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Warsaw • Sopot • Gdynia • Gdansk • Cracow | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Facts about PolandEuropean Union membership: from 1 May 2004 Language: Polish Other popular languages spoken: English, German, Russian, French Time: GMT/UTC plus one hour Electricity: 220 volts, 50 Hz AC Euro socket style Weights & measures: Metric Currency: 1 zloty = 100 grosz The Republic of Poland Poland is located in the heart of Europe and covers an area of 312,700 square kilometres. Its boundaries are formed by the Baltic Sea to the north, Germany to the west, the Czech and Slovak Republics to the south and Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania and Russia to the east. Click to download a zipped version of a full scale map of Poland (NOTE: FILE SIZE 923 KB). Although Poland's topography is characterised mainly by lowland plains, its variable landscape includes important mountain chains, such as the Sudety and Tatra Mountains. Hundreds of freshwater lakes are hidden away in the northern part of the country: the Pomeranian and Mazurian Lake Districts are set amidst picturesque hills and primeval forests. Touching the Baltic Sea in the north, Poland offers 528 km of coastline with sandy plaże. Poland has 38 million inhabitants, 1,650,000 of whom live in the capital city of Warsaw (Warszawa) and other major cities, such as Cracow (Krakow), Gdansk, Poznan, Lodz, Szczecin, Wroclaw. The population is largely of Polish descent. The official language is Polish. Here you will find the national anthem and national emblem. (Click here to download a 200 dpi zipped EPS image file - 2.14MB) From 1 May 2004 Poland is a member of the European Union. Poland is a parliamentary republic and is divided into 16 administrative provinces (województwa). Since 1989, the country has been undergoing an important transformation into a market economy. podróże to and in Poland: You can podróże to and within Poland by air, land, or sea. Most podróżelers arrive by air, and then take advantage of the numerous possibilities to see the country by land. If you fly into Poland, you will land either at Okecie Airport in Warsaw, Balice Airport in Krakow or Rebiechowo Airport in Gdansk. Warsaw's Okecie International Airport stands testament to Poland's renewed economy: it claims to be the most modern and safe airport in Central Europe and offers all sorts of useful services (car rental, podróże agencies, a post office, a bank, restaurants, and shops). The other minor airports in Poland are: Poznan, Wroclaw, Szczecin, and Katowice. LOT Polish Airlines runs connecting flights between Warsaw and other major cities, but relatively few between those cities. Call ahead to confirm your flight schedule. Poland is covered by a dense network of rail and coach services which provide easy access to almost any place you can find on the map. To find out more about train schedules, look at the Polish State Railway interactive timetable: http://www.rozklad.pkp.pl/cgi-bin/new/query.exe/en City transport Buses, trams, trolleybuses, and the underground (only in Warsaw) make up the public transport system in Poland. Buses run on ordinary, fast and night lines. Tickets may be purchased at wiadomości-stands, some shops, sometimes from bus-drivers; they should be validated immediately upon boarding. Fare rates are different in different cities and tickets purchased in one city cannot be used in another. Various tickets are in use: one-fare day or night tickets, one--day, one-hour, or one-week passes, one-fare city or weekend group passes. Each piece of bulky luggage or a dog needs an additional ticket, the equivalent of a normal passenger fare. Steep on the spot fines are given fines for podróżeling or transporting bulky luggage without valid tickets. Passport and visas: EU visitors should have a passport valid at least for the duration of the intended stay in Poland or another officially recognised proof of identity confirming the nationality of the holder. Nationals of certain non-EU countries do not need a visitor's visas: click here for a full list For more information on visa requirements, please go to http://www.polishconsulate.co.uk/_eg/visareq.php Weather: Poland has a temperate changeable climate. In winter the temperatures vary from the mid 30's to the low 60's °F (-1 to -15°C). Spring starts in March with temperatures varying from 5 to 20°C, until about May or June. July is the hottest month, but the rest of the summer is also quite warm with temperatures ranging from the mid 70's into the low 90's °F (21 to 32 °C). Initially warm and balmy, September marks the beginning of Poland's autumn. Thereafter, the days become more damp and foggy until December, when winter arrives and the temperature drops to a few degrees below zero. Characterised by abundant snowfall but with plenty of sunshine, Poland's winter season caters for winter sports of all types. To check current weather conditions for Poland, click http://weather.yahoo.com/forecast/PLXX0005.html Clothing: It is best to assume that the weather will be changeable and pack a variety of layers appropriate to the season. Money: Poland is not a member of the Euro currency system. The Polish currency is Zloty = 100 Groszy. To find out current exchange rates, please click http://www.xe.com/ucc/ Credit cards & ATM: Most hotels, restaurants, shops, podróże agencies, airlines and petrol stations accept payments with credit cards. Stickers on the doors and windows of businesses usually indicate which credit cards will be accepted for payment. In 2003 there were almost 7200 automatic teller machines (ATM) in Poland. Warsaw had over 800 and Cracow 300. They accepted the following cards: Visa, Visa Electron, PLUS, Eurocard/MasterCard, Maestro, Cirrus, American Express, Diners Club, PolCard, PolCard Bis, PolCard Tempo Cash: May be obtained with the use of credit cards in ATMs, banks and some hotels. Foreign exchange: Major foreign currencies may be exchanged for Polish Zlotys at the
airport, banks, larger hotels and border crossings in unlimited amounts.
