Getting around

Travelling by bus around Poland has many advantages – buses will often get you where it would be difficult to get to by plane or train. It’s an opportunity to discover the country, the towns and the villages – at least through the window – and it also allows you to move around with larger luggage.

There are local bus services in every town in Poland. Bus stations are usually located in city centers. Coach travel in Poland is operated by national and regional carriers. A coach trip usually takes longer than a train trip. You can buy tickets at ticket offices at train stations or with the driver (on condition that the tickets have not been sold out at the ticket office).

Apart from coaches there are many small private bus services which mostly operate minibuses on certain fixed routes. As a rule their stops are situated in close proximity to train or bus stations.

Some small towns or villages are sometimes only accessible by public transport, in this case, the bus. Tickets are bought from the driver. Some of the private mini bus services also serve the smaller villages more directly. The trips are short and usually cheaper than the ones in a public bus.

Taxis

In every large or middle-sized city, town and village in Poland you will be able to find taxis. As a rule, prices are not high. Generally, if you decide to take a taxi please remember to choose only those with a logo displayed. Once in the taxi make sure the driver switches on the taximeter. You can also ask about the route the driver is going to choose to reach your destination.

Prices vary depending on the city and the transport company. Differences however, are not big. Weekend and night fares (10.00 pm-6.00 am) and out-of-town zones have a higher scale of charges. The price of the first kilometer is usually between PLN 4-6, with the following kilometres cheaper, about PLN 2. In the large cities taxis leaving from the vicinity of stations can be more expensive.

Boat

Poland has a long coastline and lots of rivers and canals, but passenger-boat services are limited and operate only in summer. There are no regular boats running along the main rivers or along the coast. Several cities, including Szczecin, Gdańsk, Toruń, Poznań, Wrocław and Kraków, have local river cruises during the summer, and a few coastal ports (Kołobrzeg and Gdańsk) offer sea excursions. There are also trips out of Elbląg to Frombork and Krynica Morska.

On the Masurian lakes, excursion boats run in summer between Giżycko, Mikołajki, Węgorzewo and Ruciane-Nida. Tourist boats are also available in the Augustów area where they ply part of the Augustów Canal. The most unusual canal trip is the full-day cruise along the Elbląg-Ostróda Canal.

Car & motorcycle

Car-hire agencies will require you to produce your passport, a driving licence held for at least one year, and a credit card. You need to be at least 21 or 23 years of age (depending on the company) to hire a car, although hiring some cars, particularly luxury models and 4WDs, may require a higher age.

One-way hire within Poland is possible with most companies (usually for an additional fee), but most will insist on keeping the car within Poland. No company is likely to allow you to take its car beyond the eastern border.

High insurance premiums mean that car hire in Poland is not cheap, and there are seldom any promotional discounts. As a rough guide only, economy models offered by reputable local companies can be as low as 120/800zł per day/week (including insurance and unlimited mileage). Rates at the big international agencies start at around 225/1000zł per day/week. It’s usually cheaper to book your car from abroad or over the internet.

Bring along a good insurance policy from a reliable company for both the car and your possessions. Car theft is a major problem in Poland, with organised gangs operating in the large cities. Some of them cooperate with Russians in smuggling stolen vehicles across the eastern border, never to be seen again.

Even if the car itself doesn’t get stolen, you may lose some of its accessories, most likely the radio/cassette/CD player, as well as any personal belongings you’ve left inside. Hide your gear, if you must leave it inside; try to make the car look empty. If possible, park your car in a guarded parking strzeżony (car park). If your hotel doesn’t have its own, the staff will tell you where the nearest one is, probably within walking distance.

In the cities, it may be more convenient and safer to leave your vehicle in a secure place (eg your hotel car park), and get around by taxi or public transport.

Train

Trains will be your main means of transport, especially when travelling long distances – they are good value and usually run on time. Outside peak holiday periods in July and August, it should be no problem finding a seat.

The railways are administered by the Polskie Koleje Państwowe. With over 27, 000km of lines, the railway network is extensive and covers most places you might wish to go to. Predictably, the network covers less of the mountainous parts of southern Poland, and trains are slower there.

There are three main types of train: express, fast and ordinary. The pociąg ekspresowy or ekspres (express train) is the fastest and the most comfortable, operating on long intercity routes and only stopping at major cities en route. They carry only bookable seats; you can’t travel standing if all the seats are sold out. Express trains tend to run during the daytime, rather than overnight. Their average speed is from 80km/h to 100km/h.

A more luxurious version of the express train, InterCity trains are even faster and more comfortable than regular express trains, and a light snack is included in the price (EuroCity trains are international InterCity trains). These trains run on some major routes out of Warsaw (a full list can be found on www.intercity.pl) and they don’t stop en route at all. The main destinations (along with distances and approximate travelling times) include Gdańsk (4½ hours, 333km); Katowice (two hours and 50 minutes, 303km); Kraków (three hours, 297km); Poznań (three hours and 50 minutes, 311km); and Szczecin (five hours and 30 minutes, 525km).

