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🇺🇦 Ukraine

Moving Guide

Moving to Ukraine during an active conflict is an unconventional choice that requires careful planning and realistic expectations. Since all Ukrainian airports are closed, entry is exclusively by land — most commonly through Poland (Medyka-Shehyni or Dorohusk-Yahodyn crossings), with alternatives via Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, or Moldova.

Land crossings only

Entry Method

All airports closed for civilian flights

~10–14 hours

Warsaw → Kyiv

By train via Przemyśl or bus

30 min–3 hours

Border Wait

Varies by crossing and time; weekends busier

Essential

Insurance

Health + evacuation coverage mandatory

Strongly advised

Embassy Registration

Register with your country's embassy

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Overview

Moving to Ukraine during an active conflict is an unconventional choice that requires careful planning and realistic expectations. Since all Ukrainian airports are closed, entry is exclusively by land — most commonly through Poland (Medyka-Shehyni or Dorohusk-Yahodyn crossings), with alternatives via Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, or Moldova. The journey from Warsaw to Kyiv takes approximately 10–14 hours by train or bus. Shipping personal belongings is possible but complicated by customs delays and logistics challenges. Most expats arrive with luggage only and buy household items locally (which is very cheap). Key preparations include: comprehensive health and evacuation insurance, downloading the Air Alert app, informing your embassy, and having realistic conversations about personal risk tolerance.

Key Takeaways

  • Most popular route: Fly to Warsaw (Poland), then train or bus to Kyiv (~10–14 hours) or Lviv (~6–8 hours)
  • Get a Ukrainian SIM card immediately: Kyivstar, Vodafone, or lifecell — available at shops everywhere; $2–$5/month for data
  • Large power bank (20,000+ mAh) — essential for power outages; bring two if possible
  • International shipping companies (DHL, FedEx, UPS) deliver to Ukraine, though with delays and higher costs than pre-war
1

Getting to Ukraine

All entry to Ukraine is by land — flying into a neighbouring country and crossing by land is the standard approach.

  • Most popular route: Fly to Warsaw (Poland), then train or bus to Kyiv (~10–14 hours) or Lviv (~6–8 hours)
  • Alternative: Fly to Rzeszów (Poland), bus to Lviv (~3 hours) — closest European airport to western Ukraine
  • Other entry points: Romania (Siret/Porubne), Hungary (Záhony/Chop), Slovakia (Vyšné Nemecké/Uzhhorod), Moldova
  • Ukrzaliznytsia (Ukrainian Railways) runs daily trains from Przemyśl (Poland) to Kyiv and Lviv
  • FlixBus and local operators run regular services from Polish cities to Kyiv and Lviv
  • Border crossing times: 30 minutes to 3 hours depending on the crossing, day, and traffic
2

First Steps After Arrival

Your first week in Ukraine should focus on essential setup: SIM card, accommodation, and orientation.

  • Get a Ukrainian SIM card immediately: Kyivstar, Vodafone, or lifecell — available at shops everywhere; $2–$5/month for data
  • Download essential apps: Air Alert (Повітряна тривога), Bolt (rides), Glovo (delivery), Google Translate, monobank
  • Register with your country's embassy — check if there's a warden system for emergency notifications
  • Find temporary accommodation (Airbnb, Booking.com) for 1–2 weeks while apartment hunting
  • Get a Ukrainian tax identification number (ІПН) from the State Tax Service — needed for banking and contracts
  • Open a monobank account (or PrivatBank) for local payments — requires passport and ІПН
3

What to Pack

Travel light — most things are available cheaply in Ukraine. Focus on essentials and conflict-specific items.

  • Large power bank (20,000+ mAh) — essential for power outages; bring two if possible
  • Universal adapter: Ukraine uses European Type C/F plugs (same as most of continental Europe)
  • Headlamp or flashlight — for power outages and navigating dark stairwells
  • Copies of all documents: passport, insurance, prescriptions — both digital (cloud) and physical
  • Medications: bring a 3-month supply of any prescriptions; common meds are available locally but brands differ
  • Warm clothing if arriving in winter: Ukrainian winters are cold (-5 to -15°C) and buildings may be under-heated during outages
4

Shipping Personal Belongings

Shipping to Ukraine is possible but slow and bureaucratic — most expats ship minimally or not at all.

  • International shipping companies (DHL, FedEx, UPS) deliver to Ukraine, though with delays and higher costs than pre-war
  • Nova Poshta (Нова Пошта) is Ukraine's dominant domestic courier and also handles international parcels from some countries
  • Customs duties apply to parcels over €150 in value: 20% VAT + potential import duty
  • Furniture and household items are very affordable locally — IKEA doesn't operate in Ukraine but local stores like Jysk, Epicentr, and OLX secondhand fill the gap
  • Electronics are widely available at stores like Comfy, Foxtrot, and Rozetka (Ukraine's largest e-commerce platform)
  • For valuable items, consider carrying them in luggage rather than shipping — it's faster and avoids customs complications
FAQs

Common Questions — Moving Guide in Ukraine

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