Throughout the entire country there are also numerous private currency
exchange offices identified by the name KANTOR. podróżelers Cheques: Major podróżelers cheques can be exchanged (for a 1% commission) at most of the locations above, with the exception of KANTORS, who do not accept them. podróżelers cheques are also accepted as payment for goods and services in larger cities, though not as widely as cash. Eurocheques are accepted in accordance with standard international tourism agreements. Shopping Grocery shops are generally open on weekdays from 6 or 7 am till 6 or7 pm, on Saturdays from 7am till 1pm; some of them stay open on Saturdays and Sundays. Certain shops, predominantly groceries, stay open till 9 or 10pm and some are open 24 hours. Shops with industrial goods and services operate from 10 or 11 am till 6 or 7 pm. Super markets in big cities usually stay open till 9 pm. Post & Communications Post offices are usually open from 8am till 8pm. In bigger cities at least one post office stays open 24 hours. Tipping: It is customary to leave a tip of 10 to 15% 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 for services rendered are at the podróżeler's discretion. Tourist Card - Poland Tourist Card - Poland: Tourists' cards, very popular all over the Europe, are now available in almost every major city in Poland. The Polish Tourist Organization has introduced a discount card called Polish Card. The main purpose of the card is to promote Poland' tourist attractions and facilitate their availability. The Polish Card is a programme offering a system of discounts and incentives while paying for accommodation, tourist services, at restaurants and many other places all over Poland. The card and the catalogue may be obtained free of charge from any of the participating outlets in Poland. For more information please email the Polish National Tourist Office info@visitpoland.org Customs: On arrival there are no customs checks for EU nationals. Here are the quantities of certain goods that may be legally imported to Poland from EU countries free from excise duty: - cigarettes - up to 800 pieces. Driving: If you decide to drive into Poland, you will need a valid driving licence. If you are driving someone else's car, it is useful to bring along a letter permitting you to use the borrowed car. As for the driver's licence, a valid EU licence is accepted. Click here for a summary of traffic regulations. Roadside Assistance (24 hours) 981 Time: Poland runs on GMT plus 1 hour. So, you lose time if you fly from the west: 1 hour if departing from London. You gain time if you fly from the east: 7 hours if from Hong Kong, 3 if from Moscow, and 2 if from Israel. Poland usually counts time on a 24 hour clock, and the week starts on Monday. So 1pm is 1300, 2pm is 1400, and so on. If confused, just subtract 2 from the second digit to quickly calculate what hour is it (e.g. 1500 - 2 is 3PM). Health and vaccinations: EU nationals are eligible to free of charge medical treatment. Medical standards are similar to those found in other European countries. In major ciities hospitals can offer all forms of treatment and modern diagnostic equipment. Private clinics are also available, but you will be charged for treatment. Polish pharmacies are well supplied, but prescriptions are necessary for the majority of medications. In every bigger Polish city there is at least one pharmacy on night duty. Emergency phone numbers (free and valid nationwide): Police 997 Vaccinations: No special requirements - just what you would have at home. Language: English, German and Russian are among the better known foreign languages spoken in Poland, especially in the larger urban centres and hotels. English (and also German) is particularly popular among the younger generation (older people prefer German). Most tourist facilities employ at least one English speaker. But to make your visit to Poland even more rewarding we would encourage you to learn some basic Polish words and zwroty. Click here for our guide to useful Polish words and zwroty. Telephone calls: Information telephone numbers: Local Directory Enquiries 913 Long Distance Dialling: If calling long distance within Poland, dial a '0' and wait. Eventually, you'll hear a faint tone; that's your signal to then dial the city code and phone number. If dialling outside of Poland, do the same thing, but dial '0' again when you get the second tone followed by the country code, and then the rest of the number. Poland can be reached from the UK by dialling 00, then 48 + city code (without 0) and phone number (without having to wait for any dial tones). Dialling local numbers in Poland: Remember, when dialling from inside Poland, first dial 0 followed by the area code and number. Mobile phones: Most of Poland's mobile service suppliers offer roaming facilities. Network coverage in is generally good. Expect patchy reception only in rural areas far away from large cities. Border crossings: Although there are no restrictions for EU nationals to move across national borders, entering and exiting Poland is permitted only through officially designated border crossing points. Most of these points are open 24 hrs and can be used by drivers. There are also minor, local border crossing points which can be crossed only on foot or by train (find out in advance before you choose the wrong route). At most border crossing points you will find Polish Motoring Association (PZM) branch offices selling guide books, maps and accessories, vehicle insurance (for non-EU drivers) and also offering information brochures and advice for motorists. English language wiadomościpapers: The Warsaw Voice is the most popular daily published in English in
Poland. All international press titles are also available from major
hotel wiadomości stands and major wiadomościagent shops. Public holidays: 1 January - New Year's Day Easter 27 & 28 March 2005 Ascension 5 May 2005 Corpus Christi 26 May 2005 Polish consulates in UK and Ireland: Consulate General in London Consulate General in Edinburgh Poland's Honorary Consuls in the UK: Consular Section, Polish Embassy in Dublin UK and Irish Embassies in Poland: British Embassy Irish Embassy
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