Poland travel by car. Rules for crossing the Polish border with your own car and requirements for a car when entering Poland. Entering Poland by car: Video

Route planning

We now have 5 days free and a small budget for a short trip.

5 days for travel is quite a bit, considering that almost two days are spent on the road. Therefore, we decided to go somewhere nearby, where we can get there relatively quickly and still have an interesting time.

Because our Starting point at that moment there was the city of Kyiv, then we simply opened the map and highlighted a radius of 900 km. around Kyiv. Why 900 km? This is the distance that can be comfortably covered in one day by car.

To be honest, we have already traveled to the countries falling within this circle: our last trip was to Belarus and Lithuania (we wrote about this), and the year before - to Romania and Bulgaria (we wrote about this). Hungary, Slovakia and Poland remain. We decided to postpone Hungary and Slovakia until our trip to Austria, so the choice fell on Poland.

We have already been to Poland: once while passing through excursion tour, the second time was also passing through on the way to Germany and Luxembourg (we wrote about this). We were also in Krakow, but somehow we were running.

Therefore, after thinking and consulting, we decided to go again to Poland, namely to Krakow. But in such a way as to thoroughly explore both the city itself and its surroundings.

In addition to Krakow itself, we decided to visit the Krakow Zoo, which is located in the suburbs, and also find time to go to Auschwitz.

Therefore, the final one-way route looked like this:

Budget planning

The main expense items were as follows:

visa;
travel insurance and Green map by car;
hotels;
fuel for cars;
payment for roads in Poland;
visiting a museum, zoo, attractions and gifts;
other purchases.

The costs for each of these items may vary. For example, in our case, we did not have to spend money on visas, because one of us enjoys the benefits of visa-free travel for citizens of Ukraine, and the second already has a Schengen multiple entry visa in his passport.

Of the museums, we planned in advance a visit to Auschwitz and the Krakow Zoo, so the costs of these events could be foreseen in advance.

We always issue travel insurance without fail, just like car insurance (in Russia you can choose and order travel insurance at).

As for road tolls, our route included one toll section between Krakow and Auschwitz, and this section can also be driven for free; I’ll tell you more about this in the next article.

As for fuel, it is slightly cheaper in Ukraine than in Poland. Therefore, we refueled fully before the border, and this fuel was enough for us until we returned to Ukraine, so that we did not have to refuel in Poland.

Selecting and booking hotel rooms

Because We planned to first visit the zoo (which is located outside the city), as well as Auschwitz, which is 70 km away. from Krakow, we decided to save money for the first couple of days and check into a hotel outside the city, and then move to a hotel in Krakow for two days.

Therefore, for the first two nights we booked a room in the three-star hotel Dwór w Tomaszowicach (which, looking ahead, turned out to be a valuable find).

For the last two nights, we decided to move to a large chain four-star hotel BEST WESTERN Efekt Express Kraków. At this hotel, breakfast was included in the price, which freed up our time a little.

I will tell you more about hotels in the following articles. Let me just say that we always book hotel rooms on booking.com in advance, and it has never shown itself to be on the bad side, we have encountered overbooking and other surprises, but everything has always been successfully resolved, both to the booking itself and the service which they provide, there have never been any complaints. We have described in detail, as well as.

For short-term trips, it is more convenient to stay in hotels, which is why we book through the market leader - booking (although sometimes I compare prices on the websites of the hotels themselves). And for long-term stays, it may be more convenient to rent an apartment so that you can cook for yourself. And in the area of apartment rentals, the AirBnb service offers good competition to booking (if you register using our link, you will get a good discount on your first stay).

Travel documents

Visa

To visit Poland, Russians and Belarusians need a Schengen visa; for Ukrainians, a valid biometric passport is sufficient.

Passport

Everything is clear here, valid foreign passports are required.

Medical insurance

This item is optional, but highly recommended. Honey. Service in Europe for foreigners without insurance is very, very expensive. So, even the smallest cold can cost you a lot. Therefore, we recommend that you take out travel insurance for each tourist. There are a bunch of web services in Russia that help you choose and apply for insurance: , .

Despite the fact that we did not need to obtain visas for this trip, and no one required travel insurance, we still took out policies for ourselves. By the way, for one of the policies we found a good option for extended insurance, which also included some items for additional maintenance of the car in the event of an unexpected breakdown and the need to call for evacuation. In any case, do not hesitate to ask about additional options that can be added to your policy; sometimes these options can be very interesting.

Documents for the car

Here's the usual kit:

rights,
technical passport for the car,
Green Card insurance.

The Green Card is almost always checked at the border.

There is no need to worry about paying for roads in Poland in advance. On toll sections of the highway you will pass through special payment points where you can pay in cash or by bank card(in this article you can see our recommendations on which card is better to pay in foreign trip).

