How to get to Ukraine from Switzerland in 2026: convenient routes, entry rules and useful tips

Currently, there are no restrictions on entry into Ukraine for foreigners, but travel may be complicated due to closed airspace. Find out how to organise your trip from Switzerland to Ukraine in 2026 with maximum comfort, what you need to successfully cross the border, and other useful tips for travellers

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Travelling from Switzerland to Ukraine in 2026 still requires careful planning due to the temporary absence of direct flights over Ukrainian territory. For security reasons, the airspace remains closed, so flights from Switzerland to Ukraine are not available, and travel is carried out via combined routes through neighbouring European countries. 

Visit Ukraine constantly updates its data and helps travellers find the most convenient and safest routes from Switzerland to Ukraine, obtain the necessary documents and carefully prepare for their trip.

How to get to Ukraine from Switzerland? What are the rules for entering Ukraine in 2026? Safe routes from Ukraine to Switzerland and useful tips for those planning a trip this year are collected in our material.

We talked about how to cross the border of Ukraine in 2026 in the previous material.

Detailed information that will be useful when planning a trip to Ukraine can be found here:

- Travel to Ukraine for tourism.

- Employment in Ukraine.

- Immigration to Ukraine.

- Studying in Ukraine.

- Travelling to Ukraine by car.

- Popular destinations in Ukraine.

- Support Ukraine.

Flight from Switzerland to the Ukrainian border + train/bus

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 land transport - by train or bus.

Ukraine borders Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova. There are many direct flights from Switzerland to these countries.

Switzerland – Poland

Switzerland and Poland are connected by many flights, operated not only by major airlines, but also by low-cost carriers Ryanair and WizzAir.

- You can get to Warsaw by direct flight from Basel, Zurich and Geneva. Ticket prices start from 70 euros. Departures from Basel are available four times a week (Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday). Travel time is 1 hour 55 minutes. You can fly from Zurich and Geneva on any day of the week.

- Krakow is one of the closest Polish airports to the Ukrainian border, where direct flights from Switzerland are operated. The distance from Krakow to Lviv is 328 km. Flights to Krakow depart from Basel, Geneva and Zurich. There are many departures available during the day: there are both morning and evening flights. Travel time is 1 hour 40 minutes. Ticket prices start from 80 euros.

- You can fly to Rzeszow (Rzeszów) only with a transfer, most often in Warsaw. The journey takes from 4 hours. The ticket price is from 95 euros. The airport in Rzeszow is located 172 km from Lviv (Ukraine).

You can also fly to Wroclaw from Switzerland.

The detailed route from Poland to Ukraine is here.

Switzerland – Slovakia

You can fly from Switzerland to Slovakia on a direct flight from Zurich to Košice – the closest Slovak airport to the Ukrainian border. Departures twice a week – on Mondays and Fridays. Travel time is 1 hour 45 minutes. Approximate ticket price starts from 150 euros.

From Kosice you can reach Chopa and Mukachevo. In more detail, we have already told how to get to Ukraine from Slovakia.

Switzerland – Hungary

You can fly to Budapest on direct flights from Basel, Geneva and Zurich. Flights depart daily. Travel time is 1 hour 40 minutes. Approximate ticket price from 17 euros.

From Kosice you can reach Chopa and Mukachevo. In more detail, we have already told how to get to Ukraine from Slovakia.

Switzerland – Romania

You can fly to Bucharest on daily flights from Basel and Zurich. Travel time is 2 hours 40 minutes. Ticket price is from 30 euros.

Flights to Suceava are available only with a transfer. Ticket price is from 150 euros, travel time is from 5 hours. From Suceava you can easily get to Chernivtsi, a bus runs daily from the bus station, the journey to Chernivtsi takes 2-3 hours.

The detailed route from Romania to Ukraine is here.

Pay attention! If you plan to buy tickets for the near future, the prices may be much higher.

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By bus from Switzerland to Ukraine

A fairly convenient and economical way to get to Ukraine is by bus. Switzerland and Ukraine are connected by many bus routes:

From Basel you can get to Kyiv, Odessa, Poltava and Kharkiv. The average ticket price is 150 euros. Travel time is about 35 hours. From Zurich there are routes to Lviv and Kyiv.

Carriers offer comfortable passenger buses for the trip. The cabin is equipped with soft seats, a toilet and automatic climate control, large luggage compartments, Wi-Fi, which allows you to travel in comfort.

Where can I buy bus tickets from Switzerland to Ukraine?

Buy bus tickets from Switzerland to Ukraine on Visit Ukraine – quickly, conveniently, and with no additional fees.

The distance from Zurich to Lviv is 1500 km. Estimated travel time is 15 hours. The journey to Kyiv will be 550 kilometers longer. The route will pass through Austria and Slovakia or Hungary. Such a trip, taking into account the price of gasoline, can cost from 250 to 400 euros.

There are three checkpoints on the Slovak-Ukrainian border:

- Ublya – Maly Berezny: pass for vehicles and pedestrians;

- Vyshne Niemetske – Uzhgorod: pass for vehicles;

- Velke Slemence - Mali Selmence: pass for pedestrians and cyclists.

All points, except Velka Slemence, work 24 hours a day. Velké Slemence is open from 09:00 to 21:00.

Importantly! The biggest queues are usually at the Uzhhorod checkpoint. You can check the status of queues at checkpoints between Slovakia and Ukraine online by following the link. More details about the work 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, passenger traffic is lower, 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.

Rules for entering Ukraine by car for foreigners

A foreigner is allowed to enter Ukraine in his own car, but he can use it only for his own needs. Foreign citizens can drive cars with foreign license plates in Ukraine for up to one year. Also, if you plan to stay in Ukraine for 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 an insurance policy. To take care of the comprehensive protection of your car in war conditions, purchase a Mini CASCO policy - this is a voluntary car insurance that covers damages not only in the event of a road accident, but also in the case of passive risks of war.

Detailed rules for traveling in Ukraine by car with foreign registration in this article.

What is needed to enter Ukraine from Switzerland?

- Citizens of Ukraine

To enter the country, citizens of Ukraine must provide one of the following documents:

1) Passport of a citizen of Ukraine for traveling abroad;

2) Diplomatic passport of Ukraine;

3) Service passport of Ukraine;

4) Seaman's ID card;

5) Crew member's ID card.

Important! If the validity period of your passport is about to expire, then according to the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers for the period of martial law, Ukrainians can extend their passport for 5 years at diplomatic institutions (embassies/consulates) in the country of temporary stay.

- Entry rules for Switzerland citizens to Ukraine in 2025

Visa requirements

Visa not required. Switzerland citizens 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, medical 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 Switzerland. It is better to start the procedure at least 3 months before the planned trip.

List of documents for traveling to Ukraine from Switzerland

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. Travel insurance for Ukraine

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.

Are you planning a trip to Ukraine?

In today's realities, it is important to take care not only of comfort but also of safety. Medical insurance covering military risks is a necessary protection during your trip. The policy is valid even in case of emergencies related to military events, provides access to medical care and covers treatment costs.

Take out insurance and travel with confidence!