Getting Around Warsaw

Arrival:

Warsaw is the main gateway for people travelling to Poland by air, with the vast majority of European and overseas visitors flying into Frederic Chopin International Airport (Port Lotniczy im F Chopina, WAW (650 4220, www.lotnisko-chopina.pl)). The airport lies in the suburb of Okecie, roughly 10 kilometres south-west of the city centre. There’s a rank of taxi cabs just outside the main arrival halls. Avoid drivers soliciting customers inside the terminal and make sure to pick a licenced operator with the tariffs clearly displayed on the car window. The ride downtown takes approximately 15 minutes, traffic permitting, and costs around PLN40. Alternatively, city buses also shuttle passengers between the airport and major inner-city points. Bus 175 runs every 8 to 15 minutes and goes to Plac Pilsudskiego close to the Old Town, passing the central train station, ulica Nowy Swiat and ulica Krakowskie Przedmiescie. Journey by bus to the centre takes around 25-30 minutes and a one-way ticket costs PLN2.80. Other buses include the 148, which run along the outer districts, and the 188, which passes Metro Politechnika on its way to the eastern precinct of Praga. If you arrive during the witching hours, night bus N31 links the airport with the central train station, running every 30 minutes between 11pm and 5am.

Orientation:

When you arrive, pick up a free information pamphlet with a simple map of the city centre. This will be handy for weaving your way from one attraction to the next without losing your bearings. To explore outside the principal areas, you’ll need to buy something more comprehensive at a kiosk or bookstore. Warsaw may be sprawling, but its well-defined city layout makes it easy to navigate after a short learning period. Rush-hour traffic is at its peak between 7-9am and 4-7 pm, with the traffic on main thoroughfares and bridges connecting the centre with suburbs particularly slow and heavy.

Constantly evolving and expanding, Warsaw may be a big city to come to terms with, but most sights are within a manageable distance. The Wisla (Vistula) River bisects the city; to the west lies the historic Old Town and Srodmiescie (city centre), with all the essential tourist sights. Aleje Jerozolimskie (Jerusalem Avenue) and ulica Marszalkowska are the two longest boulevards defining central Warsaw, each lined with a myriad of shops, banks, restaurants and other business establishments. The Royal Route encompasses the oldest and arguably most representative arteries of the city, stretching from the Royal Castle along ulica Krakowskie Przedmiseci and ulica Nowy Swiat, down Aleje Ujazdowskie, Warsaw’s embassy row, all the way to Wilanow. On the eastern bank of the river is Praga, an up-and-coming industrial borough with pre-war architecture, as well as out-lying districts covered with communist-era blocks of flats.

Taxis:

Taxis are a comfortable and convenient means of moving around town, but they can also be expensive and drivers are not always honest. Stands are marked with TAXI signs and are located around train stations, shopping centres and in various high-traffic points throughout the city. The base fare varies from one company to another, but is usually metered at a minimum of PLN1.5 per kilometre in the daytime, with an initial fee of PLN3-6, so you should be looking at around PLN20-25 for in-town journeys. An additional late-night fare is charged from 10pm-5am, as well as on weekends and public holidays. Tipping the driver is not required but no one will refuse if you offer. Stay away from mystery cabs without a logo and drivers quoting a flat rate in lieu of running the metre. Instead, phone a reliable company such as Wawa (19644), Sawa (644 4444), MPT (1919) or Volfra (19625).

Public transportation:

Most places in Warsaw can be reached via public transportation, which is quite extensive, inexpensive and fairly efficient. The system consist of buses, trams, local trains and an underground, all run by ZTM, the Warsaw Transport Authority. Lines run from about 4:30am to 11:30pm, after which night buses (marked ‘N’) take over. Routes and schedules are posted at each station as well as on www.ztm.waw.pl. All forms of transport require that you validate pre-purchased tickets. A single-journey ticket (jednorazowy bilet) costs PLN2.80. A 20-, 40-, 60- or 90-minute ticket costs PLN2, 2,80, 4 or 6, and 1-, 3-, and 7-day tickets go for PLN9, 16 and 32. Tickets can be purchased at stations, at Relay and Ruch newspaper kiosks or at automated vending machines sprinkled throughout town. They must be validated on the vehicle or at the Metro entry gate before you descend the escalators and must be kept to show inspectors, who frequently come around checking for valid tickets. You can save money by purchasing a monthly (PLN78) or tri-monthly (PLN196) travel card. Children, students and the elderly are eligible for reduced fares.

