Poland Travel Tips

The unit of currency in Poland is the Polish Zloty (Zl)*. 1 Zloty = 100 groszy. Notes are in denominations of Zl 200, 100, 50, 20 and 10. The new coins are in denominations of Zl 5, 2 and 1, and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 groszy.

Poland is expected to adopt the Euro currency by 2007. However, many experts believe that a more realistic date will occur around 2010.

Credit and debit cards such as American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are accepted in larger establishments.

Foreign currency can be exchanged at all border-crossing points, hotels and bureaux de change, some of which are open 24 hours. Cash advances can also be obtained from Visa credit cards at banks.

The worst exchange rates are offered by the banks and hotels. Banks also deduct a flat-rate commission per transaction. Surprisingly, the common little kantors (private banks) you see all around (especially at railway stations), offer the best rates. Kantors charge no commission at all. They will also change all major currencies and a few minor ones (like Czech, Slovak and Hungarian notes). Be cautious about those in tourist spots, such as Warsaw Old Town, since they may overcharge.

Although travellers cheques are the safest way of carrying money, they are also the least convenient. Only main banks, Orbis offices and hotels accept them. They are not accepted by the kantors. A useful alternative is American Express, who has offices in Warsaw, and will cash most brands of travellers cheques, in addition to their own. In order to avoid extra charges, travellers cheques should be issued in British Pounds.

Banking hours are Monday-Friday 9am-4pm, Saturday 9am-1pm in main cities. In smaller towns, banking hours are more limited.

ATMs are now appearing all over Poland. In any reasonably sized town you'll find them around the main squares, in hotels, outside banks or even inside McDonald's. It is now possible to arrive in Poland with a plastic card and a PIN number and pull out zlotys from ATMs.

The import and export of local currency is prohibited. The import of foreign currency is unlimited, provided declared on arrival. The export of foreign currency is limited to the amount declared on arrival.

The export of all articles of artistic, historical or cultural value is subject to special regulations. Exportation of historical goods is forbidden by law. Individual permission may be issued by the Department of Art. All objects made before 1945 need such permission. 

The following duty free items may be imported into Poland by persons of 17 years of age and older: 250 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco; 1L of wine and 1L of spirits; goods up to the value of 70 Euro.

Avoid drinking tap water, especially in the old parts of Warsaw. Although tap water is officially classified as safe in the major cities, most people prefer to drink bottled mineral water (woda mineralna). Tap water is normally chlorinated, and while relatively safe, may cause mild abdominal upsets.

Milk is pasteurized and dairy products are safe for consumption. Local meat, poultry, seafood, fruit and vegetables are generally considered safe to eat.

Inoculations are not required for a trip to Poland. However, it is always wise to consult your doctor before travelling. Hepatitis A and B and diphtheria occur in Poland. Freshwater fish from the Baltic Sea area could contain fish tapeworm, causing diphyllobothriasis. Tick-borne encephalitis occurs in forested areas. Vaccination is advisable if you plan on doing much trekking. Campers and trekkers should wear long trousers when walking near long grass in order to avoid tick bites. Rabies is present. If you are bitten, seek medical advice immediately.

There are reciprocal health agreements with most European countries for hospital treatment and medical expenses. The agreement with the UK allows free emergency medical treatment (including hospital treatment) and some free dental treatment on presentation of an NHS card. UK citizens must, however, pay a call-out charge as well as 30% of the cost of prescribed medicines obtained at a public pharmacy. However, these arrangements do not cover everything, and it is advisable for everyone to have adequate private health insurance.

Simple health complaints can normally be dealt with at a regular pharmacy (apteka), where basic medicines are dispensed by qualified pharmacists. In the cities, many of the staff will speak some English or German. Even in places where the staff speak only Polish, it should be easy enough to obtain repeat prescriptions, if you bring along the empty container or remaining pills. In every town there's always at least one apteka open 24 hours; addresses are printed in local newspapers and guides.

For more serious problems, or anything the pharmacist can't work out, you'll be directed to a public hospital (szpital), where conditions will probably be cramped, with more patients than beds, a lack of resources and occasionally unsanitary conditions.

In the larger cities you can opt for private health care. Kraków and Warsaw now have a large Western expatriate population, with health centres run on Western standards. In a crisis, it may even be best to ring the 24-hour emergency service of one of these clinics rather than an ambulance in order to talk to someone in English. Check the local press for contact details.

The official language of Poland is Polish. English, German and Russian are also commonly spoken, especially in larger cities. Visit this website for Polish Translation Services.

Walking around is generally safe in city centres. Every modern city has pickpockets, so use common sense, especially in public transport or train station areas. Keep an eye on your belongings when travelling on a bus or train.

Don't display any bags, valuables or your car radio if you leave your car parked in the streets. Use guarded parking lots whenever possible.

Avoid the Praga District of Warsaw; especially at night.

Walking around alone in residential Communist-era block neighbourhoods is also not recommended, as they are frequented by bored teenagers and hoodlums.

It is illegal to drink alcoholic beverages in public, though it's often done by the locals.

Ambulance: 999
Emergency: 911
Emergency (dialling from mobile phone): 112
Fire: 998
Police: 997
Road Assistance: 981

In most cases, Value Added Tax (VAT) is 22%. There are reduced rates of 7% and 3% for certain products and services. Some products and services that are exempt from VAT are health services, milk products, postage stamps, insurance and banking services, educational, art and science services.

Tipping 10-15% is customary in restaurants and cafes. Tipping in self-service restaurants is not expected. Tips for porter’s services in hotels and train stations are customary but amounts are at the traveller’s discretion.

All numbers in Poland are 10 digits long and start from 0. Still many numbers are written in old way e.g.; only the last 7 digits are listed. In that case you need to add 0 and area code for the area that number is in. Cell phones are sometimes referred by 9 digits. Prefix them with 0.

When calling from abroad, dial your country international access code, Polish country code 48 and the number without the leading 0.

WLAN (hot spots) are available in limited areas. The most common WLAN areas are in airports, some business centres, some shopping malls, and sometimes in old town market squares. All three GSM operators and many independent providers have their WLAN services. Sometimes free, otherwise not very expensive.

There are internet cafés throughout most cities.

All travellers need a passport valid for at least six months beyond the date of arrival in Poland.

Regular visas are issued for travellers going to Poland for tourism and business purposes. Regular visas allow for one or multiple entries into Poland and a maximum stay of up to 90 days. Visas are issued for defined dates. When applying for a visa, you must indicate the exact dates of arrival and departure.

Citizens of the UK can spend up to six months in Poland without a visa. Citizens of other EU countries, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, the USA, and other countries may stay for up to 90 days without a visa.

Nationals of many other countries, including China, do require a visa, which should be obtained prior to arriving in Poland.

Schengen uniform visa does not give the right to enter Poland, with exception for transit.

Always check with your nearest Polish Embassy or on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website (http://www.mfa.gov.pl) for updates as visa criteria can always change.

To qualify for a visa, you must have a passport, valid for at least nine months beyond the date of your application. Allow two to three weeks for delivery by post, two to three days if you apply in person at a Polish consulate or embassy.