poland travel 2022

Update April 12, 2024

Information for u.s. citizens in the middle east.

• Travel Advisories |
• Contact Us |
• MyTravelGov |

Find U.S. Embassies & Consulates

Travel.state.gov, congressional liaison, special issuance agency, u.s. passports, international travel, intercountry adoption, international parental child abduction, records and authentications, popular links, travel advisories, mytravelgov, stay connected, legal resources, legal information, info for u.s. law enforcement, replace or certify documents.

Share this page:

Poland Travel Advisory

Travel advisory july 26, 2023, poland - level 1: exercise normal precautions.

Reissued with obsolete COVID-19 page links removed.                     Exercise normal precautions in Poland.

Read the country information page for additional information on travel to Poland.

If you decide to travel to Poland:                                  

• Enroll in the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program  ( STEP ) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Follow the Department of State on Facebook and Twitter .
• Review the  Country Security Report  for Poland.
• Visit the CDC page for the latest Travel Health Information related to your travel.
• Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the  Traveler’s Checklist .

Travel Advisory Levels

Assistance for u.s. citizens, search for travel advisories, external link.

You are about to leave travel.state.gov for an external website that is not maintained by the U.S. Department of State.

Links to external websites are provided as a convenience and should not be construed as an endorsement by the U.S. Department of State of the views or products contained therein. If you wish to remain on travel.state.gov, click the "cancel" message.

You are about to visit:

Nomadic Matt's Travel Site

Travel Better, Cheaper, Longer

Poland Travel Guide

Last Updated: April 18, 2024

Poland is one of the most underrated destinations in Europe . With its incredible history and UNESCO World Heritage Sites, cheap food, world-class museums, wild nightlife, and plentiful nature, Poland is a budget-travel paradise. It has everything you’ll find in Western Europe — but for half the price and with half the crowds!

Most travelers visit Krakow or spend a day or two in Warsaw before departing to a neighboring country. While that’s better than nothing, Poland has so much more to offer.

From beautiful parks to medieval cities to cheap beer to rugged coastlines, you can spend weeks here and still only scratch the surface.

Best of all, there are far fewer tourists here than elsewhere in Europe so it’s easy to have a more local, more authentic experience.

Use this travel guide to Poland to plan your trip, save money, and make the most of your time in this budget-travel paradise!

Table of Contents

• Things to See and Do
• Typical Costs
• Suggested Budget
• Money-Saving Tips
• Where to Stay
• How to Get Around
• How to Stay Safe
• Best Places to Book Your Trip
• Related Blogs on Poland

Click Here for City Guides

Top 5 things to see and do in poland.

1. Visit Auschwitz

Auschwitz-Birkenau is the site of a former concentration camp used by the Nazis during World War II. Approximately 1.3 million people were sent here and an astounding 1.1 million of them were killed. When the camp was liberated in 1945, there were just 7,000 people there, many of whom were incredibly ill or sick. A visit here is sobering but shouldn’t be missed. Wear comfortable shoes as there is a lot of walking and keep in mind you’re allowed to take photographs but be considerate that this is a somber place. Admission is free, but the experience is much more meaningful with a guide who can provide context. Expect to pay around 550 PLN for a guide.

2. Explore Krakow

Krakow is a student city and one of the biggest tourist destinations in the country (people love coming here to party). This city is beautiful, inexpensive, and is filled with plenty to do. Be sure to check out the castle, the nearby salt mines, and underground ruins. The Christmas market in December is amazing too!

3. See Wroclaw

Wroclaw is one of Poland’s lesser-known destinations. Home to some amazing architecture, this small city is beautiful, inexpensive, and free of crowds. Be sure to see the Raclawice Panorama, which depicts the Battle of Raclawice that took place during the Kosciuszko Uprising in the 1790s.

4. Wander through Bialowieza National Park

This national park on the Belarus border contains the last remains of a primeval forest that once covered most of Europe. Today, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve, and remarkably, the only place where European bison still live in the wild. Bialowieza National Park is the oldest in Poland. Stretching 105 square kilometers (40 square miles), it’s thriving with biological diversity. Visitors can hike, walk, and bike in nature and you can also try unique local cuisine from Bialowieza, which is influenced by nearby Belarus and Ukraine. Some local favorites include Pielmieni meat dumplings, Mrowisko sweet cakes, and Zubr (bison) beer. Admission is 16 PLN. If you want a guide, expect to pay around 250 PLN.

5. Discover Warsaw

Explore the old and new towns, see the castle, binge on pierogis, and visit the city’s amazing museums that highlight the struggles of the Warsaw Uprising and the ghettoization of the Jews during World War II. Be sure to spend time wandering Warsaw’s Old Town, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site filled with history, art, culture, and science. Savor a hearty Polish meal at one of the many ‘milk bars’ and check out Hala Koszyki, a funky food market hall with nearly 20 different eateries and many tasty offerings.

Other Things to See and Do in Poland

1. take a free walking tour.

One of the best things you can do when you arrive in a new destination is take a walking tour. It’s a great way to get the lay of the land and learn about the culture, people, and history of the destination. Walkative offers free tours in Warsaw, Krakow, Gdansk, Poznan, and a few other cities around the country. These tours provide much more insight than any guidebook. Just be sure to tip your guides at the end!

2. Tour the Szczecin underground tunnels

These concrete tunnels lie beneath the city of Szczecin in northwest Poland (near the border with Germany). The tunnels were designated as a bomb shelter in the 1940s and then used as a fallout shelter during the Cold War. Located 17 meters (56 feet) below ground, here you can see artifacts from World War II and learn how the shelter was used during the war. You’ll also learn how the tunnels were reinforced during the Cold War to survive a nuclear attack. Tours last around an hour and admission is 38 PLN. It can get cold in the tunnels so bring a sweater.

3. Visit a national park

Poland has 23 different national parks. Ojcowski National Park (near Krakow) is a small park filled with stunning caves and castles while Slowinski National Park (on the Baltic Coast), Biebrzanski, Narwianski, and Poleski National Parks (all located in the northeast) offer great bird watching. Bialowieza National Park (near Belarus) is where you can see Europe’s only wild bison. They’re a great way to get away from the crowds and stretch your legs, especially in the summer when the weather is nice, or in the fall when the leaves are changing. There are usually lodges and campgrounds near each park as well if you want to disconnect for a few days.

4. Explore Wawel Castle

This site in Krakow is one of the best-preserved medieval castles in all of Poland. Castles here are rare as most were mostly destroyed over the years (the vast majority of which being destroyed during World War II). Built in the 13th century under the order of King Casimir III, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is home to an art museum that has medieval tapestries, the former Polish crown jewels, and Ottoman Empire treasures. Admission ranges from 5-46 PLN depending on what you want to see. On Mondays in the summer, free tickets are available for the Crown Treasury and Armory. There are seasonal discounts from September to October as well for the Dragon’s Den, Sandomierska Tower, and The Lost Wawel archeological exhibition, and The Church of St. Gereon.

5. Visit the Wooden Churches

Tucked away in the southeastern corner of the country, The Wooden Churches of Southern Lesser Poland consists of six Roman Catholic churches that reflect various periods of religious architecture in Poland: from Medieval to Gothic, Rococo, Baroque, as well as the occasional onion dome and Greek cross. Dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries, the interiors of these UNESCO churches were intricately painted and carved by hand, with every inch of the church a veritable work of art. Dress appropriately when visiting as these are sites of religious worship.

6. Tour the Wieliczka Salt Mine

This mine produced table salt and was first used in the 13th century. It became one of Krakow’s main industries and was in use until 2007. Today, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site where you can marvel over the cavernous chambers, statues, chapels, chandeliers, and cathedrals — all carved out of salt and stone by the miners. The mines reach depths of over 300 meters (984 feet) and are also home to contemporary works of art. The mine is just 13 kilometers (8 miles) outside the city. Admission is 109 PLN.

7. Stroll through Gdansk

Formerly known as Danzig, Gdansk is a beautiful coastal city in northern Poland. Much of the city was rebuilt after World War II but you can still find plenty of history here. Be sure to spend some time wandering the old town and checking out the local markets and small artisan shops. And don’t miss the Basilica of St. Mary of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the city’s towering 16th-century gothic church. There’s also an excellent World War II museum here too.

8. Admire Kalwaria Zebrzydowska

Located an hour from Krakow, this Catholic monastery dates back to the 17th century. Built in the Mannerist (Late Renaissance) architectural style, it was declared a UNESCO Heritage Site in 1999. Surrounding the monastery are over 5 kilometers (3 miles) of pilgrimage routes and 42 chapels and churches which have been in regular use for over 400 years. Tours are free (though they must be booked in advance) and last around an hour. Donations are welcome.

9. Head to Lublin

Lublin is eastern Poland’s main city. It was an important trading and military center during the Middle Ages. It developed its own architectural style at the end of the 16th century, which has become known as the Lublin Renaissance as rulers here brought in many Italian architects to expand the city. Be sure to visit the castle, the monastery, and the old town (which is sometimes called “Little Krakow” owing to its similarities with Krakow’s old town). There’s also the sobering State Museum that illuminates the atrocities of the death camps of World War II.

10. See the world’s tallest pope statue

Located 2.5 hours south of Warsaw in Czestochowa, this statue of Pope John Paul II (who was born in Poland) stands 13.8 meters (42 feet) tall and is made of fiberglass. There really isn’t much else to see here but it makes for a quirky photo op if you’re in the area!

11. Visit the Exploseum

This abandoned Nazi explosive plant, founded by Alfred Nobel (the inventor of dynamite), is now a museum open to the public. Here visitors learn about Alfred Nobel, his company, what life was like for Polish residents during the German occupation, weapons used during the war, as well as modern weapons of war. It’s an interesting and eye-opening museum. Tucked away in Bydgoszcz (3 hours north of Warsaw), the museum takes 1-2 hours to explore. Admission is 17 PLN and includes a guide. Children under 6 are not allowed to enter.

12. Visit the Churches of Peace

These are the biggest timber-framed churches in Europe. Located in Jawor and Swidnica (near Wroclaw), they were built in the mid-17th century and were the first Lutheran churches constructed in Roman Catholic Poland. Since the churches were not Catholic, they were only allowed to be built from wood and could not have steeples or bells (Lutherans were not allowed to construct stone churches that could compete with the dominant religion). Today they are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Admission is 12 PLN and an audio tour is available. Just be sure to dress appropriately.

13. See the World War II Museum in Gdansk

The Museum of the Second World War opened in 2008 and is one of the best museums in the country. It’s an immersive experience that really opens your eyes to the death and destruction that the war unleashed — in Poland and beyond. In addition to the weapons, clothing, letters, and maps there is an entire recreated street to give you a palpable sense of what it would have been like to live through the worst of the war. Admission 25 PLN. For an extra 2 PLN, you can also see their temporary expositions.

14. Explore the Tatra Mountains

This mountain range, part of the Carpathian Mountains, is located near the border of Poland and Slovakia. It’s here where you’ll find Tatra National Park (a protected UNESCO site), a great destination for hiking. Spanning over 200 square kilometers (77 square miles), there are plenty of day hikes available ranging from 2-12 hours. While you can’t camp in the park, there are mountain huts if you book in advance (they cost 35-70 PLN per night depending on where you stay). Make sure you check the weather before you go and bring ample water and sunscreen for your hike.

15. Take in the Warsaw Rising Museum

This museum is a tribute to the people of Warsaw who fought and died for Polish independence. Opened in 2004, the museum is home to hundreds of artifacts from the uprising of 1944, when Polish citizens rebelled against German occupation. The uprising lasted 63 days and was the largest resistance movement during World War II. Some 15,000 members of the Polish resistance were killed, as well as 2,000-17,000 German troops. There are weapons, clothing, letters, and interactive films that shed light on one of the most important events in Polish history. Admission is 25 PLN.

16. Tour Schlinder’s Factory

Oskar Schindler was a German industrialist who saved over 1,200 Jews during the war. His story was made famous by Steven Spielberg’s 1993 film, Schindler’s List . Located in his actual factory in Krakow, this museum offers a thorough trip through the history of World War II, highlighting how he saved so many people during the war while bankrupting himself in the process. Admission starts at 10 PLN or 72 PLN for a guided tour. There are a number of limited free tickets on Mondays.

  For more information on specific cities in Poland, check out these guides:

• Krakow Travel Guide
• Warsaw Travel Guide

Poland Travel Costs

Accommodation – A bed in a dorm with 8-10 beds costs 55-95 PLN per night. Private rooms cost 120-200 PLN. Free Wi-Fi is standard and most hostels also have self-catering facilities. Free breakfast is available at many hostels too.

Budget two-star hotels start at 150-275 PLN per night. Free Wi-Fi is common and many hotels also include a simple free breakfast as well. For a three-star hotel, expect to pay at least 300-500 PLN.

Airbnb is available throughout the country with private rooms starting at 75 PLN per night while entire homes/apartments cost at least 100 PLN. Prices are usually double these numbers, however, so be sure to book early to find the best deals.

There are plenty of campgrounds throughout the country for those traveling with a tent. Expect to pay around 40 PLN per night for a basic tent plot for two people without electricity. Wild camping is tolerated if you’re in the mountains and as long as you are not in a national park (camping in national parks is strictly prohibited in Poland).

Food – Polish meals are quite hearty, usually containing potatoes, meat (pork and chicken), and seasonal produce like beets or cabbage. Stews and soups (like borscht, a beet soup) are popular and can be found at most local restaurants. Pierogis are also a common staple and can be found everywhere for cheap. For some traditional Polish food, try beef tongue or pork knuckles. The country also has lots of traditional desserts too, like paczki (a Polish donut) and makowiec (poppy-seed cake).

Most cheap meals of traditional cuisine (served at local restaurants called bar mleczny or “milk bars”) cost around 35 PLN. For a three-course meal with a drink and table service, expect to pay around 75 PLN. Fast food (think McDonald’s) costs 25 PLN for a combo meal.

A large pizza costs around 25-30 PLN while Chinese food costs around 15-20 PLN. Zapiekanki , a popular Polish street snack that’s like a pizza on a baguette, costs 5-6 PLN.

Beer costs 8-12 PLN, while a glass of wine is a minimum of 12 PLN. A latte or cappuccino is around 11 PLN. Bottled water is 5 PLN.

If you buy your own groceries and cook your meals, expect to pay around 150-165 PLN per week for basic staples like pasta, rice, seasonal vegetables, and some meat. Local markets are the cheapest places to buy fresh produce. Biedronka is a cheap grocery store that’s everywhere.

Backpacking Poland Suggested Budgets

On a backpacker budget of 175 PLN per day, you can stay in a hostel dorm, cook all your meals, limit your drinking, take public transportation to get around, and do some cheap activities like free walking tours and visiting the free museums. If you plan on drinking, add 10-20 PLN to your budget per day.

On a mid-range budget of 330 PLN per day, you can stay in a private Airbnb or private hostel room, eat out for most meals at cheap milk bars, enjoy a couple of drinks, take the occasional taxi to get around, and do more paid activities like visiting the Uprising Museum or taking a tour of Auschwitz.

On a “luxury” budget of 600 PLN or more per day, you can stay in a hotel, eat out anywhere you want, drink more, rent a car to get around, and do whatever guided tours and activities you want. This is just the ground floor for luxury though. The sky is the limit!

You can use the chart below to get some idea of how much you need to budget daily, depending on your travel style. Keep in mind these are daily averages — some days you’ll spend more, some days you’ll spend less (you might spend less every day). We just want to give you a general idea of how to make your budget. Prices are in PLN.

