Poland

Overrun countless times by marauding aggressors, subjugated to overbearing foreign rule for centuries, and now told their beloved vodka can be made from anything, the Polish nation has endured a lot. Yet Poland is shaking off the last vestiges of forced slumber to warmly welcome the 21st century.

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The Polish winter is reasonably harsh, particularly towards the east of the country, with January days in most places around 0°C (32°F) and a bit lower at night. Summers are mildly warm, with average July highs of 24°C (75°F) for most of the country, although it can be wet. Poland's Baltic coast trades in milder winters for cooler summers.

Transport

Getting around

LOT (www.lot.com) 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. Currently there is no domestic competition, but this may change if DirectFly (www.directfly.pl) resumes operations in the future.

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. 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. Be warned that the standard of driving in Poland may not be what you're used to at home; nor are cyclists allowed to ride two abreast.

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.

Poland has a long coastline and lots of rivers and canals, but passenger-boat services are limited and operate only in summer.

Poland has a comprehensive bus network (far greater than the rail network) covering most villages accessible by road. They are often more convenient than trains over a short distance. Ticket prices and service frequency varies greatly, so shop around.

Most of Poland's bus transport is operated by the former state bus company, PKS (Państwowa Komunikacja Samochodowa), although deregulation of the country's bus system has made room for a plethora of private operators.

In most cities you can travel on the autobus (bus) and tramwaj (tram), and some also have a trolejbus (trolleybus). Warsaw is the only city with a metro.

Getting there and away

There are direct flights to Warsaw from major European destinations, and Ryanair flies from London Stansted to eight regional Polish cities (Rzeszow, Krakow, Lodz, Wroclaw, Poznan, Gdansk, Bydgoszcz and Szczecin). Flights to Warsaw also depart from US cities such as New York and Chicago, which have large Polish communities. There is no departure tax. Train and bus fares from some European destinations can be as expensive as discounted air fares, unless you have some kind of transport pass. Road connections with Poland are good and getting better, but there are still border delays, especially when crossing from other Eastern European countries. There are sea connections from Denmark and Sweden to Gdańsk, Gdynia and Świnoujście. All services have car-freighting facilities.

Health & Legal Requirements

Dangers and annoyances

Poland is a relatively safe country to travel in, but it does have its fair share of crime. Always keep your eyes open and let common sense prevail. Problems mostly occur in big cities, with Warsaw being perhaps the least safe place in Poland. Take care when walking alone at night, particularly in the suburb of Praga, and be alert at Warszawa Centralna (Warsaw Central) train station, the favourite playground for thieves and pickpockets. Other large cities appear to be quieter, but keep your wits about you. By and large, the smaller the town, the safer it is.

Heavy drinking is a way of life in Poland and drunks may at times be disturbing. Poles smoke a lot and so far there has been little serious antitobacco campaigning. Polish cigarettes are of low quality and the smoke they produce is barely tolerable for anyone not used to them, let alone a nonsmoker.

Visas overview

Citizens of EU countries do not need visas to visit Poland and can stay indefinitely. Citizens of the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Israel and Japan can stay in Poland for up to 90 days without a visa.

Other nationals should check current visa requirements with the Polish embassy or consulate in their home country, or on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (www.mfa.gov.pl) website.