Printing out hotel room reservations

Sometimes at the border they ask for confirmation of the purpose of your trip. And a regular printout of the booking from the booking office is sufficient justification.

There are situations when the traffic police may stop you and inquire about the purpose of your trip and show some evidence. For example, we were once stopped in Poland and Germany, although it was only an oral conversation and a check of the rights and passports of all passengers. But just in case, I recommend having a printout of the booking reservation in your car (and it’s better if it’s a printout than the booking app, because your Internet may not work at the right time, or you simply won’t activate roaming, so you simply won’t be able to make a reservation in the app show).

Vehicle equipment

The car must have:

working fire extinguisher;
warning triangle, or better yet two;
a reflective vest for (often in European countries it is forbidden to go on the highway without it);
European first aid kit (red with a white cross and the inscription First Aid);
spare wheel and jack.

So, preparations for the trip are over. In the next article I’ll tell you about the road to Krakow, crossing the border and the first hotel. And also about the striking difference in the quality of road surfaces in Ukraine and Poland, about gas stations and roadside cafes.

Selecting a route

Traveling in your own car gives you incredible freedom of movement. The tourist can afford to plan the route as he pleases, and, if desired, change it at any time. In addition, a couple of weeks of vacation by car gives you a unique opportunity to explore in detail the country you are going to, and not just one of its corners.

What to see in Poland by car? You need to take care of this while still at home and draw up a detailed itinerary for your future trip. This will make it easier for you to navigate using maps and a navigator in a foreign country. Naturally, every tourist who crosses the border with Poland for the first time strives to get to Warsaw and begin getting acquainted with the country from the capital. It is best to immediately drive to the territory of the old city. However, keep in mind that all parking there is paid and you will have to walk a little to some places.

In the old town there are two of the most beautiful squares in Warsaw: the Castle and the Market Square. On the first one is the Royal Castle, which tourists are always recommended to visit. Most of its rooms are open to guests and are of great historical interest. The entrance fee ranges from seven dollars per person.

On Market Square There are numerous cafes, restaurants and taverns. By the way, Polish cuisine is very tasty, and the portions are large. The average bill per person is from three hundred to five hundred rubles. Here is located National Library Poland. Even if you are not interested in old books, we still advise you to look into this building. On its roof is the largest and most luxurious garden in Europe. In addition, the view of the city from here leaves an unforgettable impression.

If you came to Poland by car, then your next travel destination should be Krakow. This city is rightly called the ancient Polish capital. Here you can also visit the Old Square, where handmade amber products are sold. This stone is considered a symbol of Poland, and the dragon, depicted everywhere in the city, is the mascot of Krakow.

After the noisy, it’s time to walk in nature, and here the town of Zakopane will be on your route. It is surrounded by mountains and lakes; a tour of local attractions will cost twenty-two dollars. You can stop here for the night, that's all local hotels quite colorful and inexpensive.

The route we have described is designed for approximately a ten-day trip. For a first visit to Poland by car, this time and impressions are quite enough. But in the future the route can be changed, because there are still many interesting and unusual places.

Usually our compatriots go to the Polish borders from Moscow. Since from here it’s only a few hours by car to Poland. However, keep in mind that only Kaliningrad borders this country. In other cases, tourists will have to travel through Ukraine or Belarus.

By car, according to experienced travelers, it is simpler and easier through customs control points in Ukraine. However, due to the political situation, this path is still closed to Russians. Therefore, the only option is to travel through Belarus. If you don’t make unnecessary stops and are lucky that there are no queues at the border, then taking into account the departure from the Russian capital at seven in the morning or even earlier, by the evening of the same day you will already find yourself in Warsaw. We have given the route along which motorists will travel below.

Despite the desire to get to Europe as quickly as possible, which all travelers without exception have, such a forced march should only be undertaken if there is a person nearby who can replace you behind the wheel. Otherwise, the risk of getting into an accident is high.

Typically, during a car trip, it is recommended to stop every two and a half hours and get out of the vehicle to stretch your limbs. During these breaks you need to have a snack and drink hot coffee from a thermos. With this approach, you will not feel tired and will maintain a high concentration of attention.

Features of customs control: choosing a checkpoint

When choosing a route to Poland by car, you must take into account the checkpoint through which you plan to cross the border. The speed of completing all formalities will depend on this, because at some points there are traditionally queues of vehicles.

Usually our compatriots use six checkpoints in Belarus to cross the border (they are marked on the map). However, one of them (“Kozlovichi-Kukuryki”) does not work with passenger vehicles. If you end up here by mistake, the border guards will turn you around and send you to another point, since only trucks are accepted here.