Poland Travel Guide: Money-Saving Tips

Poland is a very affordable country so there aren’t too many tips out there to help you save. You won’t be spending a lot of money anyways unless you go out of your way to spend money. That being said, there are still a few extra ways you can save money while you visit Poland:

• Eat at milk bars – You’ll get a taste of Poland at a mleczny (milk bars). Hearty pierogis, homemade soups, plenty of meat, and a local beer usually cost around 30 PLN. While they are a no-frills choice, the food is tasty and filling.
• Get a tourist card – Certain cities, like Krakow and Warsaw, offer tourist cards that provide unlimited public transportation and free or discounted museum access. If you plan to see lots of sites, be sure to go to the local tourism office and pick up one of these cards. They usually cost 100-160 PLN.
• Take advantage of train specials – Poland has various special train tickets that can save you money during your visit. For example, the Weekend Ticket ( Bilet Weekendowy ) is available for several train lines and lasts from Friday night at 7pm to Monday at 6am and allows for unlimited trips within Poland. It’s a great way to see the country if you need to cover a lot of ground in a short time!
• Watch your drinking – Cities like Krakow are known for their parties, pub crawls, and long nights out. These can add up quickly, so watch how much you drink. Start off by grabbing your favorite drinks from a grocery store first whenever possible. You’ll save a ton that way.
• Take a free walking tour – Free tours from companies like Walkative can be found in Poland’s larger cities. They are a great way to explore the city while learning about the history, culture, and architecture. Just be sure to tip!
• Use ridesharing apps – Ridesharing apps like BlaBlaCar are a great way to get around the country for cheap. You simply download the app, find someone looking for passengers, pay a small fee, and go! Everyone is rated and verified, and it’s usually more convenient (and cheaper) than other forms of transportation. For travel within a city, use Uber. It’s cheaper than the local taxis.
• Stay with a local – While accommodation is not expensive in Poland, Couchsurfing is a great way to lower your accommodation costs. Not only will you save money by getting a free place to stay but you’ll also be able to make a local friend and get insider knowledge about the country.
• Bike share – For 10 PLN, you can register for Vetrulio, a bike-rental company in Warsaw. After you sign up, bike use is free for 20 minutes, making it essentially free to bounce around the city during your visit. After 20 minutes (up to the first hour) it’s just 1 PLN and then 3 PLN for the next hour.
• Bring a water bottle – The tap water in Poland is safe to drink so bring a reusable water bottle to save money and reduce your plastic use. LifeStraw is my go-to brand as their bottles have built in filters to ensure your water is always clean and safe.

Where to Stay in Poland

Accommodation in Poland is very affordable. Even if you don’t want to do the whole hostel thing, you can find really comfortable and inexpensive hotels throughout the country. Here are some of my favorite places to stay in Poland:

• Oki Doki Old Town (Warsaw)
• Warsaw Centrum Hostel (Warsaw)
• Greg and Tom Hostel (Krakow)
• Let’s Rock (Krakow)
• Slowgate Hostel (Gdansk)
• Mleczarnia Hostel (Wroclaw)

How to Get Around Poland

Public transportation – Buses and trams are the most common ways to get around in each city. Only Warsaw has a subway system. Public buses and trams cost around 3-5 PLN for a one-way ride, depending on how far you go. For a single-day pass, expect prices to start at 15 PLN per person. In Warsaw, a three-day public transportation pass starts at 36 PLN.

Bus – Poland has an extensive bus network so you can easily travel around the entire country by bus if you’re on a budget. Flixbus (and its partner company, Polski Bus) are the best options as they have comfortable buses for affordable prices. For example, the 4-hour journey from Warsaw to Krakow costs around 44 PLN while the 7-hour ride to Gdansk from Warsaw costs around 50 PLN.

The buses have bathrooms, electrical outlets, and Wi-Fi, making them a good choice for budget travelers.

Train – While trains aren’t as cheap as buses, they’re a good option for long-distance trips. There are several different companies operating trains here with a variety of train types. The three most important to travelers are the ExpressInterCity Premium (EIP), ExpressInterCity (EIC), and InterCity (IC).

The EIP trains are fast and operate between major cities. They have first-class and second-class seats and reservations are mandatory. These are the newest trains and have a dining car if you’re looking to eat during your trip. They can be pricey if you book on the day, so try to book in advance for the best prices.

EIC trains also run between major cities but are a little slower. They are still perfectly safe and comfortable, with a dining car and business class seats available. Since the services aren’t as great, the prices here are lower than on EIP trains. There are first- and second-class seats as well.

IC trains are the cheapest of the three but also the slowest as they make more stops. They have basic amenities such as power outlets.

InterRegio (IR) trains are another option as they stop in most medium-sized cities. There are no first-class or seat reservations here, so they can be a bit busier and sometimes won’t have space for luggage. But they are affordable!

The train from Warsaw to Gdansk costs around 175 PLN and takes around 2.5 hours while the 2-hour train from Warsaw to Krakow is just 50 PLN.

To find routes and prices for trains around Europe, use Trainline .

Flying – Flying around Poland is relatively cheap thanks to budget airlines like Ryanair. From Warsaw, you can get to pretty much any city in the country for under 325 PLN, round trip.

For example, Warsaw to Krakow takes just under an hour and costs 280 PLN while Warsaw to Gdansk takes an hour and costs 180 PLN.

It’s also easy to get to/from Poland via plane as Wizz and Ryanair fly all over the continent. You can find flights for as little as 50 PLN to destinations all around Europe if you book early and are flexible.

Rideshare – BlaBlaCar is the best ride-sharing option for intercity travel. It’s cheap and fast, and drivers are verified and have reviews so it’s quite safe. Just make sure you have flexible plans as drivers are often late or change their plans entirely.

Car rental – Car rentals start at 75 PLN per day for a multi-day rental. Drivers must have had their license for at least one year and an International Driving Permit (IDP) is required for citizens of certain countries.

For the best car rental prices, use Discover Cars .

When to Go to Poland

The best (and most popular) time to visit Poland is during the summer, from June to August. Temperatures are hot and rain is infrequent. Expect daily highs between 17-25°C (63-77°F) during this time (and a 1-3 degree difference between Gdansk in the north to Krakow in the south).

The summer is also the busiest time of the year for tourism, though and you’ll only really notice it in the main tourist cities (such as Warsaw and Krakow).

The shoulder season of late April-May and September-October are great times to visit as well, with temperatures ranging from 5-15°C (41-59°F). You’ll beat the crowd and have much milder temperatures. There’s more rain in the spring but you’ll get the stunning autumn colors in the fall which makes for a scenic backdrop to your trip.

Winter in Poland can be quite cold, with temperatures dropping to around -1°C (30°F) during the day and -5°C (23°F) overnight. Snow is common, which can affect conditions if you’re traveling by car. In short, I wouldn’t recommend a winter visit unless you plan on going skiing or taking part in other winter activities such as visiting the Christmas markets.

How to Stay Safe in Poland

Poland is a very safe country. The risk of theft or getting pickpocketed is much lower here than it is in other parts of Europe. Of course, you should always keep your valuables secure and out of sight when riding public transportation and while you’re in popular tourist areas.

Taxi scams are rare, but always make sure your driver is using the meter. If they aren’t, ask them to stop and find a taxi that will. To avoid fake taxis, have your hotel/hostel staff call a taxi for you to ensure you aren’t scammed.

ATM skimming (when criminals attach a covert device to an ATM that can steal your information) can occur here, so always make sure you use verified ATMs. If you can, go into the bank to withdraw your money (as opposed to using outdoor ATMs, which are easier to tamper with).

If you’re worried about getting ripped off, you can read about common travel scams to avoid here .

Solo female travelers should generally feel safe here, however, the standard precautions apply (never leave your drink unattended at the bar, never walk home alone at night intoxicated, etc.).

If you rent a vehicle here, don’t leave any valuables in it overnight. Break-ins are rare but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

If you experience an emergency, dial 112 for assistance.

The most important piece of advice I can offer is to purchase good travel insurance. Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. You can use the widget below to find the policy right for you:

Poland Travel Guide: The Best Booking Resources

These are my favorite companies to use when I travel. They consistently have the best deals, offer world-class customer service and great value, and overall, are better than their competitors. They are the companies I use the most and are always the starting point in my search for travel deals.

• Skyscanner – Skyscanner is my favorite flight search engine. They search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites tend to miss. They are hands down the number one place to start.
• Hostelworld – This is the best hostel accommodation site out there with the largest inventory, best search interface, and widest availability.
• Booking.com – The best all around booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation. In all my tests, they’ve always had the cheapest rates out of all the booking websites.
• HostelPass – This new card gives you up to 20% off hostels throughout Europe. It’s a great way to save money. They’re constantly adding new hostels too. I’ve always wanted something like this and glad it finallt exists.
• Get Your Guide – Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions. They have tons of tour options available in cities all around the world, including everything from cooking classes, walking tours, street art lessons, and more!
• The Man in Seat 61 – This website is the ultimate guide to train travel anywhere in the world. They have the most comprehensive information on routes, times, prices, and train conditions. If you are planning a long train journey or some epic train trip, consult this site.
• Rome2Rio – This website allows you to see how to get from point A to point B the best and cheapest way possible. It will give you all the bus, train, plane, or boat routes that can get you there as well as how much they cost.
• FlixBus – Flixbus has routes between 20 European countries with prices starting as low 5 EUR! Their buses include WiFi, electrical outlets, a free checked bag.
• SafetyWing – Safety Wing offers convenient and affordable plans tailored to digital nomads and long-term travelers. They have cheap monthly plans, great customer service, and an easy-to-use claims process that makes it perfect for those on the road.
• LifeStraw – My go-to company for reusable water bottles with built-in filters so you can ensure your drinking water is always clean and safe.
• Unbound Merino – They make lightweight, durable, easy-to-clean travel clothing.
• Top Travel Credit Cards – Points are the best way to cut down travel expenses. Here’s my favorite point earning credit cards so you can get free travel!
• BlaBlaCar – BlaBlaCar is a ridesharing website that lets you share rides with vetted local drivers by pitching in for gas. You simply request a seat, they approve, and off you go! It’s a cheaper and more interesting way to travel than by bus or train!

Poland Travel Guide: Related Articles

Want more info? Check out all the articles I’ve written on Europe travel and continue planning your trip:

The 6 Best Hotels in Copenhagen

The 6 Best Hotels in Florence

The 7 Best Hotels in Madrid

The 6 Best Hotels in Vienna

The Best Walking Tours in Barcelona

How to Be a Digital Nomad in Europe

Get my best stuff sent straight to you, pin it on pinterest.

• Where To Stay
• Transportation
• Booking Resources
• Related Blogs

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Check out this year's Best in Travel winners

Picturesque cities such as Kraków and Gdańsk vie with energetic Warsaw for your urban attention. Elsewhere, woods, rivers, lakes and hills beckon for some fresh-air fun.

Attractions

Must-see attractions.

Malbork Castle

Gdańsk & Pomerania

Malbork’s blockbuster attraction is its show-stoppingly massive castle sitting on the banks of the sluggish Nogat River, an eastern arm of the Vistula…

Wieliczka Salt Mine

Some 14km southeast of Kraków, the Wieliczka (vyeh-leech-kah) salt mine has been welcoming tourists since 1722 and today is one of Poland's most popular…

Museum of WWII

Opened in 2016, this striking piece of modern architecture is a bold addition to the northern end of Gdańsk's waterfront. It has rapidly become one of…

Wawel Royal Castle

As the political and cultural heart of Poland through the 16th century, Wawel Royal Castle is a potent symbol of national identity. It's now a museum…

Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial & Museum

Auschwitz-Birkenau is synonymous with the Holocaust. More than a million Jews, and many Poles and Roma, were murdered here by German Nazis during WWII…

Wilanów Palace

Warsaw’s top palace, 10km south of the city centre, was commissioned by King Jan III Sobieski in 1677. It has changed hands several times over the…

Palace of Culture & Science

For over 60 years this socialist realist palace has dominated central Warsaw. A ‘gift of friendship’ from the Soviet Union, it was completed in 1955 and…

Royal Castle

This remarkable copy of the original castle blown up by the Germans in WWII is filled with authentic period furniture and original works of art…

Latest stories from Poland

Filter by interest:

• All Interests
• Adventure Travel
• Art & Culture
• Beaches, Coasts & Islands
• Food & Drink

Destination Practicalities

Sep 29, 2023 • 7 min read

Poland is a big country packed with incredible landscapes and beautiful cities – where to begin? With our first-timer's guide to Poland, of course!

Jan 30, 2022 • 5 min read

Feb 17, 2021 • 2 min read

Dec 7, 2020 • 2 min read

Apr 30, 2020 • 6 min read

Jan 15, 2020 • 5 min read

Jan 7, 2020 • 2 min read

Nov 25, 2019 • 4 min read

Nov 21, 2019 • 6 min read

Oct 31, 2019 • 7 min read

in partnership with getyourguide

Book popular activities in Poland

Purchase our award-winning guidebooks.

Get to the heart of Poland with one of our in-depth, award-winning guidebooks, covering maps, itineraries, and expert guidance.

Poland and beyond

• Inspiration

Poland more than you expected

• Top attractions

Discover our regions

Discover poland’s 16 amazing regions.

This is a region with many valued historical sites, castles and palaces as well as attractions for fans of industrial tourism (it is home to Poland’s first capital city, Gniezno). The province also has plenty of valuable natural areas including two national parks (Wielkopolska National Park and part of Drawa National Park), which hold great potential for active tourism such as the Great Wielkopolska Loop. The region’s capital is Poznań, Poland’s most important trade-fair centre.

A picturesque region with remarkable rivers and lakes, the least urbanised part of Poland; idyllic landscapes, charming localities, health resorts, and four national parks (Białowieża, Biebrza, Narew and Wigry) welcome tourists; the region includes the UNESCO-listed Białowieża Forest; Podlaskie province, with hospitable Białystok as its capital, has many multicultural attractions…

A region very popular among tourists for the Great Masurian Lakes, summer resorts and health spas, visitors will discover many charming towns lying amidst beautiful forests and bodies of water.

As a destination, this province is great for health resorts and spas on the Baltic Sea as well as many interesting historical sites. Highlights include the UNESCO-listed Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork, two national parks (Słowiński and Tuchola Forest) also cultural and historical ones, starting with the region’s capital of Gdańsk.

A coastal region offering lots of great adventures and home to many seaside resorts and famous health spas, the province has attractive natural areas including two national parks (Wolin and Drawa).  Zachodniopomorskie province is a region with lots of attractions for every tourist.

Filled with attractions for the active and history-loving tourist, with traces of Chopin’s life and work, this is the largest province and home to Poland’s capital city – Warsaw, whose Old Town is a UNESCO-listed heritage site. To the south of the capital lies a health resort, and to the north-west Kampinos National Park, not to mention the surrounding localities explored via the winding roads of Mazovia…

Filled with ancient Slavic sites, famous health resorts and natural attractions, the province also includes a gem of Gothic architecture – Toruń – whose historical centre, with the 14th-century Town Hall, tenements and fragments of castle walls, is a UNESCO-listed heritage site.

A region with an ever-growing number of tourist attractions, both natural and manmade, not to mention Poland’s only thermal spa in Uniejów and a skiing facility in the heart of Poland: Kamieńsk Hill on the slope of the Bełchatów mine. The geometric centre of Poland lies in Łódzkie province, in the village of Piątek, and the province capital is the multicultural and modern city of Łódź.

Poland’s most densely forested province, rich in natural attractions including a national park (Warta Mouth), historic buildings (e.g. Łagów Castle) and former military sites (the Międzyrzecz Fortification Region), as well as a UNESCO-listed site: Park Mużakowski. The province has two capitals: Zielona Góra and Gorzów Wielkopolski.

