exchange rates
← Older revision
Revision as of 16:10, 13 January 2017
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* [[Gdańsk]] — formerly known as Danzig; one of the old, beautiful European cities, rebuilt after World War II. Located in the centre of the Baltic coast, it's a great departure point to the many sea resorts along the Baltic coast.
* [[Gdańsk]] — formerly known as Danzig; one of the old, beautiful European cities, rebuilt after World War II. Located in the centre of the Baltic coast, it's a great departure point to the many sea resorts along the Baltic coast.
* [[Katowice]] — central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, both an important commercial hub and a centre of culture.
* [[Katowice]] — central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, both an important commercial hub and a centre of culture.
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* [[Kraków]] — the "cultural capital" of Poland and its historical capital in the Middle Ages; its centre is filled with old churches, monuments, the largest European medieval market-place - and
more
recently
trendy pubs and art galleries. Its city centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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* [[Kraków]] — the "cultural capital" of Poland and its historical capital in the Middle Ages; its centre is filled with old churches, monuments, the largest European medieval market-place - and
now
with
trendy pubs and art galleries. Its city centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
* [[Lublin]] — the biggest city in Eastern Poland, it has a well-preserved old town with typical Polish architecture, along with unusual Renaissance elements (the so-called Lublin Renaissance).
* [[Lublin]] — the biggest city in Eastern Poland, it has a well-preserved old town with typical Polish architecture, along with unusual Renaissance elements (the so-called Lublin Renaissance).
* [[Łódź]] — once renowned for its textile industries, the "Polish Manchester" has the longest walking street in Europe, the Piotrkowska Street, full of picturesque 19th-century architecture.
* [[Łódź]] — once renowned for its textile industries, the "Polish Manchester" has the longest walking street in Europe, the Piotrkowska Street, full of picturesque 19th-century architecture.
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====Contemporary Poland (Third Republic of Poland)====
====Contemporary Poland (Third Republic of Poland)====
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Nowadays, Poland is a democratic country with a stable and robust economy. It has been a member of NATO since 1999 and the [[European Union]] since 2004. The country's stability has been
recently
underscored by the fact that the tragic deaths of the President and a large number of political, business and civic leaders in a plane crash did not have an appreciable negative effect on the Polish currency or economic prospects. Poland has also joined the borderless Europe agreement (Schengen), with an open border to Germany, Lithuania, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and is on track to adopt the Euro currency in a few years time. Poland's dream of rejoining Europe as an independent nation at peace and in mutual respect with its neighbors has finally been achieved.
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Nowadays, Poland is a democratic country with a stable and robust economy. It has been a member of NATO since 1999 and the [[European Union]] since 2004. The country's stability has been underscored by the fact that the tragic deaths of the President and a large number of political, business and civic leaders in a plane crash did not have an appreciable negative effect on the Polish currency or economic prospects. Poland has also joined the borderless Europe agreement (Schengen), with an open border to Germany, Lithuania, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and is on track to adopt the Euro currency in a few years time. Poland's dream of rejoining Europe as an independent nation at peace and in mutual respect with its neighbors has finally been achieved.
[[File:Stół wielkanocny 1.jpg|thumbnail|right|Easter is the time when Polish people can indulge in baking homemade cakes and then eating them!]]
[[File:Stół wielkanocny 1.jpg|thumbnail|right|Easter is the time when Polish people can indulge in baking homemade cakes and then eating them!]]
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==Get around==
==Get around==
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Polish road infrastructure is extensive but generally poorly maintained, and high speed motorways
currently
in place are insufficient. However, public transport is quite plentiful and inexpensive: buses and trams in cities, and charter buses and trains for long distance travel.
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Polish road infrastructure is extensive but generally poorly maintained, and high speed motorways in place are insufficient. However, public transport is quite plentiful and inexpensive: buses and trams in cities, and charter buses and trains for long distance travel.
[[File:Boarding (2564643532).jpg|thumbnail|right|Poland is large enough for domestic flights to be a viable method of travelling]]
[[File:Boarding (2564643532).jpg|thumbnail|right|Poland is large enough for domestic flights to be a viable method of travelling]]
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Train tickets are quite economical, but travel conditions reflect the fact that much of the infrastructure is rather old.
