What Foreigners Need to Know Before Coming to Ukraine 🇺🇦

If you’re planning to visit Ukraine, especially for the 1st time, here are some things I think you should know before you arrive. Simple things you can only really understand once you’ve been there.

1. Say “Pryvit” — not “Privet”

This might seem like a tiny thing, but language is very sensitive in Ukraine.Even if you know how to say “hello” in russian, I would avoid using it. For many Ukrainians, hearing russian can feel uncomfortable, especially after everything that has happened during the full-scale war.

If you know a little Ukrainian, use it. And if you don’t, just Google how to say “hello” in Ukrainian: (Pryvit).

It’s a tiny effort, but people will usually appreciate it.

2. You can usually pay by card or cash

Ukraine is actually very convenient when it comes to payments. In most places, you can pay by card, phone, or cash. You don’t normally need to carry huge amounts of cash.

Some small markets, street vendors or very small businesses may still be cash-only, but card payments have become extremely common.

3. Ukrainian trains can be surprisingly reliable

This is something that often surprises foreigners. Despite the war, Ukraine’s railway system continues to operate, and domestic trains can be remarkably punctual.

However, if you’re travelling from Poland to Ukraine by train, leave extra time for your journey. Cross-border trains can experience significant delays, so don’t schedule something important immediately after your expected arrival.

And once you’re travelling inside Ukraine, you need to understand another reality: if there is an air-raid alert in the area, a train may have to stop and wait until it is safe to continue.

Yes, your journey can literally be interrupted by an air-raid siren.

4. Don’t photograph military infrastructure or air defence
This one is VERY important. If you see air-defence equipment, military infrastructure, checkpoints or military personnel, don’t take pictures or videos of them.

It might look harmless to you, but sharing the location of military activity can create security risks.

The same applies to explosions and missile or drone attacks. If something happens, don’t immediately post a video showing exactly where it happened or revealing identifiable details about the location.

I know that in Kyiv, especially, people sometimes immediately start filming because everyone has phones and everyone is trying to understand what just happened. But during an ongoing attack, it’s better to think about security first and social media second.

5. Ukrainian food is a MUST
Honestly, this could be one of the main reasons to visit.  Ukrainian food is incredible.

And you absolutely need to try borsch — Ukraine’s famous beetroot-based soup, traditionally made with vegetables and often meat. There are also vegetarian and vegan versions.

Borscht is such an important part of Ukrainian culture that Ukrainian borsch cooking culture was inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2022.

But please don’t stop at borsch. Try varenyky, deruny, holubtsi, syrnyky, pampushky and as many
Ukrainian dishes as possible.

6. Don’t expect everyone to speak English

This one genuinely surprised me when I was travelling around Ukraine with foreigners. In many restaurants, cafés and smaller businesses, you shouldn’t expect the staff to speak English. In bigger cities and tourist-oriented places, you may have more luck, but it’s definitely not guaranteed.

And learning a few Ukrainian words will make things much easier — and much more pleasant.

7. Don’t expect everything to work exactly like Western Europe

Ukraine is functioning, but it is functioning during a full-scale war. You might walk into a café and hear a generator running in the background.

You might experience a power outage. You might have to change your plans because of an air-raid alert.

And during the colder months, energy infrastructure can become an even bigger concern because Russian attacks have repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s energy system.

So don’t be surprised if a café is operating with a generator, the lights suddenly go out, or something that normally takes 10 minutes takes much longer.

Ukrainians are incredibly used to adapting.

8. Understand the curfew

This is something you should check before planning your night out.

Curfew rules can vary by city and can change, so don’t assume that nightlife works exactly like it does in Berlin, London or Paris.

For example, if you are going to a club, you need to make sure you can legally and safely get back to where you’re staying before curfew.

9. Air-raid alerts can interrupt your plans

An air-raid alert isn’t just an annoying notification on your phone.

Businesses may temporarily stop operating, public transport can be affected, and some services may pause until the alert is over.

For example, depending on local procedures and the circumstances, postal services such as Nova Poshta may temporarily suspend operations during an air alert.

So if you’re waiting to send or receive something, sometimes you simply have to wait.

10. Ukraine is NOT just the war

And this is probably the most important thing I want foreigners to understand. Yes, Ukraine is at war. Yes, you need to take the security situation seriously.

But Ukrainians are also living. They’re going to restaurants. They’re drinking coffee. They’re going to work. They’re going on dates. They’re celebrating birthdays. They’re going to the gym. They’re going to the beach. They’re arguing with their friends. They’re making jokes.

So if you visit, don’t come only looking for destroyed buildings and dramatic footage.

Come and experience Ukraine as a country while understanding the reality that Ukrainians are living through.

And remember: security rules and local conditions can change quickly, so always check the latest information for the specific city you’re visiting before travelling.