Home to a variety of architectural marvels (including Książ, Poland third largest castle) Lower Silesia also boasts mountains, two national parks (Karkonosze and Sowie Mountains), many mountain resorts and the greatest number of health spas in Poland. Dig a little deeper and you’ll also find two UNESCO-listed sites (the Churches of Peace in Jawor and Świdnica, and the Centennial Hall in Wrocław), as well as the bustling regional capital, Wrocław.

Poland’s smallest province, but one that is rich in culture and full of treasures for tourists. There’s something for everyone here – whether you’re looking to sightsee or are craving some relaxation. The region boasts beautiful lakes and rivers, famous castles and palaces, fascinating natural, historical and even prehistoric sites; the capital of Opolskie province is the “singing” city of Opole…

Śląśkie (Silesia) is a province rich in mineral and natural resources and is one of the most important industrial regions of Poland. Silesia’s largest city and historical capital is Wrocław, and the major metropolitan area is the Upper Silesian metro area with Katowice at its center. The multiethnic heritage of the region delivers deep and enriching cultural exploration of local history, tradition, and customs.

The Małopolska Province is where one finds some of Poland’s most visited sites. This most varied region stretches from the snowy peaks of the Tatra Mountains to the rugged limestone cliffs of Kraków-Częstochowa Upland, and the scenic, low lying Vistula River Valley.

This is a charming province, home to the Świętokrzyskie Mountains and Świętokrzyski National Park. The region is all about hermit and monastic traditions, age-old legends and dinosaurs combined with picturesque towns, multiple historical sites and famous health resorts. The regional capital is Kielce.

Podkarpackie is one of the greenest regions of Poland. There are pristine meadows and beautiful forests. Over one third of the region’s area, including remnants of the ancient Carpathian primeval Forest, is protected. Mighty wisents, lynxes, wildcats, and a number of rare bird species such as the golden eagle, are just a few of many species you can meet while hiking in the area.

Beautifully situated between the rivers Vistula and Bug, at the junction of Eastern and Western culture, Lubelskie has an alluring exoticism. Offering a rich natural environment with two national parks (Roztocze and Polesie) as well as historical sites including the UNESCO-listed Old Town in Zamość, the region tempts visitors with boats trips along the Vistula in Kazimierz, hiking in the Vistula glacial valley, treatments at health resorts and historic architecture in the province capital – Lublin.

Photos from Poland

See photos of instagramers

• South Africa
• Afghanistan
• North Korea
• Adventure + Outdoors
• Amusement Parks
• Backpacking Trips
• Boating + Cruises
• Budget Travel
• Bus + Train Travel
• Coasts + Islands
• Country Trips
• Fall Vacations
• Family Vacations
• Green Travel
• Heritage + History
• Honeymoons + Romance
• Inspiration + Guide
• Landmarks + Attractions
• LGBT Travel
• Markets + Bazaars
• National Parks + Reserves
• Nature + Wildlife
• Parks + Gardens
• Pets + Animals
• Photography
• Airlines + Airports
• Budgeting + Currency
• Business Travel
• Celebrity Travel
• Customs + Immigration
• Deals + Rewards
• Family Travel
• Hotels + Resorts
• Luggage + Packing Tips
• Offbeat News
• Photography Tips
• Responsible Travel
• Solo Travel
• Tech + Gear
• Travel Etiquette
• Travel Warnings
• Bars + Clubs
• Celebrity Chefs
• Restaurants + Cafés
• Wine + Vineyards
• Beach Hotels
• Boutique Hotels
• Hotel Openings
• Hotel Reviews
• Luxury Hotels
• Mountain + Ski Resorts
• Spa Resorts
• Vacation Rentals
• Asia Cruises
• European Cruises
• Festivals + Events
• Museums + Galleries
• Style + Design
• Travel’s Best
• Hotel with Agoda.com
• Hotel with Booking.com

Leh Ladakh bike trip blog — Ladakh bike trip guide &…

Guide to Shenzhen nightlife — Top 5 things & what to…

Ladakh trip cost per person from Delhi — How much does…

India travel tips — 25+ what & things to know before…

India trip tips — 9+ things to know before going to…

All about tips in Nepal — How much to tip in…

Cambodia travel tips — 15+ what to know & things to…

When is the best time to visit Kyoto? — The best,…

Must eat in Hong Kong — 7+ must eat & must…

Must eat in Georgetown — 10+ famous, must-eat & best street…

Must eat in Melaka — 10+ famous Malacca street food &…

Hong Kong Soya sauce Chicken Rice and Noodles — The first…

Top hotels in Siem Reap — 8+ best places to stay…

Top hotels in shanghai — 15+ best hotels in Shanghai

Top hotels in Malacca — 10+ good & best hotels in…

Top places to stay in Bali — Top 10 best areas…

10 must-know things for your best first time European river cruise

Top 3 best luxury cruises in Halong Bay, Vietnam

Cherry blossom festival Korea 2024 — Top 5 cherry blossom festivals…

Ghibli museum blog — The fullest Ghibli museum guide for first-timers

Kyoto festival — Top 10 best events & most famous festivals…

National Palace Museum Taipei blog — What to see in National…

Japanese waterfall — Top 10 most beautiful waterfalls in Japan in…

19+ most beautiful towns in Europe every tourist need to visit…

Georgia travel photos — 20+ captivating photos show Georgia is heaven…

Explore Damnoen Floating Market — The oldest floating market of Thailand

Visiting Fenghuang Ancient Town — One of the most charming ancient…

Mekong Delta travel blog — Beyond rivers of Southwestern Vietnam

14 reasons why you should travel when you are young

Shigaraki Tanuki – An animal symbol of good luck in Japan

Living in the charms of cave houses in Andalucia, Southern Spain

20+ jaw-dropping tiny homes around the world

Poland travel tips — +15 what & things to know before going to poland.

One of my luckiest decisions was to go to Poland in a student exchange program. From a naive choice, I have had the opportunity to spend time, neither long nor short, in one of the countries that I believe has been, is and will be an essential part of who I am, in my soul. In this article, I will share some personal observations about the Polish culture here for everyone to refer to. So, what to know before going to Poland? Let’s check out some useful Poland travel tips (travel in Poland tips, Poland tips) with the +15 things to know before going to Poland as well as Poland etiquette which we have complied to help you plan a perfect trip to one of the most underrated destinations in Europe!

• What to do in Wroclaw? — 13+ cool, must see & best things to do in Wroclaw
• Wroclaw travel blog — The fullest Wroclaw travel guide for first-timers
• Warsaw 1 day itinerary — How to spend a day in Warsaw & what to do in one day trip in Warsaw?
• Tatra guide — How to visit & what to do in Tatra National Park, Poland
• What to buy in Poland? — 13+ Top souvenirs & best gifts from Poland

Things to know before going to Poland: Don’t just know and visit only Warsaw or Krakow

Poland is a great country with an extremely long and rich history. That means it has many cities worthy of attention, not just the capital Warsaw and the cultural center of Krakow. Of course, both Warsaw and Krakow are great. But personally, I especially love Gdansk as beautiful as Copenhagen, where the first movement for economic autonomy in Poland before the Communist government took place or little Wroclaw but once the historic capital of Silesia. And Polish nature is equally amazing! The majestic of Tatra mountains range is enchantingly white in winter with relaxing hot springs, verdant in summer with splendid, magnificent lakes.

So, if you have a lot of time to visit Poland, you should definitely visit other interesting destinations too!

Things to know before going to Poland: The country of strange experiences

Poland, of course, is not limited to just sightseeing. There are very cute and unique experiences in Poland. For example, go hunting for dwarves in Wroclaw. Or go hunting for buffalo tracks in Bialowieza National Park. Ride a horse-drawn carriage in the snow in Tatra. Explore the ancient Wieliczka Salt Mine. Oh my god, so many!

The paradise of museums

Poland is, in another way, a nation still heavily influenced by history. Incredibly bad things have happened in Poland at a highest terrible level. They are not only alive in the minds of Poles, but also inscribed in well-maintained and invested museums. For those who love history and understand the importance of knowing history so as not to repeat the mistakes of the past, Poland is the ideal place to visit for this, due to the system of museums that I must say is one of the best systems across Europe.

For example, the World War II museum and the solidarity museum in Gdansk. Holocaust Museum in Auschwitz. Schindler’s List Museum in Krakow. But it is not only the modern museums that preserve modern history. Also medieval castles from the Teutonic period like Malbork. If you love history, come here!

Poland travel tips: Don’t call Poland as Eastern Europe!

In fact, there is no specific definition of Eastern Europe, but mainly since the Soviet era during the Cold War, the bloc of countries under Moscow’s influence are collectively referred to as Eastern Europe. However, this geocultural/political and religious conception often ignores the geographical reality of Poland. Unless you are referring to a specific historical concept, Poland is located in Central Europe.

This may seem small, but it’s not small, especially if you talk to locals. They will understand the confusion of foreign visitors, but they will definitely “correct” your words.

What to know before going to Poland: Learn a few Polish words!

My experience shows that it is very effective to go to any country and learn a few basic local words. Same goes for Poland. The Poles also especially appreciate it if someone takes the effort to learn a few words of their language, because the Polish language is very difficult. Don’t be upset when you mispronounce, they may laugh and tease, but it’s a sign of goodwill.

Like me when lived in a dormitory while studying in Poland, I only know a few words like good morning, good evening, my room number and how is the weather today. However, the doorkeepers are extremely welcoming, always remembering which my room is. The uncles also say a word or two in English every time they see me such as today good, today beautiful. So cute.

What to know before going to Poland: The Poles are very interested in news

This is something that I learned a little bit after having a chance to talk with some native people who can speak English. Or when I sit at the tea shop and read the Polish news (I’ve seen this a few times, read the English newspapers available at the tea shop) the uncles sitting around point at the picture and say something I don’t understand, so they kept saying “ok, ok” and then turned to each other at the table, talking while pointing at the newspaper I read. Usually, I find Poles don’t talk a lot of sporadic gossip. But when it comes to news, especially Polish politics, they immediately change their attitudes and talk very enthusiastically. Even my two friends who are my exchange student instructors. Mention once, they talk continuously.

There’s one thing I don’t know if it’s true or not, it’s just that I heard it from a Polish doctor when we joined a language exchange night organized by the exchange student council. It is the Polish government that persists with the abortion law. Whenever the country needs to come up with a controversial and scandalous policy, they pull out a draft law… banning abortion to distract the public. So when Poland emerges with protests and discussions against the law banning abortion, it is probably “plotting” something. (haha, I don’t know is it right? Who knows, just show me?!).

If you are a woman, an older Polish man may will greet you by a gesture of hand-kissing.

Kissing on the hand is a very classic greeting, but older men are more likely to do this to show respect and courtesy. (I found this way of greeting is more common in the East of Poland than in the West, where there are many tourist cities. In Europe now this greeting probably only exists much in Southern Italy, Southeast Poland and perhaps Southern France).

In contrast, young people prefer to greet by shaking hands. And in general, they’ll probably kiss you on the cheek in greeting. With close acquaintances can be three kisses.

Poland is very cold, but not that cold

Poland can get very cold in the winter (coming from someone who lives in one of Poland’s both cold and dry place, Bialystok). The average winter temperature in Poland can be dropped very low, about -20 degrees Celsius (where I lived, it was really down to -20. Or like when I went to Tatra in winter, -20 was a normal thing). But in a way, Poland’s cold is not bitterly cold due to dryness (winter trips to Tatra, Wroclaw and Warsaw, but I found Bialystok where I live is still the coldest, can’t breathe because of the freezing cold). If you plan to visiting Poland in the cold season, you’ll only need to wear layers, a good coat, waterproof fur-lined shoes, and a warm scarf to survive.

(Speaking of scarf and Poland, I think I love Poland because of a special memory. I have few friends, only a few close friends in Italy. But my Italian best friend flew from Italy on my birthday just to give me a scarf. Maybe that’s why I love Poland so much?)

Also, there is a personal observation but it reminds me of a story my father used to tell me back in the day. When I come to Poland, I see that most of the doorkeepers of residential buildings or administrative offices are usually elderly people. They look very kind but their attitude is… very serious. Only when you greet them do they nod their heads in return, not rushing to greet you much. My father said that in the cold season, those who suffer from frostbite due to snow, usually these gatekeepers will not let them in right away, but force them to rub the snow on their body for… familiarity, and then slowly let them in to warm up. Because it is too cold, it is more dangerous to go to a warm place right away.

However, in the summer Poland can be very hot, hot enough to go to the beach! Let’s visit Sopot, for example. Fine sand beach with shallow water is no less than sea of other countries.

Experiences of visiting cold countries in the cold season:

• Regularly take vitamin D. In the cold season, the days in cold countries are very short, the sun is not available, so it leads to vitamin D deficiency, causing sadness or upset. In many cases, chronic vitamin D deficiency can cause depression. This is my personal experience. I lived half a cold season in Poland without taking vitamin D, sometimes just staying in my room like autistic. But when the spring comes, the flowers bloom and the snow melts, and the spirit immediately returns!
• Be careful with electronic devices such as phones. It’s so cold that they “collapse” on their own. Get in a warm place and then turn on the phone. And should keep the phone as close to the body as possible. (My Polish friend jokes that we heat our phones better than our bodies).
• Usually when it’s snowing it’s not as cold as it is… no snow (or when everything freezes).
• If you can’t stand the cold, it’s best to crawl from one shop to another while walking!

Things to know before going to Poland: Don’t ask “how are you?” unless you really want to know

Poles are very outspoken, honest, and often misunderstood as rude. They will say what they think and are completely unafraid to point out the faults of others. Coupled with this national character are communication habits based more on sincerity than on etiquette. I realized this because when I stayed in the dorm, some of my English friends had a habit of greeting with “how are you?”, or “how was your day?” and then surprisingly discussed that the Poles actually told their real story. In Polish language and habits, they only ask each other when they really want to know. So if you ask them that, they will answer honestly, and they will also expect you to respond the same when they are actively interested.

Poland etiquette: Polish women pay close attention to their appearance

This is something that I only discovered after staying in several places. Similar to communication habits, thinking, approach to matters, etc., the difference in self-care is also huge. For example, in the Netherlands, people in general prefer comfort and simplicity. They are rarely fussy about their appearance, and even in formal events, their dress-up is much lower than in some countries like Italy or Poland. In this country, men also pay attention to their appearance but do not pay too much attention. Meanwhile, women when take down the street often follow the motto, which as my friend describes it, “It’s safer to be too elegant rather than not elegant enough”. Heavy makeup is very common, and clothes are also neatly cared for. In particular, Polish people are very fond of leather goods…

Poles are very, very proud of their Vodka

The Poles love vodka, and take great pride in their vodka, which they say it is even tastier and purer than Russia’s. Many Polish people even told me that it is the Poles who drink the most vodka, and make the best vodkas in the world. Both men and women can drink quite well. And contrary to the popular stereotype that Poles get drunk all the time, it’s rare these days. (But still yes, especially in the evening, when Poles almost 180 degrees change – from “cold, serious” to enthusiastic, crazy. At this time, young people go to disco, bars, older people love going to pubs to drink beer and meet up.

I have met many times when drunk people took on the street. Even in some more “local” cities, with less tourists, like where I live, many restaurants even let people who are too drunk to sleep in restaurant chairs for a while, until they wake up).

However, not everyone drinks vodka. In fact, Poles love beer just as much. Craft beer has become a trend in recent years. Usually in midweek meetings, Poles drink more beer. And this is probably the only place I see that… cherry or berry syrup is put in beer. Not everyone orders. Usually only women like to add it.

