Car Hire in Poland
A short guide to Driving in Poland and Car Hire in Poland.
Are you going on holiday to Poland? To see as much as possible and to get the most out of Poland, the best way of transport is certainly by car. But of course you will have to abide by Poland's law of driving. Below you will find some useful information about driving in Poland.
Documents you need when driving in Poland
To drive a foreign registered car legally in Poland you must have the following documents with you, which are your current driving licence, valid insurance certificate a minimum Third Party cover and Green Card. An International Driving Permit is also required.
Special rules you must follow
When driving in Poland all vehicles must carry a warning triangle, you are also recommended to carry a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit in all vehicles. The police are able to issue and collect 'on the spot fines' for not obeying these rules. For all passengers it is compulsory to wear both front and rear seatbelts.
Minimum age
The minimum age of a driver in Poland is 17 years. Children under 10 years of age and must be seated in an approved child seat to sit in the front of a vehicle.
Parking
Parking in Poland is similar to Britain with car parks and parking meters. Vehicles are allowed to park with two wheels on the pavement. At night on an unlit street, vehicles must use parking lights. Do not park within 5 metres of a pedestrian crossing.
A few basic rules
In Poland, they drive on the right hand side and overtake on the left, pay full attention especially at roundabouts. The use of dipped headlights is compulsory from 1st Oct to 28th Feb. Do not use your horn in built-up areas except for emergencies. For cyclists using the road with a speed limit of 60 kph (37mph) or above are permitted to ride on the footpath.
Speed limits
Residential areas: 20 kph (12 mph)
Built-up areas: 60 kph (37 mph)
Freeway: 130 kph (81 mph)
Divided Highway: 110 kph (68 mph)
Undivided Highway: 100 kph (62 mph)
Other roads: 90 kph (56 mph)
Bus
There are good transport services in all towns, with additional trams and trolleybuses, which operates in a dozen of the larger urban areas. In Warsaw there are bus, tramway and rail services. There is a flat fare is charge and also pre-purchase tickets and passes are available.
Tram
You can purchase weekend and 7-day tourist tickets. Most of the public transport operates from 0530 to 2300.
Taxi
Taxis are available in all main towns. You can usually find them at taxi ranks or they can be ordered by phone. Between the hours of 2300-0500, there is a surcharge for journeys out of town, also at weekends. The taxi drivers may insist on payment in hard currency and a small tip is also appreciated.
Travel times
The following chart below gives approximate travel times (in hours and minutes) from Warsaw to other major cities/towns in Poland.
Road
Kraków 4.00
Poznan 4.00
Wroclaw 6.00
Gdansk 6.00
Szczecin 8.00
Katowice 4.30
Lódz 2.00
Driving in Poland will be a pleasurable experience as long as you remember you are in their country and abide by their laws. Please remember it is not a good enough excuse to plead ignorance, as you are a foreigner, you are the driver and it's your responsibility to know the law.