Know before you go
Poland
General Information
Poland is located in Central Europe bordering Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania and Russia. Its capital and largest city is Warsaw. Poland joined the European Union in 2004 and is part of Schengen. They drive on the right side of the road.
Visa
Holders of a EU passport don’t require a Visa. For holders of a different passport check out this link to see if you are required to apply for a visa or not or contact your ministery of foreign affairs.
Watch Geography Now!
The video will give you a good first overview of Poland.
Power
Poland uses Type E plug outlets. They also work with Type C and F. The voltage is 230 Volt and the frequency is 50 Hz.
Language
| Polish | English |
|---|---|
| Dzień dobry! | Hello! |
| Cześć! | Bye! |
| tak | yes |
| nie | no |
| Dziękuję! | Thank you! |
| Proszę! | You're welcome! |
| Przepraszam | Excuse me! |
| Na zdrowie! | Cheers! |
Weather Forecast
Climate
The climate is mostly temperate throughout the country. The climate is oceanic in the north and west and becomes gradually warmer and continental towards the south and east. Summers are generally warm, with average temperatures between 18 and 30 °C (64.4 and 86.0 °F) depending on the region. Winters are rather cold, with average temperatures around 3 °C (37.4 °F) in the northwest and −6 °C (21 °F) in the northeast. Precipitation falls throughout the year, although, especially in the east, winter is drier than summer.
Average Temperature in Warsaw
Average Precipitation in Warsaw
Transportation
How to get there?
The biggest airport in Poland is of course Warsaw Chopin Airport (WAW). Depending on your travel route around Poland you should also consider flying in and out of Poland using two different airports e.g. arrive at Warsaw (WAW) and leave from Krakow (KRK). Take a public bus to go to the city center for both Warsaw and Krakow. Here you will find a list of all airports in Poland.
How to get around?
Getting around Warsaw and Krakow city center is easy. Most places can be reached easily by foot. Busses and trams operate regularly and are a cheap option. If you want to be more independent and not rely on public transportation schedules check out the public rental bikes in Warsaw. You need to sign up in advance and charge your personal account with 10zl. You can then pick up bikes from any of the numerous stations throughout the city and drop them of at any other station. The first 20 minutes of each ride are even free!
How to get from town to town?
Going from one city to another (e.g. Warsaw to Krakow) you can either take a bus or the train. Busses tend to be cheaper but will take longer to take you to your destination.
Money, Money, Money
Currency
The currency of Poland is Zloty. Check out the currency converter to find out about current exchange rates.
Accommodation
Depending on where you are staying prices will vary of course. Using Airbnb, we paid an average of around 25€ per person per night for Warsaw and Krakow.
Cash
Upon entering Poland, you will have to withdraw Zloty at an ATM. Cash is king, and you will need it everywhere from restaurants to markets and public transport. So, the big question is: how much will you need? This of course depends on your spending habits. Retrospective I found I needed around 35€ per day. This includes food, transportation, activities and souvenirs.
