Poland: Kraków, Gdańsk, the Tatra, best time to visit, getting there and costs 2026

Poland suits you if you want to combine city breaks, memorial sites and nature from the Tatra to Masuria on one trip. The country borders Germany, is part of the EU and has 18 UNESCO World Heritage Sites (as of September 2026).

New on the list since July 2026 is the modernist city centre of Gdynia. Since 2025 Christmas Eve has been a public holiday, and on the A4 between Katowice and Kraków new toll prices have applied since 1 April 2026.

Poland suits you less if you are looking for mild weather in winter: in January the mean low in Warsaw is −4.0 °C (1991–2020 normals). Shopping on Sundays is also difficult, because shops with employees almost always stay closed then.

Getting there from Germany

In 2025, 2,059,282 passengers whose last known destination was in Poland boarded at the 22 main German airports, which is 11th place among 211 destination countries. Most flew to Warsaw (576,810), Kraków (458,021) and Gdańsk (363,004), followed by Katowice, Wrocław and Poznań. The passengers started from Germany mainly in Frankfurt (744,906) and Munich (563,334). The source is the Federal Statistical Office, year 2025, excluding connecting passengers abroad; totals, ranking and breakdown are own analysis.

Warsaw Chopin (WAW)

The SKM city rail lines S2 and S3 and the RL of Koleje Mazowieckie stop at the underground station at the terminal. City bus 175 runs daily to Plac Piłsudskiego, and at night the N32 goes as far as Centrum (as of September 2026). According to the airport, take only a licensed taxi whose fare is displayed in the window.

Kraków-Balice (KRK)

You reach the station behind the car park from the terminal by a covered pedestrian bridge. The SKA1 of Koleje Małopolskie takes 17 minutes to Kraków Główny and runs every 30 minutes during the day. The last trains into the city leave at 0:57 and 1:47 (timetable of 30 August to 24 October 2026). The journey costs 20.00 zł, and tickets are also available from the machine on the train (as of September 2026).

Gdańsk (GDN)

City bus 210 runs daily without a change through the city centre to the main station, in about 40 minutes and for 4.80 zł (as of September 2026). From 23:00 to 4:00 the N3 night line takes over. By train you change at Gdańsk Wrzeszcz.

Regions and destinations at a glance

“—” means: no documented drawback.

Warsaw

The destruction of 1944 hit 85% of Warsaw's old town. Among other things, townscapes by the court painter Bernardo Bellotto, known as Canaletto, served as a model for the reconstruction. By July 1953 most of it was standing again. The Royal Castle, blown up in 1944, was only rebuilt from 1971, and it has been open to visitors since 1984.

Kraków, Wawel and Wieliczka

Kraków's historic centre with the old town, Wawel Hill and the old Jewish quarter of Kazimierz is among the sites on the first UNESCO list of 1978. The Main Market Square is a square with sides of 200 m, and underneath its Cloth Hall there has been a museum since 2010. Wawel offers the castle tour through the 1st and 2nd floors from Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 to 17:00, with an audio guide for 95 zł (as of September 2026). On Mondays from 10:00 to 16:00 you can get into some exhibitions free of charge, as long as the free tickets at the ticket office last.

The SKA1 takes you to the Wieliczka salt mine from Kraków Główny in around 25 minutes for 7.50 zł (timetable of 30 August to 24 October 2026). The tourist route takes 2 to 3 hours, leads down to 135 m and over more than 800 steps. Tickets start at 131 zł (as of September 2026).

Auschwitz-Birkenau memorial

A standard guided tour takes about 3.5 hours. Because the security check takes time, the memorial advises being there at the latest 30 minutes before the start. Visitors are admitted from 7:30, in October until 17:00, in December until 14:00 (as of September 2026). The SKA3 train takes about 60 minutes from Kraków Główny to Oświęcim and costs 18.00 zł (timetable of 30 August to 24 October 2026).

Gdańsk and Malbork Castle

You reach Malbork from Gdańsk by car in around 50 minutes. According to the Polish Tourism Organisation, no brick castle in the world is larger; the Teutonic Knights built it from the late 13th century. You do the historic castle route with a guide or with an audio guide, which is also available in German. For the summer season from 25 April to 30 September 2026, the castle museum gave 80 zł, reduced 60 zł, and free admission on Mondays only to the outer grounds, with a ticket from the ticket office. It had not yet published winter prices on 27 September 2026.

Tatra and Zakopane

The Tatra National Park has existed since 1954, and with Rysy (2,499 m) Poland's highest mountain lies there. For the trip to Morskie Oko the park reckons on at least 7 hours, 5 of them on foot. In the daytime cars often queue there, and the park advises arriving before 8:00. Its park staff do not accept cash, only cards. Between dusk and dawn you may not be out on any of the park's trails from 1 March to 30 November (as of September 2026).

