Planning a trip to Hel Peninsula
You can find tourist information points along the villages on the peninsula. In Hel, the Tourist Information Point (Marina Helska Port Rybacki; tel. 58/675-10-10; www.gohel.pl) is near the ferry landing. It operates year-round daily from 8am to 4pm. The English-speaking staff can assist with finding rooms and has public transportation schedules.
Getting There
For day-trippers, the sea route to Hel is the most laid-back choice. If you're traveling by train or bus, you can get off at Wadysawowo or any of the resort villages en route to Hel.
By Boat -- Ferry trams (tramwaj wodny; www.ztm.gda.pl/ferry.html) to Hel depart from Gdansk (Motawa Canal), Sopot (at the pier), and Gdynia (Nabrzeze Pomorskie; tel. 669/441-202; www.zkmgdynia.pl), and take about 30 minutes to 1 hour. From June to August, the ferry tram runs daily. Tickets are sold at the booths near the ferry landing. The one-way ticket from Gdansk costs 18 z; from Sopot, it's 16 z; and from Gdynia, it's 12 z.
By Train -- Regular trains to the peninsula leave from the Tri-City's train stations. The journey takes 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
By Bus -- There is minibus service from the northern side of Gdynia's bus station. The buses leave when they are filled up.
By Car -- From the Tri-City, take the E28 to Reda. Turn onto Road 216 and head for Wadysawowo. It should take 2 hours to reach Hel. It's an enjoyable drive, passing by little towns, but keep in mind that the traffic can be a drag.
Getting Around
At Hel's train station, electric-car operators mill around for customers. Prices are negotiable. Buses and trains run the length of the peninsula. In summer, there are five daily buses running from Hel to Wadysawowo; cost is 8 z one-way. Note: The main road can get quite congested around midday.
