Overland Poland Travel

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Currency to display:

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

Lonely Planet Poland (travel Guide)
Lonely Planet Poland (travel Guide)
by Lonely Planet, Mark Baker, Marc Di Duca, Tim Richa...
From $13.07 on Amazon
Work Less To Live Your Dreams: A Practical Guide To Sa...
Work Less To Live Your Dreams: A Practical Guide To Sa...
by Dan Grec
From $click on Amazon
Overlanders' Handbook: Worldwide Route And Planning Gu...
Overlanders' Handbook: Worldwide Route And Planning Gu...
by Chris Scott
From $22.49 on Amazon
Adventure Motorcycling Handbook: A Route & Planning Gu...
Adventure Motorcycling Handbook: A Route & Planning Gu...
by Chris Scott
From $click on Amazon
TRAVELIVING - a romantic & practical guide

TRAVELIVING - a romantic & practical guide
by The Pin Project

at 10$ on thepinproject.eu

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

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.

Navigation

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

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.

  1. 1.0 1.1 World petrol prices, gas prices, diesel prices|MyTravelCost.com

Helpful External links

Add any helpful external links here.