Ukraine welcomes tourists from all over the world because the country's land borders are open. That is why we have prepared updated rules and convenient routes for entering Ukraine from the Netherlands in 2024. Learn more about the rules, routes, requirements and useful tips

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The full-scale war in Ukraine has been going on for the third year. However, despite the possible risks, foreigners continue to visit the state. In particular, in 2023, more than 2.4 million citizens of other countries entered Ukraine, among them 8,787 people were representatives of the Netherlands.

The land borders of Ukraine are working normally, but the closed airspace forces to plan the travel route in more detail.

How to get to Ukraine from the Netherlands? 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 the Netherlands 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 Germany to these countries.

1. Flight from the Netherlands to the Ukrainian border

● Netherlands – Poland

- Warsaw can be reached by direct flight from Amsterdam and Eindhoven. The price of a ticket is from 30 to 300 euros. Travel time is about 1 hour 55 minutes. Departure from Amsterdam is possible several times a day at 10:30, 14:00 and 17:00.

- Krakow is the closest Polish airport to the Ukrainian border, with direct flights from Amsterdam and Eindhoven. Ticket price from 40 euros. Travel time – 1 hour 50 minutes. In general, several airlines fly here, including the popular low-cost carriers Wizz Air and Ryanair.

  - You can fly to Rzeszów (Ryaszów) only with a transfer, usually in Warsaw. Flights also depart from Amsterdam and Eindhoven. Travel time from 4 hours. Ticket price from 90 euros. The airport in Rzeszów is the closest Polish airport to the Ukrainian border, it is located 172 km from Lviv (Ukraine).

You can also fly directly from the Netherlands to Katowice and Wroclaw.

Detailed route from Poland to Ukraine in this article.

● The Netherlands - Moldova

There is a direct flight from Amsterdam to Chisinau airport from the Netherlands, but only once a week, only on Wednesdays. Departure time is at 15:40, arrival at 19:30. Ticket price from 140 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.

● Netherlands - Slovakia

A direct flight from the Netherlands to Slovakia is carried out from Eindhoven airport, the flight arrives to the Slovak capital Bratislava. Departure three times a week - on Monday, Wednesday and Sunday. Departure time is 12:40, 16:45 and 19:45 (depending on the day of the week). The duration of the trip is 1 hour 45 minutes.

You can fly to Kosice or Poprad only with a transfer. Such a trip will last about 4 hours and will cost from 80 euros.

● Netherlands – Hungary

You can fly to Debrecen, the Hungarian airport closest to the Ukrainian border, from Eindhoven on a direct flight twice a week (on Thursday and Sunday). Ticket price from 69 euros.

There are direct flights to Budapest from Amsterdam and Eindhoven. Travel time is about 2 hours, ticket price from 60 euros.

● Netherlands – Romania

There are only connecting flights to Suceava, usually in London. The price of the ticket is from 90 euros, the duration of the trip is from 5 hours and 30 minutes.

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.

Pay 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

Buses mostly depart from the cities of Amsterdam and Eindhoven and arrive in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa. The ticket price ranges from 130 to 190 euros. You can also get to Ukraine with transfers. Such a trip takes an average of 35 hours and costs from 85 to 140 euros.

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 between the Netherlands and Ukraine is about 2,000 km, which, on average, can be covered in 20 hours. Such a trip, taking into account the price of gasoline, can cost from 375 to 550 euros.

Read in detail about the operation of checkpoints on the Ukrainian border in our material.

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.

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 the Netherlands to Ukraine in 2024

● Visa is not required. Citizens of the Netherlands 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 study in Ukraine, then before your trip you need to apply for a long-term visa (type "D") at the embassy or consulate of Ukraine in the Netherlands. 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 Netherlands in Ukraine:

- Address: Kontraktova ploshcha, 7, Kyiv, 04070

- Phone: +38 044 490 8200;

- Working hours: Mon-Fri: 09.00 - 13.00, 14.00 - 17.00.

- Mail: [email protected].

- Official website: netherlandsandyou.nl.

● 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.

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 Legal advice – comprehensive legal support on entry to Ukraine;
Visit Ukraine Tickets – bus and train tickets to/from Ukraine;

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

Visit Ukraine Hotels – hotels for a comfortable stay in Ukraine;

Visit Ukraine Merch – patriotic clothing and accessories with worldwide delivery.

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