Train tickets are quite economical, but travel conditions reflect the fact that much of the infrastructure is rather old.
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However, you can expect a fast, clean and modern connection on the new IC (InterCity) routes, such as [[Warsaw]] - [[Katowice]], [[Warsaw]] - [[Kraków]], [[Warsaw]] - [[Poznań]] and [[Poznań]] - [[Szczecin]] or RE (RegioEkspress). Consider first class tickets, because the price difference between the second and first class is not so big. The jump in comfort may be substantial but then it is also common to see trains where 2nd class carriages
are
recently
renovated and 1st class carriages are old and correspondingly low quality.
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However, you can expect a fast, clean and modern connection on the new IC (InterCity) routes, such as [[Warsaw]] - [[Katowice]], [[Warsaw]] - [[Kraków]], [[Warsaw]] - [[Poznań]] and [[Poznań]] - [[Szczecin]] or RE (RegioEkspress). Consider first class tickets, because the price difference between the second and first class is not so big. The jump in comfort may be substantial but then it is also common to see trains where 2nd class carriages
have
been
renovated and 1st class carriages are old and correspondingly low quality.
====Train types====
====Train types====
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Use only those that are associated in a "corporation" (look for phone number and a logo on the side and on the top). There are no British style minicabs in Poland. Unaffiliated drivers are likely to cheat and charge you much more. Like everywhere, be especially wary of these taxis near international airports and train stations. They are called the "taxi mafia".
Use only those that are associated in a "corporation" (look for phone number and a logo on the side and on the top). There are no British style minicabs in Poland. Unaffiliated drivers are likely to cheat and charge you much more. Like everywhere, be especially wary of these taxis near international airports and train stations. They are called the "taxi mafia".
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Because of travelers advice like this (and word of mouth), taxis with ''fake'' phone numbers can be seen on the streets, although
recently
this seems to have decreased - possibly the police have taken notice. Fake phone numbers are easily detected by locals and cater for the unsuspecting traveler. The best advice is to ask your Polish friends or your hotel concierge for the number of the taxi company they use and call them 10–15 minutes in advance (there's no additional cost). That's why locals will only hail taxis on the street in an emergency.
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Because of travelers
'
advice like this (and word of mouth), taxis with ''fake'' phone numbers can be seen on the streets, although this seems to have decreased - possibly the police have taken notice. Fake phone numbers are easily detected by locals and cater for the unsuspecting traveler. The best advice is to ask your Polish friends or your hotel concierge for the number of the taxi company they use and call them 10–15 minutes in advance (there's no additional cost). That's why locals will only hail taxis on the street in an emergency.
You can also find phone numbers for taxis in any city on the Internet, on municipal and newspaper websites. Some taxi companies, particularly in larger towns provide for a cab to be ordered on-line or with a text message. There are also stands, where you can call for their particular taxi for free, often found at train stations.
You can also find phone numbers for taxis in any city on the Internet, on municipal and newspaper websites. Some taxi companies, particularly in larger towns provide for a cab to be ordered on-line or with a text message. There are also stands, where you can call for their particular taxi for free, often found at train stations.
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==Buy==
==Buy==
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===Money===
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{{exchange rates
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| currency=Polish złoty
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| currencyCode=zł
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| date=January 2017
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| USD=4.1
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| EUR=4.4
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| GBP=5.0
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| source=[http://www.xe.com/currency/pln-polish-zloty XE.com]
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}}
[[Image:Polish-Banknote-100zl.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|Polish 100 zł banknote]]
[[Image:Polish-Banknote-100zl.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|Polish 100 zł banknote]]
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===Paying===
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The legal tender in Poland is the '''Polish złoty''', denoted by the synbol "'''zł'''" (ISO code:: '''PLN'''). The '''złoty''' is divided into 100 '''groszy''' (check the box to details). In 1995, 10,000 old złoty were replaced by one new złoty. Poland is expected to adopt the euro sometime before 2019.
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The legal tender in Poland is the '''Polish złoty''' ('''zł,''' international abbreviation: '''PLN'''). The '''złoty''' is divided into 100 '''groszy''' (check the box to details). Poland was expected to adopt the '''Euro (€)''' sometime after 2014, but those plans are still tentative.
