The closed skies and lack of air traffic reduces the number of options for getting to Ukraine. However, the country's land borders are open, so we have prepared routes to enter Ukraine for Polish citizens

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Countries are gradually easing recommendations for their citizens regarding travel to Ukraine. In particular, Great Britain has already allowed, if necessary, to visit certain regions of the country. Governments in other countries around the world are also expected to lift restrictions.

However, even despite the current ban, in 2023 foreigners actively visited Ukraine. According to official statistics from the DPSU, from January 1, 2023 to January 1, 2024, 2,451,530 citizens of other countries crossed the state border of Ukraine. The main part of the passenger flow in 2023 fell on the Ukrainian-Polish border, because the countries have developed transport connections. This trend is likely to continue this year.

How to get from Poland to Ukraine in 2024? Current routes, rules of entry and useful tips are further in our material.

How to get to Ukraine from Poland in 2024?

The closure of the airspace significantly affected the operation of transport in Ukraine. From now on, you can enter the country only by land transport - by train, bus or your own car. Each of the methods has its advantages and disadvantages.

● Train

Ukraine and Poland are constantly expanding their railway connections. There are currently 9 flights between the states:

- 68/67 Warsaw-Vskhodnia – Kyiv, departure from Warsaw at 17.45, arrival in Kyiv at 12.07.

- 120/119 Khelm – Kyiv – Dnipro, departure from Khelm at 10:27, arrival in Kyiv at 22:13, final stop in Dnipro at 07:28.

- 024/094, 023/093 Khelm – Kyiv – Kharkiv, departure from Khelm at 16:42, arrival in Kyiv – 05:39, in Kharkiv – 13:53.

- 020/019 Chelm – Kyiv, departure at 23:40, in Kyiv at 12:27.

- IC+706 Przemyśl – Lviv – Kyiv, departure from Przemyśl at 09:35, stop in Lviv at 12:27, arrival in Kyiv at 19:57.

- 090/074 Przemyśl – Kyiv – Kharkiv, departure from Przemyśl at 13:45, arrival in Kyiv at 05:01, final stop in Kharkiv at 13:53.

- 32/31 Przemyśl – Dnipro – Zaporizhia, departure from Przemyśl at 18:07, stop in Dnipro at 13:03, arrival in Zaporizhia at 14:47.

- 052/036 Przemyśl – Kyiv – Odesa. Departure at 8:08 p.m., arrival in Kyiv at 7:34 a.m., to Odesa at 12:55 p.m.

- IC+716 Przemyśl – Lviv – Kyiv, departure from Przemyśl at 23:26, arrival in Kyiv at 9:58, stop in Lviv – 02:20.

Is it worth traveling by train from Poland to Ukraine?

Advantages of traveling by rail from Poland to Ukraine:

1. The fastest way to cross the border is to go through Polish and Ukrainian customs, which takes about 2-2.5 hours.

2. Comfort - thanks to a comfortable seat, the passenger will be able to rest during the trip.

Disadvantages include possible delays, so if your route has transfers, it is better if they are longer than 1 hour.

Where to buy train tickets from Poland to Ukraine?

Tickets for most Ukrzaliznytsia flights from Poland can be bought online on the official website of Ukrzaliznytsia, in the mobile application and through official chatbots.

Tickets go on sale at 08:00 20 days before the flight. Returned tickets appear on the website 1-2 days before departure.

Sales for the Kyiv-Warsaw train start every day at 09:00 20 days before the flight exclusively in the mobile application with verification via Diya or BankID.

Please note that you will have 2-4 minutes to purchase tickets for some of the flights, as they sell out very quickly.

● Bus

The bus transportation market is represented by a large number of companies, from experienced carriers with a large fleet to industry newcomers.

Routes depart from many Polish cities and go to most Ukrainian regions. The price of the ticket starts from 350 hryvnias (8.5 euros). The duration of the trip is up to 20 hours.

When choosing a carrier, be sure to carefully study the conditions of baggage transportation, available services offered by the carrier (toilet, phone charging facilities, WiFi, free drinks, etc.). Be sure to read the reviews of passengers, and even better - ask friends who have already used the services of the carriers.

Examples of direct bus routes from Poland to Ukraine:

- Warsaw – Kyiv, route: Warsaw – Lublin – Lutsk – Rivne – Zhytomyr – Kyiv.