The most crowded checkpoint is Brest-Terespol. The main flow of tourists from Russia goes here. Therefore, the wait sometimes takes several hours. But the neighboring ones - “Domachevo-Slavatyche” and “Peschatka-Polovtse” - are not so busy. Sometimes there are no queues at all. But if you want to cross the border quickly and surely, then arrive at the checkpoint at four in the morning or after midnight.

Requirements for the technical condition of the car

If you are planning to travel to Poland by car, then make a diagnosis of your vehicle before traveling. The Poles pay increased attention to this issue and, due to a minor malfunction, may well not allow you into the country.

Take care of the headlights first and take a set of spare bulbs with you. The fact is that you can only move around Poland with your low beams on. Therefore, its breakdown will always be of interest to local highway guards. Also, at the checkpoint they may be denied entry into the country due to cracks on the windshield and chips on the body. The integrity of the vehicle is an indispensable condition for the safe crossing of the border.

Don't forget to put a first aid kit, a spare tire or repair kit, a hazard sign and a fire extinguisher in the trunk. There must be vests with reflective stripes in the car interior. Moreover, their number must coincide with the number of travelers. Even if you have an infant traveling with you, he must have his own vest. At night outside the city, you can only travel along the highway wearing them.

By the way, winter travelers should know that in Poland you cannot drive on studded tires. In order to overcome ice, you need to put wheel chains in the trunk.

Keep in mind that the radar is best left at home. It is prohibited in Polish territories, so either do without it or hide it carefully.

Traveling to Poland by car: documents

Customs officers will check the package of documents at the border very carefully, but by and large it is considered standard. At checkpoints they know that many Russians travel by car through Poland to other European countries. But all responsibility for the documents falls on the shoulders of Polish customs officers. What will interest them when crossing the border?

Regardless of your age and make of car, at the checkpoint you will be asked for foreign passports with a Schengen stamp (whether you fly by plane or drive, you will still need a visa to Poland), medical insurance for each traveler and international-style insurance for the vehicle. Naturally, you must take with you on the road a full package of documents for the car, a Russian driver’s license and, if available, a driver’s license in the established international form. Usually in Poland they are not interested in their presence, but they will not be superfluous.

Experienced travelers are advised to take copies of all documents, including confirmation of hotel reservations and Russian passports. It would be a good idea to store copies in electronic form on a regular flash drive or a specialized Internet resource.

Goods prohibited for import into the country

On the Polish side, customs control is leisurely and thorough. However, some types of products may be confiscated from you. For example, the import of meat and dairy products and chocolate into Poland is prohibited. However, if necessary, customs officers can leave them in your car. Milk will definitely not be taken away if a child is traveling in the car (on border control people work too).

As for alcoholic beverages and alcohol, there are clear restrictions for them. One person can carry a liter of spirits and two packs of cigarettes. But, as experienced tourists say, these points are not always thoroughly checked.

A few words about gas stations and gasoline prices

Our compatriots do not always imagine how much money they will have to spend on gasoline on a road trip. Therefore, it is difficult for them to calculate the travel budget. In fact, you can do this at home if you know that on average one liter of Polish gasoline will cost you just over one euro. Some people are scared by these prices, and they try to save money by refueling as much as possible on the territory of Belarus. In addition, the rules for entering the country allow the presence of a canister of gasoline with a volume of no more than ten liters in the trunk of a car. By the way, keep in mind that at Polish gas stations you can only fill up with gasoline grades 95 and 98. The 92 fuel, so beloved by many of our compatriots, simply does not exist on sale.

If we begin to describe gas stations, then we must say the main thing - they cause great delight among our tourists. The area around is clean and well-groomed, toilets are free, rest areas for drivers are equipped, and children's playgrounds are located everywhere. Usually at the gas station there is also good cafe. Moreover, such establishments are usually chains and offer food at the level of an expensive restaurant, but at quite reasonable prices.

Buying a car in Poland

Some of our compatriots cross the Polish border for one purpose - to drive a car. You can bring quite good vehicles from Poland to Russia, because the country borders Germany, from where used cars of various brands in good and excellent condition come to it.

Therefore, driving yourself a car looks like a very tempting offer. However, this can only be done by carefully weighing the pros and cons and finding a suitable vehicle in advance via the Internet. There are quite a lot of websites where sellers offer cars from Poland for sale. All the necessary information is indicated here and often even the VIN number. Therefore, it will not be difficult to check the car you like in various databases for theft and accidents.

In order not to run into scammers, do not leave a deposit with the seller. Discuss all questions with him over the phone (you may need a translator) and only then go to Poland. It is most reliable to purchase a car from large dealers who have been in this business for several years.

