km from Lviv (Ukraine).
You can also fly from Switzerland to Gdansk and Wroclaw.

Poland and Ukraine have close rail and bus connections. The available ways of traveling from Poland to Ukraine are summarized in this article.

Switzerland - Slovakia

From Switzerland to Slovakia, you can fly directly from Zurich to Košice, the closest Slovak airport to the Ukrainian border. Departures are three times a week - on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. Travel time: 1 hour 45 minutes. Approximate ticket price is from 150 euros. From Kosice you can get to Chop and Mukachevo (Zakarpattia region).

Switzerland - Hungary

Budapest can be reached by direct flights from Basel, Geneva, and Zurich. Departures are daily. Travel time: 1 hour 40 minutes. Approximate ticket price is from 17 euros. There is a direct train from Budapest to Kyiv.

Switzerland - Romania

Bucharest can be reached by daily flights from Basel, Geneva and Zurich. Travel time is 2 hours and 40 minutes. The ticket price starts from 30 euros.
Only stopover flights are available to Suceava. The ticket price starts from 150 euros and the trip lasts from 5 hours.
From Suceava you can easily get to Chernivtsi, there is a daily bus from the bus station, the journey to Chernivtsi takes 2-3 hours.

Please note! If you plan to buy tickets in the near future, the prices may be much higher.

By bus from Switzerland to Ukraine

A rather convenient and economical way to get to Ukraine is by bus. Switzerland and Ukraine are connected by many bus routes:
— From Basel, you can get to Kyiv, Odesa, Poltava, and Kharkiv. The average ticket price is 150 euros. Travel time is about 35 hours.
— There are direct routes from Zurich to Lviv and Kyiv. For example, the Zurich-Kyiv flight departs from Switzerland at 03:25, 07:30, and 21:25. The travel time is 37 hours. Bus arrives at the Kyiv-Central Bus Station.

Where to buy bus tickets from Switzerland to Ukraine?

Choosing a reliable service for buying tickets is one of the most important steps in organizing a trip. That is why thousands of travelers use the ticketing service on Visit Ukraine portal.

Visit Ukraine on social media: Telegram | YouTube | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | TikTok

By car from Switzerland to Ukraine

The distance from Zurich to Lviv is 1500 km. The estimated travel time is 15 hours. The journey to Kyiv will be 550 kilometers longer. The route will pass through Austria and Slovakia or Hungary. Given gasoline prices, such a trip can cost between 250 and 400 euros.

There are three checkpoints on the Slovak-Ukrainian border:
— Ubl'a - Maly Berezny: a checkpoint for vehicles and pedestrians;
— Vysne Nemecke - Uzhhorod: a vehicle checkpoint;
— Wielkie Slemence - Mali Selmentsi: pedestrian and cyclist passes.

All checkpoints, except for Wielkie Slemence, operate around the clock. Wielkie Slemence is open from 09:00 to 21:00.

Important! The longest queues are usually at the Uzhhorod checkpoint. You can check the queues at the checkpoints between Slovakia and Ukraine online.

To avoid long waits, give preference to traveling at the beginning of the week. From Monday to Wednesday, passenger traffic is lower, and therefore there are no long queues. From Thursday evening until Sunday, the number of people wishing to cross the border increases, which increases the load on the checkpoints.
In addition, please note that despite the fact that the checkpoints are open around the clock, a curfew is in effect on the territory of Ukraine due to martial law .

Rules for entering Ukraine by car for foreigners

Foreigners are allowed to enter Ukraine by car, but they can only use it for their own needs. Foreign citizens can drive cars with foreign license plates in Ukraine for up to one year. If you plan to stay in Ukraine for more than two months, you need to contact a service center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for temporary registration of your car. After the one-year period expires, the car with foreign license plates must leave Ukraine.
We have previously described the detailed rules for traveling in Ukraine by car with foreign registration.

Rules of entry for Swiss citizens to Ukraine in 2024

● No visa is required. Swiss citizens 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, medical treatment, etc.
If the duration of your stay exceeds 90 days or you plan to work or study in Ukraine, you need to apply for a long-term visa (type D) at the Ukrainian embassy or consulate in Switzerland before traveling. 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 an entry stamp.

To cross the Ukrainian border, you must also provide:

1. Health insurance policy.
2. Confirmation of the purpose of the trip: a notarized invitation from Ukrainian citizens (relatives, acquaintances, friends), travel vouchers, confirmation of accommodation reservations, invitations from companies or organizations, tickets to seminars, exhibitions, fairs, documents on treatment in medical institutions, etc.
3. Confirmation of financial security (cash, bank statement, ATM receipt, 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 stay in Ukraine).

Important! Foreigners who are banned from entering Ukraine by an authorized state body will not be able to cross the border. Read our article to find out who may be denied entry to Ukraine.

Useful links for those planning a trip to Ukraine

● Booking a tour - if the purpose of your trip is tourism, be sure to take care of finding a tour in advance. The largest database of routes from trusted tour operators is collected on our website. Depending on your interests, you can also create an individual travel plan.
● Find accommodation - book hotels here. We also wrote about the rules for renting an apartment in Ukraine for foreigners earlier.
● Rent a car - to feel more mobile while traveling in Ukraine, we recommend renting a car.
● Safety and insurance rules - when traveling in Ukraine under martial law, you must strictly follow the safety rules. Additionally, be sure to take care of the availability of military risk insurance.
● Legal support - under martial law, certain rights of citizens may be restricted, so if you need legal assistance while traveling in Ukraine, you should seek it.
● Contacts of the Embassy of Switzerland in Ukraine:
- Address: 12 Koziatynska Street, Kyiv, 01015.
- Tel.: +38 044 281 6128.
● Souvenirs - stylish clothing and accessories as a memento of Ukraine can also be purchased on our website or in an offline store in Kyiv.

We wish you a good trip!

Do you want to know more? Read the latest news and useful materials about Ukraine and the world in the News section .

Feel confident during your stay in Ukraine. Apply for an insurance policy from trusted insurance agents on Visit Ukraine portal. Reliable protection in your inbox in just a few minutes.

Do you have additional questions? Contact the Visit Ukraine hotline (Telegram | WhatsApp).

We recommend purchasing it for a safe and comfortable trip to Ukraine: 

Visit Ukraine Insurance – insurance covering military risks for entry and travel in Ukraine;

Visit Ukraine Car Insurance – car insurance with extended coverage in Ukraine;

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.

© 2018-2024, Visit Ukraine. Use, copying or reprinting of materials on this site is permitted only with a link (hyperlink for online publications) to Visit Ukraine.

All rights reserved.