Pociąg pospieszny (fast trains) stop at more intermediate stations. Usually not all carriages require booking; some will take passengers regardless of how crowded they are. At an average speed of between 60km/h and 80km/h, they are still a convenient way to get around the country and are one-third cheaper than express trains. They often travel at night, and if the distance justifies it they carry kuszetki (couchettes) or miejsca sypialne (sleepers) – a good way to avoid hotel costs and reach your destination early in the morning. Book as soon as you decide to go, as there are usually only a couple of sleeping cars and beds may sell out fast.

The pociąg osobowy (ordinary or local train) is far slower as it stops at all stations along the way. These trains mostly cover shorter distances, but they also run on longer routes. You can assume that their average speed will be between 30km/h and 40km/h. They are less comfortable than express or fast trains and don’t require reservations. They are OK for short distances, but a longer journey can be tiring.

Almost all trains have two classes of carriage: 2nd class and 1st class. The carriages of long-distance trains are usually divided into compartments: the 1st-class compartments have six seats, while the 2nd-class ones contain eight seats. Smoking is only allowed in designated compartments, but in practice some people still smoke in corridors and outside toilets; smoking is banned on InterCity trains. Chain smoking is not uncommon in Poland and a journey in a designated smoking compartment can be almost unbearable. It’s better to book a seat in a nonsmoking compartment and go into the smoking corridor if you wish to smoke.

The 2nd-class couchette compartments have six beds, with three to a side; the 1st-class compartments have four beds, two to a side. Sleepers come in both 2nd and 1st class; the former sleep three to a compartment, the latter only two, and both have a washbasin, sheets and blankets.

Air

LOT operates a comprehensive network of domestic routes. There are daily flights between Warsaw and Bydgoszcz, Gdańsk, Katowice, Kraków, Łódź, Poznań, Rzeszów, Szczecin, Wrocław and Zielona Góra. All flights between regional cities travel via Warsaw and connections aren’t always convenient.

The regular one-way fare on any of the direct flights to/from Warsaw starts at 116zł and can reach up to 500zł. Tickets can be booked and bought at any LOT or Orbis office, and from some other travel agencies.

Most airports are a manageable distance – between 10km and 20km – from city centres and are linked to them by public transport. Only Szczecin and Katowice airports are further out. You must check in at least 30 minutes before departure. Have your passport at hand – you’ll be asked to show it as ID. There’s no departure tax on domestic flights.

Bicycle

Poland has great potential as a place to tour by bicycle – most of the country is fairly flat and you can throw your bike on a train to cover long distances quickly. Camping equipment isn’t essential, as hotels and hostels are usually no more than an easy day’s ride apart, although carrying your own camping gear will give you more flexibility.

Major roads carry pretty heavy traffic and are best avoided. Instead, you can easily plan your route along minor roads, which are usually much less crowded and in reasonable shape. Stock up on detailed tourist maps, which feature all minor roads, specifying which are sealed and which are not, and which also show marked walking trails. Some of these trails are easily travelled by bike, giving you still more options.

On a less optimistic note, the standard of driving in Poland may not be what you’re used to at home. Some drivers hug the side of the road, thus giving cars and trucks more room to overtake, but pass perilously close to cyclists. Note that in Poland cyclists are not allowed to ride two abreast.

Cities are often not the most pleasant places to cycle either; dedicated cycle paths are few and far between, some drivers don’t give a damn about two-wheeled travellers, city roads are often in poor shape, and cobbled streets are not uncommon. More than likely (simply for safety’s sake) you’ll end up sharing the footpath with pedestrians and local cyclists.

Hotel staff will usually let you put your bike indoors for the night, sometimes in your room. Bikes, especially those in good condition, are attractive to thieves, so it’s a good idea to carry a solid lock and chain (for the frame and both wheels), and always use them when you leave the bike outdoors, even if only for a moment.

Some long-distance trains have a baggage car where you can store your bicycle. If this is the case, you should normally take your bike to the railway luggage office, fill out a tag and pay a small fee. They will then load the bike and drop it off at your destination. It’s a good idea to strip the bike of anything easily removable and keep an eye out to be sure it has actually been loaded on the train. You can also take your bike straight to the baggage car (which is usually at the front or the rear of the train), but this can be difficult at intermediate stations where the train may only stop for a few minutes.

Bikes are not allowed on express trains or on those that take reservations, since these trains don’t have baggage cars. Many ordinary trains don’t have baggage cars either, but you can try to take the bike into the passenger car with you as some Poles do. Check at the baggage window in the station before you do so. Buses don’t normally take bikes.

Cycling shops and repair centres are popping up in large cities, and in some of the major tourist resorts. Western bikes for sale are on the increase, as are some popular spare parts. For rural riding, you should carry all essential spare parts, for it’s unlikely there’ll be a bike shop close at hand. In particular, spare nuts and bolts should be carried.

Bike-hire outlets are growing in number, but they still aren’t numerous. They seldom offer anything other than ordinary Polish bikes, the condition of which may leave a little to be desired.