After completing the transaction, the seller must provide you with a purchase and sale agreement and a registration certificate. You must obtain insurance for your car and issue transit license plates. This will delay you somewhat in Poland. However, many Russians leave the country with existing license plates. They are not bothered by the fact that there is a fine for license plates belonging to another country (Germany, for example). However, it is low and only slightly exceeds the cost of purchasing transit license plates.

In a brand new car, the journey from Poland to Russia takes several hours. But at the border you may be delayed by issues of customs clearance of your vehicle. And it’s good if they don’t bring unexpected surprises.

Cost of a car in Poland

Enough low prices Russians are attracted to cars in Poland. However, few of them approach the transaction thoroughly and accurately understand how much money they should have on hand.

So how much does a car cost in Poland? If we take only the car itself, then the prices are really low. For example, a fresh “Beetle” at the age of four years will cost a little less than one hundred and fifty thousand rubles. And for three hundred thousand rubles you can become the owner of an almost new German luxury car. But don’t rush to rejoice ahead of time, because this is not all the costs of purchasing an iron friend.

A significant expense item is customs duties. For a car less than three years old, they will be about half the price of the car. Plus, a rate for engine power is added to this. On average, for each cubic centimeter of its volume you will need to pay from two and a half to twenty euros.

To all of the above items you need to add the costs of living in Poland, travel, food and visa processing. The final cost may even exceed the price of a similar car on the Russian market. Therefore, think several times before you go for a new one. vehicle abroad.

When we went to Poland by car, in this amazing and extraordinary country, we were able to see a lot, although it is impossible to see all the sights and fully enjoy its atmosphere. Therefore, this article will contain only our small experience, which, I hope, will be useful to the readers of this resource.

We live on the border with Poland, in the city of Brest, so our interest in this region is very understandable. Particularly attractive for all tourists and for us, in particular, are cities such as Warsaw and Krakow - two capitals, but we didn’t want to spend our holidays only in the city, so we could not ignore the city of Zakopane with its mountains and lakes in our choice . And of course, I wanted to see how ordinary average cities in this republic live. To do this, we chose a town comparable to the Belarusian Brest both in area and in population - the city of Radom, which is one hundred kilometers from Warsaw. This is how our travel route was born. to Poland by car, namely: Brest-Warsaw-Radom-Krakow-Zakopane. But any trip to the Schengen countries begins with obtaining a visa.

How to get a visa to Poland

Obtaining a tourist visa to Poland is not difficult at all. The first thing you need to do is register the date of submission of documents and fill out the visa application form on the consulate website. The next step is to collect documents for submission. Their list is no different from other countries participating in the Schengen area: passport, completed application form, proof of funds, health insurance and documents confirming the purpose of your visit to the country. We had a reservation from booking.com. You will receive your visa in hand within 10 working days, i.e., on average, within 14 calendar days.

What surprises await you at the border and after crossing it?

The main surprise at the Belarusian-Polish border is the queues and meticulous border guards. Standing at a road crossing for 8 hours is a very possible prospect, so it is better to take food with you.

The roads in Poland are good and meet European standards. Only if they are located outside the city, they usually have two lanes, i.e. only yours and the oncoming one. But this does not interfere with the convenience of movement: everyone moves at the speed of the flow, the speed limit is not violated, and in most cases there is no point in overtaking. Also, Polish roads in many places are equipped with photo and video recorders, so I don’t recommend driving recklessly in Poland: it can hit your wallet with a very specific amount. Please also note that already at the entrance to Krakow, or rather already 100 kilometers from it, the terrain begins to be hilly, and in some places even mountainous, there are also so-called “serpentines”. The road will be like this all the way to Zakopane. The cost of a liter of gasoline in Poland is 5 zlotys (1.7 dollars).

As for places to stay, Poland is simply a paradise of roadside service. Therefore, after you have crossed the border, you can eat and relax at any motel. The only peculiarity is that if you get here on a holiday, everything will be closed. This is their principle: if there is a holiday, no one works. Therefore, in order not to find yourself in an awkward situation, check the calendar of public holidays in Poland before your trip.

What is Warsaw like?

Warsaw, like almost any capital city, is quite arrogant. Especially for Russian-speaking tourists. Maybe that’s why the capital of Poland didn’t make a strong impression on me. In my opinion, only two places here are worth spending your time on: the Royal Palace and the National Library.

By the way, all parking lots in historical center cities are paid, and tow trucks work really well: if you left the car in the wrong place, five minutes later it was no longer found there, try to remember this to avoid unpleasant situations. The cost of parking depends on the time for which you leave the car. On average, for 6 hours of parking you will pay about 30 zlotys (10 dollars).