In addition, young people also have a hobby of pub crawling. In some places where I once lived like Italy or the Netherlands, people seem to like to drink in one place for a night, or just at a familiar bar. But in Poland, young people like to crawl across many bars a night, each they only having one or two drinks. This activity is so popular that many tours are born just to take guests to discover the interesting bars of a city.

Ah, and note: in Poland, it is prohibited to drink alcoholic beverages on the street. But this is one of the countries where alcohol drinks is the easiest to find.

Travel in Poland tips: The Food

I love Polish cuisine second only after Italy, even more than France. Why? Because Polish cuisine is typical of “comfort food”, the type of food that creates a warm, family feeling. Polish dishes are all very full portions (pay attention when going to a restaurant and order, Asians can sometimes be full for two people with only one serving!), often rich in taste, with a lot of meat (vegetarians will meet a bit difficult, even in big cities like Warsaw or Krakow there are vegetarian restaurants, well, they’re not really Polish cuisine anymore). And they are also diverse and rich!

Read more: Cheap Polish dining experiences (and must-try dishes!) .

Also, if you receive an invitation to eat from a Pole, expect to be served until you can not breath because of too full! There is a Polish proverb: “Guest in the house brings God to the house”. So, with the hospitable nature that is shown most strongly through the banquet table, do not be too surprised when they will treat you to a slightly “excessive” amount of food. And, no matter how full, but if you accept the second serving, you will see that they are radiant and enthusiastic!

Poles don’t drink tea with milk

Polish people often do not drink tea with milk, but drink tea with spices (such as anise, cinnamon, …) and a slice of lemon. They seem to consider it a British habit and are not very interested. Furthermore, Poles drink more tea from the pods and dried leaves than black or green tea itself, which are more common in many parts of the world. My teacher said that because before the war, poor Poles could not buy tea or import tea, but they liked tea very much, so they dried many varieties to make teas. Today, these types of dried tea are a specialty of Poland and you can buy as a gift.

Poland etiquette: Don’t give flowers with even numbers

In Poland, giving even-numbered flowers is usually only at funerals. So if you want to give flowers to someone, buy an odd number of flowers!

Poland travel tips: When visiting a Polish home, what should be paid attention to?

When invited to visit a Polish family, never come with empty-handed. Bring gifts that can be shared with others. Chocolate cake, homemade cake or bottle of wine are good options. And usually the gift will be given to the woman who is the head of the family. Although today this is no longer a mandatory standard to be followed.

In addition, when entering the house, there is a high chance that you have to take off your shoes. The host will give you a pair of house slippers. Unless the home owner tells you not to take it off. So don’t wear socks with holes (hihi).

Poland is one of Europe’s most affordable destinations. Or as my friend in Austria said: insultingly cheap (haha). Really, traveling to visit Poland is extremely worth it! All costs are surprisingly cheap and reasonable. On average, a two-course meal with drink costs around 10 euros. Visit museum, theater, the prices are almost half compared to other countries. And if you have a student card, it’s even cheaper! I went to 4, 5 cities in Poland just by going… 2 cities in other countries.

The Polish currency is Zloty. 1 euros is equal to 4 Zloty.

In Poland, the train system and bus operators are very developed and convenient. And very cheap too. Going from one end of the country to the other is only 30, 40 euros only (not yet discounted for students. If you are a student like me, the price down to…10 euros). But the minus point is that most stations (as of 2021) do not have ticket vending machines, but have to queue in front of the counter to buy. So either come early to buy tickets, or buy online. The homepage of the Polish railway system is here.

Of course there are many interesting things about this wonderful country. But in my opinion, here are Poland travel tips (Poland tips) and things to know before going to Poland, what to know before going to Poland, Poland etiquette as well. Hope these will be useful to everyone on future trips. Don’t forget to share with me your experiences! Please share the article to save for later use.

Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in, from and to Warsaw you can refer to

• Fryderyk Chopin’s Concert Ticket in Warsaw Old Town
• Warsaw Hop-On Hop-Off City Sightseeing Bus Tour
• Private Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport (WAW) Transfers for Warsaw
• Best of Warsaw Half Day Tour
• Frederic Chopin Evening Walking Tour in Warsaw
• Warsaw Off the Beaten Path Half Day Tour

Are you looking for more top things to do in Poland: Tours, activities, attractions and other things? Let’s check it out here .

Related articles

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

Leh ladakh bike trip blog — ladakh bike trip guide & tips for first-timers, guide to shenzhen nightlife — top 5 things & what to do in shenzhen at night, ladakh trip cost per person from delhi — how much does ladakh trip by bike cost, india travel tips — 25+ what & things to know before traveling to india.

Coron itinerary 5 days — What to do & how to spend 5 days in Coron?

Arashiyama travel blog — The fullest Arashiyama travel guide with top things to do in Arashiyama

Explore Fenqihu old street — What to do in Fenqihu in a day trip?

Where to go in Kunming? — 15+ top Kunming attractions & best places to visit in Kunming

Must eat in melaka — 10+ famous malacca street food & must try food in melaka, editor picks.

Leh Ladakh bike trip blog — Ladakh bike trip guide &...

Guide to Shenzhen nightlife — Top 5 things & what to...

Ladakh trip cost per person from Delhi — How much does...

Popular posts.

What to buy in USA? — 17+ must buy in USA...

Must buy souvenir in Taiwan — Top 17+ most famous, cheap...

Must buy in Korea — Top 23 cheap, famous & best...

Popular category.

• Inspiration + Guide 1460
• Trip Inspiration 468
• Thailand 209
• Food + Drink 208
• Coasts + Islands 193
• South Korea 168
• Vietnam 166
• Travel Photos 144
• Work for Us
• Terms & Conditions
• Privacy Policy

Get the Hottest Deals First!

Discovering Poland

About this tour.

On an all-encompassing tour of Poland, uncover the country’s poignant past and engaging present. Tour the thriving capital city of Warsaw, reborn after World War II. See Wawel Castle, the former home to the kings of Imperial Poland. Behold the Black Madonna while visiting the Jasna Góra Monastery. During a moving visit to Auschwitz, unveil its somber history and tragic reality. Discover Polish culture at a folklore dinner and show in Kraków. From the thriving capital city of Warsaw to the coastal city of Gdansk, experience Poland at its best.

Your Tour Includes

• 4 Handpicked Accommodations
• 2 Choice on Tour Options

Included Highlights

• Malbork Castle
• Solidarity Shipyards

Your Tour at a Glance

10 Breakfasts

Travel Style

Customize your tour.

Optional Excursions

Starting at $50.00

Activity Level

• Level This Tour

For specific details about this tour's activity level and other info to know before you book your trip, click here.

Extension Style

Travel styles, highlights and inclusions.

Must-See Inclusions:

• Discover the 700-year-old Malbork castle, one of the world's largest.

A tour of Wroclaw brings you up-close to this ethnically diverse city.

Get a deeper perspective of Warsaw during a Jewish heritage tour.

Cultural Experiences:

• Visit the Jasna Góra monastery to witness the world-famous Black Madonna.

Explore the poignant history of Auschwitz.

Culinary Inclusions:

Immerse yourself in Polish culture during a folklore show and dinner.

• Choice on Tour
• Jasna Góra Monastery
• Black Madonna
• Folklore Show & Dinner

Book with Confidence

* With Insurance Purchased

• *No Hassle Refunds
• Traveling Well Safety
• No booking fee, *no change fees
• Top Rated Travel Protection

Share This Tour

Looking to add your itinerary for friends and family? Share your Itinerary

Getting Prepared

Know before you go, travel tips, enhance your tour.

• Choice On Tour

Pre and Post Night Stay

Unique Experience

Cultural Experiences

Enhance Your Trip

• Tour Extensions

In Gdansk, it’s your choice! Take an independent boat ride down the Motlawa River, experiencing the historic city of Gdansk from the water side. As you take in the salty-sea views, get a true taste of the local flavor aboard the ship as you relax and take in the coastal views – OR – take a short afternoon tour of Sopot, a town set on the Baltic Sea where you can see the fairy-tale inspired Crooked House and Monte Cassino before enjoying free time for lunch, exploration or a return to Wroclaw to relax.

Hotel-Mercure Grand Warszawa Hotel

History surrounds you in the former Jewish district of Kazimierz. Krakow - once the capital of Poland - is where Jews lived under the protection of Polish kings and is home to the historic Jewish quarter, Kazimierz. The Jewish community developed culture, religion, and even their own educational system during this time. As you walk through Kazimierz in the present, you'll see historic synagogues, stop for photos and an educational talk at the remnants of a World War II ghetto in Podgorze, and even visit the streets where Spielberg filmed his Academy Award-winning movie, "Schindler's List". You will also visit a Jewish cemetery and learn all about the practice of giving "kvitelach" - a note with personal prayers to God - along with kosher traditions.

Travel through the Silesian heartland to the towns of Jawor and Swidnica, home to the "Churches of Peace." You will visit one of these churches whose names are derived from the Peace Accords of Westphalia signed in 1648 which ended the 30 Years War and which permitted Lutherans living in Catholic Silesia to build their own evangelical churches. We will explore the church which has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its masterful architecture and historical importance. Inside you will be treated to a private organ concert. Afterwards, you will journey to a small village in the heart of the Polish countryside where you will enjoy lunch and a wine tasting.

Discover the 700-year-old Malbork castle, one of the world's largest.

Visit the Jasna Góra monastery to witness the world-famous Black Madonna.

Accommodations

Arrive earlier.

Pre Night: Mercure Grand Warszawa Hotel From $80 per night

Mercure Grand Warszawa Hotel

Radisson blu hotel gdansk, the bridge wroclaw mgallery, holiday inn city center krakow.

Nights 8-10

Need More Information?

We're here to help

Call us toll free at 800.340.5158

Trip reviews.

Live, Unedited, & Independent Traveler Reviews

Filter Reviews: All

Fellow Travelers on Tour

Related blog content, an alpine adventure with collette, my first guided tour with collette (i’m coming back for more), top 10 phrases to know for your next trip to sicily, get a taste of sicilian street food, the wines of sicily, greece: a foodie’s dream vacation, similar tours.

Italian Vistas

Sunny Portugal Estoril Coast, Alentejo & Algarve

Shades of Ireland

Iceland's Magical Northern Lights

Imperial Cities featuring Prague, Vienna & Budapest

European Christmas Markets featuring Prague, Vienna & Budapest

Not seeing the date you want? We can help!

Call our Customer Care Team to inquire about dates beyond what's currently listed and to make an advanced reservation. You can find our full terms and conditions here .

Request a Quote

Please fill out the form below, and a Collette Expert will contact you shortly.

• Yes, I'm a Travel Professional
• Yes, I am working with a Travel Professional
• I am traveling with 8 or more travelers

Find a Travel Agency

Once you've found the perfect Collette tour, your local travel agent can assist you in making reservations. To find a preferred travel agent in your area, please enter your 5-digit zip code, then click Search.

Enter a Whole or Partial Zip Code

Please tell us everything, we want it all.

We really value your feedback, please be open an honest. Tell us where we can improve, how we can get better. This feedback is anonymous, but if you would like us to get in touch with you regarding an issue provide your email address as part of your feedback and we will get right back to you.

Talk to an Expert

View or download.

We’re sorry, this site is currently experiencing technical difficulties. Please try again in a few moments. Exception: request blocked

Cookies on GOV.UK

We use some essential cookies to make this website work.

We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services.

We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.

You have accepted additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

You have rejected additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

• Passports, travel and living abroad
• Travel abroad
• Foreign travel advice

Warnings and insurance

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office ( FCDO ) provides advice about risks of travel to help British nationals make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice .

Ukraine-Poland border

The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the western regions (oblasts) of Zakarpattia, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil and Chernivtsi, and continues to advise against all travel to the rest of Ukraine. For the latest information, check the Ukraine travel advice. The Russian invasion of Ukraine is ongoing. Russian military strikes have taken place in Ukraine within 20km of the Polish border. Access to the border is restricted. See  safety and security .

Before you travel

No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide as well as support for British nationals abroad which includes:

• advice on preparing for travel abroad and reducing risks
• information for women, LGBT+ and disabled travellers

Follow and contact FCDO travel on Twitter , Facebook and Instagram . You can also sign up to get email notifications when this advice is updated.

Travel insurance

If you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance . Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.

Related content

Invasion of ukraine.

• UK visa support for Ukrainian nationals
• Move to the UK if you're coming from Ukraine
• Homes for Ukraine: record your interest
• Find out about the UK’s response

Is this page useful?

• Yes this page is useful
• No this page is not useful

Help us improve GOV.UK

Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details.

To help us improve GOV.UK, we’d like to know more about your visit today. We’ll send you a link to a feedback form. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. Don’t worry we won’t send you spam or share your email address with anyone.

• Travel, Tourism & Hospitality

Travel and tourism in Poland - statistics & facts

Travel behavior, covid-19 impact on tourism, key insights.

Detailed statistics

Number of hotels in Poland 2000-2022

Number of arrivals in tourist accommodation Poland 2006-2021

International tourist spending in Poland 2018-2022

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Current statistics on this topic.

Destinations

Leading outbound travel destinations from Poland 2020-2022

Accommodation

Leisure Travel

International tourist visitors to Poland 2020-2022, by country of residence

Related topics

Tourism in cee.

• Travel and tourism in Croatia
• Travel and tourism in Hungary
• Travel and tourism in Latvia
• Travel and tourism in Czechia

Recommended statistics

• Premium Statistic International tourist spending in Poland 2018-2022
• Premium Statistic Online travel and tourism expenditures in Poland 2023
• Premium Statistic Number of arrivals in tourist accommodation Poland 2006-2021
• Premium Statistic Number of international tourist arrivals in Poland 2014-2029
• Premium Statistic Package holidays: household expenditure in Poland 2010-2022
• Premium Statistic Consumer spending on accommodation services in Poland 2010-2022
• Premium Statistic Average price per night for two people in Poland 2019-2023
• Premium Statistic Prices of tours for summer holiday in Poland 2020-2024, by destination
• Premium Statistic Cost of a seven-day stay in hotels in Poland 2023, by tourist destination
• Premium Statistic Places where Polish people want to spend this year's vacation 2023

International tourists expenditure in Poland from 2018 to 2022 (in million zloty)

Online travel and tourism expenditures in Poland 2023

Annual spending on online travel and tourism in Poland in 2023, by type (in million U.S. dollars)

Number of arrivals in tourist accommodation in Poland from 2006 to 2021 (in millions)

Number of international tourist arrivals in Poland 2014-2029

Number of international tourist arrivals in Poland from 2014 to 2029 (in millions)

Package holidays: household expenditure in Poland 2010-2022

Household consumption expenditure on package holidays in Poland from 2010 to 2022 (in million zloty)

Consumer spending on accommodation services in Poland 2010-2022

Household consumption expenditure on accommodation services in Poland from 2010 to 2022 (in million zloty)

Average price per night for two people in Poland 2019-2023

Average price per night in a hotel room for two people during the high season in Poland from 2019 to 2023 (in zloty)

Prices of tours for summer holiday in Poland 2020-2024, by destination

Prices of tours for summer holiday in Poland from 2020 to 2024, by destination (in zloty)

Cost of a seven-day stay in hotels in Poland 2023, by tourist destination

Average price of a seven-day stay in hotels in Poland in 2023, by tourist destination (in zloty)

Places where Polish people want to spend this year's vacation 2023

Places where people in Poland want to spend this year's vacation in 2023

Inbound tourism

• Basic Statistic Inbound tourism: international arrivals in Poland 2009-2021
• Premium Statistic Inbound overnight tourist arrivals in Poland 2009-2021
• Premium Statistic Inbound same-day tourist arrivals in Poland 2009-2021
• Premium Statistic Number of inbound tourist trips to Poland 2020-2022, by purpose
• Premium Statistic International tourist visitors to Poland 2020-2022, by country of residence
• Premium Statistic Inbound same-day tourist trips to Poland 2020-2022, by country of origin
• Premium Statistic Spending of inbound tourist trips to Poland 2020-2022, by country of residence
• Premium Statistic Age of inbound tourists visiting Poland in 2022

