While Poland is increasingly becoming less discernible from other western European countries (in a good way), there are still certain local traditions and laws which the foreign visitor should be aware of. This is In Your Pocket's run-down of the helpful things everyone should know when visiting Poland.
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- Climate
- Customs
- Electricity
- Facts & Figures
- Health & Emergency
- Internet
- Law & Order
- Market Values
- Money
- National Holidays
- Post
- Religion
- Toilets
- Water
Climate
Poland has a temperate climate with hot summers and cold winters. Seasons tend to be more pronounced than in the west and temperatures can get down as low as -20 C in winter and as high as +30 C in summer. The coldest weather tends to hit around February although the last couple of winters have been fairly mild.Customs
If you are travelling within the EU those over 18 can now take 10 litres of spirits, 90 litres of wine and 110 litres of beer. Most countries will not allow more than 800 cigarettes from Poland. If purchasing art or books, you need to consider their age and value. In order to leave the country, art must be both less than 50 years old and under a certain value (varies depending by type; photos under 6,000zł, other art under 16,000zł, for example); if these conditions are met, the gallery curator can then provide you with a 'zaświadczenie' (permission document) describing the artwork's price and when and where it was created. If the work exceeds the permitted age or value, you must get permission from the 'Wojewódzki Konserwator Zabytków' (Regional Curator's Office) to take it out of Poland; bear in mind that this process will likely take 2-3 months. Books must be less than 100 years old and under 6,000zł in value in order to leave the country; if neither applies, permission must be obtained from the National Library. Obviously, problems arise when purchases are made at bazaars or flea markets where vendors cannot provide the necessary documents; if there is any doubt about the value or age of your purchase, we suggest you visit an 'Antykwariat' (antiques dealer – see shopping) for advice.Electricity
Electricity in Poland is 230V, 50Hz AC. Plug sockets are round with two round-pin sockets. Therefore if you are coming from the US, UK or Ireland you are definitely going to need a plug converter. The best place to pick these up is at home though if you do arrive without a converter try your luck with your hotel reception; they should be able to point you to an electrical store if they can't provide a converter themselves.Facts & Figures
Territory
Poland covers an area of 312,685 square kilometres and is the ninth biggest country in Europe. It borders the Baltic Sea (528km) and seven countries, namely Belarus (416km), Czech Republic (790km), Germany (467km), Lithuania (103km), the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad (210km), Slovakia (539km) and Ukraine (529km).
Longest River
The river Vistula (Wisła) is Poland's longest river at 1,047km and flows through Krakow and Warsaw before reaching the Bay of Gdańsk (Zatoka Gdańska). Poznań sits on the Warta river which reaches the Baltic via the Odra at Szczecin.
Highest Point
The highest peak is Rysy (2,499m) in the Tatra Mountains on Poland's southern border.
Population (2017)
Poland - 38,858,000
Warsaw - 1,763,615
Kraków - 766,739
Łódź - 690,422
Wrocław - 637,683
Poznań - 541,561
Gdańsk - 464,829
Katowice - 296,262
Local Time
Poland is in the Central European (CET) time zone (GMT+1hr). When it’s 12:00 in Poznań it’s 6:00 am in New York City, 11:00 in London, 12:00 in Paris and Berlin and 19:00 in Tokyo. Polish summer time (GMT+2hrs) starts and ends on the last Sundays of March and October.
Health & Emergency
In the case of an emergency, mobile phone users should dial 112 to be forwarded to the police, fire department or ER. From a landline or public phone dial the following: Ambulance: 999; Fire: 998; Police: 997.English, German and Russian speakers have separate lines specifically designed for foreigners in distress: +48 608 599 999 or +48 22 278 77 77. Both numbers can be reached from a mobile phone or a land-line and are hotlines in case you run into any troubles during your stay. The lines are active year round with later hours during the high-tourist season.
For urgent medical emergencies, a list of Emergency Rooms can be found in the Directory section of this guide. If you've woken up to find you've got a raging headache, a swollen foot you can't put weight on and vague memories of some kind of calamity, we suggest you sort it out by calling a private clinic, thus avoiding the hassle of the notoriously long queues in Polish hospitals; a list of private clinics can also be found in the Directory. Further help can be provided by embassies and consulates, a list of which can also be found in the Directory.
Internet
Internet access is typically free and widely available in Poland, with practically every café and restaurant offering wi-fi to customers with laptops and smartphones. Getting on the network often requires nothing more than a password, which you can request of your favorite bartender or barista with a simple, “Poproszę o hasło do internetu.” If you are in the area of Stary Rynek, Pl. Kolegiacki and Pl. Wolności keep an eye out for Poznań Internet Free. You don't need a password, just enter your name and accept the rules and off you go. If you don't have your own gadgets we offer a few internet cafe options below.Law & Order
Poznań is safer than most West European cities, and visitors are unlikely to face any problems if they simply employ common sense. Petty crime does exist, and travellers should be on guard against pickpockets; if you’re in a bar or restaurant keep your wallet inside your trouser pocket, not inside a jacket casually left lying around. Those travelling by car are advised to use a guarded car park. Avoid being ripped off by using clearly marked cabs, something to bear in mind around the train station and airport. The vagrants and pondlife who gather around the train station are by in large harmless and easily ignored.Staying on the right side of the law is significantly easier for tourists who accept that Polish beer and vodka are rocket fuel and drink accordingly. If you’re determined to make an idiot of yourself then make sure it’s not in front of the law. In recent years visitors ranging from folks in Chewbacca costumes to complete fools who’ve thought it’s perfectly acceptable to drop trousers and urinate in a city centre fountain have tested the patience of the local law enforcement. Their tolerance threshold is now decidedly low so don’t push your luck. Those who do may well be treated to a trip to Poznań’s premier drunk tank (ul. Podolańska 46), where you can expect a strip search, a set of blue pyjamas and the overnight company of a dozen mumbling vagrants - not to mention a hefty fine (credit cards not accepted, of course).