The first place I advise you to visit is the Royal Palace. It is located on one of the two squares of the old city - on Zamkova. This attraction has a constantly updated official website (http://www.zamek-krolewski.pl), which I would advise you to visit before your trip: here you can find information about upcoming events. The exhibition in the palace is permanent; of all the halls, spend more time on the Knight's, Marble and Throne rooms. Each exhibit has signs with descriptions in two languages: Polish and English. Entrance costs 22 zlotys (7 dollars). Day off in Royal Palace- Monday, on Sunday it is open from 11 to 16, on other days - from 10 to 16.

After leaving the palace, take a walk to another square - Market Square. There you will find many catering facilities, many of them very colorful. In more expensive ones, try Tatar - a national Polish dish, which is prepared from raw meat with the addition of mushrooms, butter, onions, pickled cucumber and raw egg. This dish must be made from the freshest, highest quality meat. I tried it at the Barbican restaurant, and I don’t regret it at all. If you are not ready for such experiments with your stomach, the restaurant chefs will offer you other dishes of both Polish and European cuisine. On average, lunch here will cost you $20. I should note that the Poles cook very tasty, and their portions are as big as the Bulgarians’ - Slavic hospitality, apparently.

The National Library of Poland is a 10-minute walk from the Market Square. I would recommend visiting it for two reasons: the collection of this library is rich in old books, and its search engines are among the most effective in the world, so finding some ancient book that you have long dreamed of is quite possible here; the second reason is the luxurious roof garden - one of the largest in Europe. From the bridges of the garden there is a wonderful view of the city. In short, the National Library is truly amazing.

If you decide to visit other places in the Polish capital, consider the entrance prices: Lazienkowski Palace - 10 zlotys (3 dollars), 13 zlotys (4 dollars), Wilanow Palace - 20 zlotys (7 dollars).

I wouldn’t recommend staying in any hotel in Warsaw: it’s very expensive, it’s better to spend the night in the suburbs. We chose the city of Radom for these purposes.

How life is in the Polish hinterland

We settled in for the night in the Fantazja apartment, a double room of which cost us $22. From the outside, this place is not impressive, but the rooms are quite cozy, and a very hearty and varied breakfast is included in the price.

In Radom we decided to go shopping and did not regret it: there is a large shopping mall“Sunny Gallery” (Galeria s?oneczna), where you can find stores of brands such as Zara, CCC, NewYorker and many others. Prices for branded items are two to three times lower than ours. The city has a small park and an old church behind it. These are all the attractions of Radom.

In a word, the Polish town turned out to be quiet, clean and cozy place. It’s probably good to raise children here and live as a happy family, going on weekends to Warsaw or Krakow, which we just went to.

Krakow - the ancient capital of Poland

When you get to Krakow, you immediately understand which city should be the capital of Poland. He charms you, captivates you at first sight, and after that he doesn’t want to let you go.

The main attraction of Krakow is Wawel Castle. It is surrounded along the perimeter by a high stone wall. Not far from the entrance there is an iron statue of a dragon - the symbol of Krakow; be sure to take a photo here. Behind this statue there is a hole in which, according to legend, this dragon sat. Entrance there is paid, but there is nothing inside, just a hole, so if you pay for a visit to the hole (it costs about a dollar), you’re just throwing money away. Instead, visit other exhibitions: the personal and working apartments of the kings, the treasury, the chapel (where many Polish kings and the last president of Poland are buried). I also advise you to come here on weekdays, then there are fewer tourists here. Entrance prices to different sections of the castle are quite high (from 10 to 20 dollars), but it is worth it.

When you've had your fill of walking around Wawel, visit the cloth stalls on the Old Market Square. Here you can choose jewelry made from amber, which is considered a symbol of Poland, at a fairly affordable price. Nearby, by the way, stands one of the five monuments in the world to Adam Mickiewicz. Walking further along the streets of Krakow you will find many amazing and ancient temples that will undoubtedly impress you. Therefore, for a visit to Krakow you need to set aside a whole day, and if you love urban culture, then two.

Staying overnight in Krakow, as in Warsaw, is very expensive. Choose a motel outside the city.

Zakopane

Zakopane is the city that will welcome you warmly. Everything you need is here have a nice rest: mountains, fresh air, lakes, local color. By the way, about him. The indigenous people of this area are called highlanders. You can see many of them in national clothes in restaurants, performing their ancient songs.

In Zakopane, be sure to take an excursion to the mountains along some route; choose its difficulty depending on your physical fitness. However, be sure to visit the Valley of Five Lakes. These are alpine lakes of amazing beauty. There is also a house nearby where you can stop for a rest or to wait out bad weather - local residents They call it “chronisko”, staying there is free. Don’t go to the mountains yourself, you risk getting lost, and besides, there are bears here. The average cost of excursions is 70 zlotys (22 dollars). Also, ride horses on paved paths, go up the mountains on a ski lift (it costs 28 zlotys (9 dollars)), and just enjoy nature.

