LOCATION:
Poland is located in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia
to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Russia to the north. The total area of
Poland is 312,679 square kilometers (120,726 sq mi).
POPULATION:
Poland has a population of over 38 million people. The capital of Poland – Warsaw – has 1.7 million citizens. There
are several other major cities, such as Krakow (Cracow), Wroclaw, Poznan, Gdansk, Szczecin, Lodz, Katowice, Lublin, Rzeszow.
LANGUAGE:
The official language is Polish. English and German are widely spoken in hotels and the tourist industry.
TIME:
Poland is in the Central European Time Zone: GMT + 1. Summertime is applicable from the last Sunday in March until the
last Sunday in October when they set the clock back one hour.
New York | Warsaw | London | Paris | Berlin | Moscow |
6:00 AM | 12:00 Noon | 11:00 AM | 12:00 Noon | 12:00 Noon | 2:00 PM |
CURRENCY:
The official Polish unit of currency is the Polish Zloty (1 PLN = 100 groszy). If you convert 1 USD into Polish Zloty you
will receive about 3 PLN. In fact, the Polish Zloty exchange rate may fluctuate many times during the day. Major foreign
currencies may be exchanged for Polish Zlotys at banks or exchange counters, identified by the name KANTOR. They are
located in many places like hotels, train and bus stations as well as main streets in cities. The bank notes: 200, 100,
50, 20 and 10 zlotys. The coins: 5, 2, 1 zloty and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 grosz
CREDIT CARDS:
An increasing number of establishments in Poland accept credit cards. Among the most popular are American Express, VISA,
MasterCard, Carte Blanche, Diner’s Club, Eurocard. Special information stickers are put on the doors and windows of business
offices which accept payment with credit cards. Holders of credit cards can obtain cash from banks or ATMs.
TRAVELER’S CHECKS:
Major traveler’s checks can be exchanged for zlotys. When traveling to smaller towns, it is better to have some cash in
reserve. Eurochecks are accepted in accordance with standard international tourism agreements.
CUSTOMS FEES:
Every visitor can bring ordinary gifts and souvenirs, which cannot be used for commercial purposes. You must consider their
nature and quantity. The total value must be less than 175 EUR. According to the present rates, as listed in the official
table of custom fees, souvenirs that exceed the value of 175 EUR are subject to duty. For further information, please
contact the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in New York, tel. (646) 237-2100.
TELEPHONE:
Major cities and towns in Poland can be reached directly from the United States by dialing 0-11-48 followed by the city code
and the telephone number. To connect directly from Poland with most European countries, U.S.A. and Canada, one has to dial “0”,
listen for a steady tone, then dial “0” again, followed by the country code, area code and the number.
LENGTH OF TRIP:
Warsaw – Gdynia: 4 hours
Warsaw – Katowice: 2 h 45 min
Warsaw – Krakow: 2 h 40 min
Warsaw – Poznan: 3 hours
Warsaw – Szczecin: 5 h 32 min
Warsaw – Berlin: 6 h 10 min
Warsaw – Budapest: 11 hours
Warsaw – Prague: 9 h 20 min
Warsaw – Vienna: 8 h 25 min
Krakow – Berlin: 8 h 20 min
Krakow – Prague: 7 h 51 min
Krakow – Budapest: 10 h 52 min
IMPORTANT CONTACTS:
EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Al. Ujazdowskie 29/31
00-540 Warsaw, Poland
Tel: +48 (22) 504-2000
Fax: +48 (22) 628-8298
CONSULATE GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Ul. Stolarska 9
31-043 Krakow, Poland
Tel: +48 (12) 424-5100
Fax: +48 (12) 424-5103
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