The lack of air travel reduces the number of options for getting to Ukraine. But the country's land borders are open, so we have prepared routes to enter Ukraine from Germany

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Many Ukrainians who have been granted temporary protection in Germany are planning a trip to Ukraine. Some are planning to spend a vacation or summer vacation in the country, while others want to visit family and friends, pick up certain things, or complete paperwork. There are also foreign citizens who plan to come to Ukraine. Regardless of the purpose of the visit, anyone can travel from Germany to Ukraine. 

How do I get from Germany to Ukraine? What documents do you need to have in order to return home without any problems? Read on. 

Read more about visa rules and obtaining a visa to Ukraine for German citizens here.

It should be noted that over 26 thousand tourists from Germany visited Ukraine in the first half of 2023.

How to get from Germany to Ukraine: routes

• Flights to Ukraine

There are currently no direct flights from Germany to Ukraine, as the airspace over Ukraine is closed. However, you can fly to a neighboring country, such as Poland or Hungary, and continue your journey from there. 

Airports closest to Ukraine:

- Krakow (Poland) is home to one of Poland's largest airports, the John Paul II Krakow-Balice Airport. More than 20 airlines fly through this airport, including the popular low-cost airlines Wizz Air and Ryanair. The distance from Krakow to Lviv is 328 km. 

- Rzeszów (Poland) also has an airport 172 km from Lviv. It is quite close to Ukraine, but few airlines fly here. From most German cities, you can get here only with a stopover. 

- Stefan the Great Airport in Suceava (Romania) is located 80 km from Chernivtsi. You can find a cheap ticket to this airport and fly from Frankfurt for only 940 UAH.

- Chisinau Airport (Moldova) is located 183 km from Odesa. It is a hub for Air Moldova, FlyOne, and the low-cost airline Wizz Air. There are direct flights from many German cities. 

- Debrecen Airport (Hungary) is located 125 km from Chop. There are also direct flights to Germany from here. 

• By train

Ukrzaliznytsia, together with its partners - the railways of Poland and Germany - has established a system of convenient and fast travel from Ukraine to Germany with a change of train in Przemyśl, Poland.

You can get to Przemyśl by train from the German cities of Cottbus, Berlin and Hanover. 

From Przemyśl to Ukraine, there are direct trains to Kyiv, Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, Lviv, etc. 

• By bus

Many international bus companies offer direct routes from major German cities to Ukraine, such as Flixbus, Ecolines, Eurolines, etc. You can check the schedule and book a seat on the official websites of the carriers. 

A bus ticket from Berlin to Kyiv costs from 70 to 150 euros. The average travel time is about 23 hours. 

You can read more about the main restrictions that should be taken into account when traveling to Ukraine here.

How to temporarily leave Germany for Ukraine without losing protection?

Anyone who has been granted temporary protection status and a residence permit in Germany can travel to Ukraine without hindrance. Before you leave, make sure that your residence permit is still valid and, if necessary, apply for an extension. 

The residence permit (Aufenthaltstitel) is revoked for those Ukrainians who stay outside Germany for more than 6 months. Also, Ukrainians who return to Ukraine for "non-temporary reasons," such as studying, may lose their status. However, if it can be proven that the stay is temporary, the status will be preserved. 

Ukrainians who have received only a preliminary certificate (Fiktionsbescheinigung) can temporarily leave Ukraine and return to Germany on the basis of visa-free travel rules. You must have a biometric passport and stay in the EU for no more than 90 days within a 180-day period. If you do not have a biometric passport, you may have problems entering the EU, as the temporary Fiktionsbescheinigung does not allow you to travel to Schengen countries or other countries outside of Germany. 

Citizens of Ukraine do not need to deregister with the BAMF if they are going on a short trip. However, if you are receiving unemployment benefit II (Arbeitslosengeld II), you must notify your Jobcenter before you travel. For more information on how to avoid losing your Jobcenter benefits while traveling temporarily to Ukraine, please follow the link.

We remind you! Many foreign citizens came to Ukraine on the eve of Easter holidays. However, due to the martial law, security measures in the country have been tightened, and checkpoints may be encountered on the roads. Read more about the rules for driving through checkpoints in our material.

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 Tickets - book bus and train tickets to/from Ukraine;

Visit Ukraine Tours - the largest online database of tours to Ukraine for every taste;

Visit Ukraine Hotels - book hotels for a comfortable stay in Ukraine;

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

Cooperation - cooperation and advertising integrations with Visit Ukraine and Visit World projects.