Other easy ways for tourists to cross cops are by riding public transport without a ticket, and, silly as it seems, by jaywalking. If you are from a country which doesn’t have or respect jaywalking laws, you'll be surprised to see crowds of people standing obediently at a crossing waiting for the lights to change. The reason for obeying this little rule is the fact that the local city police (Straż Miejska) will quite freely give you a 50-100zł fine for crossing a road at a place where no crossing is marked or a 100zł fine when the ‘walk’ light is red. And don’t think you are exempt by being a foreign visitor. You too are subject to the law and your non-residency means you will be forced to pay the fine on the spot.
Market Values
Prices in Poland are still fairly competitive despite increases over the last couple of years particularly in the prices of cigarettes. Here are some typical everyday products and prices.
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Market values as of June 18, 2019 based on €1 = 4.26zł |
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| Product | Price (zł) | Price (€) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| McDonald's Big Mac | 10.80zł | € 2.54 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Snickers | 1.89zł | € 0.44 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 0.5ltr vodka (shop) | 25.99zł | € 6.10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 0.5ltr beer (shop) | 2.89zł | € 0.68 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 0.5ltr beer (bar) | 10.00zł | € 2.35 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Loaf of white bread | 2.69zł | € 0.63 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pack of Marlboros | 16.00zł | € 3.76 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1ltr of unleaded petrol (98) | 5.53zł | € 1.30 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Local transport ticket (1 journey) | 4.60zł | € 1.08 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Money
Currency can be exchanged at airports, hotels, banks and anywhere with a sign proclaiming 'Kantor'. Kantors will often provide better value than the banks in your home country or the ATM, though for obvious reasons be very wary of Kantors in the airports, bus stations and close to tourist sites. Shopping around will reward you with the best rate. For a list of Kantors in Poznań that won't rip you off, see Directory.Since EU ascension, prices in Poland have been on the rise, making the country less of a bargain than it was ten years ago. Having said that, however, prices for food, drink, cultural venues and transport still remain comparably cheap in contrast to Western Europe. A ticket to the cinema typically costs 15-30zł while admission to most museums costs around 5-15zł.
Thinking of paying for your tram ticket with one of the 100zł notes in your pocket, though? Think again. Small shops, newsagents, public toilets, and even the occasional restaurant or bar, will often refuse to break a large note for you. As annoying as coins can be, they are essential if you intend to pay in cash, so hang on to your change - you'll need it.
Although well behind in terms of service and properly stocking the register before opening for business, Poland is ahead of the curve when it comes to cashless transactions. Credit or debit can be used just about anywhere (except for obwarzanki vendors and outdoor markets). Those making purchases with a credit card whose base currency isn’t Polish złoty, should beware however (and unless you’re Polish, this probably means you). If you are asked by a merchant, wait staff or on the card reader itself whether you want to be charged in your home currency or PLN, always choose złoty. Why? Because the companies that process credit card transactions typically tack on fees for converting the money, and then do so at a lousy exchange rate. Depending on the size and number of your purchases while in Poland, the cost can really add up. Visitors should be vigilant and monitor receipts when paying with a credit card - should you be charged in your card's original currency, don't be afraid to insist on having your purchase refunded and charged again in złoty.
National Holidays
With a full calendar of religious holidays, seasonal traditions and name days, it seems there's always something being celebrated here in Poland. Not to be confused with unofficial holidays like Women's Day (March 8th), national holidays that are still regular work days like the Day of Pope John Paul II (October 16th), or the rash of spontaneously decreed days of national mourning that occur each year, below we list Poland's annual non-working public holidays:
January 1, 2019 New Year's Day
January 6, 2019 Three Kings
April 1, 2019 Easter Sunday
April 2, 2019 Easter Monday
May 1, 2019 Labour Day
May 3, 2019 Constitution Day (May 3, 1791)
May 20, 2019 Pentecost Sunday
May 31, 2019 Corpus Christi
August 15, 2019 Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, also Polish Army Day
November 1, 2019 All Saints' Day
November 11, 2019 Independence Day (Nov 11, 1918)
December 25, 2019 First Day of Christmas
December 26, 2019 Second Day of Christmas
- All Saints' Day
- Christmas
- Corpus Christi
- Easter
- Independence Day
- May Days
- Polish Army Day
- Three Kings