The hotels here are all good, without exception. average cost double room ranges from $70 to $120.

In a word, Poland is a very colorful region. During our 10 days in this republic, it was as if we had visited three different countries, in which for some reason they speak the same language. And we are sincerely grateful to Poland for this, as well as for the fountain of emotions, experiences and feelings that it gave us.

Golumbievskaya Victoria Belarus,
Brest, 23 years old

The advantage of such a trip is savings. A trip to Poland in your own car is an incredibly cheap pleasure. A week's holiday, including gasoline (which is more expensive than ours), toll roads in Belarus and Poland, paid parking, hotels, restaurants and entertainment - will cost 50 euros per person per day. And if you also spend the night in campsites and eat semi-finished products, you can even meet it in 25. Here, there is no limit to perfection!

Not to mention complete freedom to control time and position in space is also a pleasant state, and it’s worth a lot.

However, when embarking on this venture, it is necessary to think through and prepare in advance. We offer you a win-win algorithm of actions that should precede your trip. So that it brings you only pleasant surprises, and does not turn into a continuous “resolution” of various types and degrees of seriousness of problems.

1. Route

First of all, we determine the route. Literally - from the threshold and... wherever the soul calls. Decide, after consulting with friends and acquaintances, surfing the Internet in the evenings, looking through colorful guidebooks and albums... - where you want to visit. This is the first – and most serious – step.

We will tell you that northern Poland is good for beach holiday– mild Baltic coast with moderate temperatures and cool water, picturesque beaches. These are summer routes that run through the ancient coastal cities of Gdansk, Solot, Slupsk, Gdynia.
And in winter they will beckon you, and the most popular of them is Zakopane.

Poland literally breathes living history, all of it is the embodied chronicle of centuries - from knightly times to the present day. very, very diverse and numerous, because no matter what city you take, there will definitely be historical monument, and not alone. In order to get acquainted with the history and culture of Poland, you should definitely visit Warsaw. Then there is Krakow, again Gdansk, located in the heart of the country Lodz, a living testament to the Polish Renaissance Poznan and of course, ancient capital- Gniezno.

Attention to the most curious and energetic! Don't even try to take in this vast magnificence in one trip. Poland is too big to discover in a week's vacation. Decide what you would like to see first. .

To fully get to know the country, it’s still better. To fully explore the country, it is better to buy a sightseeing tour. Then the trip will be structured in an optimal way so that in the minimum time you get the maximum impressions from this trip

2. Book a hotel

Ideally, you need to book hotels in advance in all cities through which the route will pass. This is not easy to do; there are too many factors to consider. If you entrust this part of the preparation to a travel agency, you will gain time and save energy.

In any case, you need to book in advance the hotel where you will arrive first when you are in Poland. Because confirmation of your hotel reservation will be required to obtain a visa.

3. Visa application

It is not difficult for Russians to obtain a visa to Poland. To do this, you need to contact the embassy or consulate of the Polish Republic. To avoid standing in lines and wasting time on working days before your vacation, order a visa from a tour operator. It's not much more expensive, and if you're traveling with your whole family or big company, discounts on this service are possible, and for very little money you will gain time and save energy, which will be useful for both preparation and travel.

The best part is that Poland is part of the Schengen zone, which means that having received a visa to Poland, you can go to any European country Schengen Agreement. Therefore, many experienced motor tourists have chosen Poland as an ideal start for great trip in Europe.

4.Documents required for the trip

So, in addition to the visa, you need:

Green card and medical insurance for the Republic of Belarus (purchased at the Russia-Belarus border). Green card and health insurance for Poland (purchased at the border in Brest).

However, if you are transiting through Poland, medical insurance is not required. If you do not have health insurance, when entering Poland you must have 300 zlotys per person per day (that’s about 75 euros).

If a child is accompanying you, and you are not a parent or the other parent is not with you, then a notarized permission to take the child abroad is required.

Driver license. Not necessarily international. Enough Russian.

Technical passport. Attention! The owner of the car must be present. Even if he's not driving. But management by proxy in the absence of the owner will not work.

Car: no tint, especially on the front doors. Entry on studded tires is prohibited. Don't forget the first aid kit. And be sure to remove radar detectors and other tricks. Polish traffic police will not forgive you for this.

5. What else should I take with me?

Important: restrictions on the import of tobacco products and alcohol. To avoid problems, it is better not to take cigarettes with you in reserve. Gasoline too - only in the gas tank. You cannot import certain types of food - meat, for example. So finish your sandwiches before crossing the border.

