Lithuanian citizens continue to cross the Ukrainian border even during martial law. It is worth remembering that despite the closed airspace and security rules, traveling to Ukraine has its own peculiarities. Learn more about how to get to Ukraine from Lithuania and the current entry rules in 2024

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Despite the imposed martial law, foreigners continue to arrive in Ukraine. 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, including 14,513 citizens of Lithuania.

In 2024, foreigners will come to Ukraine on personal visits, on trips and as part of volunteer missions. Countries are also gradually relaxing recommendations for their citizens regarding travel to Ukraine. In particular, Great Britain has already allowed, if necessary, to visit certain regions of the country. Governments in other countries around the world are also expected to lift restrictions.

However, currently traveling to Ukraine has its own peculiarities, in particular, the country's airspace is closed, and it is also necessary to observe certain safety rules.

How to get to Ukraine from Lithuania? 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 to Ukraine from Lithuania in 2024?

The most convenient and fastest way to get to Ukraine is to fly to one of the airports in Europe, which is located near the Ukrainian border, and from there continue the journey by train or bus.

Ukraine borders Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova. There are many direct flights from Lithuania to these countries.

1. Flight from Lithuania to the Ukrainian border

● Lithuania – Poland

- Warsaw can be reached by direct flight from Kaunas and Vilnius. The price of the ticket starts from 15 euros. Departure from Kaunas twice a week - on Tuesday and Saturday. Travel time is about 1 hour.

- Krakow is one of the closest Polish airports to the Ukrainian border. The distance from Krakow to Lviv is 328 km. You can get here by direct flight from Vilnius. The price of the ticket starts from 40 euros. Travel time is about 1 hour 20 minutes.

  - You can fly to Rzeszów (Ryaszów) only with a transfer, most often in Warsaw. Travel duration from 4 hours. The price of the ticket is from 80 euros. The airport in Rzeszów is located 172 km from Lviv (Ukraine).

Detailed route from Poland to Ukraine in this article.

● Lithuania - Moldova

You can get from Lithuania to Chisinau only with a transfer, most often in Warsaw. Travel time - from 5 hours 25 minutes. The price of the ticket is from 150 euros.

The distance to the Ukrainian border from Chisinau is 130 km - Palanka checkpoint (Odesa region). The nearest large Ukrainian city: Odesa. Tourists planning a trip to the southern regions of Ukraine should choose a flight to Chisinau airport.

● Lithuania – Slovakia

The countries are connected by a direct flight on the Kaunas-Bratislava route. Departure from Lithuania three times a week - on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday, at 08:45, travel time 1 hour 35 minutes. Ticket price from 20 euros.

You can fly to Kosice or Poprad (the airports closest to the Ukrainian border) only with a transfer. Such a trip will last about 4 hours and will cost from 120 euros.

● Lithuania – Hungary

You can get to Budapest from Kaunas and Vilnius, but only with a transfer. Travel time is from 3 to 6 hours. Ticket price from 80 euros. The flights are operated by the Hungarian carrier WizzAir.

● Lithuania – Romania

Only connecting flights are available to Suceava. Departures are from Vilnius. The price of the ticket is from 150 euros, the duration of the trip is from 7 hours.

You can easily get to Chernivtsi from Suceava, there is a daily bus from the bus station, the journey to Chernivtsi takes 2-3 hours.

Attention! If you plan to buy tickets for the near future, the prices may be much higher.

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2. Travel to Ukraine by land transport

At the second stage, it is necessary to continue your trip from the European city to Ukraine by ground transport.

● Train

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 get to Kyiv, from Przemyśl - to Kyiv, Kharkiv, 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.

Find a detailed schedule of trains running between Ukraine and European countries by following the link.

● Bus

Lithuania and Ukraine are connected by many bus routes. From the city of Klaipeda you can reach Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro, Zhytomyr, Cherkasy, Rivne and many other cities of Ukraine. The average price of a ticket is 150 euros. Travel time is about 20 hours.

Also, buses to Ukraine depart from the following Lithuanian cities: Alytus, Vilnius, Druskininkai, Kaunas, Marijampole, Paniavezhis, Trakai, Šiauliai.

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.

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. Plane, train or bus - a ticket for any type of transport in one place.

● Own car

The distance from the capital of Lithuania - Vilnius to Lviv is 880 km. The journey to Kyiv will be 550 kilometers longer. The route will pass through Poland. Such a trip, taking into account the price of gasoline, can cost from 130 to 200 euros.

To avoid a long wait, prefer traveling at the beginning of the week. From Monday to Wednesday, the passenger flow is less 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. Read in detail about the operation of checkpoints on the Ukrainian border in our material.

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.

A foreigner is allowed to enter Ukraine by car, but can only use it for personal 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.

Rules of entry for citizens of Lithuania to Ukraine 2024

● Visa is not required. Citizens of Lithuania 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 duration of your stay exceeds 90 days or you plan to work or get an education in Ukraine, then before traveling you need to issue a long-term visa (type "D") at the Ukrainian embassy or consulate in Lithuania. 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 Republic of Lithuania in Ukraine

- Address: 01901, Kyiv, str. Buslivska, 21

- Phone: (+38 044) 254-09-20

- Fax: (+38 044) 254-09-28

- Working hours: Monday - Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

- Reception on consular matters (by appointment): Monday - Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

● 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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