Logistics: It is 1,442 km from Kiev to Hamburg. The train journey I would not want to undertake with a fragile parent. Google returns the following for a Wednesday journey (no idea about other days of the week or times of the year):

Kiev to Warsaw on the overnight train (16 hrs, 18 mins( leaving 18:48 arriving 10:06 following day;

Warsaw to Berlin (east station) leaving 11:54 arriving 18:06 Berlin - just over 6 hours.

After a 12 minute (!) transfer between trains, Berlin east station (direction Frankfurt) to Berlin Spandau, leaving 18:18 arr 18:43.

And finally, after a 5 minute (!) transfer between trains, Berlin to Hamburg leaving 18:48 arriving Hamburg 20:23.

Where you would transfer to a hotel. Total time if everything goes to plan, i.e. no transfers missed, 27 hours, spread over 3 trains and 3 countries. You would need ideally a night in Berlin followed by a night in Hamburg before taking the cruise ship which would take days, followed by commute from cruise ship terminal to wherever in the US.

Contrast that with the plane: 14 hours total Kiev to New York, say 3 hours to Zurich, layover 1 hour 45 mins, then just over 9 hours to JFK.

Maybe there is a misunderstanding. I am in Ukraine but my mother is in the US. I have found a bus from Ukraine to Germany .So, now I am just trying to find a ship, either cruise or freighter to go back home. Whether from Germany or somewhere else.

How did you get to Ukraine in the first place?

I took a cruise from NY to Southampton.

Based on all I'm seeing in the news, don't you think it would be wise to get the heck out of the Ukraine, pronto?

Is there another country you can go to with only negative tests while you wait for the rest of the shots in the second country? The sooner you can start the journey, the better.

I have to get the vaccinations first before I can leave. Got the first one today. Plus, all off my friends that can help me in the medical system to get the vaccine are in Ukraine. If I went to another country I wouldn't have a place to stay or anyone to help me. I am renting a place here.Plus,
I have to have a ship lined up that will allow me to get on. I am looking all over Europe including Ukraine.

If I went to another country I wouldn't have a place to stay or anyone to help me. I am renting a place here.

I can see why it's more convenient to stay in the Ukraine for now but I'm very concerned for your safety. I hope nothing happens that will make it difficult for you to leave.

Until she is fully vaccinated leaving Ukraine is problematic unless she flies to the US, or is willing to quarantine in Poland or Slovakia or Romania. Looks like she could get into Moldova or Hungary with a negative test, but still needs to get vaccinated and get out.

We don't know where in Ukraine she is. If it's not the east she's probably fine, although I might prefer Lviv to Kyiv or Odesa..

Thank you for your concern. I appreciate it

There is a misunderstanding. She is in the US in the hospital. I am in Ukraine. I am trying to find a ship back to the US from Europe.

You got my comment backwards. I was referring to your ability to leave Ukraine, as P_M recommended.

You wrote she and I am a male

And how would I know that?

Ct, please let us know when you get out of the Ukraine. As I type this I'm watching a news story about the situation with Russia and the Ukraine.

OK -- are you a US citizen? If so you DO NOT need to be vaccinated to enter the US. But crossing other borders complicates things. I think your plan to cross half of Europe and hope to get on a Cunard or cargo ship is a very long shot.

Have you ever flown?

Thank you everyone for your concern.

I am a US citizen and I am getting the vaccine but since I am not a Ukrainian I can't get the digital vaccine certificate which is what I have been told I need to have in order to get on the ship. I will only get the International paper certificate. I am going to ask them if there is any way they can verify it without it being digital. Yes, I use to fly but the stress became so bad that just a little bit of turbulence kept making me think the plane was crashing .

Seems to me that you are creating just as much, if not more, stress trying to avoid the flight. Plus, if your mother really needs help, she is not getting it while you waste all this time. I am not entirely unsympathetic, I went through a phase where I hated take off and landing, but I got over it.