Planning a trip to Warsaw
The Warsaw city authorities (tel. 194-31 or 22/474-11-42; www.warsawtour.pl) maintain a helpful network of tourist information agencies at entry points to the city, including the airport, central train station, and the Old Town. All are open daily; operating hours are as follows: Warszawa Centralna Train Station, May to September 8am to 9pm, October to April 8am to 7pm; Fryderyk Chopin Airport, May to September 8am to 9pm, October to April 8am to 7pm; Rynek Starego Miasta 19/21/21A (Old Town), May to September 9am to 9pm, October to April 9am to 7pm. MUFA Warsaw Tourist Information Center (Zamkowy 1/3; tel. 22/635-18-81; www.wcit.waw.pl) is privately run, therefore it also sells tour packages, and is located at the square outside the Royal Castle in the Old Town. It's open weekdays 9am to 6pm, Saturday 10am to 6pm, and Sunday 11am to 6pm.
You can pick up walking-tour itineraries such as Warsaw City Breaks and Jewish Warsaw at any tourist office. You'll almost always find an English speaker on hand to help with general directions and hotel advice, and provide maps and brochures. If you're planning to use public transportation, get the free ZTM (www.ztm.waw.pl) map of tram and bus routes. Warsaw is blessed with a number of English-language publications that include cultural listings, restaurant reviews, and general information. Look out particularly for the comprehensive bi-monthly Warsaw, in Your Pocket (5 z) and the monthly Warsaw Insider (9.90 z), both are free of charge in most hotels.
City Layout
Warsaw is cut in two by the Vistula River (Wisa), but nearly all the interesting things to see and do lie on the river's western side. The heart of the city, and where you'll find most of the hotels, restaurants, and nightlife, is the central district known as Sródmiescie. With its huge avenues and acres of space between buildings, it's not particularly pedestrian-friendly. But trams scoot down the rails at an impressive speed and can whisk you around in a few minutes. The center of Sródmiescie is the intersection of Al. Jerozolimskie (Jerusalem Ave.) and Marszakowska Street. The Old Town (Stare Miasto) lies about 1km (1/2 mile) to the north. The best way to find it on foot is to follow the "Royal Route," which intersects with Al. Jerozolimskie. The Royal Route was the journey taken by Polish royalty to travel from the Royal Castle in the Old Town to the Wilanów Palace in the south. This stretch passes along Krakowskie Przedmiescie, Nowy Swiat, Plac Trzech Krzyzy, and Al. Ujazdowskie. To the south of Jerozolimskie, along the Al. Ujazdowskie, beginning at Plac Trzech Krzyzy, you'll find Warsaw's embassy district and some of the city's swankiest shops, cafes, restaurants, and nightclubs. Farther to the south lie the enormous residential districts of Mokotów and Ursynów, the bedrooms for half of the city's 2 million people. Across the Vistula from the Old Town is the up-and-coming district of Praga. This area has long been one of the poorest districts in Warsaw but is starting to see something of a revival, primarily led by artists attracted by Praga's rock-bottom rents. The new National Stadium for the UEFA Euro Cup 2012 is also located here and is expected to be up and running in June 2011.
Getting There
By Plane
Warsaw's Okecie Airport (Zwirki i Wigury 1; tel. 22/650-42-20; www.lotnisko-chopina.pl), sometimes called by its formal name, Fryderyk Chopin Airport, is 10km (6 1/4 miles) from the city center. Most major international carriers land at, and take off from, the new Terminal 2. The older Terminal 1 is still in use for domestic flights. Terminal 2 is well served by a tourist information office, automated teller machines, car rental booths, and kiosks for tram and bus tickets. By bus or taxi, it takes approximately 20 to 30 minutes to get to the city center. During the day, take bus no. 175; in the evening, bus no. N32. Tickets cost 2.80 z. Taxis, operated by SAWA, Merc, and MPT, make the run to the center for around 40 z. Watch out for unlicensed drivers; there are fewer of them these days, but they still manage to nab unwary travelers, charging three to four times the going rate. Another alternative is the shared or private transfers operated by Warsaw Shuttle (tel. 500/012-838; www.warsawshuttle.com), which charges 9.90 z per person. You can pre-book your ride on their website.
