How to Get Around Ukraine

Getting Around

Airspace is closed. No commercial flights operate into Ukraine, and this has been the case since February 2022. Entry is overland.

Overland from Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania or Moldova. The Polish crossings are the busiest and queues can run to many hours. International trains run from Przemysl, Warsaw, Budapest, Vienna, Chisinau and elsewhere into Lviv and Kyiv.

Trains are the backbone. Ukrainian Railways has kept running throughout the invasion, including to cities under regular attack, and is how most people move. Sleepers connect the main cities; the service is reliable and cheap and has become a point of national pride.

In cities. Kyiv, Kharkiv and Dnipro have metro systems, and Kyiv’s deepest stations double as shelters. Buses, trolleybuses and marshrutka minibuses cover the rest. Bolt and Uklon are the ride-hailing apps.

Curfews operate nationally and vary by region; movement at night is restricted and enforced.

Verified against Global Affairs Canada, September 2026.

The checkpoint rule

Stop at every checkpoint and roadblock, even one that appears unattended. That is the instruction, and it is the most operationally important thing to know about moving around Ukraine. Expect highly congested routes, checkpoints and delays on any journey, and keep your passport and other travel documents secure and to hand at all times — you will be asked for them.

Curfew operates nationally and varies by region. Night movement is restricted and the restriction is enforced, which means a journey has to finish before curfew rather than run into it. Check the hours for every region you will pass through, not just the one you are staying in.

Trains are the backbone

Ukrainian Railways has kept running throughout the invasion, including to cities under regular attack, and it is how most people move. Sleepers connect the main cities, the service is cheap and reliable, and it has become a point of national pride. International trains run from Przemyśl, Warsaw, Budapest, Vienna and Chișinău into Lviv and Kyiv.

Two things to do in a sleeper compartment, because they are how you use an overnight train rather than general advice: secure the door from the inside, and never leave the compartment unattended — theft from overnight sleepers is the specific risk. Keep documents and valuables stored rather than loose on the bunk.

Getting in, with the airspace closed

Ukrainian airspace is closed and no commercial flights have operated since February 2022, so entry is overland. The Polish crossings are the busiest and queues can run to many hours; Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova are the alternatives. Note that all designated checkpoints for entry to and exit from the illegally occupied areas are closed — there is no crossing into them.

Driving: the two documents you must have

You must carry an international driving permit, and car insurance is mandatory. Get both before you travel; neither is obtainable on arrival, and both are the sort of thing a checkpoint asks for.

Road travel is hazardous in ordinary ways on top of the war: drivers do not always respect traffic law, speeds are excessive, driving can be reckless, and pedestrians and cyclists need particular care. Avoid driving at night outside the major cities — limited visibility, poor vehicle maintenance and intoxicated drivers. Most roads outside the major cities are poorly maintained, and some roads and bridges may be unusable or damaged by fighting, so a route that looks direct on a map may not exist on the ground. Roadside repair facilities exist but are frequently inadequate, which argues for setting out with a full tank and a spare rather than expecting to find help. Drivers here are also working under elevated stress and fatigue, and it shows.

In the cities

Kyiv has a reliable metro system, and its deepest stations double as shelters. Buses, by contrast, are usually overcrowded and in poor condition. Kharkiv and Dnipro also have metros; trolleybuses and marshrutka minibuses cover the rest. Bolt and Uklon are the ride-hailing apps.

One caveat that applies to all of it: public transport services and infrastructure across the country are susceptible to short- and long-term interruptions because of the invasion, so no timetable is a promise.

Taxis

At a transport hub, order from a designated taxi booth inside the arrivals terminal rather than taking an offer in the hall — or use a trusted ride-hailing app. Do the same in the city instead of hailing on the street, and negotiate the fare in advance to avoid an excessive one.

Ukraine is at war, and the strike picture, the shelter routine, the mined areas and the photography rules are on Stay Safe. Dual nationals should also read the exit rules there before travelling.

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Sources & verification Covers the sourced claims on this page.

Checked against Global Affairs Canada — Ukrainian airspace is closed, a state of emergency and martial law are in force giving authorities broad powers, and air raid sirens, curfews and evacuation orders must be followed, Road travel is hazardous, with drivers not always respecting traffic law, excessive speeds and reckless driving, and particular danger to pedestrians and cyclists, Travellers in Ukraine should expect highly congested routes, checkpoints and delays, must stop at all checkpoints and roadblocks even if they appear unattended, and should ensure that their passport and other travel documents are secure at all times, An international driving permit must be carried in Ukraine and car insurance is mandatory, Travel by road in Ukraine can be hazardous because drivers do not always respect traffic laws, may drive at excessive speeds and be reckless, and pedestrians and cyclists should be particularly careful, Driving at night outside major Ukrainian cities should be avoided because limited road visibility, poor vehicle maintenance and intoxicated drivers pose hazards, Most roads outside major Ukrainian cities are poorly maintained and some roads and bridges may be unusable or damaged by fighting, while roadside services such as repair facilities exist but are frequently inadequate, Kyiv has a reliable metro system while buses are usually overcrowded and in poor condition, and public transportation services and infrastructure across Ukraine are susceptible to short- and long-term interruptions due to the Russian invasion, At Ukrainian public transportation hubs a taxi should be ordered from a designated taxi booth within the arrivals terminal or through a trusted ride-sharing app rather than hailed on the street, with fares negotiated in advance to avoid excessive charges, There is a risk of robbery and muggings on Ukrainian trains, particularly in overnight sleeper cars, and passengers should store belongings and travel documents safely, not leave the compartment unattended and ensure the door is secured from the inside, Ukrainian airspace is closed, and areas of Ukraine illegally occupied by Russia are active combat zones with all designated checkpoints for entry and exit to those areas closed, Ukrainian airspace is closed, a state of emergency and martial law are in force giving authorities broad powers, and air raid sirens, curfews and evacuation orders must be followed, Road travel is hazardous, with drivers not always respecting traffic law, excessive speeds and reckless driving, and particular danger to pedestrians and cyclists, Travellers in Ukraine should expect highly congested routes, checkpoints and delays, must stop at all checkpoints and roadblocks even if they appear unattended, and should ensure that their passport and other travel documents are secure at all times, An international driving permit must be carried in Ukraine and car insurance is mandatory, Travel by road in Ukraine can be hazardous because drivers do not always respect traffic laws, may drive at excessive speeds and be reckless, and pedestrians and cyclists should be particularly careful, Driving at night outside major Ukrainian cities should be avoided because limited road visibility, poor vehicle maintenance and intoxicated drivers pose hazards, Most roads outside major Ukrainian cities are poorly maintained and some roads and bridges may be unusable or damaged by fighting, while roadside services such as repair facilities exist but are frequently inadequate, Kyiv has a reliable metro system while buses are usually overcrowded and in poor condition, and public transportation services and infrastructure across Ukraine are susceptible to short- and long-term interruptions due to the Russian invasion, At Ukrainian public transportation hubs a taxi should be ordered from a designated taxi booth within the arrivals terminal or through a trusted ride-sharing app rather than hailed on the street, with fares negotiated in advance to avoid excessive charges, There is a risk of robbery and muggings on Ukrainian trains, particularly in overnight sleeper cars, and passengers should store belongings and travel documents safely, not leave the compartment unattended and ensure the door is secured from the inside, Ukrainian airspace is closed, and areas of Ukraine illegally occupied by Russia are active combat zones with all designated checkpoints for entry and exit to those areas closed (September 2026).