Without a car, for example on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, train K5 leaves Kraków Główny at 6:20 for Zakopane, arriving at 8:59, for 26.50 zł (timetable of 30 August to 24 October 2026).

Best time to visit

The table shows official 1991–2020 normals from the weather service IMGW-PIB for the stations Warsaw (106 m) and Gdańsk (Gdańsk-Świbno, 7 m). The mean high and low come first, the precipitation last.

From May to September the mean high in Warsaw is between 19.1 and 25.2 °C. July is the wettest month at both stations. In Zakopane (852 m), 191.6 mm falls in July and 1,145.0 mm in the year, a little more than twice as much as in Warsaw (own calculation).

Getting around the country

Rail

On the PKP Intercity Pendolino, Warsaw–Kraków takes from 2 h 21 min and Warsaw–Gdańsk from 2 h 46 min; on the InterCity each takes 33 minutes longer (own calculation, as of September 2026). Without a discount, the Pendolino from Kraków or Gdańsk to Warsaw costs at most 169 zł in 2nd class (price list valid from 23 July 2026). If you book early, you save up to 30% with “Wcześniej Taniej”, and the limited Promo and SuperPromo offers bring up to 67%. For the Pendolino you need your ticket when you board.

Car and roads

From Görlitz the A4 leads via Wrocław and Katowice to Kraków, and from the direction of Berlin the A2 leads via Poznań to Warsaw. Vehicles up to 3.5 t pay nothing in the state e-TOLL toll system, but privately operated sections do cost money. The A2 from Świecko at the border to Konin costs 141 zł for cars (table of September 2026). On the A4 Katowice–Kraków you have paid 18 zł each at two toll stations since 1 April 2026, also by card or in euro notes.

According to the Polish Tourism Organisation, the following applies (as of September 2026):

• Speed: 50 km/h in built-up areas, 90 outside them, 100 or 120 on expressways, 140 km/h on motorways.
• Lights and alcohol: dipped headlights or daytime running lights all year round, including in the daytime, 0.2 per mille at most.
• In the car: warning triangle, and a fire extinguisher too if the car is registered in Poland; phone calls only with a hands-free system.
• Breakdown: PZM breakdown assistance on 19637, and for ADAC members the German-speaking emergency call station on +48 61 831 98 88.

According to the EU portal “Your Europe”, Poland recognises your EU driving licence. If the car belongs to someone who is not travelling with you, take the owner's written authorisation with you; for a hire car, the rental agreement serves as proof.

Money and costs

You pay in złoty (zł, PLN) of 100 groszy. Supermarkets, restaurants and most shops accept credit cards, and there are many cash machines (Bankomat) (as of September 2026).

Tourist tax

Municipalities may levy a tourist tax (opłata miejscowa) for each day started if you stay longer than one day. In spa towns the spa tax takes its place. In 2026 a maximum of 3.46 zł per day is permitted, 4.89 zł in spa protection areas, and 6.67 zł as the spa tax. Zakopane charges 2 zł per day started (as of April 2025).

Practical information

Poland observes Central European Time, as Germany does, and summer time in summer; the clocks change on the same day across the EU. The official language is Polish. The emergency number 112 works on landlines and mobiles, and you can reach the GOPR mountain rescue on 601 100 300 (as of September 2026). Because Poland is part of the EU, you phone and surf at the prices of your tariff at home.

The public holidays in the rest of 2026 are 1 and 11 November and 24, 25 and 26 December. On Sundays and public holidays, shops with employees may not sell anything. Exempt are, among others, petrol stations, pharmacies, bakeries, restaurants and shops in railway stations. In December 2026 the 6th, 13th and 20th are Sundays when shops may open (own calculation based on the law).

In public places you may drink alcohol only where it is served or where the municipality expressly allows it (as of September 2026).

What applies on entry, safety and health is currently set out by the German Foreign Office.

Who Poland is not for

• Anyone who wants to shop on Sundays: Shops with employees mostly stay closed on Sundays and public holidays, and since 2025 on Christmas Eve too.
• Anyone who wants to travel in mild weather in winter: In January the mean high in Warsaw is 1.0 °C, and in Zakopane the low falls to −7.0 °C (1991–2020 normals).
• Anyone who wants to visit Auschwitz spontaneously: Tickets are available only online and in limited numbers, none at the entrance (as of September 2026).
• Anyone who wants to hike in the Tatra without crowds: Because of the traffic jams to Morskie Oko, the park advises being there before 8:00. Parking there costs up to 75 zł online (as of September 2026).
• Anyone who needs dry weather in the mountains: Zakopane gets 191.6 mm of precipitation in July, and in the year a little more than twice as much as Warsaw (1991–2020 normals).
• Anyone who wants to drive toll-free: The A2 from Świecko to Konin costs 141 zł, the A4 Katowice–Kraków 2 × 18 zł (as of September 2026).