By Train
Major international and domestic trains arrive and depart from Warsaw's Central Station (Warszawa Centralna; Al. Jerozolimskie 54; tel. 197-57; www.pkp.pl), located in the heart of the city in Sródmiescie (just across the street from the Marriott Hotel). Centralna is, to put it mildly, confusing. It's a vast 1970s concrete jungle, filled with underground passageways that seemingly lead nowhere and misleadingly marked stairways that will have you coming and going, and getting no place at all. Fortunately, the officials at Polish Rail have cleaned up the station. Centralna is well served by tramlines and buses; the only trick is finding which stairway to use to locate the tram going in the direction you want to travel. Taxis stationed here are expensive; it's cheaper to call for an independent taxi.
By Bus
Warsaw's main bus station (Dworzec Autobusowy Warszawa Zachodnia; Al. Jerozolimskie 144; tel. 703/403-330; www.pksbilety.pl) is situated in the city center, about 1km (1/2 mile) to the west of the Centralna train station. The station handles all of the bus traffic to and from Western Europe, as well as most major Polish routes. The station is well served by tram, bus, or taxi to anywhere in the city. Buses no. 127 and 130, and night buses no. N35 and N85, run to the Centralna train station. Journey time is about 15 minutes. A 2-z ticket, valid for 20 minutes, will suffice. Validate your ticket upon boarding.
By Car
As Poland's capital city, all roads lead to Warsaw. You'll have no problem finding your way here. You may be surprised, though, by how long it takes to get here, and once you're here, by the sheer volume of traffic. After you've found your hotel, stow the car and use public transportation and taxis.
Getting Around
On Foot
Warsaw is a big city, so walking is an option only within specific areas, such as the Old Town or in Sródmiescie. For longer distances, you'll want to use public transportation or taxis.
By Tram
Trams trundle down Warsaw's enormous avenues regularly from about 4:30am to 11pm and are the best means for covering large distances quickly and cheaply. The tram network will look highly confusing at first, but once you have learned the names of major roads and intersections, you'll get the hang of it. You can also get the free map of the tram and bus routes (www.ztm.waw.pl) from the tourist information centers. Warsaw Transport Authority (tel. 22/194-84) has public transportation information and usually has English-speaking operators.
Tickets costs 2.80 z per ride, and you can buy them from Ruch kiosks around town or almost any place near a tram stop that sells newspapers and cigarettes. You can also look out for the new ticket machines that have been installed at selected points. You may have a hard time finding a place to buy a ticket in the evening, so buy several during the day and stock up. You can also buy reasonably priced long-term tickets: for 1 day (9 z), 3 days (16 z), and 1 week (32 z). The Warsaw Tourist Card (www.warsawtour.pl), issued by the Warsaw City authorities, is available at various places, including tourist information centers. It gives access to public transportation, and free or discounted rates for attractions, restaurants, and hotels. A 24-hour card costs 35 z; a 3-day card is 65 z.
By Bus
Buses supplement the tram network and run pretty much the same hours and use the same ticketing and information system. The bus layout is even more confusing than the trams, so get specific directions to your destination.
DIY Sightseeing: Hop-on-Hop-off -- You can easily see the top sights in town using public transportation. Bus no. 180 runs daily from the Powazki Cemetery to Wilanów and passes by the Old Town and Royal Route in its 1-hour north-south traverse. Weekends from July to August, Tram T, a restored historical tram, is a loop service starting from pl. Narutowicza. It trundles into Praga and passes through places like the Socialist Realism housing project pl. Konstytucji. For both options, a day ticket is all you need.
By Metro
Warsaw has a small subway (metro) system, and most likely, you won't use it. There's only one functioning line, and it connects the center of town to the districts in the north and south of the city. A much-needed east-west line is under construction, but it won't be ready till late 2013. Tickets are the same as for the buses and trams, and must be validated before boarding the train.
By Taxi
Taxis are a cheap and reliable way of getting from point A to point B. The meter starts at 6 z. The rates vary depending on the company. Expect to pay about 25 z for in-town destinations. Dishonest drivers have been a problem in the past, but the situation is improving. Nevertheless, use only clearly marked cabs and always make sure the driver has switched on the meter. It is also common to book by phone, even when there's a taxi rank nearby. Most of the time, there are English-speaking operators who can help you. Good choices include Merc Taxi (tel. 22/677-77-77), Super Taxi (tel. 196-22), and MPT (tel. 191-91).
By Bike
Cycling in the city is getting more common, but it's still viewed by many as a suicidal undertaking. The bike rental shop Wygodny Rower (Stawki 19; tel. 888/498-498; www.wygodnyrower.pl) is open weekdays from 11am to 7pm and on Saturday from 10am to 3pm. The Oki Doki Hostel also has bikes for rent.
