Unfortunately, the skies over Ukraine are still closed, so the most relevant routes are currently by land. We have selected the most convenient routes to get from the UK to Ukraine quickly, entry rules for foreigners, and useful tips for safe border crossing

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Even despite the military risks, foreign tourists continue to travel to Ukraine, because the rich culture and numerous architectural, cultural and natural sights impress and surprise travelers. Over 1.3 million foreigners came to Ukraine in 7 months of 2023, and many tourists also visited the country in 2022.

Even despite the imposed martial law, the land borders of Ukraine are working normally, entry is allowed for both Ukrainians and foreigners. However, closed air space significantly complicates travel.

How to get from Great Britain to Ukraine? We have prepared the most convenient routes and many useful tips for you.

Read more about visa requirements and obtaining a visa to Ukraine for UK citizens here.

It should be noted that over 16 thousand tourists from the UK visited Ukraine in the first half of 2023.

How to find a job in the UK: a guide for foreigners.

Travel route from Great Britain to Ukraine?

Tourists usually prefer to travel by plane, because it is fast and convenient. However, due to the closed airspace in Ukraine, it is impossible to get here by air transport. That is why most tourists choose to fly to one of the European airports located near the Ukrainian border, and then continue their journey to Ukraine by ground transport.

Ukraine borders the following European countries - Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova. How to get here from the UK?

Flight to the Ukrainian border

● Great Britain - Poland

Britain and Poland are connected by the following direct flights, which will be convenient for tourists going to Ukraine:

- London-Wroclaw, three flights a day, departure at 07:50, 16:15 and 21:30, travel time 2 hours, ticket price from 30 euros.

- London-Warsaw, departures at 06:35, 08:00, 15:10 and 21:40. The price of the ticket is from 35 euros. The duration of the flight is 2 hours 30 minutes.

There are also direct flights from the British capital to the Polish cities of Szczecin, Szymany and Gdansk, but they are located a little further from the Ukrainian border.

In addition to London, direct flights to Poland are made from Bristol, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and Edinburgh.

● Great Britain - Moldova

You can get to Chisinau from Great Britain on a direct London-Chisinau flight. Travel time – 3 hours 20 minutes. Estimated departure time is 11:30. Ticket price from 90 euros.

● Great Britain - Slovakia

Direct flights to Bratislava depart from the following British cities - Manchester, London, Leeds and Edinburgh.

- London-Bratislava - daily departures at 05:55 and 08:25, travel time 2 hours 15 minutes, ticket price from 60 euros.

- Manchester-Bratislava - four times a week (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday) at 18:00, journey time - 2 hours 30 minutes, ticket price from 15 euros.

● Great Britain – Hungary

Budapest can be reached by direct flight from the following British cities: London, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Belfast, Nottingham, Bournemouth, Liverpool and Manchester.

Departure from London at 14:00 and 17:25, travel time 2 hours 25 minutes, ticket price from 50 euros.

Also, the London-Debrecen flight, which is available six days a week except Saturday, can be quite convenient. Departure time - 21:40, ticket price - from 80 euros.

● Great Britain – Romania

The two countries have close air connections, with direct flights from London, Liverpool, Manchester, Edinburgh and arriving in Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Bako, Suceava, Iasi, etc.

The average duration of the route is more than 3 hours. Ticket price from 30 euros.

London-Bucharest - departure times 06:00, 09:40, 12:55, 16:30 and 20:50.

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.

By bus from Europe to Ukraine

A fairly convenient and economical way to get to Ukraine is by bus. There are no direct flights from Great Britain, but you can find a convenient route from other European countries. The road to Lviv will take from 4 hours from Poland to 25 hours from the cities of France or Germany.

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.

From Great Britain to Ukraine by own car

The distance from London to Kyiv is 2,400 km. Travel time is 30 hours 30 minutes.

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.

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Do the British need a visa to Ukraine?

Citizens of Great Britain have the right to visa-free entry to Ukraine if the planned stay is less than 90 days. Also, the purpose of the trip can be exclusively tourism, visiting relatives or other short-term trips. It is prohibited to work and study without a visa.

For unhindered entry at the border, you must provide:

● Foreign passport, which must be valid for at least 6 months after the date of entry into Ukraine.

● 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 residence – hotel reservations, apartment rental contracts, etc.

● Health insurance policy.

● Confirmation of sufficient funds for stay in Ukraine ($45 per person for each day of stay in Ukraine).

When crossing the border, you no longer need to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 and wear a protective mask. As of July 1, all Covid-19 restrictions and quarantine measures have been canceled in Ukraine.

If the planned period of stay in Ukraine exceeds 90 days or you plan to work, get an education in Ukraine, etc., then you need a visa for such a trip. The procedure for obtaining a permit is detailed in our material.

How to plan a trip to Ukraine from Great Britain?

● 1st stage – searching and booking a tour

If you plan to visit Ukraine for the purpose of tourism, book an interesting and most importantly safe tour.

● 2nd stage – purchase of tickets

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.

● Stage 3 – 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. Also, when booking a hotel, pay attention to the availability of nearby shelters. You can find housing by following the link.

● Step 4 – take care of insurance

A medical insurance policy is a mandatory document for visa-free entry to Ukraine. However, it is also 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 get reliable insurance quickly and easily here.

● Stage 5 – prepare for the journey

Your journey to Ukraine begins at the moment of boarding a 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. Find out what you should take with you on vacation in our material. Also, familiarize yourself with the most typical mistakes that foreign tourists make when planning a trip to Ukraine, so as not to repeat them.

● Stage 6 – go on a journey

Collect the necessary things and documents and go on a journey.

● 7th stage – rent a car in Ukraine

  Tourists who will come to Ukraine without their own transport are advised to rent a car in order to feel more mobile.

● Step 8 – follow the safety rules in Ukraine

  When traveling through Ukraine under martial law, be sure to follow safety rules.

Visit Ukraine is an organiser of tours around Ukraine. 800 tours. Choose yours on the website.

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 wish you a good trip!

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.