Traveling to Ukraine remains difficult due to closed airspace and busy borders. We have prepared convenient routes and up-to-date entry rules that will help foreigners come to Ukraine from Slovakia in 2024

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Even despite the imposed martial law, Ukraine's borders are open, including for foreigners. According to official information provided by the State Border Service at the request of Visit Ukraine, over 2.4 million foreigners entered Ukraine in 2023, among which 58,317 people were citizens of Slovakia.

When planning a trip to Ukraine, the main thing is to comply with migration legislation and pay more attention to planning the travel route, because the airspace in Ukraine is closed.

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

How to get to Ukraine from Slovakia in 2024?

Currently, you can enter Ukraine only by land transport - by train, bus or your own car. Each of the methods has its advantages and disadvantages.

● Train

Ukraine and Slovakia are constantly expanding their railway connections. There are currently 2 flights between the states:

1. Flight number 962, Kosice - Chop - Mukachevo, departure from Kosice at 11:46, stop in Chop - 15:32, arrival at the final station Mukachevo - 16:35.

You can get to this train from Bratislava on one of the following flights:

- EX601, Bratislava (05:27) ➔ Kosice (10:53) – via Žilina, Poprad-Tatra.

- IC521, Bratislava (06:22) ➔ Kosice (11:40) – via Žilina, Poprad-Tatra

2. Flight number 960, Kosice - Chop - Mukachevo, departure from Kosice at 08:46, arrival in Chop at 12:40, final station Mukachevo - 14:00.

It is convenient to arrive on this flight by one of the following trains:

- R615, Bratislava (22:57) ➔ Košice (04:41) – via Žilina, Poprad-Tatra.

- EN443, Prague (22:13) ➔ Kosice (08:33).

- EN627, Bratislava (20:27) ➔ Kosice (08:33).

Ticket price from 9 euros.

In Chopa, passengers can transfer to trains to other cities of Ukraine: Kyiv, Kharkiv, etc.

Is it worth traveling by train from Slovakia to Ukraine?

Advantages of traveling by rail from Slovakia to Ukraine:

1. The fastest way to cross the border is to go through Slovak and Ukrainian customs, which takes about 2 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 Slovakia to Ukraine?

Tickets for most Ukrzaliznytsia flights from Slovakia 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.

Note that for some flights you will have 2-4 minutes to purchase tickets, 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.

- In Slovakia, buses to Ukraine depart from Košice, Pryševo, Poprad, Žilina, Trnava and go to most Ukrainian regions (Kyiv, Lviv, Poltava, Rivne, Zakarpattia, Kharkiv).

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.). Also, read the reviews of passengers, and even better - ask friends who have already used the services of carriers.

The price - a ticket for a direct flight from the Flixbus carrier on the Bratislava-Kyiv route costs from 2,300 hryvnias (55 euros), the travel time is about 26 hours.

You can get from Uzhgorod to Bratislava by bus for 1200-1700 UAH (30-40 EUR). Sas on the road - 9-14 hours.

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 Slovakia 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.

The distance between Bratislava and Kyiv is about 1,300 km, which, on average, can be covered in 14 hours. Such a trip, taking into account the price of gasoline, can cost from 170 to 250 euros.

There are three checkpoints on the Slovak-Ukrainian border:

- Ublya – Maly Berezny: pass for vehicles and pedestrians;

- Vyshne Niemetske – Uzhgorod: pass for vehicles;

- Velke Slemence - Mali Selmence: pass for pedestrians and cyclists.

All points, except Velka Slemence, work 24 hours a day. Velké Slemence is open from 09:00 to 21:00.

Importantly! The biggest queues are usually at the Uzhhorod checkpoint. You can check the status of queues at checkpoints between Slovakia and Ukraine online by following the link.

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. However, there are usually no queues at checkpoints between Slovakia and Ukraine, so there is no need to spend a lot of time crossing the border.

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Rules of entry for citizens of Slovakia to Ukraine in 2024

● Visa is not required. Citizens of Slovakia 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 length of stay exceeds 90 days or you plan to work or study in Ukraine, then before traveling you need to issue a long-term visa (type "D") at the embassy or consulate of Ukraine in Slovakia. 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 entry 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 the Slovak Republic in Ukraine:

- Address: 34 Yaroslaviv Val Street, Kyiv, 01901

- Telephone: +38 044 272 0310

● 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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