Overland Poland Travel
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Contents
- 1 Visiting Poland
- 2 Entering Poland with a Car or Motorbike
- 3 Driving in Poland
- 4 Gas and Diesel price in Poland
- 5 Safety and Security Considerations
- 6 Camping in Poland
- 7 Navigation
- 8 Special Overland Travel interests
- 9 Vehicle Maintenance
- 10 Buy or sell a car or motorbike in Poland
- 11 References
- 12 Helpful External links
Visiting Poland
Give a brief overview of what it's like to visit. How easy is the border, how safe is the country, are there great things to see and do, etc.
Entering Poland with a Car or Motorbike
Correct as of: (date last confirmed correct)
Required Paperwork
(To check if you need a travel Visa for Poland, application instructions and fees see: Poland Visa online application at VisaHQ.com)
List the paperwork required to enter with a vehicle, including number of copies
Process at border
No border when entering from other Schengen Area countries. Very long queues when entering from Ukraine.
Cost of entry
State the cost for a vehicle to enter
Permitted length of stay
A foreign registered vehicle can stay up to 6 months in any country within EU.
EU includes: Austria, Italy, Belgium, Latvia, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Croatia, Luxembourg, Cyprus Malta, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Denmark, Poland, Estonia, Portugal, Finland, Romania, France, Slovakia, Germany, Slovenia, Greece, Spain, Hungary, Sweden & Ireland
However, you must pay extra attention and study carefully your stay in the Schengen Zone which allows only 3 months every 6 months per year.
The Schengen Member States include: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland & Liechtenstein. More info about Schengen Zone Visa at: [[1]]
For example Switzerland, Norway or Liechtenstein belong to the Schengen Zone (which literally means free movement) but in the EU. Also countries like Serbia, Albania, FYROM, Bosnia or Belarus do not belong to any group (EU or Schengen Zone)
Extension of stay
Describe the process to extend the permitted length of entry for the vehicle, if possible.
Storing a vehicle and temporarily leaving the country
Describe if/how a vehicle can be stored, and for how long.
Also mention if the owner / temporary importer can leave the country while the vehicle is in storage.
Exiting with a vehicle
Describe the paperwork requirements and process at the border to exit.
Driving in Poland
Recommended books for Overlanding in Poland
Travel insurance for Poland
World Nomads offer the most flexible Travel Insurance at the best prices for multi-country / multi-year trips. You can buy, extend and claim online, even after you've left home.
Vehicle insurance requirements
Yes or No if insurance is mandatory, and what kind is acceptable.
Cost of vehicle insurance
State the price of insurance and a time period.
Where to purchase vehicle insurance
Describe where insurance can be purchased.
Driving license
International Driving Permit is sufficient to drive in Poland.
Driving side of road
Right.
Foreign RHD vehicles are permitted to drive in Poland.
Mandatory items in vehicle
- Safety triangle
- Fire extinguisher
Roads
General Road quality
Except a highways, general quality is poor compared to western Europe, especially neighbor Germany. Expect a lot of ruts on popular roads outside of city bounds and dents inside cities. Also be aware of badly profiled curves and unexpected islets. The worse quality of city streets is probably in Łódź, Kraków, Wrocław, although you can expect a lot of unpleasant surprises in every city and town especially off main streets and alleys. One way streets are quite common in city centres.
Road signs
Informational signs sometimes lack important data. Don't expect tourist attraction directions on road signs.
Toll roads
Most of highways are divided into a few parts paid separately. The rest of Polish roads is free.
Bribery in Poland
Since the 90s a lot has changed, bribery obviously exists, but not on such a massive scale. Usually it's not expected, although it may be an option, it depends on the officer, the situation, and your communication skills. You won't be threatened for bribery with force, but in certain cases you may be teased. Be aware that it can be a problem when stopped by a patrol car with video cameras.
While locals get tickets for delayed payment, tickets for foreigners are to be paid on the spot - this is not a scam. If you don't have cash on you, police will escort you to the nearest ATM.
Checkpoints
Non-existent.
Traveling with pets
List the entry requirements and anything else required to travel with a pet.
Gas and Diesel price in Poland
Last updated: October 2012 (diesel as of February 2015
Currency and unit to display:
| Gasoline Grade | Price |
|---|---|
| Unleaded | €1.19 EUR per Liter[1] |
| Diesel | €1.10 EUR per Liter[1] |
Gas and Diesel Availability / Frequency
Briefly describe if gas shortages are known to occur.
Also state the approximate average distance between gas stations. This is a very rough estimate.
Gas and Diesel Quality
Discuss if gasoline / diesel considered "clean" or "dirty", and generally high or low quality.
State the sulfur content of diesel, if known.
Safety and Security Considerations
Driving at night
Discuss driving at night and if it should it be avoided. Mention why.
Vehicle parking
Discuss if vehicles can be parked on the street, if they are considered "safe" at night. If vehicles can not be parked on the street, list the other options that exist.
Special driving considerations
A List of special things to be careful of (i.e. Unsigned speed bumps, abnormal road rules, people or animals on the road, etc.).
List any roads that are not recommended to drive for safety or other security reasons.
Security advisories and information
- Country Specific Information - U.S. Department of State
- Travel Reports and Warnings - Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
- Travel advice by country - Foreign and Commonwealth office (U.K.)
- Travel Advice for Poland - Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Camping in Poland
Describe if organized "pay" camping is common. List the facilities commonly found at these campsites.
List the approximate average price range of camping in organized campgrounds.
Also discuss the possibility of "wild" or "roadside" camping. How common is it? Is it considered safe, or a bad idea.
Camping guide books
List and link to books specifically for camping.
Drinking water
Describe if the regular tap water is safe to drink. If not, describe where safe water can be purchased and the approximate average price range.
Paper maps
Many high quality maps are available in bookstores across Poland (i.e. Empik). Best and most up to date road maps are available in bigger gas stations (Shell, BP, Orlen). One of the best coverage of tourist regions is in Kompass maps.
GPS Maps of Poland
Review different GPS companies, quality and coverage (Tomtom, Garmin, OSM, Tracks4Africa). (with links to each).
GPS co-ordinates for camping, propane, gas, repairs, etc. in Poland
- iOverlander is a website and iPhone application designed by Overlanders, for Overlanders. It contains GPS co-ordinates and reviews for camping, hotels, propane, water, mechanics, borders and much more.
Link to sites that have a list of GPS co-ordinates (or directions) for camping locations (including "wild" campsites), propane filling, gas stations, repair shops, places of interest, etc.
Special Overland Travel interests
List any special items / places that are popular with Overlanders
Vehicle Maintenance
Dealers
4x4s / Trucks
- Toyota Global Dealer Locator
- Land Rover International Dealer Locator
- Mercedes Benz International (select country on bottom right)
- Jeep International site locator
Motorbikes
Local Garages
Add known good mechanics here. http://landrover.katowice.pl/kontakt.html
Buy or sell a car or motorbike in Poland
Buy
Describe how a foreigner can buy a vehicle.
List any difficulties or limitations on where the vehicle can be driven.
Sell
Describe how a foreigner can sell a foreign-plated vehicle, or list not possible.'
References
Links to the source of any information - blogs or discussion forums, etc.
Helpful External links
Add any helpful external links here.
- Poland: Visa and Passport requirements | World Travel Guide
- Health Information for Travelers to Poland - Center for Disease Control and Prevention
- Poland travel guides at wikivoyage
- Poland - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