Fast Facts
American Express -- The office (Chodna 51; (tel. 22/581-51-00) is open weekdays 9am to 7pm and Saturday 10am to 3pm.
Business Hours -- Stores and offices are generally open Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm. Banks are open Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm. Some larger stores have limited Saturday hours, usually 9am to noon. Museums and other tourist attractions are often closed on Mondays.
Camera Repair -- Adam Bieniek (Al. Jerozolimskie 113/115; tel. 22/629-99-59) can handle repair work for most camera models. The shop is on the second floor, and the staircase is by the kebab stall. It's open on weekdays from 9am to 6pm.
Car Rental -- At the airport, you'll find global chains such as Avis (tel. 22/650-48-72; www.avis.pl), Budget (tel. 22/650-40-62; www.budget.pl), and Hertz (tel. 22/650-28-96; www.hertz.com.pl). Joka (Okopowa 47; tel. 22/636-63-93; www.joka.com.pl) offers cars with GPS. For luxury cars, contact LimoInvest (Pisudskiego 11, Józefów; tel. 722/233-355 or 22/252-07-25; www.limoinvest.pl).
Currency Exchange -- Most banks and some hotels have currency exchange counters. The airport and train station also have kantor (currency exchange) booths, but you'll find better rates in the city's malls and streets. A 24-hour kantor is at Piekna 11 (tel. 22/625-14-25).
Doctors & Dentists -- The LIM Medical Center (al. Jerozolimskie 65/79; tel. 22/458-70-00; www.cmlim.pl) has several facilities in the city. A centrally located option is in the Marriott Hotel tower and staffs a full range of English-speaking doctors and specialists. For dentists, the Austria-Dent-Center (Zelazna 54; tel. 022/654-21-16; www.austriadent.pl) is highly recommended.
Drugstores -- Independent "apteka" are everywhere. Apteka Grabowskiego (Al. Jerozolimskie 54; tel. 22/825-69-86), at the Central Station, is open 24 hours. So is Apteka Beata at Al. Solidarnosci 149 (entrance from Al. Jana Pawa; tel. 22/620-08-18). Super Pharm is a chain found in most malls.
Embassies -- U.S.: Al. Ujazdowskie 29/31, tel. 22/625-14-01; Canada: Matejki 1/5, tel. 22/584-31-00; U.K.: Kawalerii 12, tel. 22/311-00-00.
Emergencies -- In an emergency, dial the following numbers: police tel. 997, fire tel. 998, ambulance tel. 999. The general emergency number if using a cellphone is tel. 112.
Internet Access -- If you have a laptop, Wi-Fi access is complimentary in many cafes and restaurants. Nearly all hotels either have Wi-Fi or Internet terminals. Internet cafes around town charge about 6 z per hour. Arena 2 at pl. Konstytucji 5 (tel. 22/629-07-76) is a smoke-free 24-hour facility. At the centrally located British Council (Al. Jerozolimskie 59; tel. 22/695-59-00; www.britishcouncil.org), there are three terminals that you can use at no charge. The British Council is open weekdays from 8:30am to 9pm and on Saturdays from 8:30am to 1:30pm.
Laundry -- Laundry chains with same-day service, such as 5 à Sec (www.5asec.pl), can be found in most malls, including Zote Tarasy and Arkadia.
Maps -- City and regional maps are widely available in bookshops, roadside kiosks, and petrol stations. One of the most popular brands is Copernicus.
Newspapers & Magazines -- Local news in English is carried in the Warsaw Voice, available in bookshops such as Empik and the American Bookstore. The Warsaw Business Journal is a weekly publication on market news. The New Poland Express is a weekly electronic publication you can subscribe to on www.newpolandexpress.pl.
Post Offices -- The Central Post Office is at Swietokrzyska 31/33 (tel. 22/505-33-29; www.poczta-polska.pl), and it is open 24 hours. There is also a post office at the Central Station on the ground floor.
Safety -- Violent crime is relatively rare, but theft is a serious problem. Don't leave valuables in cars overnight. Watch your pockets and purses carefully. If you're traveling with a bike, don't leave it outside unattended (even if it's firmly locked). Many hotels and pensions will allow you to take your bicycle in with you to your room.
Telephones & Fax -- The area code for Warsaw is 22. To call long distance within Poland, dial the area code, plus the number. When dialing the 5-digit information lines (including for taxis), drop the 22 prefix if you are calling from a Polish landline. However, to call from a Polish cellphone, the 22 prefix is required.
