Find out about the things you must know before travelling to Poland. Due to its unique nature and rich cultural heritage, Poland is an attractive destination not only for Poles but also foreigners. It is worth spending more than a few days there.
Poland is a safe country, although there are exceptions. For your safety, it is better to avoid lonely night trips and try not to leave your belongings unattended. Both tourists from abroad and Poles moving around our country should take care of a good travel plan and remember to take certain precautions:
Prepare a plan
A plan is essential on every trip. When preparing it, you should take into account all the places that you will visit on the spot and on the way. However, it is worth having a second backup plan, which can be useful when the first one fails, for example when some attractions are closed. It is worth leaving such a plan with a trusted person who will know where to look for us and how to help you.
Plan your trips with local transport in mind
Intuition may not be enough if we have to move around a foreign city by public transport. On public transport websites, you can find current timetables with maps that will help us plan all trips more effectively. Also, watch out for taxi rides, as tourists who do not know the city well often fall victim to scams.
Protect yourself against theft
Tourists are often victims of petty theft. All it takes is a moment of inattention and a wallet or phone can disappear from our backpack. To protect against this, it is worth hiding valuables deeper and trying not to carry large sums of money with you. Be vigilant and stick to the principle of limited trust in people, even if they are seemingly nice and harmless. Never leave your luggage unattended, even for a short while. Stay away from dangerous neighbourhoods and under no circumstances venture into them in the dark. Move as close to the city centre as possible. Thanks to this, you will be able to avoid attacks, but also beatings.
Consider insurance
The basic insurance covers hospital stays, visits to family doctors, consultations and treatment by specialists, selected surgeries, as well as part of the costs of medicines. The appointment wait time can be significantly longer, so it is worth considering purchasing additional protection from a private company. This is a must if you are going on a trip with a baby. Consider purchasing extended car insurance that covers the repair and towing.
Check the technical condition of your car and secure your apartment
Owning a car is a great convenience. You do not have to worry about the public transport timetable or constantly look at the map, because navigation will lead you everywhere. For a safe trip, you also need to take care of the technical condition of the vehicle. Technical inspection is carried out every year, so we can learn about faults on an ongoing basis. You should not go on a long journey without checking your car and the necessary equipment – first aid kit, fire extinguisher, warning triangle, and lighting.
Safe leisure
Try to travel only when you are rested and do not drive for too long. Be especially careful when you are in places where there are large groups of people: airports, city centres, trains, and buses. Try to avoid contact with strangers. Do not leave your suitcase unattended, even for a short while. Secure your valuables properly before you leave. However, no preparations can give 100% certainty that you will be safe. Unforeseen accidents can still happen to us. In the event of an accident, assault, fire, theft, loss of documents, or health problems, contact the appropriate services immediately and without hesitation.
National emergency numbers and help
You can get help by calling the contact numbers. The general number is 112. A dispatcher will then send the appropriate unit to you. When making an emergency call, you need to be able to identify what has happened, who the victim is, and where to send help.
Public and toll-free Polish emergency numbers are:
999: Ambulance
998: Fire Brigade
997: Police
981: Road Assistance
986: Municipal Police