Hassle free way of getting from Poland to Lviv, Ukraine.
Get to Przemysl >> cross Medyka-Shegyni border on foot >>
>> get a taxi to Lviv on Ukrainian side.
Taxi price: 60 EUR one way; 100 EUR border-Lviv-border
To order CONTACT ME 🙂
Medyka-Shegyni border is the only pedestrian crossing point connecting Poland and Ukraine. It is situated between Polish village Medyka on the one side and Shegyni on the Ukrainian side on the main E-40 route Wroclaw-Krakow-Lviv-Kyiv.
You can use there bus and also many people drive but if you’re on foot this is for sure themost efficient and cheapest land gateway to Ukraine for independent travelers heading from Western Europe and reverse.
I’ve crossed it many-many times and will share all my knowledge about, my favourite by the way, border point.
Read below if you want to fly it over like a bird instead of being stuck with company of ciggarete smuglers.
Getting from Poland to Ukraine
Przemysl-bus-Medyka-border-Shegyni-bus-Lviv
Przemysl (don’t even try to pronounce it :-P) is a major town in South Eastern Poland, easy accessible by train from cheap airlines hubs like Krakow (4 hours) and Rzeshow (2 hours).
Once you arrived in Przemysl train station go through the undeground tunnel to the opposite side and catch a small bus to Medyka. These busses don’t have any schedule and depart as soon as they fill up. Last bus departs around 18:00* and takes 15 minutes drive right to the border. Cost: 2 Zlotych (1>EUR)
Then simply walk 300 meters through Polish and Ukrainian customs which usually takes not more than 30 min. Don’t worry there are no big lines on that direction as opposed to the revese way 😛
On Ukrainian side in Shegyni village walk for another 100 meters and turn left where you’ll see small bus station.
Buses to Lviv go every hour with the last one departing at 21:00**.
Note that you have to set your watch for one hour later caused by entering +2 GMT zone. Bus to Lviv costs 20 UAH (2>EUR) and it takes 1,5 hours to Lviv railway station. Congratulations!!!
*What to do if you missed you last bus from Przemysl railway station to the border?
Consider taking a taxi or sharing it with other people. Cost: 30 Zlotych (7 EUR)per car.
Another option is to catch city bus that connecting surrounded villages with Przemysl. For that go west from the railway station for around 10 min to Lwowska str. where still few buses go to Medyka and other villages near the border. Get out the bus once it turns left form the main highway and about one km to the border on foot along the road.
**What to do if you missed last bus to Lviv from Shegyni?
Simply hitchhike. If driver wants you to pay, arrange a good price: about 20-30 UAH 😉
Getting from Ukraine to Poland
Catch a bus to Shegyni from Lviv railway station. Buses depart right of the main entrance from small bus station every hour and it takes approx. 1,5 hour drive.
First bus departs at around 06:00 and last at 19:30.
Once you’re in Shegyni simply follow the people and go through the customs.
You’ll see folks hiding cigarettes and vodka bottles inside them with intention to sell it then on Polish side. People do that for living. Don’t forget to buy your last cheap vodka bottle but don’t exceed 1L and 2 packs of cigarettes which is a limit. Well, you can hide a few more in your luggage. The worst can happen is that custom officer will have a free drink that night.
NOW IMPORTANT. It’s likely there will be huge 1-2 hours waiting line caused by precise checking of vodka smugglers.
Don’t worry. You’re reading this in order to be prepared.
My advice:
On Ukrainian customs if the line is too long (more than 1 hour waiting) consider taking aservice of mediator who will befriend you with custom officer for 50 UAH and you’ll be let in immediately 😉
For Polish customs prepare the following.
Still once you’re in Lviv I recommend to copy/paste one of your flights e-tickets and adjust it by putting relevant place (ex. Rzeshow or Krakow) and time of your departure. Then just wave your ticket to the officer. Usually it works and you’ll pass the whole line in 10 minutes.
After these adventures on Polish side simply take the bus to Przemysl and continue your journey.
Last bus departs at around 18:00.
Good luck B-)
