Before you go · Kyiv
Kyiv essentials
The practical things to know before you go, checked against GOV.UK on 1 November 2026. Kyiv is in wartime: read your own government’s advice before you decide to travel.
Updated November 2026
The official travel advice
GOV.UK advises against all travel to Crimea and to all regions of Ukraine except some western regions, and against all but essential travel to Lviv, Zakarpattia, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil and Chernivtsi, among others (advice updated 2 October 2026). A state of emergency and martial law are in force throughout Ukraine. Check your own government’s advice and your insurance before you travel.
Passports and visas
British citizen passport holders can enter Ukraine without a visa for visits of up to 90 days within a 180-day period; Ukraine has confirmed this until 30 January 2027. Your passport should be valid for the length of your stay (GOV.UK). Expect thorough document checks at the border.
No flights: the train
Ukraine’s airspace remains closed (GOV.UK). Ukrzaliznytsia runs trains to Kyiv from Przemyśl and Warsaw in Poland and from Budapest in Hungary; book on its site or app (uz-vezemo.uz.gov.ua). See our transport page.
Air alerts and shelters
Identify shelters in advance, take shelter immediately when an air alert is announced, be ready to stay there for some time, and use an alert app such as Air Alert (GOV.UK). Metro stations serve as shelters; ask your hotel where its own shelter is. Museums close during alerts.
Curfew, passport and photographs
Kyiv has a night curfew under martial law: check the current hours on arrival. Carry your passport at all times, and do not photograph government or military sites (GOV.UK).
Cash, cards and power cuts
Cards are widely used, but ATMs might not be refilled and card terminals may not work during power cuts (GOV.UK): carry some hryvnia, a power bank and a torch.
Emergencies
Call 112 in an emergency, or 101 for fire and rescue, 102 for police and 103 for an ambulance. Never approach an unexploded weapon; note where it is and call 101 (GOV.UK).
Questions and answers
Is it safe to travel to Kyiv?
GOV.UK advises against all travel to Kyiv as of November 2026. If you do travel, follow the air-alert advice, know your nearest shelter and check your insurance.
Can you fly to Kyiv?
No. Ukraine’s airspace is closed; travellers arrive by train or road, most often from Poland.
Do British citizens need a visa for Ukraine?
No, for visits of up to 90 days in a 180-day period; Ukraine has confirmed this until 30 January 2027.
What is the emergency number in Ukraine?
112, or 101 for fire and rescue, 102 for police and 103 for an ambulance.
Travel advice changes quickly in wartime. Check gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/ukraine or your own government’s advice before you travel.