By air: LOT operates a comprehensive network of domestic routes. There are daily flights between Warsaw and Bydgoszcz, Gdańsk, Katowice, Kraków, Łódź, Poznań, Rzeszów, Szczecin, Wrocław and Zielona Góra. All flights between regional cities travel via Warsaw and connections aren’t always convenient. Currently there is no domestic competition, but this may change if DirectFly resumes operations in the future.

By rail: Trains will be your main means of transport, especially when travelling long distances – they are good value and usually run on time. Outside peak holiday periods in July and August, it should be no problem finding a seat.

The railways are administered by the Polskie Koleje Państwowe. With over 27, 000km of lines, the railway network is extensive and covers most places you might wish to go to. Predictably, the network covers less of the mountainous parts of southern Poland, and trains are slower there

By road: Autostop (hitching) is never entirely safe anywhere in the world. Travelers who decide to hitch should understand that they are taking a small but potentially serious risk. Those who choose to hitch will be safer travelling in pairs, and letting someone know where they are planning to go.

That said, hitching does take place in Poland; locals can often be seen thumbing a ride from one small village to the next. Car drivers rarely stop though, and large commercial vehicles (which are easier to wave down) expect to be paid the equivalent of a bus fare.

Buses: In most cities you can travel on the autobus (bus) and tramwaj (tram), and some also have a trolejbus (trolleybus). Warsaw is the only city with a metro. Public transport operates from around 5am to 11pm and may be crowded during the rush hours (7am to 9am and 4.30pm to 6.30pm Monday to Friday). The largest cities also have night-time services, on either buses or trams. Timetables are usually posted at stops, but don’t rely too much on their accuracy.

In many cities there’s a flat-rate fare for local transport so the duration of the ride and the distance make no difference. If you change vehicles, however, you need another ticket. The ordinary fare is usually around 2.40zł. In some cities the fare depends on how long you travel, with the ticket valid for a certain period of time, such as 30 minutes or one hour. Night services are more expensive than daytime fares.

There are no conductors on board; you buy tickets beforehand and punch or stamp them in one of the little machines installed near the doors. You can buy tickets from Ruch or Relay newspaper kiosks or, in some cities, from street stalls around the central stops, recognisable by the bilety (tickets) boards they display. Buy enough tickets on Saturday morning to last you until Monday, as few kiosks are open on Sunday. Note that tickets purchased in one city cannot be used in another.

Plain-clothed ticket inspectors are always on the prowl and foreign backpackers are not exempt. These inspectors tend to be officious, dogged and singularly unpleasant to deal with.

If you are caught without a ticket, it’s best to pay the fine straight away. Never give an inspector your passport, even if they threaten you with police intervention if you don’t.

Car-hire: Car-hire agencies will require you to produce your passport, a driving licence held for at least one year, and a credit card. You need to be at least 21 or 23 years of age (depending on the company) to hire a car, although hiring some cars, particularly luxury models and 4WDs, may require a higher age.

One-way hire within Poland is possible with most companies (usually for an additional fee), but most will insist on keeping the car within Poland. No company is likely to allow you to take its car beyond the eastern border.

High insurance premiums mean that car hire in Poland is not cheap, and there are seldom any promotional discounts. As a rough guide only, economy models offered by reputable local companies can be as low as 120/800zł per day/week (including insurance and unlimited mileage). Rates at the big international agencies start at around 225/1000zł per day/week. It’s usually cheaper to book your car from abroad or over the internet.

Some recommended dishes:

• Bigos (stew)
• Pierogi (dumplings)
• Baranina (roast or grilled lamb)
• Szarlotka (cake with apples, sometimes served with whipped cream)
• Placki ziemniaczane (potato pancakes)

• Auschwitz
• Drawa National Park
• Mini Roadside Zoo
• Obra River
• Slonsk Bird Reserve
• Biskupin
• Lubuskie Lake
• Nietoperek Bat Reserve
• Paradise Cistercian Abbey
• Underground Bunkers

• Polish embassy
• Tourist guide
• Lonely Planet Poland