You’ll find trains and buses from Poland, Slovakia and Hungary. May be you sould look for trains going to Kiev and check whether they stop in Lviv. But overland transportation will be easy.
Make sure to get the visa to Ukraine before you go on your trip.

Andrew’s right about the visa. I used an "expediter" so it didn’t take too long, but it was expensive.

Trains are cheap in Ukraine and the service is rapidly improving. While we were there last June they put on some new "high speed" trains. While they aren’t nearly as fast as in Western Europe, the accomodations were really plush — TV’s in 1st class. Seems to me that we paid something like $12 for Kharkiv to Kiev (about 450km), 1st class. Even the old Russian trains were acceptable — though more like the local and regional trains in Western Europe than intercitys. Air service to, from and within the Ukraine is also rapidly improving, but it’s still pretty bad and pretty expensive. Aiport facilities, except in Kiev, are pretty basic. Hkarkiv, a city of nearly 3 million, has an airport equal to the commuter airport in a town of about 60,000 in the US. MANY roads in the Ukraine are absolutely awful which makes the bus a slow and uncomfortable experience unless you’re lucky enough to be on one of the few good roads. However, if you know how to navigate the system (speaking Ukrainian or Russian would be a big help)you can find a bus or a minibus to get anywhere.

I’d try train or bus from Krakow to get to Lviv. Assuming the roads are decent in Poland, you wouldn’t have to suffer the Ukrainian roads for too long on the bus and the train service should be pretty good.

Thanks for the info, I’m in the process of applying for the Visa and getting an updated passport (last one expired).

Was searching for current bus time tables Poland-Lviv and ended up on this site. Just wanted to add another option.Flying to London from US and from London to Warsaw or Krakow.Krakow is definately preferable because its a beautiful town.Quite old, like Lviv and definately worth a look. If you book your ticket well in advance you could pay as little as £35.00(Thirty-five pounds sterling).Check:
www.easyjet.co.uk
www.skyeurope.com
www.wizzair.com.
From Krakow direct buses go to Lviv(i think under $10) and from Lviv make sure you take train NOT bus, as trains are safer and comfier(8 hrs in a Ukrainian bus on a Ukrainian rd and you’ll wish you’s paid the $600!)Train ticket from Lvov-Kiev is about $10 as well, maybe less depending on type. Good Luck and hope its helped.
P.S I hope you can speak russian/ukrainian.Ukraine is a lovely place to visit but you have to be on your guard.When getting to Ukraine make sure u keep the customs declaration sheet, ull need it on your way out.And keep you money,docs VERY safe!

Try to get to Polish town Przemysl [by train, bus or combination of both from anywhere in Poland] and from depart buses to Lviv. Cheap! Frequent. Or wait for the passing train there [slower and more expensive a little].

Hi there,

I am going to travel from Krakow to Lvov and Carpathians in March. Does any of you know where to find information on buses leaving from Krakow or Przemysl to Lviv on the internet?

thanx
Erwin

I would actually go by train – much more convinient from my point of view. There are several train each day – go to timetable.tsi.ru, then go to English and input krakov and kiev (it doesn’t search trains to lviv but train to kiev pass thropugh lviv)