Money. If you have health insurance - 100 zlotys per person per day (about 25 euros) - minimum. Take 1,500 euros with you for a week - you will probably have enough for a family or a small company.

Be sure to buy a road map of Europe in Moscow - it is difficult to find in Poland.

6.How to go?

From Moscow it is easier to take the M1 highway all the way to Brest. Border crossing - Brest-Terespol. There are more border guards here, which means the line moves faster. From Moscow to the border the journey takes 11-12 hours. The transition procedure takes from half an hour to four hours, depending on the time of day and day (weekends, holidays, weekdays). It’s best to go at 2-3 am – there are almost no people. South of Brest there is a transition to Domachevo. There are fewer queues there, but there are also few border guards, so the time is longer than in Brest itself.

When asked about the purpose of the trip, you answer – tourism. Present your passport with a visa. Show a printout of the email as confirmation from the hotel.

And now you are in Poland. Be careful on narrow Polish roads, follow the rules traffic and follow common sense. We hope that these tips will make your journey easier and allow you to devote maximum attention and time to active recreation, vivid impressions and wonderful discoveries. Bon Voyage!

This part of the report is about how we crossed the Belarus-Poland border without a queue and practically passed through the first European country in transit. How much does gasoline cost, where can you drink coffee and eat sandwiches? And some sights of Lodz.

Day 2, continued. Border Belarus - Poland

We decided to break into Europe by car from Belarus. Namely, in Brest, cross one of the most “slow”, according to many forum members, the Warsaw Bridge checkpoint, connecting Belarus and Poland. BUT! The devil is not as scary as he is portrayed to be. The Belarus-Poland border is crossed the fastest on Sunday evenings. But even this “fastest” usually lasts for a couple of hours. They make a terrible noise, deliberately piss them off, take away meat, cheese, nicotine, rifles and marijuana for themselves (and, as luck would have it, this is exactly what we carry when we go to Europe by car).

We were scared, and to Brest, this last city in Belarus, we arrived exactly in the evening of the last day off - I wanted to get to Poland as quickly as possible (the hotel was booked in advance). We didn’t have time to finish the meat, we hid all the most forbidden things and drove up to the “Warsaw Bridge”...

The Belarusian border was unexpectedly crossed in 10 minutes. A stern border guard of about 25 years old peered into my face for a long time and looked for 10 differences with the photo in my passport. I had to apologize for some cosmetic procedures performed on my own face after the passport was made. 10 differences were found, a stamp was given and we were released from the former USSR. Now this part of our autotrip could easily be called a “trip to Poland” if this country were not planned exclusively as a transit country.

On the Polish border, the tail of cars pleased with the final visibility. To be precise, there were three autotails. One is for EU cars, two are for the rest. The EU tail on the Belarus-Poland border (as on any other border) moved faster, and disappeared after half an hour. And - miracle of miracles! — the Polish border guard waved to us and moved us from the “Russian” line to the one where the starry sun should be present on the license plate of the car. They took our passports, asked how many liters of gasoline were in the car, for the sake of decency they asked us to open the trunk..... And that’s all!

So we had no reason to be afraid. It would be possible to carry out drugs and weapons. But those who stood outside the European corridor were clearly looked at longer than us. And tomorrow we have a whole day of traveling around Poland by car... We are preparing fifth points and remembering the leisurely traffic on Polish roads in 2011.

Day 3. To Poland by car – impressions of the country

The third day of our summer road trip has arrived. Woke up in the hotel Hotel Mixbud(an ordinary hotel for an overnight stay, with good plumbing, the ability to buy breakfast, comfortable beds and excellent wi-fi). We woke up, got ready and went. The entire third day of the trip we planned to drive and look at Poland from the car window.

Poland, with obvious exceptions tourist cities, does not catch much. Neat, lots of flowers in the courtyards of two-story houses. Lots of storks. A lot of cars. A few people. The country is not distinguished by strong originality - we noticed this five years ago.

The roads in this part of the Polish land are good (we can safely recommend them for starting a trip around Europe by car), but the abundance of settlements reduces driving speed. What was unexpected was that we were stopped Border Service to check documents, although we were already relatively far from the border.

We are driving along E30 (A2 or M1) to Warsaw. Although we don’t need Warsaw, essentially. Gasoline prices in this part of Poland range from 4.44 to 4.57 zlotys (about euros). We drink coffee at Cafepunkt (espresso 60 ml for 4.5 zlotys, all other coffees 5.99 zlotys for 300 ml). There are even more cars in front of Warsaw, and we are trundling along at a speed of 50 km/h. The houses on the sides of the route are neat, with occasional churches, but by and large the gaze doesn’t stop at anything.

