Polen: bra att veta före resan
Det viktigaste
- Poland refuses entry to Russian citizens on Schengen tourist visas, including visas issued by other states.
- Currency is the zloty (PLN); exchange offices ("kantor") in town give fair rates, airports do not.
- Drinking alcohol in public places is banned; police fine readily.
- Only some Poland-Belarus crossings are open; check before driving.
Inresa och visum
Poland is in the Schengen area. Non-EU visitors are registered in the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) on first entry: fingerprints and a facial photo, no passport stamps. Visa-free visitors may stay 90 days in any 180 across all Schengen states. ETIAS is not operating yet: its launch is now expected in 2027, so ignore sites selling "ETIAS" approvals.
Passets giltighet: Non-EU passports: valid at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen area and issued within the last 10 years.
Vid gränsen kan man fråga efter
- EES registration at the first Schengen border: fingerprints and face photo (children under 12 give no fingerprints). Allow extra time at passport control.
- Border guards may ask for a return ticket, accommodation proof, travel insurance and funds for your stay.
- Your 90/180 days are counted across all Schengen states together; use the EU short-stay calculator to check.
Tull
- From outside the EU: 200 cigarettes, 1 L spirits or 2 L fortified wine, 4 L wine, 16 L beer; other goods up to EUR 430 by air/sea (EUR 300 by land).
- Personal imports of meat, milk and dairy products from non-EU countries are banned (small exceptions for infant food and medical needs).
- Declare cash of EUR 10,000 or more (or equivalent) when entering or leaving the EU.
- Prescription medicines: carry the prescription; narcotic or psychotropic medicines need a Schengen certificate (Article 75) or a doctor's letter.
Kontrollerat 29 oktober 2026 · Källor: home-affairs.ec.europa.eu ↗, travel-europe.europa.eu ↗, home-affairs.ec.europa.eu ↗, home-affairs.ec.europa.eu ↗, taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu ↗, finance.ec.europa.eu ↗, gov.pl ↗
Pengar
Kort fungerar nästan överallt. Kort tas emot nästan överallt.
Betalnätverk: Visa, Mastercard
Apple Pay — fungerar · Google Pay — fungerar
Var du växlar pengar
- Pay by card or phone in PLN; accepted nearly everywhere.
- Bank ATMs (PKO BP, Pekao, Santander, ING).
- City "kantor" exchange offices; compare buy rates.
Var du inte bör växla
- Euronet ATMs (fees and conversion).
- Airport and main-station kantors.
- Paying in euros.
Bankomater: Use bank ATMs and choose PLN. Euronet machines are common in tourist areas and charge high fees.
Dricks: About 10% in restaurants for good service. Saying "dziękuję" (thank you) as you hand over money means "keep the change".
- When a card terminal or ATM offers to charge you in your home currency, decline and pay in local currency: dynamic currency conversion adds roughly 3-10%.
- Cards issued by Russian banks (Visa, Mastercard and Mir) do not work here because of sanctions; bring enough cash or a card from a non-Russian bank.
- Contactless and BLIK are everywhere; cash is rarely needed.
Kontrollerat 29 oktober 2026 · Källor: poland.travel ↗, gov.uk ↗, nbp.pl ↗, support.apple.com ↗
Regler och förbud
Förbjudet
- Drinking alcohol in public places (streets, parks): fines.
- Jaywalking: fines.
- Drink-driving above 0.2 g/l: fines; above 0.5 g/l is a crime.
- Riding public transport without a validated ticket: fines.
- Warsaw low-emission zone (SCT): older cars banned from central Warsaw.
- Drones need registration; no flying near airports, military sites or crowds.
- Drug possession, even small amounts: criminal offence.
- Photographing military sites and the Belarus border zone is forbidden.
Lagar som resenärer bryter omedvetet
- Carry ID.
- Headlights must be on day and night.
- Promoting totalitarian symbols (Nazi or communist) is illegal.
Kontrollerat 29 oktober 2026 · Källor: gov.uk ↗, gov.pl ↗, poland.travel ↗, gov.uk ↗
Kultur och klädsel
Religion: Predominantly Roman Catholic; religion matters to many people.
Klädsel: Casual; modest dress in churches. Remove shoes when visiting homes.
Etikett
- Greet with "Dzień dobry".
- Many shops close on Sundays (trade restrictions).
- Men may offer flowers to hosts; odd numbers only.
- Toast "Na zdrowie".
Kontrollerat 29 oktober 2026 · Källor: poland.travel ↗
Klimat
Continental: cold snowy winters, warm summers, rain mostly in summer. Figures are Warsaw average highs/lows.
Månad för månad
- januari: Jan: 0/-5°C, cold, snow
- februari: Feb: 2/-4°C, cold
- mars: Mar: 7/-1°C, chilly
- april: Apr: 14/3°C, mild
- maj: May: 19/8°C, pleasant
- juni: Jun: 22/11°C, warm
- juli: Jul: 24/13°C, warm, storms
- augusti: Aug: 24/13°C, warm
- september: Sep: 18/9°C, mild
- oktober: Oct: 12/5°C, cool, golden
- november: Nov: 6/1°C, grey
- december: Dec: 2/-3°C, cold; Christmas markets
Bästa säsong: May-September; December for Kraków and Wrocław markets.
Kontrollerat 29 oktober 2026 · Källor: imgw.pl ↗, poland.travel ↗
Att packa
- Type E plug adapter (230 V)
- Warm coat, hat and gloves Nov-Mar
- Rain jacket in summer
- Comfortable shoes
Ta inte med / förbjudet att föra in
- Meat and dairy from outside the EU.
- Drinking in public.
- Drones near the border.
Praktiskt
Eluttag: Type E (Type C fits); 230 V, 50 Hz
Vatten: Tap water is generally safe; many locals prefer filtered or bottled.
Trafik: högertrafik
Mobil och eSIM: EU roaming: SIMs from any EU/EEA country work at home prices (fair-use limits). Ukrainian and Moldovan SIMs too since 1 Jan 2026. Swiss, UK, Serbian and other non-EU SIMs pay roaming; an eSIM data plan is cheaper.
Appar: Jakdojade, PKP Intercity, Bolt / Uber / FreeNow, mObywatel (for residents)
Internet: Good 4G/5G; limited near the eastern border.
Hälsa: EU/EEA/Swiss and UK (GHIC) cardholders get state healthcare at local rates with their EHIC/GHIC. Others pay in full, so bring insurance. Pharmacies (green cross) handle minor issues.
Försäkring: Schengen visa applicants must hold travel medical insurance of at least EUR 30,000 valid in all Schengen states. Everyone else: strongly advised.
Nödnummer: 112 (all emergencies); 999 ambulance, 997 police, 998 fire
Kontrollerat 29 oktober 2026 · Källor: europa.eu ↗, europa.eu ↗, digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu ↗, gov.uk ↗
Inreseregler ändras. Kontrollera före resan landets ambassad eller migrationsmyndighet.