Your essential guide to Poland

Getting to Poland

The best and most recommended way of traveling to Poland is by air. Especially recent years have been significant for air travel in Poland, which coincided with Poland joining the European Union in May 2004. During last year the number of passangers travelling to and from Poland have risen sharply by 60% and is predicted to continue. All this was possible to happen as more an more cheap flights connections have been established between Poland and other European countries, especially the United Kingdom.

The main Polish airline carrier is LOT Polish Airlines. They have recently responded to the competition from cheap airlines by introducing its 'cheap flight' division called Centralwings. Except for many traditional airlines operating to Poland from Europe like Lufthansa, KLM, Czech Airlines, there is a huge number of connections offered by low cost airlines. Easyjet operates flights from the United Kingdom, Ryanair from the UK and Ireland, Centralwings, Sky Europe and Wizzair add to the total number of cheap flights from Europe to Poland. They fly to a number of destinations in Poland, not only Warsaw but also Krakow, Gdansk, Wroclaw, Katowice, Poznan and more.

Overseas visitors from outside Europe have to use traditional airlines and usually travel to Poland through one of major European hubs, be it London or Frankfurt. Then swap planes and travel to the final destination in Poland.

The main places to look for convenient connections are airlines websites which you can access by clicking on blue, underlined links above, or travel portals like Expedia or Travelocity. As for cheap airlines try SkyScanner. They are not perfect just now, as should update more often, but still the best for cheap airlines.

You can also travel to Poland by rail or car, but it is unlikely you will as its neither economical or time saving method of travel. There are, however, a few things to remember. First of all, Poland is left-hand driving country, the speed limit in towns is 50 kph, 100 kph outside towns and 130 kph on motorways. Be aware that when speeding you can be suddenly stopped by the Police hidden on the side of the road. As there virtually are no speeding cameras, this is the common way Police punish speeding drivers.

When travelling by train, you are highly advised to use express service offered by PKP Inter City. These are high-standard, fast and reliable trains, air-conditioned and comfortable. This is the only decent form of rail travel in Poland. They are the most expensive of rail services but highly recommended for foreign travellers. If you happen to use normal service, or faster than normal pospieszny train, be prepared for inconvenience. And final word of warning - under no circumstances use nigh trains, unless you want to spend the entire night awakened on high alert or get robbed. These is the shadow side of Polish train service, no one has been capable to solve by now.

Entering Poland

The citizens of European Union countries are free to enter Poland provided that they have a valid passport or national identity card. The citizens of the following countries are free to enter Poland provided that they have valid passport, and they do not require any visa for stay up to 90 days: USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, Argentina, Andorra, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Honduras, Iceland, Israel, Republic of Korea, Liechtenstein, Macau, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Romania, San Marino, Singapore, Switzerland, Uruguay, Vatican City and Venezuela.

Should you wish to prolong your stay in Poland, apply for residence or require a visa to enter, please contact your local Polish embassy or consulate.

Polish Politics

Since parliamentary elections in Autumn 2005 in which right-wing PiS (Law and Justice) won Polish political scene is very unstable. As Law and Justice didn't win enough sits in the parliament thet were forced to form a minority government. They have tried to make a coalition with the runner-up in the elections, liberal Platforma Obywatelska (Civic Platform). After much deliberation and negotiation the Civic Platform gave up the idea of coalition with Law and Justice. Since then Law and Justice have been looking for another partner as they were unlikely to govern in long term having the minority government. As time went by, after several talks with potential coalition partners, they have signed a treaty with populistic Samoobrona (Self Defence) in April 2006. Despite this, Samo-PiS how they were soon after called, still don't have majority in the parliament. The new coalition are still looking for one more partner to achieve the majority in the Polish Parliament.

Crime in Poland

While Poland generally has a low rate of violent crime, the incidence of street crime, which sometimes involves violence, is high.  Warsaw, Krakow, and other major cities have higher rates of crime against residents and foreign visitors than other areas.  The tri-cities area of Gdynia, Sopot, and Gdansk has a high incidence of muggings -- sometimes in broad daylight -- some of which have involved aggravated assault.