We drive through Warsaw quickly thanks to new junctions, we never get out of the car and see the outskirts of the city exclusively from the window. Stalinist glass makes Warsaw look like the Vyborg side of St. Petersburg, and modern glass, as expected, kills any beginnings of originality and completely depersonalizes an already not very beautiful city.

Our butts were a little tired, and we decided to let them warm up in Lodz. First we continue to drive along the E30, which after Warsaw has become wide, fast and multinational. Having driven about 40 km from Warsaw, we drink tea and sandwiches in a large parking lot. There is a toilet, three sheds with benches and a water pump. After another 10 km there is a gas station, parking and McDonald's. And then again. And further.

If your route to Poland by car goes along this route, you will truly enjoy it. We have never seen roads like these anywhere else in Europe. This is a well-renovated new autobahn, with a speed limit of 140 km/h. After the turn to Lodz and all the way to Germany, the highway becomes toll-free, but we passed through the free section.

We turned onto A1 and stopped in Lodz. We didn’t have time to see all the sights of Lodz, and we only managed to walk a couple of streets.

Sights of Lodz

Sights of Lodz for us is Piotrkowska Street. We went through it completely, capturing only separate parts of the other streets. Piotrkowska (also Googled as Petrovskaya or Piotrowski) is one of the longest shopping alleys not only in Poland, but throughout Europe. Lots of funny sculptures, an area with personalized street tiles, lots of cafes and shops. If you take pictures everywhere, you can get stuck for a couple of hours. And if you get here during a festival, which is not uncommon here, you will be stuck for half a day.

Bench of Julian Tuvim at 104 Piotrkowska St.:
Avenue of Stars:
On the stars are the names of directors and filmmakers. The stars stretched from the intersection of Monyushka Street to the Rubinstein passage (houses 78-80).

Arthur Rubinstein's piano near house 78:
Monument to three factory owners near house 32:
These are famous Polish manufacturers of the early 20th century, Israel Poznansky, Ludwik Grohmann and Karl Scheibler, who had a hand in the prosperity of Lodz.

Part of the pedestrian area paved with personalized tiles:
Polish Lodz - a good city. A mixture of Kyiv and the Petrograd side in St. Petersburg. We went for a run, got caught in the rain and moved on. The clock says 16:00, we still need lunch, take E 67 (S 8) to Wroclaw, to find a sculptural composition missed in 2012 and come to Germany to spend the night at a campsite.

We looked into Wroclaw, found sculptures of people going into the earth and emerging from it, and rushed to the village along E 40 (in Germany, route No. 4). We entered it already after dark, and along the way we were again caught in local downpours a couple of times and once even in hail the size of a walnut.

We stopped overnight at a campsite near Bautzen. But this is another part of the report – German.

All our posts about this trip around Europe by car:

- almost a “transit” part of the report, but after reading it, you will learn a few important points about the trip to Belarus and what to see in Polotsk, where we spent the night.

Part two – Poland- you were reading it now

(part of the 2016 auto trip report)

A country where there is nothing to do for more than a couple of hours. But maybe this is purely our opinion. Read this part of the report and decide for yourself!

8 days, 9 cities, mountains, gorges, villages and waterfalls. Quite a busy route. And prices in Switzerland in 2016.

Genoa, Pisa, Florence, Lucca, Cittadella and even the center of Padua. And a couple of hours in San Marino

Hoeschwangau, Neuschwanstein, Lindshorf, Dachau, Munich, Nuremberg and Rothenburg ob der Tauber.

Part eight, final - . What is interesting to see in Belarus by car in the summer

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	From Kyiv to the border with Poland is just over 600 km. Without violating traffic rules, this distance can be covered in 7-8 hours. Therefore, we decided to leave Kyiv as early as possible, so as not to rush, and to have enough time in case of delays at the border. Almost the entire road from Kyiv to the border is part highway Kyiv-Chop, and the Kyiv-Lviv section itself is part of the European road route E 40. Therefore, the condition of the road surface is quite good. These are, of course, not Polish and certainly not German autobahns, but still they are best road Ukraine. The road passes through many settlements, so you can’t joke with speed, and you should drive without breaking the rules.
	In previous articles, I talked about preparing for the trip and the first day of the trip. Today I will share with you my impressions of the second day. We plan to visit the Krakow Zoo (Ogród Zoologiczny w Krakowie), walk through the shopping centers Galeria Bronowice, IKEA, Factory Kraków, have lunch on Swedish meatballs at IKEA, and go to the City of Auschwitz to visit the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum there. The daily schedule is very tight, so we planned everything in advance literally down to the minute. And we managed to stick to our schedule.
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