Planning a trip to Bialowieza
It would be ideal to make a pit stop at Hajnówka's Biaowieza Forest Regional Tourist Office (3 Maja 45, Hajnówka; tel. 85/682-43-81; www.powiat.hajnowka.pl). They are open year-round Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm and Saturday from 9am to 2pm. The information stock here is extensive, covering attractions such as the Orthodox churches in the area. And they hand out good maps with cycling routes, which you don't get for free in Biaowieza. The PTTK tourist agency (Kolejowa 17; tel. 85/681-22-95; www.pttk.bialowieza.pl) in Biaowieza is good for hiring guides and arranging for bikes, rickshaws, and horse-drawn carts. In July and August, it's open daily 8am to 6pm; off-season, daily 8am to 4pm.
Getting Around
Cycling is a popular mode for getting around during the warmer months. There are plenty of bike rentals for about 7 z per hour or 30 z per day. You'll also find that most accommodations have their own stash of bikes. In season, bicycle rickshaws (tel. 505/044-742) take visitors to the Bison Reserve and other points of interest. The rides are 50 z for two passengers. Horse-drawn carriages fit four but are meant for recreational rides, not as transportation. Any tourist agency and most lodgings can arrange this for you at around 140 z for 2 hours.
Getting There
By Car -- From Warsaw, take Road E77 in the direction of Biaystok. At Zambrów, turn southeast onto Road no. 66; it leads you to Hajnówka. From there, Road no. 689 takes you into the village of Biaowieza. The distance from Warsaw is 258km (160 miles), and it should take about 3 1/2 hours of drive time.
By Train & Bus -- There are daily trains from Warsaw's Central Station to Hajnówka. Depending on service, the journey time is about 4 1/2 hours. PKS buses, outside the Hajnówka train station, depart for Biaowieza up to eight times a day. There is also Oktobus (tel. 606/740-849; www.oktobus.pl), a private bus company, with five daily services to Biaowieza. The pickup point is also outside the railway station, near the church. The bus journey is about 30 minutes, and tickets are 5 z. Alight after Hotel Zubrówka, near the PTTK office.
