Poland is in the European Union and the Schengen area but not the euro zone. It is easy and inexpensive to travel in, and the infrastructure has improved beyond recognition over the past two decades.
Entry
EU citizens enter with an identity card. Many non-EU nationals have visa-free access for up to 90 days, and once the ETIAS system is in force a prior online authorisation will be required. Internal Schengen borders are open, though checks are occasionally reinstated.
Trains
PKP Intercity runs the long-distance services, and its EIC and EIP categories, including Pendolino, reach 200 km/h between Warsaw and Kraków, Katowice, Gdańsk and Wrocław. Warsaw to Kraków takes two and a half hours, Warsaw to Gdańsk just under three. Tickets are sold in an app and prices rise as seats sell, so book early. Regional trains are run by separate operators with separate tickets.
Roads and buses
The motorway and expressway network was largely built after 2010 and most main routes now have dual carriageway. Some motorways are tolled, by barrier or through the e-TOLL app. FlixBus and domestic operators cover intercity routes more cheaply and more slowly than rail.
Money
The currency is the złoty. Poland is among the most cashless countries in Europe: contactless and the BLIK system work almost everywhere, including market stalls and taxis. Cash is useful in villages. Exchange bureaux give better rates than airports and banks. A ten percent tip in restaurants is customary but not obligatory.
Sunday trading
Since 2018 most shops close on Sundays, except for a handful of trading Sundays each year. Petrol stations, bakeries, duty pharmacies, station shops and owner-operated shops stay open. Restaurants operate normally. Do your shopping on Saturday.
Health and safety
The EHIC card covers EU citizens in the public health system. Tap water is drinkable throughout the country. Crime is low; the main risks are pickpockets in crowds and unmarked taxis at stations. There is zero tolerance for drink driving, and open fires are prohibited in forests and national parks.
Language and etiquette
English is widely spoken by people under forty and in the cities, less so in villages and among older people. Churches require covered clothing, and memorials require seriousness. Ticks in forests are a genuine problem from April to October and vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis is worth considering.