Inbound tourism: international arrivals in Poland 2009-2021

Number of inbound visitor arrivals to Poland from 2009 to 2021* (in 1,000s)

Inbound overnight tourist arrivals in Poland 2009-2021

Number of inbound overnight visitors in Poland from 2009 to 2021 (in 1,000s)

Inbound same-day tourist arrivals in Poland 2009-2021

Number of inbound same-day visitor arrivals in Poland from 2009 to 2021 (in 1,000s)

Number of inbound tourist trips to Poland 2020-2022, by purpose

Number of non-resident tourist trips to Poland from 2020 to 2022, by main purpose (in 1,000s)

Number of international tourists visiting Poland from 2020 to 2022, by country of residence (in 1,000s)

Inbound same-day tourist trips to Poland 2020-2022, by country of origin

Number of same-day tourist trips of non-residents to Poland from 2020 to 2022, by country of origin (in millions)

Spending of inbound tourist trips to Poland 2020-2022, by country of residence

Spending of international tourists in Poland from 2020 to 2022, by country of residence (in billion zloty)

Age of inbound tourists visiting Poland in 2022

Share of inbound tourist trips by non-residents to Poland 2022, by age group

Domestic tourism

• Premium Statistic Overnight domestic tourism in Poland from 2012 to 2021
• Premium Statistic Number of domestic tourist trips in Poland 2021-2022, by month
• Premium Statistic Number of domestic tourism trips in Poland 2020-2022, by purpose
• Premium Statistic Share of domestic tourism trips in Poland 2022, by accommodation type
• Premium Statistic Share of domestic tourist trips in Poland 2020-2022, by transport
• Premium Statistic Domestic tourist expenses in Poland 2022, by type and trip duration

Overnight domestic tourism in Poland from 2012 to 2021

Number of domestic overnight visitors in Poland from 2012 to 2021 (in 1,000s)

Number of domestic tourist trips in Poland 2021-2022, by month

Number of domestic tourist trips taken in Poland from 2021 to 2022, by month* (in millions)

Number of domestic tourism trips in Poland 2020-2022, by purpose

Number of domestic tourism trips in Poland from 2020 to 2022, by main purpose* (in 1,000s)

Share of domestic tourism trips in Poland 2022, by accommodation type

Share of domestic tourist trips taken in Poland in 2022, by main accommodation used

Share of domestic tourist trips in Poland 2020-2022, by transport

Share of domestic tourist trips taken in Poland from 2020 to 2022, by mode of transport*

Domestic tourist expenses in Poland 2022, by type and trip duration

Expenses of domestic tourists on trips in Poland in 2022, by type and trip duration (in million zloty)

Outbound tourism

• Basic Statistic Number of outbound trips made from Poland 2012-2021
• Premium Statistic Number of international tourist trips in Poland 2021-2022, by month
• Premium Statistic Leading outbound travel destinations from Poland 2020-2022
• Premium Statistic Number of outbound tourist trips from Poland 2020-2022, by purpose
• Premium Statistic Share of outbound tourist trips in Poland 2022, by accommodation
• Premium Statistic Outbound tourism expenses in Poland 2022, by type and trip duration

Number of outbound trips made from Poland 2012-2021

Number of outbound overnight trips from Poland from 2012 to 2021 (in 1,000s)

Number of international tourist trips in Poland 2021-2022, by month

Number of outbound tourism trips taken from Poland from 2021 to 2022, by month* (in millions)

Number of outbound tourism trips from Poland from 2020 to 2022, by destination country* (in 1,000s)

Number of outbound tourist trips from Poland 2020-2022, by purpose

Number of outbound tourist trips from Poland from 2020 to 2022, by main purpose* (in 1,000s)

Share of outbound tourist trips in Poland 2022, by accommodation

Share of outbound tourist trips taken in Poland in 2022, by main accommodation used

Outbound tourism expenses in Poland 2022, by type and trip duration

Expenses of outbound tourist trips from Poland in 2022, by type and trip duration (in million zloty)

• Premium Statistic Number of hotels in Poland 2020-2022, by star rating
• Premium Statistic Number of hotel rooms in Poland 2000-2022
• Premium Statistic Occupancy rate in hotels in Poland 2019-2023
• Premium Statistic Household spending at current prices on restaurants and hotels in Poland 2007-2022
• Premium Statistic Per capita monthly spending on restaurants and hotels in Poland 2000-2022
• Premium Statistic ADR in hotels in Poland 2019-2023
• Premium Statistic RevPAR of hotels in Poland 2019-2023, by city
• Premium Statistic Value of hotel investments in Poland 2000-2022

Number of hotels in Poland 2020-2022, by star rating

Number of hotels in Poland from 2020 to 2022, by star rating

Number of hotel rooms in Poland 2000-2022

Number of hotel rooms in Poland from 2000 to 2022

Occupancy rate in hotels in Poland 2019-2023

Occupancy rate in hotels in Poland between June 2019 and June 2023

Household spending at current prices on restaurants and hotels in Poland 2007-2022

Household consumption expenditure at current prices on restaurants and hotels in Poland from 2007 to 2022 (in million euros)

Per capita monthly spending on restaurants and hotels in Poland 2000-2022

Average monthly per capita expenditure on restaurants and hotels in Poland from 2000 to 2022 (in zloty)

ADR in hotels in Poland 2019-2023

Average daily rate in hotels in Poland between June 2019 and June 2023 (in zloty)

RevPAR of hotels in Poland 2019-2023, by city

Revenue per available room of hotels in Poland between June 2019 and June 2023, by city (in zloty)

Value of hotel investments in Poland 2000-2022

Value of hotel investments in Poland from 2000 to 2022 (in million zloty)

• Premium Statistic Tourist activity of Poles 1992-2023
• Premium Statistic Share of people who traveled for leisure or tourism in Poland 2012-2023
• Premium Statistic Holiday destinations of Poles 2020-2023
• Premium Statistic Popular regions in which tourists spent their holidays in Poland 2022-2023, by region
• Premium Statistic Total number of days spent on leisure or tourism in Poland 2012-2023
• Premium Statistic Planning holiday destinations in Poland 2016-2024
• Premium Statistic Spending on holiday trips and activities in Poland 2021-2023

Tourist activity of Poles 1992-2023

Share of people travelling for leisure in Poland from 1992 to 2023

Share of people who traveled for leisure or tourism in Poland 2012-2023

Share of people who traveled for leisure or tourism for at least 2 days, including at least one overnight stay in Poland from 2012 to 2023

Holiday destinations of Poles 2020-2023

In which country have you been on vacation?

Popular regions in which tourists spent their holidays in Poland 2022-2023, by region

Popular regions in which tourists spent their holidays in Poland from 2022 to 2023, by voivodeship

Total number of days spent on leisure or tourism in Poland 2012-2023

Total number of days spent on leisure or tourism in Poland from 2012 to 2023

Planning holiday destinations in Poland 2016-2024

Vacation plans of the residents of Poland from 2016 to 2024, by destination

Spending on holiday trips and activities in Poland 2021-2023

Amount spent on holiday trips and activities in Poland from 2021 to 2023

Tourism companies

• Premium Statistic Number of registered travel companies in Poland 2018-2024
• Premium Statistic Number of registered travel companies in Poland 2022-2024, by voivodeship
• Premium Statistic Revenues of accommodation and gastronomy enterprises in Poland 2015-2022
• Premium Statistic Leading tourism companies in Poland 2019-2022, by sales revenue
• Premium Statistic Leading tourism companies in Poland 2019-2022, by net profit
• Premium Statistic Leading tourism companies in Poland 2021-2022, by number of customers
• Premium Statistic Leading tourism companies in Poland 2022, by equity capital
• Premium Statistic Equity capitals and relation to revenues in the tourism industry in Poland 2005-2022
• Premium Statistic Profit per customer and profitability in Poland 2014-2022, by sales revenue

Number of registered travel companies in Poland 2018-2024

Number of registered travel companies in Poland from 2018 to 2024

Number of registered travel companies in Poland 2022-2024, by voivodeship

Number of registered travel companies in Poland between 2022 and 2024, by voivodeship

Revenues of accommodation and gastronomy enterprises in Poland 2015-2022

Revenues of companies providing accommodation and gastronomy in Poland from 2015 to 2022 (in million zloty)

Leading tourism companies in Poland 2019-2022, by sales revenue

Leading tourism companies in Poland from 2019 to 2022, by sales revenue (in million zloty)

Leading tourism companies in Poland 2019-2022, by net profit

Leading tourism companies in Poland from 2019 to 2022, by net profit (in million zloty)

Leading tourism companies in Poland 2021-2022, by number of customers

Leading tourism companies in Poland from 2021 to 2022, by number of customers (in 1,000s)

Leading tourism companies in Poland 2022, by equity capital

Leading tourism companies in Poland in 2022, by equity capital (in million zloty)

Equity capitals and relation to revenues in the tourism industry in Poland 2005-2022

Equity of leading tour operators and its relation to revenues in Poland from 2005 to 2022

Profit per customer and profitability in Poland 2014-2022, by sales revenue

Profit per customer and profitability of the leading tour operators in Poland from 2014 to 2022, by sales revenue (in million zloty)

Further reports Get the best reports to understand your industry

Get the best reports to understand your industry.

Mon - Fri, 9am - 6pm (EST)

Mon - Fri, 9am - 5pm (SGT)

Mon - Fri, 10:00am - 6:00pm (JST)

Mon - Fri, 9:30am - 5pm (GMT)

• Skip to main content
• Skip to "About this site"

Language selection

Search travel.gc.ca.

Help us to improve our website. Take our survey !

COVID-19: travel health notice for all travellers

Poland travel advice

Latest updates: The Need help? section was updated.

Last updated: April 3, 2024 08:49 ET

On this page

Safety and security, entry and exit requirements, laws and culture, natural disasters and climate, poland - take normal security precautions.

Take normal security precautions in Poland

Back to top

Impacts of the armed conflict in Ukraine

In February 2022, Russia began a military invasion of Ukraine.

There has been a significant increase in the number of displaced persons entering Poland from Ukraine. There are important delays at border crossings. Transportation and other essential services may be strained due to the high demand.

Projectiles from the armed conflict in Ukraine have landed in areas near the Ukrainian border, causing casualties. Be aware of your surroundings.

If you are near the border with Ukraine or are transiting through border areas:

• expect highly congested routes, checkpoints and transportation delays
• expect limited accommodations options
• contact your transport carrier to determine whether the situation could disrupt your onward travel

Petty crime

Petty crime, such as pickpocketing and purse snatching, occurs, mostly in larger cities. 

Theft is frequent in: 

• buses, trains, bus and train stations and airports 
• major tourist destinations, including busy markets  
• areas near hotels  

On the train: 

• exercise caution, particularly at night 
• be extra cautious while you board and disembark  
• store personal belongings in a safe place 
• ensure the door to your compartment is locked from the inside 

On the road: 

• be especially vigilant when stopped at traffic lights, as thieves travelling on scooters or on foot can snatch bags from passenger seats 
• keep your windows closed and car doors locked at all times 
• keep your bags out of the reach of pedestrians

Passport theft 

Ensure that your personal belongings, including your passport and other travel documents, are secure at all times. 

You must report the loss or theft of your passport to the local police. A police report is required to issue a new passport or to replace a Polish visa. 

There are reports of individuals being harassed for the following reasons:  

• physical appearance 
• sexual orientation 
• acting or appearing as foreigners 

Women's safety

Women travelling alone in some rural areas may be subject to some forms of harassment and verbal abuse. 

Advice for women travellers  

Credit card and ATM fraud occurs, particularly at bars and nightclubs.   

When using debit or credit cards: 

• pay careful attention when your cards are being handled by others 
• use ATMs located in well-lit public areas or inside a bank or business 
• avoid using card readers with an irregular or unusual feature 
• cover the keypad with one hand when entering your PIN 
• check for any unauthorized transactions on your account statements 

Cybercrime 

Cybercrime occurs in Poland. Perpetrators may compromise public Wi-Fi networks to steal credit card or personal information. 

• Avoid using unsecured public Wi-Fi networks 
• Avoid making purchases on unencrypted websites 
• Be cautious when posting information on social media 
• Be particularly vigilant if you decide to meet someone you met online 
• Never click a suspicious link in an email or text message asking for your credit card detail  

Overseas fraud

Spiked food and drinks

Snacks, beverages, gum and cigarettes may contain drugs that could put you at risk of sexual assault and robbery. 

• Be wary of accepting these items from new acquaintances 
• Never leave food or drinks unattended or in the care of strangers 

Exercise caution at bars, nightclubs and adult entertainment venues that lure clients with promises of discounts. Customers have been served spiked drinks and then overcharged on their credit cards while under the influence of intoxicants at such establishments. 

• Carry a limited amount of cash 
• Verify the price list before ordering and the bill before paying 
• Report all crimes to the local police before leaving the country because you cannot complete a police report after leaving Poland 

Demonstrations

Demonstrations and marches occur frequently. They are usually held on days of social or historical significance, such as: 

• National Independence Day on November 11 
• International Worker’s Day on May 1 
• the anniversary of the Smolensk air disaster on April 10 

In Warsaw, protests often occur in front of Polish government buildings and foreign diplomatic missions. 

Even peaceful demonstrations can turn violent at any time. They can also lead to disruptions to traffic and public transportation. 

• Avoid areas where demonstrations, marches, and large gatherings are taking place 
• Expect a heightened security presence 
• Follow the instructions of local authorities 
• Monitor local media for information on ongoing demonstrations 

Mass gatherings (large-scale events)

There is a threat of terrorism in Europe. Terrorist attacks have occurred in a number of European cities. There is a potential for other violent incidents.

Targets could include:

• government buildings, including schools
• places of worship
• airports and other transportation hubs and networks
• public areas such as tourist attractions, restaurants, bars, coffee shops, shopping centres, markets, hotels and other sites frequented by foreigners

Always be aware of your surroundings when in public places.

Soccer matches

Confrontations, which at times become violent, may occur between opposing fans at soccer matches. Traffic and public transportation may also be affected. Fan clubs operate similarly to gangs and certain clubs have links to organized crime. 

• Exercise caution if you attend a soccer match or if you stay near sporting venues 
• Be aware of large groups of supporters during soccer matches 

Adventure tourism

The South of Poland contains two high mountain ranges, the Carpathians and Sudetes. Mountain activities, such as hiking, climbing, and skiing, can be dangerous if unprepared. Weather conditions can change rapidly and can be severe, even in the summer. Lightning strikes are particularly common in the Tatra region of the Carpathians, as well as a risk of sudden storms and avalanches. 

If you intend to go hiking, mountaineering, or skiing: 

• never do so alone and don’t part with your tour companions 
• buy travel insurance that includes helicopter rescue and medical evacuation 
• ensure that your physical condition is good enough to meet the challenges of your activity 
• ensure that you are properly equipped and well informed about weather and other conditions that may pose a hazard 
• inform a family member or friend of your itinerary, including when you expect to be back to camp 
• know the symptoms of acute altitude sickness, which can be fatal 
• obtain detailed information on trekking routes or ski slopes before setting out and do not venture off marked trails or slopes, particularly in early or late winter 

Useful Links 

• Conditions, avalanche alerts and warning  – Mountain Volunteer Rescue Service (in Polish only) 
• Alerts and information specific to Tatra region  – Tatra Rescue Foundation 

Road safety

Poland continues to improve its highway system, but travel by road can be hazardous outside of major centres. Slow-moving agricultural vehicles are common in rural areas. Drivers often pass slow-moving vehicles by crossing into oncoming traffic. 

