Planning a trip to Lodz
The city of Lódz Tourist Information Center (Piotrkowska 87; tel. 42/638-59-55; www.cityoflodz.pl) is one-stop shopping for all you'll ever need to know. Here, you'll find helpful pamphlets for negotiating the city: Lódz Tourist Attractions and the Lódz City Guide, as well as the essential Jewish Landmarks in Lódz. The latter includes a (long) self-guided walking tour of the Lódz (Litzmannstadt) ghetto. The staff maintains a complete list of hotels and can help arrange transportation and restaurant reservations. Inside the Tourist Information Center, you'll also find the Lódz Airport Travel Agency (Piotrkowska 87; tel. 42/638-59-80; www.airporttravel.lodz.pl), which can help arrange flights in and out of Poland, as well as around the country.
City Layout
Lódz is a sprawling city situated on a loose grid based around the long pedestrian thoroughfare Piotrkowska. Lódz doesn't have a traditional town center, though the intersection of Piotrkowska and the giant avenue Pisudskiego, near the Ibis Hotel, is usually considered the center. Most of the better places to eat, as well as the main tourist sites and the Manufaktura shopping center, lie on or within easy walking distance of Piotrkowska.
Getting There
By Plane
Lódz's Wadysaw Reymont Airport (Gen. Stanisawa Maczka 35; tel. 42/688-84-14; www.airport.lodz.pl) is small, though several budget carriers, including Ryanair, fly here from various cities in the U.K. and continental Europe. The airport is a 15-minute drive southwest of the city center. On arriving, take bus no. 55 to get to the main street, Piotrkowska. A ticket for the 30-minute bus ride costs 2.40 z. A taxi into town will run about 40 z.
By Train
Most trains, including the Warsaw express trains, arrive and depart from the main station: Fabryczna (pl. Salacinskiego 1; tel. 42/194-36; www.pkp.pl). Fabryczna is a 10-minute walk from the center of town. A taxi to the center will cost about 10 z. Some trains also arrive at and depart from suburban Kaliska station (ul. Unii Lubelskiej 3/5; tel. 42/194-36) or Widzew station (Sozbowa 8; tel. 42/194-36), so be sure to check your ticket.
By Bus
The main bus station (pl. Salacinskiego 1; tel. 42/631-97-06; www.pks.lodz.pl) is situated just behind Fabryczna train station, about a 10-minute walk from the center of town or a 10-z cab ride. Lódz has excellent bus connections to all of Poland's major cities and is a central hub for buses throughout the south-central Polish region.
By Car-
Lódz lies at the geographic center of Poland and at the crossroads of several major highways, including the main E75 highway that runs from Gdansk to the Czech border. Figure on about a 3-hour drive from Warsaw and Wrocaw, and about 4 hours south from Gdansk. Once in Lódz, paid street parking during working hours will cost 1 z for the first hour and 2 z for every hour after that.
Getting Around
Distances are vast in Lódz, so depending on where you stay, you may find yourself mixing walking with taking trams, taxis, and the occasional pedicab.
On Foot -- The city's main boulevard, Piotrkowska, is largely closed to car traffic, so walking (or taking a pedicab) is the only way of getting down this street. It's around 4km (2 1/2 miles), end to end, and takes about 45 minutes to walk its length. Walking is also the best way to see the former Jewish ghetto. Elsewhere, going on foot is not much fun. The distances are too long, and there's not much to see along the way.
By Pedicab/Rickshaw -- Pedicabs whisk you from one end of Piotrkowska to the other in about 10 minutes for about 5 z with tip. Rates tend to go up sharply for destinations away from Piotrkowska; in these cases, be sure to negotiate the fare in advance.
By Tram/Bus -- Lódz has an excellent public transportation system of buses and trams. Tickets cost 2.40 z for a standard 30-minute trip and are available from newsagents.
By Taxi -- Taxis are cheap and plentiful. Figure on fares of 15 z to 20 z around town. Reputable firms include Merc Radio Taxi (tel. 42/650-50-50) and MPT Taxi (tel. 42/191-91).
By Bike -- Lódz is flat as a pancake, and car-free Piotrkowska is fun to cycle -- but rentals are few and far between; your best bet is to consult with the tourist information office.
