The skies over Ukraine remain closed, so convenient routes by land are currently the most relevant. Find out how to quickly get from Moldova to Ukraine, avoiding queues at checkpoints

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Ukraine's skies are closed to civilian air travel, but this does not stop foreign tourists and business travelers from visiting Ukraine. At the same time, the complication of closed airspace leads to the search for convenient land routes that can be used to get to Ukraine quickly and comfortably.

To save time, the vast majority of foreigners arrive at one of the European airports located near the Ukrainian border and then continue their journey by land. And the main international airport of Chisinau is no exception - travelers often use it as a transit point, because you can get to Ukraine from the capital of Moldova in a matter of hours. 

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

It should be noted that more than half a million tourists from Moldova visited Ukraine in the first half of 2023.

How to get to Ukraine by train?

Currently, there is one day train between Ukraine and Moldova, which connects the capitals of the countries - Chisinau-Kyiv (351/352). The train ride will take about 18 hours. Ticket prices range from ~40 to ~70 euros.

Departure from Chisinau station is at 17:54 (local time), arrival at Kyiv-Pasazhyrskyi station is at 11:48 (local time). 

Please note! The train does not run every day: on even numbers (from Chisinau to Kyiv), on odd numbers (from Kyiv to Chisinau).

Bus Moldova-Ukraine

Another convenient option is to travel to Ukraine from Moldova by bus. Currently, the route is served by a large number of carriers. The most popular of them are: ATM Trans, Trans-City, LIKEBUS, TTK Nova Ukraina, and Euro-Lux. 

Most carriers offer several flights a day from the following cities: Chisinau, Orhei, Edinet, and Balti.

Buses run to Kyiv and Odesa, but you can also buy a ticket to one of the transit cities. In addition, the route to the western regions of Ukraine, in particular to Chernivtsi, is gaining popularity.

Ticket prices start at 40 euros. Approximate travel time: 5 hours (to Odesa), 7 hours (to Chernivtsi), and 9 hours (to Kyiv).

You can view bus schedules, compare prices and buy tickets on our website in the Tickets section.

In addition, Visit Ukraine offers a convenient transfer from Chisinau to Odesa (and back) for 1-3 or 8 people. Travelers can choose from three classes of cars: standard, business, and minibus. The date and time of the trip is agreed individually, that is, you do not adjust to the existing schedule, but the transfer adjusts to you. The trip from Chisinau to Odesa will take only 5 hours. You can book a transfer here.

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How do I get to Ukraine by my own car?

In Ukraine, there are certain restrictions on the use of cars with foreign registration. Therefore, in some cases, it is much more convenient for foreigners to rent a car locally than to cross the border with their own car. In addition, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the rules of driving in Ukraine. Our useful tips will help you feel more confident on Ukrainian roads and protect you in unforeseen situations.

Currently, there are four round-the-clock checkpoints between Moldova and Ukraine that can be crossed in both directions, both by vehicle and on foot: Mamalyga, Kelmentsi, Sokyryany, and Rososhany. The latter is usually the busiest, so you should take this into account when planning your route. The distance from Chisinau to Odesa is 195 kilometers, and from Chisinau to Kyiv is 487 kilometers.

To check the current status of queues to enter Ukraine from Moldova, please follow the link.

In addition, please note that despite the fact that the checkpoints are open around the clock, a curfew is in effect on the territory of Ukraine due to martial law. Therefore, you should leave by your own car in advance to reach your destination or transit city for the night in time. You can book a hotel in any city of Ukraine here.

How to plan a trip to Ukraine: useful tips

Travel planning is an important part of any trip, because most of the nuances need to be taken care of in advance. This is especially true when entering Ukraine during martial law. Therefore, we have collected for you the top useful tips that will help you take into account all the details and plan your trip to Ukraine properly.

1. When entering Ukraine on a visa-free basis, do not forget to confirm the purpose of your trip. Such a document can be a tour booking. The largest database of safe tours in Ukraine is available here.

2. A health insurance policy is mandatory for entry to Ukraine, but in the context of martial law, we recommend purchasing insurance covering military risks, which provides compensation in the event of an accident due to military operations or terrorist acts, outpatient treatment, hospitalization and emergency care. Read more about the policy benefits here.

3. If you plan to stay in Ukraine for more than 90 days, you must obtain a residence permit. This procedure consists of several stages and requires the preparation of a certain list of documents. An immigration lawyer will help you understand all the nuances. You can order a specialist consultation by following the link.

4. Read the martial law safety rules before your trip and strictly follow all recommendations during your stay in Ukraine.

5. When packing for a trip, keep in mind that your journey will begin when you leave home, so you should also take care of the things you may need on the plane, train, bus or car. Read more about what you should take with you to Ukraine here.

6. And most importantly, do not make typical mistakes of tourists planning a trip to Ukraine!

We wish you a good trip and a successful vacation!

We remind you! Despite the full-scale invasion of russia, Ukraine continues to attract foreign tourists. So we decided to talk to foreigners who visited the country during the war. Find out what motivates foreign tourists to travel to Ukraine in wartime, which cities attract them, and what they remember and are most impressed by following the link.

Photo: Vesti-ua

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