How to get to Ukraine from Spain: convenient routes, entry rules and useful tips
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 Spain and useful tips for travelers
Spain and Ukraine have very close ties. Many Ukrainians received the status of temporary protection in the Kingdom, while Spaniards are increasingly interested in Ukraine: the courage and heroism of the Ukrainian people, the beauty of nature, rich culture, romantic and mystical places. That is why, even in spite of military actions and closed airspace, many Spaniards go to Ukraine on a trip.
How to get to Ukraine from Spain? We have prepared the most convenient routes and many useful tips for you.
Read more about visa rules and obtaining a visa to Ukraine for Spanish citizens here.
Travel route from Spain to Ukraine
The fastest and most convenient way to travel is by plane, which is how most foreigners are used to traveling. However, due to the closed airspace in Ukraine, it is impossible to get here by air transport. The only available option is to fly to one of the European airports, which is located near the Ukrainian border, and then continue the journey to Ukraine by ground transport.
Ukraine borders the following European countries - Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova. How to get here from Spain?
Flight to the Ukrainian border
● Spain – Poland
Aviation communication between Spain and Poland is developed at a very high level. Flights depart from the Spanish cities of Valencia, Malaga, Girona, Palma, Barcelona and Madrid and arrive in Warsaw, Katowice, Krakow, Łódź, Wrocław and many other cities in Poland.
Most flights are operated by low-cost carriers Ryanair and WizzAir. Offers from national airlines are also available.
Travel time is about 3 hours, ticket price from 30 euros;
The most popular flights: Madrid-Warsaw (departure at 21:40 and arrival at 01:15), Barcelona-Krakow (departure at 18:15 and arrival at 21:05) and Alicante-Katowice (departure at 19:30 and arrival at 22:40) .
● Spain – Moldova
You can get to Chisinau from Spain on a direct flight from Barcelona to Chisinau, which departs every Sunday. Travel time – 3 hours 20 minutes. Departure at 18:00. The price of the ticket is 180 euros.
● Spain – Slovakia
The countries are connected by a direct flight on the Palma-Bratislava route. Departure from Spain at 14:30, travel time 2 hours 30 minutes. Ticket price from 80 euros.
● Spain – Hungary
Budapest can be reached from Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia. Travel time is 3 hours and 15 minutes. Ticket price from 50 euros. The flights are operated by the Hungarian carrier WizzAir.
● Spain – Romania
The Madrid-Bucharest flight departs from the Spanish airport at 7:30 p.m., with a travel time of 3 hours and 50 minutes. Ticket price from 80 euros.
Air carriers also operate direct flights from Barcelona, Seville, Alicante, Zaragoza to the following Romanian cities: Cluj-Napoca, Timisoara and Craiova.
After arriving in one of the European cities, the journey to Ukraine can be continued by train or bus.
Railway connection Europe - Ukraine
Most of the tourists prefer the railway because of its speed and comfort. Ukraine is connected to European cities by the following trains:
● Poland - from Warsaw you can reach Kyiv, from Przemyśl - to Kyiv, Odesa and Zaporizhzhia, from Chelm - to Kyiv and Kharkiv.
● Hungary - there is a direct train from Budapest to Kyiv.
● Austria - a direct train goes from Vienna to Kyiv.
● Moldova - a direct train goes from Chisinau to Kyiv.
● Slovakia - from Kosice you can reach Chopa and Mukachevo.
See the link for a detailed schedule of trains running between Ukraine and European countries.
You can also get from Madrid to Lviv by train, there are two main routes:
● Madrid (Spain) - Barcelona (Spain) - Zurich (Switzerland) - Vienna (Austria) - Bratislava (Slovakia) - Lviv (Ukraine).
● Madrid (Spain) - Barcelona (Spain) - Paris (France) - Frankfurt am Main (Germany) - Bratislava (Slovakia) - Lviv (Ukraine).
However, you will have to make many transfers and purchase several train tickets.
By bus from Spain to Ukraine
A fairly convenient and economical way to get to Ukraine is by bus.
