How to Get to the Tunnel of Love in Ukraine
You’ve seen the pictures. A lush tree canopy over a train track, stillness and peace radiating from your computer screen. A leafy tunnel that looks like it leads to Narnia or Titania and Oberon’s realm or at the very least escape from your Monday blues. The Tunnel of Love is definitely one of the most beautiful places in Ukraine, if photos are to be believed (and not Photoshopped). I’ve had it on my ‘to-visit’ list for a year but kept putting it off. It’s not easy to get to the Tunnel of Love, and I was a little daunted by the trip.
Especially when I discovered I would need to take the bus.
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Looking for a traditional guidebook to take with you to Ukraine? I used Lonely Planet’s Ukraine guide to get me started – and they recently came out with a new edition in 2018!
Taking the bus in Ukraine is an adventure, especially when you don’t speak the language, but my trip to the Tunnel of Love went off without a hitch. Even if you’re not an experienced Ukrainian traveler, you can still make all your Instagram dreams come true with a quick stop by one of the world’s most famous industrial railways.
It’s all about knowing what to expect, so if you’re trying to plan a visit to the Tunnel of Love, here’s what you need to know—
How to Get to the Tunnel of Love from Kiev
The Tunnel of Love is actually in Klevan, Ukraine, a tiny rural town. I recommend basing yourself instead in nearby Rivne, which is a bigger transportation hub. To from from Kiev to Rivne, I’d recommend either the train or the bus.
The train is much easier for travelers to manage, but you have less flexibility. There’s only one ‘fast’ train between Kyiv and Rivne each day, so if you have to take one of the seven hour trains you’ll waste a lot of time.
Taking the bus from Kiev to Rivne means you’ll have more choice with depature times and you’ll get there faster. Many buses take between four and five hours – which means if you’re really pressed for time, you could actually do the Tunnel of Love as a daytrip from Kiev (not recommended, though).
For a quick trip like this, I use tickets.ua to find a bus. I definitely advise buying your ticket beforehand. Locals rock up with cash, but there are no guarantees the bus will have a seat and you might have to be a bit pushy to get through the crowd to the driver. And, if you don’t speak the language, it’s just better to have a ticket you can hand over than trying to negotiate the destination and fare.
Buying a bus ticket in Ukraine can be a total lottery. My bus to Rivne was a little mini bus going from Kyiv to Lviv, but my bus coming back was a big coach that had come from Poland and was going all the way to Kharkiv. Plan to show up at the bus station early. You’ll need time to find your bus, especially if it’s chaotic like at the Kyiv bus station. Also, your bus might arrive early and leave early! If this happens, hopefully the bus company will call you or text you, but it’s a good idea to plan to be at the bus station early anyway.
The bus station and train station are about a half hour walk from Rivne’s city center. I’d recommend getting a taxi to the center, especially if you arrive at night.
If you’re having a hard time getting “Rivne” to come up in transportation or hotel searches, try using the transliteration Rovno.
Getting to the Tunnel of Love from Rivne
Ok, the next part of the journey to the Tunnel of the Love involves a marshrutka, but don’t worry – this is actually the easiest part! Minibuses, called marshrutkas, leave from Rivne to Klevan (Клевань) starting at around 5:00am. They run every ten to fifteen minutes from outside the Rivne train station. Just walk over to the cluster of idly mini buses, find the one with the sign for Klevan (also probably the biggest crowd), and try to cram yourself on when the driver opens the door. It cost me 18 UAH one way, which is less than a dollar. The bus ride from Rivne to Klevan takes about 45 minutes, through the epitome of Ukrainian rural idyll. I mean, any time you can look out the window and see goats munching beside the road is a good day.
Once you get to Klevan, keep an eye out on the right side of the road for a white arrow sign pointing the direction to the Tunnel of Love / Тунель кохання, posted on Slovyanska Street (my marshrutka driver was pretty friendly and tried to point me in the right direction as I got off the bus, so if you’re anxious about getting off at the right place ask the driver to help). The marshrutka will stop right after the sign, so just backtrack and follow Slovyanska about twenty minutes to get to the Tunnel of Love. You’ll know you’re in the right place when you hear accordion music.
