Europe

Terrorism

There is a low threat from terrorism. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks which could be in public places, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.

 

For further information see Terrorism Abroad.

Crime

Violent crime is rare.  You should be aware of street crime and pick pockets.

Take particular care to safeguard your passport and credit/ATM cards.  You are advised not to lose sight of your credit cards during transactions.

A few tourists have been the target of a scam where people claiming to be plain-clothed policemen come to their aid, usually when another person has stopped them to ask for help or directions.  The "policemen" then ask to see the tourists' ID and credit cards and to be given their PIN numbers.  

Where possible, avoid walking alone late at night in dark or poorly lit streets.  There have been isolated incidents of muggings in towns popular with tourists.  Busy streets, tourist sites, areas near main hotels, money exchange facilities, ATM machines and public transport are also popular with thieves.

There is a serious risk of robbery at main rail stations and on all train services, especially on overnight sleepers.   You are most at risk while boarding and leaving trains.

There have been problems in Warsaw, particularly at the airport involving overcharging by non-regulated taxi drivers.  You should use official taxis, which have the name and telephone number of the taxi company on the side of the door and on the top of the taxi (beside the occupied/unoccupied light).  They will also show a rate card on the window of the vehicle.  Taxis with a crest but no company name are not officially registered taxis.

Theft of and from vehicles is common so do not leave documents or money in your vehicle.   There have been cases of vehicles with foreign number plates being stopped by gangs posing as policemen, particularly in rural and tourist areas such as the Polish lake district.  If you are flagged down, you should exercise caution, remain in your vehicle and ask to see identification.

Do not leave drinks or food unattended, or accept drinks from strangers.  There have been a small number of reports of drinks being spiked and visitors having their valuables stolen whilst intoxicated.

For more general information see Victims of Crime Abroad.

Political Situation

Poland Country Profile

 

Local Travel

Public transport tickets must be punched before travelling.  Tickets must be validated at the start of the journey, at the yellow machines at the entrance to the metro stations or on board buses and trams.  You will be fined on the spot if you are travelling with an invalid ticket, usually 120zl (around £30).  Tickets can be bought at most newspaper stands and kiosks with a sign reading “Bilety”.

Road Travel

Poland is a major east-west transit route for heavy vehicles.  If you plan to hire a car, you should note that driving on Polish roads can be hazardous.  There are few dual carriageways and even main roads between major towns and cities can be narrow and are often poorly surfaced.  Streetlights, even in major cities, are weak. You must drive with your headlights on at all times.  If you can, you should avoid driving a right-hand drive vehicle alone for long distances or driving long distances at night.  Local driving standards are poor:  speed limits, traffic lights and road signs are often ignored and drivers rarely indicate before manoeuvring.  Slow moving agricultural vehicles (and horse dawn vehicles) are common in rural areas, even on main roads.  

In 2007 there were 5,583 road deaths in Poland (source: DfT).  This equates to 14.6 road deaths per 100,000 of population and compares to the UK average of 5.0 road deaths per 100,000 of population in 2007.

According to EU law, driving licences issued by any EU member state are mutually recognised in other EU member states.  Article 94 of the Act on Road Transport (Polish law) states that a foreigner who has a valid driving licence issued by an EU Member State may drive in Poland.  If you are a resident of Poland and wish to change your driving licence for a Polish licence you may do so but there is no requirement to do so.

You must carry original vehicle-registration papers, ownership documents and insurance papers at all times.  This is a legal requirement.  They will be asked for if you are stopped by the police and, in particular, when crossing borders.  This also applies to rental vehicles.  If you do not have these papers when stopped by the police they have the right to impound your vehicle and charge you for this.  

There is a zero tolerance for drink driving in Poland.  If you drive and have been drinking (even 1 unit of alcohol) you can be charged.  If you break Polish Driving Regulations you should be prepared to pay on the spot a fine in cash in Polish currency to the Police. Foreigners who are settled in Poland and have a permanent address may be fined with a credit ticket that can be paid later.

Seat belts must be used in both front and back seats.  

Using a mobile phone while driving (unless “hands free”) is banned.

For further information see Driving Abroad.

 

Air Travel

The revised EU-wide security measures that came into effect for all passengers departing from UK airports in November 2006 are also being implemented in Poland. For more details about this see Airline Security.