Do I Need a Visa to Travel from Germany to Ukraine?
This is the first question that interests German citizens before their first visit to Ukraine. Luckily, like all the other residents of the European Union, Germans do not need a visa for entering Ukraine if they are going to stay in the country for the period that does not exceed 90 days within 180 days. In the case when a German citizen needs to stay in Ukraine for longer time, he/she will have to apply for D category visa. This kind of visa is usually provided to those who submit one of the following documents:
- work permit;
- residence permit;
- invitation to study in an educational institution of Ukraine;
- invitation of a foreign mission.
To get more details about receiving a long-term Ukrainian visa, German citizens have to contact the Embassy of Ukraine in Germany. The address of the Embassy is Albrechtstrasse 26, Berlin; telephone number (+49 30) 28887128; e-mail: emb_de@mfa.gov.ua.
Ways to Get to Ukraine from Germany
Definitely, air flight is the fastest way to get from Germany to Ukraine. There are many flights from Germany to Ukraine connecting key Ukrainian cities (Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, Kharkiv) with the main cities of Germany (Berlin, Dresden, Munich, Hamburg and so on). A direct flight from Germany to Ukraine will take around 2-3 hours, while flights with transfers can take 5 hours and more. A ticket price for the air flight from Germany to Ukraine starts from around EUR 100. The flights from Germany to Ukraine are offered by numerous airline companies – Ryanair, Lufthansa, WizzAir, LOT, Ukrainian International Airlines and other.
Unfortunately, there are no direct trains from Germany to Ukraine. If you want to reach Ukraine from Germany by train, you will have to go via Poland, Hungary, Austria, Slovakia or Czech Republic.
If you still do not want to fly and wish to travel from Germany to Ukraine by ground transport, you can pick option of going by bus. Bus routes connect many big cities of Ukraine and Germany. As for prices, they are pretty reasonable: for example, you can go from Berlin to Lviv for EUR 40, to Kyiv – for EUR 50 and to Odesa for EUR 65. However, prepare for a long journey: a bus trip from Germany to Ukraine takes around 25–40 hours.
You can also travel on your personal car. Remember that driving from Germany to Ukraine is not going to be a short trip: you will have to cross the whole territory of Poland, and who knows how much time you will have to spend on the border of Poland and Ukraine. The whole journey may take more than a whole day, so booking a hotel room to spend a night in Poland during your trip may be a good decision.
There are also other options like driving through Czech Republic and Slovakia, or through Austria and Hungary. In any case, such trip will not take less time than a journey from Germany to Ukraine through Poland.
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Customs Clearance
Of course, there are certain rules about what travelers are allowed and prohibited to take to the territory of Ukraine. To avoid confusing situations on the Ukrainian border, German citizens should know these rules in advance. It is strictly forbidden to bring the following items to Ukrainian territory: drugs, poisons, explosive matters, weapons, materials containing propaganda of violence, war, racism or pornography. In the case you have amount of money exceeding EUR 10 000, you will have to declare it. Particular items, such as valuable art objects and precious jewels, also require declaration. And what about alcohol drinks, tobacco and medical drugs? The restrictions are the following: a person is allowed to import 1 liter of strong alcohol, 2 liters of wine, 5 liters of beer, 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, 250 grams of tobacco and 5 packs of medical drugs to the territory of Ukraine. Larger amounts of these items have to be declared.
Useful Advice about Staying in Ukraine
German citizens that pay a visit to Ukraine should not worry about time zones change and acclimatization.
The climatic conditions in both countries are mostly similar, and time difference is only 1 hour (the time in Ukraine is 1 hour ahead).
As for accommodation is Ukraine, our main tip is to avoid overpaying for your room or apartment. To do so, you should be aware of real average prices for accommodation in the Ukrainian city you are going to. Using online services such as numbeo, you can learn average prices for accommodation, transport, food, shopping and other in any city of the world. This will prevent you from being cheated with artificially high prices for accommodation and services. We recommend using world-wide known reliable booking services as Airnbnb or booking.com to find an apartment in Ukraine.
While travelling from Germany to Ukraine, many people get concerned about safety issues. How to avoid getting into a trouble during a journey to Ukraine? Here are some good tips:
- Avoid making close contact with suspiciously looking strangers, even if they seem to be super nice to you.
- Keep an eye on your values (jewelry, wallet, smart phone, laptop), especially in a crowd or in public places.
- Avoid strolling alone in the non-central areas of the cities.
- If you face some unexpectable and serious problems during your stay in Ukraine, you should have contacts of the Embassy of German in Ukraine at hand. The address of the Embassy is 25, Bohdana Khmelnytskogo street; telephone number +38044 281 1100.
Few words about language barrier. Unfortunately, not many Ukrainians can boast fluent English, so it is better if you are accompanied by a trustable local friend or guide. If you are alone and need to ask someone for help, better choose younger persons. Young Ukrainians are often more likely to speak some English than the older generation.
Willkommen in der Ukraine!
Photo source: unsplash.com, depositphotos.com. All photos belong to their rightful owners.
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