By Car
Car travel offers flexibility but can be slow and highly frustrating. Most Polish highways -- even those connecting major cities -- are of the narrow, two-lane variety and are usually clogged with trucks, buses, tractors, and even occasionally horse-drawn carts. For most stretches, plan on at least 2 hours driving time per 100km (62 miles) distance. And drive defensively. Polish drivers have an abysmal record when it comes to per capita accidents and fatalities. Poland follows normal Continental rules of the road, with priority given to cars on roundabouts and vehicles coming from the right at unmarked intersections. Note that drivers are required to keep headlights on at all times. The speed limit on (the few) four-lane freeways is 130kmph (80 mph). This drops to 90kmph (56 mph) on two-lane highways outside urban areas, and 50kmph (31 mph) or slower in built-up areas. Speed checks are common. Spot alcohol checks are also frequent. The blood/alcohol limit is 0.2% -- approximately one beer.
By Train
The Polish state railroad, PKP, has improved its service in recent years, and train travel is usually the quickest and best way to move between big cities or to cover long distances. PKP maintains a useful online timetable (but be sure to use Polish spellings for city names): www.rozklad-pkp.pl. The best trains are the InterCity (IC) trains, which link nearly all of the country's biggest cities. You'll see IC trains marked in red on timetables; these are more expensive than regular trains and require an obligatory seat reservation. Next best are express trains (Ex), which also require a reservation. Avoid other types of trains for longer distances. You can buy tickets at stations or directly from the conductor on the train, though you'll have to pay a surcharge of 8zl ($3.50/£2.15) for the latter. Fares are relatively low by Western standards. A second-class ticket from Kraków to Warsaw, for example, costs about 85zl ($37/£23). For overnight trips, you can usually book a couchette in a six-bunk car or a sleeper in a three-bunk car. Sleepers run about 120zl ($52/£32). Be sure to book these in advance if possible.
By Bus
Polski Express (www.polskiexpress.pl) maintains an extensive network of routes linking Poland's major cities. Prices and journey times are comparable to the trains and the service is highly useful if you can't find a convenient train connection. Within regions, buses are usually better than trains for getting around to smaller cities and towns. From Kraków, for example, buses are quicker and cheaper than trains for the popular day trip to Zakopane. In general, bus stations are almost always located near main train stations. Try to buy bus tickets in advance if you can, but it's usually possible to buy them directly from the driver. Watch to have exact change on hand, since drivers may not have enough cash to deal with large bills.
