Visiting Ukraine During Wartime

When I decided to visit Ukraine in mid-2025, people often asked me, “Is it even safe?” I get it — the country is still at war, and that affects everything. But there are parts of Ukraine where daily life continues relatively normally, and with the right preparation, you can travel there fairly safely. In this blog, I’ll share my personal experience of visiting Ukraine in 2025: from insurance and the air raid alert app to which areas to avoid — and which are more accessible.

Health Insurance in Ukraine

One of the first things I discovered: my Dutch health insurance didn’t cover anything in Ukraine. Since the country is considered a conflict zone, most insurance companies exclude medical costs. That applies to many standard travel insurance policies too.

The solution? A mandatory Ukrainian travel insurance policy. You can arrange this online — it usually costs just a few euros per day. You’ll receive an English-language policy certificate, which you must show at the border. You can purchase it on the official website: https://visitukraine.today/

Install the Air Alert App

One of the first things I did upon arrival: I downloaded the "Air Alert" app (Повітряна тривога). This free app gives real-time warnings for air raids, missile threats, or artillery strikes in your region. And yes, the alarm sound is loud and impossible to ignore — even if your phone is on silent.

Make sure you have a local SIM card with internet access, or it won’t work properly. While I stayed in Vinnytska Oblast, the sirens went off a few times. Most of the time, nothing happened, but I still took precautions and stayed indoors when it did.

Is It Safe to Visit Ukraine?

Of course, visiting Ukraine right now is not without risks — you need to be very aware of that. But it really depends on where you go. Here’s an overview of the situation in 2025:

Highly Dangerous – Strictly Avoid:

- Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson – active war zones

- Crimea – inaccessible, no foreign entry

- Areas near the frontline – risk of shelling, drones, and landmines

Moderate Risk – Stay Alert:

- Kyiv – the capital is active and functioning, despite occasional air raid alarms

- Lviv – vibrant western city with lots of culture and relatively few incidents

- Ternopil, Ivano-Frankivsk – quieter western regions

- Odesa – beautiful port city, but occasionally targeted

Relatively Safe – Still Use Caution:

- Uzhhorod – peaceful, unique culture, and far from the conflict zones

Keep in mind: larger cities are more often targets for missile or drone attacks. Smaller towns and villages tend to be much lower risk.

Practical Travel Tips for Ukraine

- Transport: Trains and buses are still operating on many routes, but expect security checks. Domestic flights are not available.

- Money: You can use your bank card in most places, but it's wise to carry some cash.

- Power & Internet: Outages happen occasionally. Bring a power bank and download offline maps.

Summary: Can You Travel to Ukraine in 2025?

Traveling to Ukraine in 2025 isn’t like a typical holiday, but with solid preparation, it’s possible. Make sure you:

- Have valid Ukrainian travel insurance

- Download and activate the Air Alert app

- Know which regions are safe and which to avoid

- Show respect and understanding for the local situation

I’m glad I made the trip to experience how life continues despite everything. Was it safe? Not entirely. But with awareness, caution, and empathy, it’s a meaningful and possible journey.