It’s also possible to take a taxi to the Tunnel of Love, though you’ll be paying way more than $2 roundtrip. I did not get price quotes for taxis, but to give you a rough idea, a friend and I paid about $25 total to hire a taxi for about three hours in Kamianents-Podilskyi. I suggest working with your accommodation to find a fairly priced taxi to the Tunnel of Love.
Exploring the Tunnel of Love
Though the train tracks spread in both directions, going to the right will get you the picture-perfect tunnel you came here for. The tunnel reeeally stretches — I walked about forty-five minutes before turning back and I wasn’t close to the ‘end’ of the track. I think my prettiest pictures are from about twenty minutes into the tunnel. Of course, it’s not just about the photos. The Tunnel of Love is every bit as breath-taking in real life as it is in the pictures that proliferate on Pinterest. Bring a picnic, find a spot to stop and journal, or just slow your walk down to a meander and relax your camera by your side (besides, the pictures all start to come out the same after the first fifty or so).
To get back to Rivne, just walk back to where you got off the marshrutka and cross the street. Watch for minibuses hurtling by and flag one down that says Rivne (Рівне) in the windshield.
How to Get from Lviv to the Tunnel of Love
Rivne is also well-connected to Lviv and Lutsk, so if you want to come from that direction (or head that way after) it’s an easy fix. Again I recommend using tickets.ua to find bus or trains heading in the direction you want.
With some planning and a bit of bravado, the seeing the Tunnel of Love really isn’t that difficult at all. I’m so glad I put in the effort to go (even solo!), and I hope that if the Tunnel of Love is really on your must-visit list, you feel confident in making your way to the Ukrainian countryside.
Would you like to visit the Tunnel of Love? What are you dream destinations that you learned about through the Internet – I need more fodder for my list now that I’m checking things off!
Looking for a place to stay? I stayed at Rivne Hostel, which was clean and comfortable. The bunk beds were comfortable, had individual lights and outlets, and didn’t squeak! The bathroom situation was a bit strange, with toilets in one room and the sink, mirror, and shower in another, but it wasn’t much of a problem. If you’re interested in something else, you can check out best Rivne hotel prices before you go.
If you’re coming to Ukraine, check out my Ukraine travel resources! Everything I know about this country I’m collecting into a Ukraine travel guide.
25 Comments
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Dominique
I love this sight! It looks like something from a movie! The difficult way to reach it, makes me even more excited to visit it one day, because I’m sure it means no mass tourism! I love it!
Amy
Yes! I do love its remoteness. There’s also a leafy tram track here in Kyiv that everyone recommends checking out, but that’s IN Kyiv. Not as much of an adventure. 😉
Piia
Wow this looks so beautiful and romantic! Thank you for sharing this post, it really turned on my wanderlust!
Amy
Glad you enjoyed it, Pila! Hopefully you get to visit some time soon.
Lena
It is so much fun to read someone writing about a city in Ukraine you come from. I was born and raised in Rivne and I can assure you there are more places to see in the region than just Tunnel of Love, though it is quite spectacular. I advise to also check out Olyka cathedral and Rivne itself, while you’re already there. We have plenty of cool cafes that are dirt cheap.
As for the best way to get to Rivne from Kyiv, your friend marshrutka is the best option. They are leaving from Evrovoyazh Vokzal, right next to Kyiv central station every hour, cost 200UAH and will take you much faster than a bus (4 hours). You don’t have to reserve a place, just show up there and pay in cash.
I completely agree that traveling in Ukraine without knowing the language is a challenge. I’m happy your enjoyed your trip!
Amy
Thanks for commenting, Lena! I definitely remember checking out your blog as I spent some time in Rivne. I’ll be writing about the city itself soon. 🙂
Yep, Evrovoyazh Vokzal was where I met my bus (it wasn’t a full bus, just a mini bus — but more modern than the typical marshrutka). I did exactly what you suggested — I just bought my ticket online. I think for tourists, who don’t speak the language, getting a ticket ahead of time is a great stress reliever. I knew that if I missed my bus for any reason, another would be departing soon that I could jump on, but still it was comforting to have my ticket. It only took 4.5 hours (plus on rather long smoke/toilet/beer break 😉 ).
What I really wish is that I had a car! Like you said, there are other places in Rivne Oblast that sound so cool. With a car, it’d be easy to fill a weekend hopping around the region looking at castles and eating and walking down train tracks.