Direct flights from Spain are carried out on the following routes: Madrid-Lviv, Barcelona-Kyiv, Valencia-Kyiv, Alicante-Kyiv and pass through many Ukrainian cities: Zhytomyr, Vinnytsia, Chernivtsi, Ternopil, Ivano-Frankivsk, Khmelnytskyi, etc.
Travel time from 40 hours. The price of the ticket is 150-170 euros.
Carriers offer comfortable passenger buses for the trip. The salon is equipped with soft seats, a toilet and an automatic climate control system, a large luggage compartment, Wi-Fi, which allows you to travel comfortably.
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Where to buy tickets from Spain to Ukraine?
An important stage of preparing a trip to Ukraine is the process of purchasing tickets. To make your trip as comfortable as possible, you should choose only proven ticket purchase services. Thousands of travelers book tickets on the Visit Ukraine portal. Plane, train or bus - a ticket for any type of transport in one place. You can see the schedule and make a reservation by following the link.
From Spain to Ukraine by own car
The distance from Madrid, the capital of Spain, to Lviv is 3,091 km. The journey to Kyiv will be 550 kilometers longer. The route will pass through many European countries - France, Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland or Slovakia.
To enter Ukraine by car, you must have a Green Card insurance policy. The rules for traveling in Ukraine by car with foreign registration were discussed in detail in this article.
You can check the current state of queues for entry into Ukraine from Europe by following the link.
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 of entry to Ukraine for citizens of Spain
Spanish citizens have the right to visa-free entry to Ukraine if their trip meets the following two requirements:
- Planned stay of less than 90 days within a 180-day period.
- The purpose of the trip is tourism, visiting relatives or other short-term trips.
Importantly! It is forbidden to work or study without a visa.
A Spanish citizen must obtain a visa if he plans to work or study in Ukraine or the duration of the trip is more than 90 days.
List of documents for visa-free entry to Ukraine from Spain:
Citizens of Spain can enter the territory of Ukraine on the basis of a valid foreign passport. Also, for visa-free travel, it is additionally necessary to provide:
● a document that will confirm the purpose of the trip to Ukraine - a tourist voucher, tickets to seminars, exhibitions, fairs, invitations from companies and organizations;
● confirmation of the availability of housing in Ukraine - hotel reservations, apartment rental contracts, etc.;
● sufficient financial support for travel in Ukraine ($45 per person for each day of stay in Ukraine).
It is not necessary to provide evidence of vaccination against Covid-19 and to wear a protective mask in Ukraine, because from July 1, all restrictions and quarantine measures have been canceled in the country.
How to plan a trip to Ukraine?
We have prepared 7 useful tips for you to make your trip to Ukraine interesting and safe:
1. The first thing a tourist should do is book an interesting, and most importantly, safe tour. The largest database of routes from verified travel operators is available at the link.
2. The second stage is to find housing. Ukraine has a very wide base of accommodation facilities. During your vacation, you can stay in a hotel with different stars, a hostel, rent an apartment or rest in a guest house. You can book using the link. Also, when booking a hotel, pay attention to the availability of nearby shelters.
3. For visa-free entry to Ukraine, it is necessary to have a medical insurance policy. However, when traveling in Ukraine under martial law, it is important to find insurance that covers war-related risks: accidental damage due to hostilities or acts of terrorism, outpatient treatment, hospitalization and emergency care. You can issue a policy quickly and easily by following the link.
4. Don't forget that your vacation starts the moment you get on the plane, train or car. In order for it to be unforgettable and comfortable, it is important to prepare the necessary arsenal of things in advance. Read what you should take with you on vacation in our material.
5. To feel more mobile while traveling in Ukraine, we recommend renting a car. Instructions are here.
6. When traveling through Ukraine under martial law, be sure to follow safety rules.
7. Protect yourself from typical mistakes made by tourists when planning a trip to Ukraine. Read about them in detail at the link.
Ukraine is rich in natural wonders, UNESCO World Heritage sites, turbulent history and delicious cuisine. Everyone who visits Ukraine at least once will fall in love with it forever. Therefore, we invite you on a fantastic journey!
Do you have any questions? Contact the managers of Visit Ukraine for help at any stage of preparation for a trip to Ukraine, as well as during your stay in the country.
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.
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