Poland

Understand

Poland is located at the very centre of Europe with an area of 322,575 km². Poland's western regions, including large parts of Lower Silesia, Lubuskie and Zachodniopomorskie, were parts of neighbouring Germany at different periods of time. The natural border of mountain ridges separating Poland from its southern neighbours, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, did not stop the cultural influence (and periodic warring). In the Middle Ages, Poland was part of a powerful Commonwealth with Lithuania that governed much of today's Belarus and Ukraine. The cultural evidence of it can be found closer to the present-day borders. Lastly, the entire eastern half of Poland used to be controlled by the Russian Empire, and there was a strong Soviet influence during the communist era, leaving behind many traces in both culture and built heritage. Poland has a very homogeneous society in terms of ethnicity, language and religion. The historical Republics of Poland, whose boundaries were very different from those of today, were very multi-cultural, and, for a period, Poland was known as Europe's most religiously tolerant. Poland held Europe's largest Jewish population, which was all but wiped out by the Holocaust of World War II. After the war the survivors were persecuted by the anti-Semitic communist government into leaving the country. Despite losing a third of its population during World War II, including a disproportionally large part of its elites, and suffering many economic setbacks as a Soviet satellite state afterwards, Poland in many ways flourished culturally in the 20th century. Paving the way for its fellow Eastern bloc states, Poland had a painful transition to democracy and capitalism in the late 1980s and 1990s. In the 21st century, Poland joined the European Union and has

Getting there

Entry requirements Poland is a member of the Schengen Agreement. See Travelling around the Schengen Area for more information on how the scheme works, what countries are members and what the requirements are for your nationality. In summary:

There are normally no immigration controls between countries that have signed and implemented the treaty; there may be such controls temporarily, such as in connection with important events and various crises. The operators may carry out identity checks before passengers board international flights, ferries or trains, even between Schengen countries. Citizens of the EEA countries and Switzerland do not need visas to travel in the Schengen area, and may stay up to 90 days with no requirements other than having a valid ID card or passport. See European Union#EEA citizens. Normal visas granted by any Schengen member are valid in all countries that have signed and implemented the treaty (with exceptions for some overseas territories). The granting country may offer additional rights (such as longer stays or right to work) that apply only locally. In addition to the ordinary Schengen visa waiver, citizens of South Korea, the United States, and Israel are permitted to spend up to 90 days in Poland without a visa, regardless of time spent elsewhere in the Schengen Area. Time spent in Poland, however, does count against the time that would be granted by another Schengen country. Regular visas are issued for travellers going to Poland for tourism and business purposes. Regular visas allow for one or multiple entries into Polish territory and a stay in Poland for up to 90 days. They are issued for a definite period of stay. When applying for a visa, please indicate the number of days you plan to spend in Poland and the date of your intende

Getting around

Polish road infrastructure is extensive but generally poorly maintained, and high speed motorways in place are insufficient. However, public transport is quite plentiful and inexpensive: buses and trams in cities, and charter buses and trains for long-distance travel.

By plane LOT Polish Airlines offers domestic flights between Warsaw Chopin Airport and the airports of Kraków, Katowice, Wrocław, Poznań, Szczecin, Gdańsk, Olsztyn (only in summer season), Zielona Góra, Rzeszów and on the route between Kraków and Gdańsk. The best prices are available in booking 60 days in advance. Prices are 60-130 zł. Ryanair offers daily flights from Warsaw Chopin to Gdańsk, Wrocław and Szczecin and on route between Kraków and Gdańsk. Prices start from 9 zł. Connections from Radom to Wrocław and Gdańsk are operated by Sprint Air. There are no domestic flights to or from Warsaw Modlin, Łódź, Bydgoszcz and Lublin airports. Every Wednesday, LOT holds a 24 hours ticket sale for return flights originating at Warsaw airport and often some other Polish airports, also including some domestic connections. The discounted flights offered are usually a few months away from the date of sale, and the number of tickets and available dates is restricted, but if you are planning ahead on visiting Poland or other European countries, you may find this offer attractive.

By train

Inter-city routes are operated by PKP (Polskie Koleje Państwowe). Local routes are operated by Polregio, the brand name of Przewozy Regionalne, hived off from PKP in 2008. There are also several regional rail operators run exclusively by the voivodeships providing regional travel (like Koleje Maz