- Warsaw – Lviv – Ternopil – Khmelnytskyi – Vinnytsia – Uman – Odesa.

- Warsaw – Lublin – Lviv.

- Katowice – Kyiv, route: Katowice – Krakow – Lviv – Ternopil – Khmelnytskyi – Vinnytsia – Uman – Kyiv.

- Szczecin - Kyiv, route: Szczecin - Poznań - Lodz - Warsaw - Lublin - Lutsk - Rivne - Zhytomyr - Kyiv.

- Szczecin - Kyiv, through Poznań - Lodz - Warsaw - Lublin - Lutsk - Rivne - Zhytomyr.

- Wroclaw - Opole - Katowice - Krakow - Lviv - Ternopil - Khmelnytskyi - Vinnytsia - Uman - Kyiv.

Advantages and disadvantages of traveling by bus

Pros - due to the large number of bus routes, it is much easier to find a direct flight, which will allow you not to worry about a possible delay during a journey with a transfer. Also, you will not need to take out and carry heavy luggage around the stations.

However, it is impossible to predict how long border crossing checks will last. Therefore, arrival at the destination may be significantly delayed.

Where to buy bus tickets from Poland 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.

● Own car

Many foreigners prefer to travel by their own car.

On the Polish-Ukrainian border, there are border crossings: Yagodyn - Dorogusk, Ustylug - Zosin, Krakowiec - Korchova, Shegyny - Medika, Rava-Ruska - Hrebenne, Smilnytsia - Krotsenko, Hrushiv - Budomezh and Ughryniv - Dolgobychiv.

Importantly! The shortest queues are usually at the checkpoints: Dorogusk, Krotsenko, Budomezh. You can check the waiting time at checkpoints with Poland to enter Ukraine by following the link. 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. If you plan to stay in Ukraine 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.

Advantages and disadvantages of traveling by car

Traveling in your own car is usually convenient and comfortable, because you will not depend on the schedule, you can choose the departure time yourself and not be late for the flight. Also, the ability to stop anywhere and at any time will add to the comfort of the trip.

Another advantage is luggage, when traveling by car you can take as many things as your car can hold, but do not forget about customs restrictions.

The main disadvantage is that it is impossible to predict the time it will take to cross the border. It can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 5-8 hours, and sometimes more.

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Rules of entry for citizens of Poland to Ukraine 2024

● Visa requirements

A visa is not required. According to the law "On the establishment of additional legal and social guarantees for citizens of the Republic of Poland who are in the territory of Ukraine", citizens of Poland, as well as their spouses and children (regardless of citizenship) have the right to legally stay in the territory of Ukraine for 18 months. Also, Poles can enjoy all rights and freedoms, just like citizens of Ukraine:

- to get a job without any additional permits (including for scientific-pedagogical and medical workers);

- conduct business activities on the territory of Ukraine with the same rights as citizens of Ukraine;

- to receive social benefits, including in case of incapacity for work, loss of breadwinner, unemployment, disability, etc.;

- study for free and receive a scholarship;

- to receive medical assistance with the same rights as Ukrainians;

- undergo state registration as a taxpayer and obtain a registration number of the taxpayer's registration card.

● List of documents for travel to Ukraine from Poland

Entry into Ukraine is based on a valid foreign passport, which must have at least one blank page for the entry stamp. Do not forget to check the validity of this document before traveling - the passport must be valid for at least 6 months. Make sure that the photo in your passport is up-to-date and allows you to be identified at border controls. This provision especially applies to children. The ID card does not allow you to cross the Polish-Ukrainian border

It is also necessary to provide a medical insurance policy to cross the Ukrainian border.

Read about who can be refused entry to Ukraine in our material.

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 Polish Embassy in Ukraine:

addresses: vul. Yaroslaviv Val, 12, 01901 Kiev

phone: +380442300700

fax: +380442706336

e-mail: [email protected]

● 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.

Our recommendation for a safe and comfortable trip: 

Visit Ukraine Insurance - insurance for a safe stay abroad without unnecessary expenses;

Green Card - compulsory car insurance for traveling abroad;

Visit Ukraine Tickets - book tickets for buses, trains, and airplanes to/from Ukraine and between cities around the world;

Private Lawyer service - professional legal support on visa and migration issues;

Visit Ukraine Merch - buy patriotic clothing and accessories with worldwide delivery.

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