Organized groups of thieves and pickpocketers operate at major tourist destinations, in train stations, and on trains, trams, and buses in major cities.  Thefts have occurred on overnight trains.  Most pick-pocketing on trains occurs during boarding; in the most common scenario, a group of well-dressed young men will surround a passenger in the narrow aisle of the train, jostling/pick-pocketing him or her as they supposedly attempt to get around the passenger.  Cell phone thefts are common.  Travelers should beware of taxi drivers who approach you at the airport or who do not display telephone numbers and a company name: these drivers usually charge exorbitant rates.  Travelers to Poland are advised to order  taxis by telephone and, at the airport, use only taxis in the designated taxi ranks.

Car thefts, theft from cars, and car-jackings are common.  Drivers should be wary of people indicating they should pull over or that something is wrong with their cars as this is often a tactic used by carjackers.  When drivers pull over to see if there is a problem, they may find themselves suddenly surrounded by thieves from a second vehicle.  Drivers who find themselves in this situation when there is no apparent problem with their vehicle  should continue driving until they find a safe spot (a crowded gas station, supermarket, or even police station) to inspect their vehicles.  There also has been an increasing incidence of thieves opening or breaking passenger-side doors and windows in slow or stopped traffic to take purses or briefcases left on the seat beside the driver.  Those traveling by car should keep windows closed and doors locked. Source: U.S. Department of State.

Religion in Poland

The main religion in Poland is Catholicism. Polish Catholic Church estimates that 98% of Poles are practising catholics, however the factual number of practising catholics is lower. Since the death of John Paul II in April 2005, who was the major authority and most influential of Poles, Polish Catholic Church has changed and lacks the moral leader.

Polish Currency

The Polish currency is zloty (PLN) . One zloty equals 100 groszy. As of end of April 2006 the exchange rate for 1 PLN is 3.08 USD, 3.87 EUR and 5.57 GBP. You can exchange foreign currency not only in virtually any bank, but also in exchange offices called kantor. Usually exchange offices offer better exchange rates than banks. Also the exchange rates differ between these offices, so that you can sometimes find a better rate around the corner. Bear in mind, that when exchanging larger sums of cash, say few thousand dollars or pounds, you can also negotiate the actual exchange rate.

Language

The main language in Poland is Polish. It is the only official language in Poland. English is the most popular of foreign languages taught in Polish schools, but it happened to be so only since Poland became fully independent and democratic country. Before that, the compulsory foreign language taught in schools was Russian. It resulted in the fact that nowadays older generations speak or understand Russian, and youg people declare knowledge of English. The other most popular foreign languages are German, French, Spanish, Italian and again popular, but for all the different reasons, Russian.

Healthcare in Poland

Medical care and facilities are available in Poland, however the service is not comparable to standards in the Western Europe. This is due to constant under-funded medical care and hospitals in Poland by Polish authorities. However, Polish doctors and nurses are exceptionally well qualified, which is in the eyes of Polish people, unlike in Western Europe. Still underpaid Polish doctors and nurses emigrate to wealthy European countries, where they can expect gratitude adequate to their knowledge. Their expertise and qualification are hihgly recognized.

Banking in Poland

There is a variety of banks in Poland. Many of them is foreign owned. It is usually pretty straightforward to open a bank account in Poland provided that you have residence there. Facilities for foreign customers are also available, but be prepared for more paperwork and beaurocracy. Moreover, you should be aware of multiple charges for different bank operations as Polish banks have recently increased charges to customers.

Utilities

Having purchased a property in Poland, you will need to register all your utilities with local offices of relevant providers and transfer them in your name. Contrary to expectations of Polish public, the utilities suppliers - gas, water and electricity - are still monopolistic. This keep prices relatively high and providers know how to show their domination over customers. This is no surprise, as there is nowhere to switch to if you happen to be dissatisfied with your current supplier. It is still very common to pay the bills at the post office on receipt of the bill, however it is possible to set up direct debits to pay for your utilities. Be sure to pay on time, as otherwise you will be charged interests from the day one of delay.

Taxes in Poland

The current rates of income tax in Poland are at 19%, 30% and 40%. This are also the rates you pay for every income gained from renting a property, net of allowable costs. If you sell the property in less than five years after purchase, you will incur 10% tax. Corporation tax rate is set at 19%. For more information on taxes, double taxation treaties and so on, you should contact Polish Ministry of Finance or relevant ministry in your country.