Buses:

There are about 200 different bus lines servicing greater Warsaw. The system is very dense and quite complicated, but with patience and basic map-reading skills you’ll be able to decipher it over time. The fleet consists mostly of new low-riding buses but there are still some old Ikarus models in use, generally the ones with three-digit numbers running to the suburbs. To find out where the bus is going, check shelter signs with the schedules and maps pinpointing the zigzagging routes and look for the main destination points on the illuminated board next to the door. Some lines have temporary stops where you need to wave down the vehicle if you’re the only person waiting. The Central Station (Centrum) is the hub where many inner-city lines converge and where most of the night buses launch from around midnight. Dworzec PKS Zachodni, the western bus terminal behind the train station, is for both domestic and international long-distance routes. Of particular interest to tourists is line 180, which goes from Wilanow via the Royal Route and passes by or close to Warsaw’s top sights, ending at Powazki Cemetery. Remember to watch out on overcrowded buses – pickpockets are known to operate on lines frequented by foreigners.

Metro:

Extremely convenient and reliable, Warsaw’s underground is by far the fastest mode of transportation in the city. It connects the centre of town with the residential districts of Mokotow, Kabaty and Zoliborz. Service operates daily from 5am-11pm, while on Friday and Saturday evenings there are additional trains between midnight and 2:30am, leaving every 15 minutes. The main shortcoming of the system is that there is only one line, although the construction of a new line has been in the pipeline for several years. On the streets above the stations there are large yellow ‘M’ signs signalling the entrance.

Trams:

A 24-line network of trams (tramway in Polish) supplements the bus network, rolling through the city’s wide avenues. They are a spacious and fairly reliable option for covering large distances quickly, but there’s a large contrast between the old noisy clunkers and the shiny, modern models. Signboards on the stations and in each car show all the stops. You may need to signal your intent to get off at the next stop by pressing a green button or a led-illuminated circle with an open-door graphic. Ticket validation and hours of operation are the same as with other transport options.

Walking:

Warsaw is a great city for strolling, whether around the compact Old Town, along the restaurant- and shop-filled Royal Route or through the many grand gardens and beautifully landscaped parks. Walking is one of the best ways to get the lay of the land and soak up the sights, sounds and atmosphere of the city. In the centre, walking is the recommended transportation mode; sidewalks are spacious and generally well-kept, and a labyrinth network of pedestrian passageways takes you underneath large boulevards. Jaywalking is illegal, albeit commonly practised, but to avoid being fined make sure to use zebra crossings.

Cycling:

Warsaw is not a bike-friendly city by any stretch of the imagination, though a system of bike paths has been recently created along a few major streets, especially in the leafy neighbourhood of Mokotow, and along the banks of the Vistula River. Riders are not required by law to wear a helmet, but considering the heavy traffic it’s highly recommended.

Driving:

With such an extensive public transport system, there’s little incentive to drive in the centre of Warsaw. Driving in town can be a bit hair-raising with all the trams, buses, street signs with jumbles of consonants and the odd pothole to contend with. A car, however, does give you the most flexibility and freedom in travelling further afield. Make sure to learn the local traffic rules and customs before renting or purchasing a car. In Poland, the maximum speed allowed in built-up areas is 50 km/h between 5am and 11pm and 60 km/h at night; this rises to 90 km/h on main roads, to 110 km/h on dual carriageways and to 130 km/h on motorways. Seatbelts are compulsory for everyone in the car and the use of handheld mobile phones is prohibited. A word of caution: Poland has one of the highest road accident rates in Europe, so be extra careful and vigilant when driving.

An International Drivers Licence (IDL) or a licence issued in any EU country authorises you to drive in Poland for six months from the date you arrive. After this time, you need to take a medical examination and a written test – in Polish! – to determine how well you know your traffic rules. The best way to avoid this is by obtaining a new international licence on your occasional visits home, which will extend the grace period for another six months.

To redeem your foreign or international license for a Polish licence, you will need the following documents:

• foreign or international driving licence
• certified translation of licence
• valid passport
• Polish residence card
• power-of-attorney, declaration and request form
• receipt for driving licence issuance fee (approximately PLN100)
• a photograph

For more detailed information regarding exams and driving courses in English and German, visit www.naukajazdy.pl.