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

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

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Under martial law, Ukrainian borders remain open to foreigners, so many representatives from different countries continue to come to the state. In 2023 alone, more than 2.4 million foreigners entered Ukraine, including 129,811 Hungarian citizens. In 2024, this trend continues.

Foreigners go to Ukraine on personal visits, on trips and as part of volunteer missions. Considering that world powers are gradually relaxing recommendations for their citizens regarding trips to Ukraine, for example, Great Britain has already allowed to visit certain regions of Ukraine if necessary, it is predicted that the number of travelers will gradually increase.

However, taking into account the closed airspace, nowadays a trip to Ukraine has its own peculiarities. It is also necessary to observe certain safety rules during the trip.

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

How to get from Hungary to Ukraine 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 Hungary are constantly expanding their railway connections. Currently, the following flights operate between the states:

- 149/750, Budapest-Keleti - Kyiv, departure of a non-stop train from Budapest at 19:40, arrival in Kyiv at 18:36. The train goes through: Hajduszoboslo, Debrecen and Lviv.

- 034, Budapest-Keleti – Debrecen – Mukachevo, leaving Budapest at 07:20, stopping at the intermediate station Debrecen at 09:55, arriving at the final station – Mukachevo at 15:30.

- 143, Budapest-Keleti – Chop, departure at 13:40, arrival at 20:59.

- 644, Debrecen – Chop – Mukachevo, departure from Debrecen at 06:03, stop in Chop at 10:13, arrival in Mukachevo at 11:49.

Cross-border flights Zahony – Chop:

- Zahon 03:32 – Chop 04:51

- Zahon 06:32 – Chop 07:51

- Zahon 08:55 – Chop 10:13

- Zahon 14:22 – Chop 15:41

- Zahon 21:40 – Chop 22:59

From the Zahon railway station, it is only a 20-minute train ride to the Ukrainian station Chop. The Ukrainian Check Point is located in the premises of the Chop railway station. Therefore, passport control takes place in Chopa after leaving the train.

Advantages of traveling by train:

1. The fastest way to cross the border - passing through Hungarian and Ukrainian customs 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 to Ukraine?

Tickets for most Ukrzaliznytsia flights 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.

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 several Hungarian cities and go to most Ukrainian regions. The price of the ticket is about 50-60 euros.

Examples of bus routes from Hungary to Ukraine:

- Budapest - Kyiv, in general, departures are available almost every two hours. The direct route leaves at 21:30 and arrives in Kyiv at 20:55. You can also get there with a transfer. Travel time is from 26 to 33 hours.

- Budapest - Lviv, departure at 08:50, arrival in Lviv at 22:30, travel time - 12 hours 40 minutes.

- Budapest - Uzhgorod, a direct flight is available three times a day at 08:50, 21:30 and 22:30, travel time - 8 hours.

You can also find tickets to Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Mukachevo, Stryi, Delyatyn and other cities of Ukraine.

Where to buy bus tickets 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 from Budapest to Kyiv will be 1150 km. Estimated travel time is 14 hours. Such a trip, taking into account the price of gasoline, can cost from 200 to 290 euros.

On the Hungarian-Ukrainian border, there are border crossing points: Zahon - Tysa (Chop), Lonya - Dzvinkove, Barabash - Kosyno, Beregshuran - Luzhanka and Tisabech - Vylok.

The longest queues are usually at the Tisa checkpoint.

You can check the waiting time at checkpoints with Hungary 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.

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Rules of entry for citizens of Hungary to Ukraine in 2024

● Visa is not required. Citizens of Hungary 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 Hungary. 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. 

In addition, 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 Hungary in Ukraine:

- Address: 33 Reitarska Street, Kyiv, Ukraine, 01901.

- Phone: +380 44 230 8001.

● 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.

Darya Rogova is the head of the Visit Ukraine insurance department

Feel confident during your stay in Ukraine. Take out an insurance policy from verified insurance agents on the Visit Ukraine portal. Reliable protection for your mail in just a few minutes.

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