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Private currency exchange offices (Polish: ''kantor'') are very common, and offer
Euro
or
USD
exchanges at rates that are usually comparable to commercial banks.
Be aware that exchanges
in tourist hot-spots, such as the train stations or popular tourist destinations, tend to overcharge. Avoid "Interchange" Kantor locations, easily recognized by their orange color; the rates they offer are very bad.
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Private currency exchange offices (Polish: ''kantor'') are very common, and offer
euro
or
US dollar
exchanges at rates that are usually comparable to commercial banks.
Exchanges
in tourist hot-spots, such as the train stations or popular tourist destinations, tend to overcharge. Avoid "Interchange" Kantor locations, easily recognized by their orange color; the rates they offer are very bad.
{{Infobox|Cash|Linguistic note: Polish has two types of plural numbers, which you are likely to encounter when dealing with currency. Here are the noun forms to expect:
{{Infobox|Cash|Linguistic note: Polish has two types of plural numbers, which you are likely to encounter when dealing with currency. Here are the noun forms to expect:
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==Connect==
==Connect==
===Mobile phones===
===Mobile phones===
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There are four mobile phone operators in Poland: Plus [http://plus.pl] (''code 260 01''), T-Mobile (formerly ERA) [http://www.t-mobile.pl] (''260 02''), Orange [http://www.orange.pl] (''260 03'') and Play [http://www.playmobile.pl] (''260 06''). About 98% of the country is covered by the standard European GSM 900/1800 MHz network, the remaining 2% are wildlife reserves or high mountains. 3G is available in almost every town. LTE networks
were
recently
deployed by Plus and Cyfrowy Polsat [http://www.cyfrowypolsat.pl/oferta/komorki/index.cp]. Due to the introduction of virtual brands, some operators now have two names for their prepaid services: Plus has ''Plush'' and ''Simplus'', T-Mobile has ''Heyah'' and ''Tak Tak'', while Orange operates ''Pop'' and ''Orange Go''. Domestic call rates are roughly the same across all services.
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There are four mobile phone operators in Poland: Plus [http://plus.pl] (''code 260 01''), T-Mobile (formerly ERA) [http://www.t-mobile.pl] (''260 02''), Orange [http://www.orange.pl] (''260 03'') and Play [http://www.playmobile.pl] (''260 06''). About 98% of the country is covered by the standard European GSM 900/1800 MHz network, the remaining 2% are wildlife reserves or high mountains. 3G is available in almost every town. LTE networks
have
been
deployed by Plus and Cyfrowy Polsat [http://www.cyfrowypolsat.pl/oferta/komorki/index.cp]. Due to the introduction of virtual brands, some operators now have two names for their prepaid services: Plus has ''Plush'' and ''Simplus'', T-Mobile has ''Heyah'' and ''Tak Tak'', while Orange operates ''Pop'' and ''Orange Go''. Domestic call rates are roughly the same across all services.
Prepaid starter kits with SIM card (called starter in Polish) are widely available in reasonable prices (5-20zł, most of which is available for calls), in most shops, supermarkets and news agents. Ask for starter and be sure to name the network you want. Accounts are valid for outgoing calls for few days, so it is good to fill them up for, lets say, 20zł ("doładowanie" [do-wa-do-vanye] in Polish, be sure to give the value you want). From 25th July 2016, prepaid SIM cards need to be registered. It means the SIM card must be assigned to the proof of identity. This can be done in the majority of prepaid SIM card retailers, or on the gas stations, post offices and cellular stores.
Prepaid starter kits with SIM card (called starter in Polish) are widely available in reasonable prices (5-20zł, most of which is available for calls), in most shops, supermarkets and news agents. Ask for starter and be sure to name the network you want. Accounts are valid for outgoing calls for few days, so it is good to fill them up for, lets say, 20zł ("doładowanie" [do-wa-do-vanye] in Polish, be sure to give the value you want). From 25th July 2016, prepaid SIM cards need to be registered. It means the SIM card must be assigned to the proof of identity. This can be done in the majority of prepaid SIM card retailers, or on the gas stations, post offices and cellular stores.