There are no flights from Germany to Ukraine: Ukrainian airspace has been closed since 24 February 2022. You travel overland, almost always through Poland — by train via Przemyśl or Warsaw, by direct long-distance bus, or by flying to Kraków or Rzeszów and continuing by rail. Allow 22–26 hours from Berlin to Kyiv and 14–20 hours to Lviv.
Which three routes lead from Germany to Ukraine?
- Via Przemyśl (fastest to Lviv). By train via Kraków, or by air to Kraków or Rzeszów, and from there on to Przemyśl on the Polish-Ukrainian border. From Przemyśl, Ukrainian Railways (Ukrzaliznytsia, UZ) trains run to Lviv (about 2 hours) and Kyiv (9–10 hours). The border check takes place in the station or on the train.
- Via Warsaw (night train direct to Kyiv). EuroCity Berlin–Warsaw in about 5.5 hours, then the through night train Warsaw–Kyiv with sleeping cars (about 16 hours), no changes. Convenient with a lot of luggage or with family.
- By direct long-distance bus. Direct buses run from Berlin, Dresden, Munich, Frankfurt and many other cities to Lviv and Kyiv. No changes, but a wait at the border: the check is carried out on or beside the bus.
If you are heading to Odesa or the south, you can alternatively fly to Chișinău (Moldova) and take a bus from there (3–4 hours, Palanca border crossing).
What does the journey cost and how long does it take?
| Leg | Transport | Duration | Indicative price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berlin → Warsaw | EuroCity | approx. 5.5 h | €30–70 |
| Warsaw → Kyiv | Night train, sleeping car | approx. 16 h | €40–90 |
| Berlin/Munich → Kraków or Rzeszów | Flight | 1.5–2 h | €30–120 |
| Kraków → Przemyśl | Train | approx. 3 h | €10–20 |
| Rzeszów → Przemyśl | Bus / train | approx. 1 h | €3–8 |
| Przemyśl → Lviv | UZ train | approx. 2 h | €10–20 |
| Przemyśl → Kyiv | UZ direct train | 9–10 h | €25–60 |
| Berlin → Lviv / Kyiv | Direct long-distance bus | 18–30 h | €60–120 |
All figures are approximate, as of September 2026; timetables and prices change. Check the current connection before you book.
Where do I buy Ukrainian Railways tickets?
Online at booking.uz.gov.ua or in the Ukrzaliznytsia app, paying with a German Visa or Mastercard. Seats on trains from Przemyśl are often sold out days in advance around public holidays and during the summer holidays: book as soon as your travel dates are fixed. Tickets for the Polish leg are available from Polish railways (PKP Intercity) or, as far as the border, through Deutsche Bahn.
What is required at the border check?
- Passport (Reisepass), valid for the whole stay. The German ID card (Personalausweis) is not accepted.
- Health insurance that explicitly covers Ukraine for the entire period: the border guard checks the name, the dates and the policy number. The PDF on your phone is enough.
- Purpose of travel, stated verbally. German citizens do not need an invitation letter; a hotel booking or your organisation's contact details speed up the check.
- On leaving Poland there is also the Schengen exit check: allow 1–3 hours for the two checks together.
The details on visas, customs and dual nationals are in the guide Entering Ukraine as a German citizen.
When should I set off?
So that you do not arrive during the curfew. In Kyiv it applies from midnight to 5 a.m.; in regions near the front it starts earlier. If your train arrives at night, the station stays open, but you may only leave it once the curfew has ended. More in the guide on the curfew in Ukraine. You can still buy the policy on the way — at Przemyśl station or on the bus, for example: issuing it takes about 15 minutes and the PDF arrives by email.
How do I get around inside Ukraine?
Intercity trains connect Kyiv with Lviv (about 5 hours), Odesa (about 7 hours), Dnipro and Kharkiv. The Bolt and Uklon apps work in all larger cities. German Visa and Mastercard cards are accepted almost everywhere, as are Apple Pay and Google Pay; for markets and taxis in the countryside it is worth withdrawing some hryvnias from a cash machine. Air-raid alerts are reported by the app «Повітряна тривога» (Air Alert): install it before you leave and follow the locals' lead on shelters.
Car instead of train or bus?
Taking your own car pays off if you are transporting aid supplies or equipment, or visiting several places. For one person heading to Lviv or Kyiv, the train from Przemyśl is cheaper and spares you the car queue at the border. Routes, border crossings and the Green Card are explained in the guide Driving to Ukraine. The health insurance is the same either way: buy it online before you reach the border.