Road conditions  

Rural roads are often narrow with no shoulders for pedestrians or cyclists. 

Driving can also be dangerous due to: 

• the lack of speed limit signs  
• poorly maintained secondary roads  
• traffic congestion 

Avoid travelling after dark in remote areas. 

Driving habits  

Drivers may be aggressive and do not respect traffic laws, especially at pedestrian crossings. Road rage is common. 

The country’s role as a major east-west route for transport trucks also poses risks. Vehicles entering Poland from outside the EU may have lower safety or emissions standards and drivers may not respect all traffic laws. 

In Warsaw, authorities routinely block major roads for ceremonies, state visits, or national holidays. 

Public transportation

There have been reports of sexual assault and harassment in unofficial taxis. Officially marked taxis will display the rate per kilometre on the back passenger window, visible from the outside. They are also required to have an operating meter.  

• Only use officially marked taxis 
• Make sure that the taxi has an operating meter or pre-arrange your fare 
• Be wary of taxi drivers who approach you at the airport or whose vehicles do not display telephone numbers or a company name, these drivers usually charge exorbitant rates. 

We do not make assessments on the compliance of foreign domestic airlines with international safety standards.

Information about foreign domestic airlines

Every country or territory decides who can enter or exit through its borders. The Government of Canada cannot intervene on your behalf if you do not meet your destination’s entry or exit requirements.

We have obtained the information on this page from the Polish authorities. It can, however, change at any time.

Verify this information with the  Foreign Representatives in Canada .

• Schengen area

Poland is a Schengen area country. Canadian citizens do not need a visa for travel to countries within the Schengen area. However, visa-free travel only applies to stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Stays are cumulative and include visits to any Schengen area country.

If you plan to stay in the Schengen area for a longer period of time, you will need a visa. You must contact the high commission or embassy of the country or countries you are travelling to and obtain the appropriate visa(s) prior to travel.

Useful links

• Foreign Representatives in Canada

Entry requirements vary depending on the type of passport you use for travel.

Before you travel, check with your transportation company about passport requirements. Its rules on passport validity may be more stringent than the country’s entry rules.

Regular Canadian passport

Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months beyond the date you expect to leave the Schengen area.

Passport for official travel

Different entry rules may apply.

Official travel

Passport with “X” gender identifier

While the Government of Canada issues passports with an “X” gender identifier, it cannot guarantee your entry or transit through other countries. You might face entry restrictions in countries that do not recognize the “X” gender identifier. Before you leave, check with the closest foreign representative for your destination.

Other travel documents

Different entry rules may apply when travelling with a temporary passport or an emergency travel document. Before you leave, check with the closest foreign representative for your destination.

• Foreign Representatives in Canada
• Canadian passports

Tourist visa: not required for stays up to 90 days*  Business visa: not required for stays up to 90 days*  Work visa: required  Student visa: required 

* The 90-day period begins upon initial entry into any country of the Schengen area. Stays are cumulative and include visits to any Schengen area country within any 180-day period. 

To stay longer than 90 days, Canadians must apply either for a Polish visa in Canada before arriving in Poland or for a temporary residence permit while in Poland and must have a valid reason for extending their stay, such as education or employment. 

Extending your stay in Poland  - Office for Foreigners 

Entry from Belarus or Russia

On February 10 2023, Polish authorities closed the border crossing at Bobrowniki, near Berestovitsa, Belarus. The only border crossing open for cars and buses on the Polish-Belarus border is at Brest/Terespol.

If you intend to travel to Poland from Belarus or Russia, you must apply for a humanitarian reasons permit. 

For more information, contact the Polish Border Guards:

• Phone: +48 22 500 4068, +48 22 500 4568, or + 48 22 500 43 76
• Email: [email protected]

Entry to Poland through external borders - Polish Border Guards

Vehicles with Russian license plates

Since September 2023, Poland has enforced an entry ban on vehicles registered in Russia with nine or fewer seats. This restriction is currently in place at the border and reflects existing European Union sanctions against the Russian Federation.

Vehicles registered in Russia carrying Russian license plates will be refused entry into Poland regardless of the driver’s nationality.

Ban on the import of passenger cars registered in Russia – Polish Border Guards (in Polish)

Dual citizenship

Canadians who also hold Polish citizenship must enter and exit Poland using their Polish passport.

Other entry requirements

Customs officials may ask you to show them a return ticket or onward ticket and proof of sufficient funds for your stay.

Mandatory registration

Foreigners must register their stay in Poland within 48 hours of arrival if the stay is to exceed 14 days. Registration will normally be arranged by your hotel. If you are not staying in a hotel, your host, landlord or holder of the property deed of the residence must register your stay. You should confirm with your host that they have registered you when you arrive at your accommodations. 

Children and travel

Learn more about travelling with children .

Yellow fever

Learn about potential entry requirements related to yellow fever (vaccines section).

Relevant Travel Health Notices

• Global Measles Notice - 13 March, 2024
• COVID-19 and International Travel - 13 March, 2024

This section contains information on possible health risks and restrictions regularly found or ongoing in the destination. Follow this advice to lower your risk of becoming ill while travelling. Not all risks are listed below.

Consult a health care professional or visit a travel health clinic preferably 6 weeks before you travel to get personalized health advice and recommendations.

Routine vaccines

Be sure that your  routine vaccinations , as per your province or territory , are up-to-date before travelling, regardless of your destination.

Some of these vaccinations include measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, varicella (chickenpox), influenza and others.

Pre-travel vaccines and medications

You may be at risk for preventable diseases while travelling in this destination. Talk to a travel health professional about which medications or vaccines may be right for you, based on your destination and itinerary. 

Yellow fever is a disease caused by a flavivirus from the bite of an infected mosquito.

Travellers get vaccinated either because it is required to enter a country or because it is recommended for their protection.

• There is no risk of yellow fever in this country.

Country Entry Requirement*

• Proof of vaccination is not required to enter this country.

Recommendation

• Vaccination is not recommended.

* It is important to note that country entry requirements may not reflect your risk of yellow fever at your destination. It is recommended that you contact the nearest diplomatic or consular office of the destination(s) you will be visiting to verify any additional entry requirements.

About Yellow Fever

Yellow Fever Vaccination Centres in Canada

There is a risk of hepatitis A in this destination. It is a disease of the liver. People can get hepatitis A if they ingest contaminated food or water, eat foods prepared by an infectious person, or if they have close physical contact (such as oral-anal sex) with an infectious person, although casual contact among people does not spread the virus.

Practise  safe food and water precautions and wash your hands often. Vaccination is recommended for all travellers to areas where hepatitis A is present.

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a risk in some areas of this destination. It is a viral disease that affects the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). It is spread to humans by the bite of infected ticks or occasionally when unpasteurized milk products are consumed.

Travellers to areas where TBE is found may be at higher risk  during April to November, and the risk is highest for people who hike or camp in forested areas.

Protect yourself from tick bites . The vaccine is not available in Canada. It may be available in the destination you are travelling to.

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease. It can spread quickly from person to person by direct contact and through droplets in the air.

Anyone who is not protected against measles is at risk of being infected with it when travelling internationally.

Regardless of where you are going, talk to a health care professional before travelling to make sure you are fully protected against measles.

  Hepatitis B is a risk in every destination. It is a viral liver disease that is easily transmitted from one person to another through exposure to blood and body fluids containing the hepatitis B virus.  Travellers who may be exposed to blood or other bodily fluids (e.g., through sexual contact, medical treatment, sharing needles, tattooing, acupuncture or occupational exposure) are at higher risk of getting hepatitis B.

Hepatitis B vaccination is recommended for all travellers. Prevent hepatitis B infection by practicing safe sex, only using new and sterile drug equipment, and only getting tattoos and piercings in settings that follow public health regulations and standards.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious viral disease. It can spread from person to person by direct contact and through droplets in the air.

It is recommended that all eligible travellers complete a COVID-19 vaccine series along with any additional recommended doses in Canada before travelling. Evidence shows that vaccines are very effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19. While vaccination provides better protection against serious illness, you may still be at risk of infection from the virus that causes COVID-19. Anyone who has not completed a vaccine series is at increased risk of being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 and is at greater risk for severe disease when travelling internationally.

Before travelling, verify your destination’s COVID-19 vaccination entry/exit requirements. Regardless of where you are going, talk to a health care professional before travelling to make sure you are adequately protected against COVID-19.

 The best way to protect yourself from seasonal influenza (flu) is to get vaccinated every year. Get the flu shot at least 2 weeks before travelling.  

 The flu occurs worldwide. 

•  In the Northern Hemisphere, the flu season usually runs from November to   April.
•  In the Southern Hemisphere, the flu season usually runs between April and   October.
•  In the tropics, there is flu activity year round. 

The flu vaccine available in one hemisphere may only offer partial protection against the flu in the other hemisphere.

The flu virus spreads from person to person when they cough or sneeze or by touching objects and surfaces that have been contaminated with the virus. Clean your hands often and wear a mask if you have a fever or respiratory symptoms.

In this destination, rabies  may be present in some wildlife species, including bats. Rabies is a deadly disease that spreads to humans primarily through bites or scratches from an infected animal. 

If you are bitten or scratched by an animal while travelling, immediately wash the wound with soap and clean water and see a health care professional. 

Before travel, discuss rabies vaccination with a health care professional. It may be recommended for travellers who will be working directly with wildlife. 

Safe food and water precautions

Many illnesses can be caused by eating food or drinking beverages contaminated by bacteria, parasites, toxins, or viruses, or by swimming or bathing in contaminated water.

• Learn more about food and water precautions to take to avoid getting sick by visiting our eat and drink safely abroad page. Remember: Boil it, cook it, peel it, or leave it!
• Avoid getting water into your eyes, mouth or nose when swimming or participating in activities in freshwater (streams, canals, lakes), particularly after flooding or heavy rain. Water may look clean but could still be polluted or contaminated.
• Avoid inhaling or swallowing water while bathing, showering, or swimming in pools or hot tubs. 

Insect bite prevention

Many diseases are spread by the bites of infected insects such as mosquitoes, ticks, fleas or flies. When travelling to areas where infected insects may be present:

• Use insect repellent (bug spray) on exposed skin
• Cover up with light-coloured, loose clothes made of tightly woven materials such as nylon or polyester
• Minimize exposure to insects
• Use mosquito netting when sleeping outdoors or in buildings that are not fully enclosed

To learn more about how you can reduce your risk of infection and disease caused by bites, both at home and abroad, visit our insect bite prevention page.

Find out what types of insects are present where you’re travelling, when they’re most active, and the symptoms of the diseases they spread.

Animal precautions

Some infections, such as rabies and influenza, can be shared between humans and animals. Certain types of activities may increase your chance of contact with animals, such as travelling in rural or forested areas, camping, hiking, and visiting wet markets (places where live animals are slaughtered and sold) or caves.

Travellers are cautioned to avoid contact with animals, including dogs, livestock (pigs, cows), monkeys, snakes, rodents, birds, and bats, and to avoid eating undercooked wild game.

Closely supervise children, as they are more likely to come in contact with animals.

Person-to-person infections

Stay home if you’re sick and practise proper cough and sneeze etiquette , which includes coughing or sneezing into a tissue or the bend of your arm, not your hand. Reduce your risk of colds, the flu and other illnesses by:

•   washing your hands often
• avoiding or limiting the amount of time spent in closed spaces, crowded places, or at large-scale events (concerts, sporting events, rallies)
• avoiding close physical contact with people who may be showing symptoms of illness 

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) , HIV , and mpox are spread through blood and bodily fluids; use condoms, practise safe sex, and limit your number of sexual partners. Check with your local public health authority pre-travel to determine your eligibility for mpox vaccine.  

Medical services and facilities

Satisfactory medical care is available in Poland. However, emergency services may be deficient in small towns and rural areas. Some doctors will speak English, but most hospital staff only speak Polish. Medical services require payment up-front. Keep your receipt for reimbursement by your insurance provider.  

Make sure you get travel insurance that includes coverage for medical evacuation and hospital stays. 

For an ambulance call 112. 

For information about medical services outside of business hours call the National Health Fund info line: +48 22 125-6600 or 800 190 590.  Service is available in English.  

Make sure you get travel insurance that includes coverage for medical evacuation and hospital stays.

Travel health and safety

Keep in Mind...

The decision to travel is the sole responsibility of the traveller. The traveller is also responsible for his or her own personal safety.

Be prepared. Do not expect medical services to be the same as in Canada. Pack a   travel health kit , especially if you will be travelling away from major city centres.

You must abide by local laws.

Learn about what you should do and how we can help if you are arrested or detained abroad .

Transfer to a Canadian prison

Canada and Poland are signatories to the Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons. This enables a Canadian imprisoned in Poland to request a transfer to a Canadian prison to complete a sentence. The transfer requires the agreement of both Canadian and Poland authorities.

This process can take a long time, and there is no guarantee that the transfer will be approved by either or both sides.

Poland does not recognize dual citizenship and does not allow its citizens to serve sentences abroad. Dual nationals may, therefore, not receive the agreement of the Polish authorities to be transferred to a prison in Canada.

Penalties for possession, use or trafficking of illegal drugs are severe. Convicted offenders can expect lengthy jail sentences. 

It is illegal to consume alcohol in public places. If you are found intoxicated in a public area, you may be detained and could be taken to a sobering-up centre, where you may need to spend the night. You will be responsible for paying the cost of the stay. 

Drugs, alcohol and travel

Photography

Photography of military installations and some public buildings and monuments may result in a penalty. These installations generally have adequate signage. If in doubt, you should seek permission from local authorities before taking photographs. 

Dual citizenship is not legally recognized in Poland.

If local authorities consider you a citizen of Poland, they may refuse to grant you access to Canadian consular services. This will prevent us from providing you with those services.

Travellers with dual citizenship

International Child Abduction

The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction is an international treaty. It can help parents with the return of children who have been removed to or retained in certain countries in violation of custody rights. The convention applies between Canada and Poland.

If your child was wrongfully taken to, or is being held in Poland, and if the applicable conditions are met, you may apply for the return of your child to the Polish court.

If you are in this situation:

• act as quickly as you can
• contact the Central Authority for your province or territory of residence for information on starting an application under The Hague Convention
• consult a lawyer in Canada and in Poland to explore all the legal options for the return of your child
• report the situation to the nearest Canadian government office abroad or to the Vulnerable Children’s Consular Unit at Global Affairs Canada by calling the Emergency Watch and Response Centre

If your child was removed from a country other than Canada, consult a lawyer to determine if The Hague Convention applies.

Be aware that Canadian consular officials cannot interfere in private legal matters or in another country’s judicial affairs.

• List of Canadian Central Authorities for the Hague Convention
• International Child Abduction: A Guidebook for Left-Behind Parents
• Travelling with children
• The Hague Convention - Hague Conference on Private International Law
• Canadian embassies and consulates by destination
• Emergency Watch and Response Centre

Identification

Local authorities may request to see your ID at any time. 

• Carry valid identification or a photocopy of it at all times 
• Keep a photocopy of your passport in a safe place in case it’s lost or seized 
• Keep a digital copy of your ID and travel documents 

You must carry an international driving permit. It must be obtained prior to arrival in Poland. 

The use of cellular telephones while driving is prohibited, unless they are fitted with a hands-free device. 

The use of seatbelts is mandatory for the driver and any passenger in the car. Children below 150 cm may not ride in the front seat without a child car seat. Infants in a rear-facing child car seat may only sit in the front seat of the car if the airbag is deactivated. 