Alaine
Wow! Sounds like you had quite the adventure on the buses! The pictures from the tunnel looks amazing though!
Carmelatte
OMG! I am dreaming of this place <3
Roma
This is brilliant Amy thanks for sharing. Hopefully you’ll have time to come with us the next time we come back to Ukraine… and thanks for the bus tips, everyone loves the bus lottery!
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Lewis Cocks
We visited the tunnel of love today and after reading many different experiences and directions such as this one, we were surprised that there was no mention of the mosquitos! Perhaps it was the time of year/time of day related but I have never been exposed to this many mosquitos in my life! We couldn’t stand still for a more than a few seconds. For Reference, we visited on the 22nd of June at around 6pm ish.
Amy
Hi Lewis,
Thanks for leaving this comment! Good for other travelers to know. I’m trying to think back on my own experience… I don’t think the bugs were too oppressive, though I vaguely remember there being some. Maybe earlier in the year is better.
Amy
Katie
Thanks for this detailed description. The love tunnel is high on my list of places to visit on our Eastern Europe trip.
Myself and boyfriend will be entering Ukraine from Krakow. We will stay in Lviv for a couple of nights and was then going to go to Kiev.
But, do you recommend going from Lviv to Rivne? and then Rivne to Kiev?
Thank you 🙂 Katie
Amy
Hi Katie!
Yes, the Tunnel of Love is a pretty special place. 🙂 I only went from Kyiv-Rivne and back again, but if I remember correctly, there are minibuses that go between Lviv and Rivne quite frequently. It should not be a problem for you to do Lviv-Rivne-Kyiv. You can buy tickets online, but Ukraine is also very much a ‘show up and go’ kind of culture when it comes to minibuses. If you have questions about time, I recommend asking the tourist info office in Lviv. They are in the main square and they are very helpful.
Enjoy your trip!
Chiraag
Amazing place for tourist!! This is a place for people who are head over heels in love. Earlier it was a normal travel spot in Ukraine but now it is known as one of the most romantic places on the planet. Tunnel of love is a section of industrial railway which is near Klevan in Ukraine and it links Klevan with Orzhiv. The railway section is about 3 to 5 KM in length and it is surrounded by green arches. Today this tunnel is super popular among couples.
Sebastian
I’m planning this for August 2019, but nervous actually the more I read how to get there.
Seems like a huge trek.
The 4 hour bus ride from Kyviv station to Rivne – what was the toilet situation? Did you remember? Do they have pit stops along the way, or was it an express to Rivne?
Thank you!
Amy
Don’t be nervous! Knowing what to expect really is the most challenging thing. I would talk to the Kyiv-Rivne bus driver if you’re worried about not getting off at the right spot and check your phone GPS as you get closer. I think I might have gotten off too early, so I don’t know if the marshrutkas stop in the center of Rivne. And when you go to the Tunnel of Love from Rivne, you can also talk to the driver. Usually they’re pretty good, in smaller towns, of showing you where you need to get off. There will probably be other people going too, so you can just follow ‘the crowd.’
I can’t really remember about the bus stops. I fell asleep… I do think we had at least one stop for a smoking/toilet break.
Lade
Thank you so much for this guide! I found you through a Google search. I have a one day layover in Kiev and I’m hoping I can make it to this famed structure. I’m a veteran traveler, but was a little daunted by the distance. Would you happen to have any tips on those making it a 1 day trip from the airport? I land at 655am and leave at 750pm. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Amy
Hmmm, to be honest I wouldn’t recommend trying to get to the Tunnel of Love in this time frame. It’s four hours from Kyiv (in the city center) to Rivne, and then another 30-40 marshrutka ride to the Tunnel, and *then* a 20 minute walk. The only way it might be possible is if you hired a driver for the day. If you are *really* interested in seeing it, getting a private driver would probably make it possible. I don’t have a lot of information about private drivers, but any tour company should be able to hook you up with one. It might be a bit pricey, but like I said, if you’re really interested in seeing it, it might be worth it. Good luck!
NewSmartTraveller
Hm, apparently there is only one train from Lviv to Rivne : and it s at 5:40 – 9:22 pm. This won t work. I guess I ll take the bus.
Amy
Yeah, the trains are not convenient at all. Much better to take the bus!
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