Headlights must be on at all times. 

Penalties for drinking and driving are severe. The legal blood alcohol limit is 0.02 percent. Convicted offenders face heavy fines and jail sentences. 

Foreigners may be required to pay traffic violation fines on the spot. 

• More about the International Driving Permit
• Information on road safety and regulations - European Commission

Riding a bike under the influence of alcohol is illegal and subject to detention and fines. 

In rural areas, cyclists and pedestrians must wear reflective clothing (or vest) when on the road between dusk and dawn or risk a fine. A cyclist or pedestrian involved in an accident and not wearing a reflective item could be held liable. 

Transporation tickets must be validated at the start of any trip. You could be fined on the spot if you fail to show a validated ticket to an official upon request.  

Always ensure that: 

• you have purchased and validated your ticket 
• the ticket matches the area and mode of transportation in which you are travelling 

The currency of Poland is the zloty (PLN).

If you are carrying €10,000 or more, or the equivalent in other currencies, you must make a declaration to customs when you enter or leave the European Union. It includes sums in:

• banknotes and coins
• bearer negotiable instruments such as cheques, travellers’ cheques, promissory notes and money orders
• bonds, shares
• gold coins with a gold content of at least 90 %
• gold bars, nuggets or clumps with a gold content of at least 99.5 %
• any other convertible asset

This does not apply if you are travelling within the European Union or in transit to a non-EU country.

EU cash controls - European Commission

Climate change

Climate change is affecting Poland. Extreme and unusual weather events are becoming more frequent and may affect your travel plans. Monitor local news to stay informed on the current situation. 

Flooding  

Heavy rains and thunderstorms are frequent during the summer, sometimes resulting in flooding. 

• Monitor regional weather forecasts 
• Follow the instructions of local authorities. 

Local services

Dial 112 for emergency assistance.

Consular assistance

For emergency consular assistance, call the embassy of Canada in Warsaw and follow the instructions. At any time, you may also contact the Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa.

The decision to travel is your choice and you are responsible for your personal safety abroad. We take the safety and security of Canadians abroad very seriously and provide credible and timely information in our Travel Advice to enable you to make well-informed decisions regarding your travel abroad.

The content on this page is provided for information only. While we make every effort to give you correct information, it is provided on an "as is" basis without warranty of any kind, expressed or implied. The Government of Canada does not assume responsibility and will not be liable for any damages in connection to the information provided.

If you need consular assistance while abroad, we will make every effort to help you. However, there may be constraints that will limit the ability of the Government of Canada to provide services.

Learn more about consular services .

Risk Levels

  take normal security precautions.

Take similar precautions to those you would take in Canada.

  Exercise a high degree of caution

There are certain safety and security concerns or the situation could change quickly. Be very cautious at all times, monitor local media and follow the instructions of local authorities.

IMPORTANT: The two levels below are official Government of Canada Travel Advisories and are issued when the safety and security of Canadians travelling or living in the country or region may be at risk.

  Avoid non-essential travel

Your safety and security could be at risk. You should think about your need to travel to this country, territory or region based on family or business requirements, knowledge of or familiarity with the region, and other factors. If you are already there, think about whether you really need to be there. If you do not need to be there, you should think about leaving.

  Avoid all travel

You should not travel to this country, territory or region. Your personal safety and security are at great risk. If you are already there, you should think about leaving if it is safe to do so.

Ukraine-Russia war live: Kyiv forced to pull back US tanks as Moscow sends nuclear warheads to Belarus

LIVE – Updated at 09:36

Ukraine has withdrawn its American-made Abrams battle tanks from the frontline over concerns they can be easily detected and targeted by Russian drones.

Kyiv has lost five of the 31 Abrams tanks given to it by the US to Russian attacks since October last year. Ukraine had engaged in a months-long campaign arguing that the tanks, which cost about $10m apiece, were vital to its ability to breach Russian lines.

The US is expected to announce that it will provide another $6bn in long-term military aid to Ukraine, US officials said, adding that it will include much sought after munitions for Patriot air defence systems.

Elsewhere, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko claimed “several dozen” Russian tactical nuclear weapons had been deployed in Belarus , Russia ’s Tass news agency said, under an agreement jointly announced last year with Vladimir Putin .

It came as the Belarusian security service claimed to have thwarted an attack on the capital Minsk by drones launched from Nato-member Lithuania , which denied taking any hostile action.

Ukraine pulls US- provided Abrams tanks from front lines over Russian drone threats

• US expected to provide $6bn to fund long-term weapons contracts for Ukraine

Russia has deployed nuclear warheads in Belarus, Minsk says

At least seven wounded in russian air attack on kharkiv, governor says, spain to send patriot missiles to ukraine - report.

Spain will send a small number of Patriot missiles to Ukraine, El Pais newspaper reported on Friday, in response to pressure from EU and NATO allies to send more military aid to Kyiv.

With Russia having stepped up air attacks on Ukraine, EU governments have been urged to supply more protective systems to Kyiv, especially countries like Greece and Spain that have such arms in their arsenal.

Greece said on Thursday it would not be able to provide air defence systems to Ukraine.

El Pais , quoting unidentified government sources, said on Friday that Spain had ruled out delivering Patriot anti-aircraft launchers but it would supply the Ukrainian military with missiles for the system.

"The transfer of a small number of missiles has come after the defence ministry refused to hand over to Ukraine the battery it has had deployed since 2013 on the Turkish-Syrian border," El Pais said.

"It will be a very limited number, as the Spanish war reserve is around 50 units and interceptors are very expensive."

The defence ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment on the report but on Thursday a Spanish diplomatic told foreign reporters that Madrid needed to step up its commitment to Ukraine.

Greece rules out air defence systems to Ukraine, prime minister says

Prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Greece can not offer air defence systems like Patriots or S-300 to Ukraine responding to pressure from EU and NATO allies to send more military aid to Kyiv.

With Russia having stepped up air attacks on Ukraine, EU governments are under pressure to supply more protective systems to Kyiv especially countries like Greece and Spain that have such systems in their arsenal.

"Greece is not going to send S-300 or Patriot to Ukraine," Mitsotakis said in an interview in Skai TV late on Thursday.

European Union ministers said on Monday they were looking urgently at how to provide more air defences to Ukraine but they stopped short of concrete pledges of the Patriot systems that Kyiv values most.

"We were asked and we explained why we cannot do it," Mitsotakis said adding that these systems are "critical to our deterrent capability."

Defence is a very sensitive issue for Athens given the tensions with Turkey, especially for a conservative government.

Greece has sent to Ukraine in the past thousands of rockets, explosives, IVFs vehicles, high explosive incendiaries, ammunition and anti-tank rockets.

The US will host on Friday a virtual meeting of Ukraine international aid donors, days after Congress emerged from a half-year of deadlock to approve a $61 billion aid package for Ukraine.

Russia responds to ‘dangerous’ Polish discussion of hosting US nuclear weapons

Russia yesterday said that Poland was playing a “very dangerous game” by considering the possibility of hosting US nuclear weapons.

Polish president Andrzej Duda earlier said he had invited prime minister Donald Tusk for talks on 1 May about the possibility of nuclear weapons from Nato states being deployed in Poland.

Mr Duda has reiterated his position that Poland would be ready for such a possibility, prompting Mr Tusk to say he would like a clarification from the president.

Russian state news agency RIA quoted deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying that such discussions were provocative.

“If they follow the path of further escalation - and this is how the discussions can be assessed, these so far verbal games with nuclear weapons - then a further round of tension will occur. And in general, this game is very dangerous, its consequences may be hard to predict,” he said.

Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said any US nuclear missiles in Poland could become targets in the event of a Russia-Nato war.

“It is not difficult to assume that if American nuclear weapons appear on Polish territory, the corresponding objects will immediately join the list of legitimate targets for destruction in the case of direct military conflict with Nato,” she told reporters.

US secretly supplies Ukraine with long-range missiles that can reach deep inside Russia

The United States has secretly provided Ukrainian armed forces with long-range ballistic missiles which have already been used to strike targets deep within Russian territory, according to US officials.

Our White House correspondent Andrew Feinberg reports:

US secretly sent long-range missiles to Ukraine that can reach deep inside Russia

Case of US citizen facing drug charges in Russia adjourned until mid-May

A US citizen arrested on drug charges in Moscow amid soaring Russia-US tensions appeared in court yesterday and had his case adjourned until mid-May.

Robert Woodland is facing charges of trafficking large amounts of illegal drugs as part of an organized group — a criminal offence punishable by up to 20 years in prison. He was remanded into custody in January, and the trial began in the Ostankino District Court in late March.

“Our position is that there is, I may say, no evidence of drug sales in the materials on the case,” his lawyer Stanislav Kshevitskii told reporters.

A US citizen facing drug charges in Russia appears in court. His case was adjourned until mid-May

Nato chief warns against relying on China

Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg yesterday cautioned Western allies against becoming as dependent on China as they had been on Russia.

“In the past, we made the mistake of becoming dependent on Russian oil and gas,” he said.

“We must not repeat that mistake with China. Depending on its money, its raw materials, its technologies - dependencies make us vulnerable.”

China has strengthened trade and military ties with Russia in recent years as the United States and its allies imposed sanctions on both, but particularly Moscow for the invasion of Ukraine.

China-Russian trade hit a record of $240.1bn in 2023, up 26.3 per cent from a year earlier, Chinese customs data shows. Chinese shipments to Russia jumped 46.9 per cent in 2023 while imports from Russia rose 13 per cent.

Last month, Reuters reported that Russian president Vladimir Putin will travel to China in May for talks with Chinese president Xi Jinping, in what could be the first overseas trip of his new presidential term.

China must stop aiding Russia if it seeks good relations with West, Nato says

China must stop supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine if it wants to enjoy good relations with the West, Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said yesterday, warning Beijing in unusually harsh words it cannot have it both ways.

During a visit to Berlin, the chief of the Western military alliance said Beijing’s help was vital to Moscow’s war effort as it was propping up Russia’s war economy by sharing high-end technology like semiconductors.

“Last year, Russia imported 90 per cent of its microelectronics from China, used to produce missiles, tanks and aircraft. China is also working to provide Russia with improved satellite capabilities and imaging,” Mr Stoltenberg said.

“China says it wants good relations with the West. At the same time, Beijing continues to fuel the largest armed conflict in Europe since World War Two. They cannot have it both ways,” he warned.

Ukrainian duo heads to Eurovision Song Contest with a message: We’re still here

Even amid war, Ukraine finds time for the glittery, pop-filled Eurovision Song Contest. Perhaps now even more than ever.

Ukraine’s entrants in the pan-continental music competition — the female duo of rapper alyona alyona and singer Jerry Heil — set off from Kyiv for the competition yesterday.

In wartime, that means a long train journey to Poland , from where they will travel on to next month’s competition in Malmö, Sweden .

Ukrainian duo heads to the Eurovision Song Contest with a message: We're still here

Macron outlines his vision for Europe as war in Ukraine rages on

French president Emmanuel Macron yesterday warned that Europe could “die” if it fails to build its own robust defence as Russia’s war in Ukraine rages on, or if it fails to undertake major trade and economic reforms to compete with China and the US.

Mr Macron urged Europeans to become more ambitious in a fast-changing world to face the challenges of war, fierce trade competition, energy scarcity, climate change and increasing authoritarianism.

Macron outlines his vision for Europe to become an assertive global power as war in Ukraine rages on

Conductor of Ukrainian orchestra to deliver lecture at Gordonstoun

The principal conductor of an orchestra from Ukraine has said it will be a “real privilege” to give a lecture to children at his former school in Scotland.

Hobart Earle, who has conducted the Odesa Philharmonic Orchestra for the last 30 years, will give the annual Prince Philip Memorial Lecture to pupils at Gordonstoun School near Elgin, today.

His interactive talk and presentation, titled Ukraine. Music In Wartime , will provide an insight into how musicians in Ukraine have adapted to living and performing in wartime, and features videos of the orchestra performing from 2014, when Russia first invaded the country, to the present day.

US expected to provide $6bn to fund long-term weapons contracts for Ukraine, officials say

The US is expected to announce that it will provide about $6bn in long-term military aid to Ukraine, US officials said, adding that it will include much sought after munitions for Patriot air defence systems.

The officials said the aid package will be funded through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which pays for longer-term contracts with the defence industry and means that it could take many months or years for the weapons to arrive. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details not yet made public.

The new funding — the largest tranche of USAI aid sent to date - will include a wide array of munitions for air defence, such as the National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System and the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, as well as the Patriot munitions, Switchblade and Puma drones, counter-drone systems and artillery.

The announcement is expected to come as defence secretary Lloyd Austin convenes a virtual meeting today of defence officials from Europe and around the world to discuss international aid for Ukraine. The gathering — created by Mr Austin and known as the Ukraine Defence Contact Group — has been meeting about monthly for the past two years, and is the primary forum for weapons contributions to Kyiv for the war.

Europe is ‘too slow and lacks ambition’ in the face of global threats, says Macron

Emmanuel Macron has urged Europe to improve its defences and cut red tape as it faces existential threats from Russian aggression and American isolationism.

In a nearly two-hour speech at the Sorbonne University in Paris, Mr Macron claimed the 27-member European Union (EU) was “too slow and lacks ambition” before demanding that the bloc does not become a “vassal of the United States”.

“Our Europe is mortal. It could die,” the French president said. “We are not equipped to face the risks. We must produce more, we must produce faster and we must produce as Europeans.”

Thursday’s speech was billed by Mr Macron’s advisers as France’s contribution to the EU’s strategic agenda for the next five years. The agenda is due to be decided after the European elections, which will take place in early June.

My colleague Tom Watling reports:

Europe is ‘too slow and lacks ambition’ says Macron

Ukraine has sidelined US-provided Abrams M1A1 battle tanks for now in its fight against Russia, in part because Russian drone warfare has made it too difficult for them to operate without detection or coming under attack, two US military officials told the Associated Press.

The US agreed to send 31 Abrams to Ukraine in January 2023 after an aggressive monthslong campaign by Kyiv arguing that the tanks, which cost about $10m apiece, were vital to its ability to breach Russian lines.

But the battlefield has changed substantially since then, notably by the ubiquitous use of Russian surveillance drones and hunter-killer drones. Those weapons have made it more difficult for Ukraine to protect the tanks when they are quickly detected and hunted by Russian drones or rounds.

Five of the 31 tanks have already been lost to Russian attacks.

The proliferation of drones on the Ukrainian battlefield means “there isn’t open ground that you can just drive across without fear of detection,” a senior defence official told reporters yesterday.

The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide an update on US weapons support for Ukraine before today’s Ukraine Defence Contact Group meeting.

For now, the tanks have been moved from the front lines, and the US will work with the Ukrainians to reset tactics, said Joint Chiefs of Staff Vice Chairman Admiral Christopher Grady and a third defence official who confirmed the move on the condition of anonymity.“When you think about the way the fight has evolved, massed armor in an environment where unmanned aerial systems are ubiquitous can be at risk,” Mr Grady said, adding that tanks are still important.

“Now, there is a way to do it,” he said. “We’ll work with our Ukrainian partners, and other partners on the ground, to help them think through how they might use that, in that kind of changed environment now, where everything is seen immediately.”

Blinken meets Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing

US secretary of state Antony Blinken met Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi in Beijing for talks across a range of complex issues, including deepening strains over China’s backing of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Mr Blinken is due to spend several hours with Mr Wang across closed-door meetings at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse and a working lunch as the two sides try to maintain progress in ties despite a broad and thorny agenda.

US State Department officials signalled ahead of the sessions that China’s support for Russia would feature strongly, saying that Washington is prepared to act against Chinese companies that have been helping retool and resupply Russia’s defence industry.

They have said that such assistance risks hurting the broader China-US relationship, even as ties stabilise after being hit by then-House speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan in 2022 and the US downing of a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon in February 2023.

Chinese officials and state media have cast doubt over the extent of possible progress on several fronts, with a China Daily editorial saying that both sides “have been largely talking past each other”.

“On the conflict in Ukraine, the world can see it clearly that the Ukraine issue is not an issue between China and the US; and the US side should not turn it into one,” it said.

Nato chief warns West against becoming as reliant on China as it did with Russia

Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg has warned Western allies against becoming as dependent on China as they had been on Russia.

“In the past, we made the mistake of becoming dependent on Russian oil and gas,” he said during a visit to Berlin.

China must stop supporting Russia’s war if it wants good relations with West, warns Nato chief

China must stop supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine if it wants to enjoy good relations with the West, Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg has warned.

During a visit to Berlin, Mr Stoltenberg said Beijing’s help was vital to Moscow’s war effort – as it was propping up Russia’s war economy by sharing high-end technology like semiconductors.

Watch: No way back for Putin after Ukrainian invasion, David Cameron says

Kyiv says fighting-age men will no longer be able to renew passports outside of ukraine.

In a push to reverse the drain of its potential soldiers, Kyiv has dramatically announced that men of conscription age will no longer be able to renew passports from outside Ukraine.

The Cabinet of Ministers said late on Wednesday that men between 18 and 60 years old who are deemed fit for military service will only be able to replace their passports inside Ukraine.

Millions of Ukrainians have fled the country since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, mostly to neighboring European countries. The European Union’s statistics agency, Eurostat, says 4.3 million Ukrainians are living in EU countries, 860,000 of them men 18 years of age or older.

Poland’s defence minister said his country – which is home to one of the largest Ukrainian diasporas – was ready to help “in ensuring that those who are subject to compulsory military service go to Ukraine” as they “have obligations towards the state” – but he did not specify how.

However the move has met with some criticism inside Ukraine, with senior opposition politician Ivanna Klympush-Tsyntsadze warning that denying military-age men access to consular services could lead to “well-founded” legal challenges at the European Court of Human Rights.

“I think that these actions will only push an enormous number of Ukrainians to look for different ways to obtain citizenship from other countries,” she warned.

Can Britain back up its bold defence pledge to Ukraine?

Ukraine bans men of fighting age from applying for new passports

No way back for UK and Putin after Ukraine invasion, David Cameron says

The US will give $61bn to Ukraine. What does it mean for the war?

Putin to visit China in May

Vladimir Putin has announced that he plans to visit China in May, in what is likely to be the first overseas visit of his new six-year presidential term.

He last visited China in October 2023, having previously signed a “no limits” partnership agreement with Chinese president Xi Jinping just weeks before launching the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

At least seven people have been injured in a Russian air attack which hit an area close to a railway station in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, its governor has said.

Oleh Syniehubov said the attack hit the city of Balakliia, which was seized by Russia early on in its full-scale invasion but recaptured by Ukraine months later.

Kharkiv and the surrounding region have long been targeted by Russian attacks – but the strikes have become more intense in recent weeks, hitting civilian and energy infrastructure.

Poland playing ‘very dangerous game’ if it hosts US nuclear weapons, Kremlin warns

Russia has warned that Poland is playing a “very dangerous game” by considering the possibility of hosting US nuclear weapons.

It came hours after Polish president Andrzej Duda revealed he had invited prime minister Donald Tusk for talks next week about the possibility of nuclear weapons from Nato states being deployed in Poland.

“If they follow the path of further escalation – and this is how the discussions can be assessed, these so far verbal games with nuclear weapons – then a further round of tension will occur. And in general, this game is very dangerous, its consequences may be hard to predict,” he said.

Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova added that any US nuclear missiles in Poland could become targets in the event of a Russia-Nato war.

Sweden to move ahead with sending troops to Latvia as part of Nato forces

Sweden will move ahead with plans to send troops to Latvia as part of Nato’s deployment in the Baltic countries, which share land borders with Russia and its ally Belarus, Swedish premier Ulf Kristersson has said.

“This morning, the government took the formal decision to assign the armed forces the task of preparing the Swedish contribution to the reduced battalion,” Mr Kristersson told a news conference with his Latvian counterpart Evika Silina. “The goal is to have this force operational from the beginning of next year.”

The contribution will include armoured vehicles and Leopard tanks, Mr Kristersson added. Sweden’s armed forces have previously said the country’s deployment to Latvia could include about 600 army troops.

The Nordic country joined Nato last month, abandoning decades of non-alignment in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Sweden had already said it aimed to contribute a reduced mechanised battalion to Nato’s deployment in Latvia as early as next year, troops intended to deter and defend against any attack, but the final decision awaited Nato membership.

Lithuania rejects claims drones were launched at Minsk from Nato territory

Lithuania’s army has denied taking any hostile action against other states – after the Belarusian security service claimed to have thwarted attack on Minsk by drones launched from Lithuania, which is part of the Nato military alliance.

“This is nonsense – I can’t find another word,” a Lithuanian military spokesperson told reporters.

“Such statements by the Belarusian KGB can be regarded as a continuous hostile provocation and an informational attack against Lithuania, which has nothing to do with reality,” added the Lithuanian crisis management centre.

“It can be considered that they are also intended for the domestic audience of the country.”

Lukashenko claims exiles planning to seize Belarus district and appeal to Nato for support

Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko has claimed that the country’s exiled opposition plans to seize a western district and request support from Nato troops, Russian state news reports.

“I don’t know why they chose Kobrin district, they talk a lot about it. [They plan to] seize it ... and appeal to Nato to deploy troops,” the autocractic leader told the All-Belarusian People’s Assembly – as he insisted that current realities required changes to the country’s security stance.

Mr Lukashenko – who has frequently talked up the dangers of an attack by Nato or Ukraine as justification for maintaining his military and security apparatus on a constant state of high alert – also claimed on Wednesday to have “several dozen” Russian tactical nuclear weapons stationed in Belarus.

“It has acquired a new topic: nuclear deterrence. Those who will push us towards it should know about it and have a rational look at the straightforward consequences of their ill-considered decisions, to put it mildly,” state news agency Belta quoted him as saying.

It was unclear whether Mr Lukashenko provided any evidence for such a plan to seize Kobrin, but all of Belarus’s main opposition figures are either in prison or have been forced into exile.

Franak Viacorka, a top aide to exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, derided the claims and said Mr Lukashenko was “losing the connection to reality”, and said his desire to change Belarus’s military stance was “a desperate attempt somehow to restore his confidence in himself internally”.

Ukraine’s forces prepare for offensive from Putin’s troops in east

Ukraine prepares for offensive from Putin’s troops in east – as Russia gains ground

Russia has deployed “several dozen” nuclear warheads in Belarus, the country’s president Alexander Lukashenko said.

Speaking at the 7th session of the National Assembly, Mr Lukashenko also said the risk of military incidents between Minsk and Kyiv were “quite high”.

Russia vetoes UN vote on nuclear weapons in space

Russia vetoed a resolution at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) aimed at preventing a nuclear arms race in outer space.

The draft vote was proposed by Japan and the US and called on all states to uphold the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, which obligates nations “not to place in orbit around the Earth any objects carrying nuclear weapons or any other kinds of weapons of mass destruction.”

Thirteen of the UNSC’s members voted in favor, while Russia voted against. China abstained. It comes after US congressman Mike Turner raised concern in Februrary after saying that a “serious national security threat” faced the US.

Sources later disclosed that the threat was connected to an alleged Russian desire “to put a nuclear weapon into space.”

Belarus says it thwarted attack on capital by drones launched from Lithuania

Belarus thwarted a Lithuanian drone attack on its capital city Minsk, the country’s security service claimed. There was no immediate comment from NATO-member Lithuania.

“The State Security Committee, in cooperation with colleagues from other law enforcement agencies, has recently carried out a number of acute security measures, which made it possible to prevent strikes by combat drones from the territory of Lithuania on objects in Minsk and its suburbs,” RIA news agency quoted Belarusian security chief Ivan Tertel as saying.

Belarus is an ally of Russia and allowed Moscow to use its territory to launch its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Macron urges strategy for ‘credible’ European defence

French president Emmanuel Macron has called on Europe to create a credible defence strategy that would leave the continent less dependent on the United States.

“We need to build this strategic concept of a credible European defence for ourselves,” Mr Macron said in a keynote speech.

He said he would ask European partners for proposals in the next months and adding that Europe also needed its own capacity in cyberdefence and cybersecurity.

Ukraine to increase long-range strikes in Russia, UK says

Ukraine is set to increase long-range strikes inside Russia with the help of Western military aid, the UK’s defence chief admitted.

Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said long-range weapons would help Kyiv shape the war in “much stronger ways” amid the influx of aid.

“As Ukraine gains more capabilities for the long-range fight, its ability to continue deep operations will increasingly become a feature” of the war. They definitely have an effect,” he told the Financial Times .

It comes after US officials said long-range missiles used by Ukraine were “already hitting” Putin’s forces in Crimea under a secret deal secured by Biden earlier this year.

Talks on Ukraine without Russia are pointless, Kremlin says

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday that any talks on ending the conflict in Ukraine were pointless without Russian participation, referring to a conference that Switzerland plans to host in June.

Zakharova also told reporters that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s peace formula - which calls for a full withdrawal of Russian forces from all the territory they have captured - does not bring peace closer but prolongs the conflict.

Switzerland announced earlier this month it would host a two-day high-level conference on June 15-16 on achieving peace in Ukraine. Russia has said it will not take part, and the Kremlin has said that the idea of holding peace talks without it was ridiculous.

Pictured: Jeremy Hunt and Zelensky

Zelensky meets british chancellor in kyiv.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky met British chancellor of the exchequer Jeremy Hunt in Kyiv ant thanked him for the UK’s aid package.

Writing on X, Zelensky said: “I welcomed the UK’s chancellor of the exchequer, Jeremy Hunt and thanked him for the UK’s largest defense aid package, worth half a billion pounds.

“We paid special attention to the sanction policy. It is important to extend restrictive measures against Russia and make the circumvention of sanctions impossible.

“I thank the people, the Government, the prime minister, and the Parliament of the United Kingdom for their support of Ukraine since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion. We highly value our countries’ partnership.”

US long-range missiles ‘already hitting’ Putin’s forces under secret deal

US-supplied long-range missiles used by Ukraine are “already hitting” Putin’s forces in Crimea under a secret deal secured by Biden earlier this year.

The Army Tactical Missile System, or Atacms, arrived in Ukraine last week under a secret deal agreed in March before the £76bn US security package was passed by congress on Wednesday.

US officials said the weapons had already been used to bomb a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Putin’s troops in another occupied area.

A Russian Orthodox priest who took part in services for Navalny is suspended

A Russian Orthodox priest who took part in services for Navalny is suspended by the patriarch

Moscow court rejects Evan Gershkovich's appeal

Moscow court rejects Evan Gershkovich's appeal, keeping him in jail till at least June 30

Coronavirus: information and recommendations

Outside the european union, schengen area, rules for travellers arriving in poland from eu member states, schengen states and other countries.

Pursuant to the Regulation of the Council of Ministers of 25 March 2022 on establishing specific restrictions, orders, and prohibitions in relation to the state of epidemic (Polish Journal of Laws, item 673), from 28 March 2022 onwards, all restrictions on travel to the Republic of Poland are lifted, which means there is no obligation to:

- present COVID certificates when crossing the border;

- test for SARS-CoV-2;

- undergo the so-called entry quarantine.

Are you a foreigner?

Click here for border crossing rules for foreigners.

• Election 2024
• Entertainment
• Newsletters
• Photography
• Personal Finance
• AP Investigations
• AP Buyline Personal Finance
• AP Buyline Shopping
• Press Releases
• Israel-Hamas War
• Russia-Ukraine War
• Global elections
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East
• Election Results
• Delegate Tracker
• AP & Elections
• Auto Racing
• 2024 Paris Olympic Games
• Movie reviews
• Book reviews
• Personal finance
• Financial Markets
• Business Highlights
• Financial wellness
• Artificial Intelligence
• Social Media

Poland’s president becomes the latest leader to visit Donald Trump as allies eye a possible return

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump walks with Poland’s President Andrzej Duda at Trump Tower in midtown Manhattan in New York on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump meets with Poland’s President Andrzej Duda at Trump Tower in midtown Manhattan in New York on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump greets Poland’s President Andrzej Duda at Trump Tower in midtown Manhattan in New York on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)

• Copy Link copied

NEW YORK (AP) — Former President Donald Trump met Wednesday in New York with Polish President Andrzej Duda , the latest in a series of meetings with foreign leaders as Europe braces for the possibility of a second Trump term.

The presumptive Republican nominee hosted Duda at Trump Tower, where the two discussed the war in Ukraine and Duda’s push to boost NATO members’ defense spending, according to a readout from Trump’s campaign. Duda, who has long expressed admiration for Trump, is also a staunch supporter of Ukraine and has encouraged Washington to provide more aid to Kyiv amid Russian’s ongoing invasion . That funding has been held up by Trump allies in Congress.

As he arrived, Trump praised the Polish president, saying, “He’s done a fantastic job and he’s my friend.”

“We had four great years together,” Trump added. “We’re behind Poland all the way.”

Following the almost 2 1/2 hour meeting, Duda said only that it was a “friendly meeting in very nice atmosphere.”

His aide, Wojciech Kolarski, also in attendance, described it as an “excellent meeting” of “two friends who reminisced on the time when for four years they cooperated while holding presidential offices,” a time that was “very fruitful for Polish-U.S. relations.”

Duda is the latest foreign leader to meet with Trump in the weeks since he locked up the Republican nomination. U.S. allies across the world were caught off guard by Trump’s surprise 2016 win, forcing them to scramble to build relationships with a president who often attacked longstanding treaties and alliances they valued. Setting up meetings with him during the 2024 campaign suggests they don’t want to be behind again.

Even as he goes on trial for one of the four criminal indictments against him, Trump and Democratic President Joe Biden are locked in a rematch that most observers expect will be exceedingly close in November.

While some in Poland worried the visit might damage the country’s relationship with Biden, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn. — a Biden ally and a major voice in his party on foreign affairs — said such meetings make sense.

“The polls are close,” he said. “If I were a foreign leader — and there’s a precedent attached to meeting with candidates who are nominated or on the path to being nominated — I’d probably do it too.”

Murphy noted that former President Barack Obama did a lengthy international tour and met with foreign leaders when he first ran for the White House. So did Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, who challenged Obama in 2012 and whose trip included a stop in Poland’s capital, Warsaw.

Duda’s visit comes a week after Trump met with British Foreign Secretary David Cameron, another NATO member and key proponent of supporting Ukraine, at the former president’s Florida estate.

In March, Trump hosted Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán , an autocrat who has maintained the closest relationship with Russia among European Union countries. Orbán shared a montage of footage of the visit on his Instagram feed, which included an image of him and his staff meeting with Trump and the former president’s aides in a scene that looked like an official bilateral meeting.

Trump also met briefly in February with Javier Milei, the fiery, right-wing populist president of Argentina who ran a campaign inspired by Trump , complete with red “Make Argentina Great Again” hats. Milei gave Trump an excited hug backstage at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference outside Washington, according to video posted by a Trump campaign aide.

Biden administration officials have been careful not to weigh in publicly on foreign leaders’ meetings with Trump, acknowledging he has a real chance of winning the race.

While some officials have privately expressed frustration with such meetings, they are mindful that any criticism would open the U.S. to charges of hypocrisy because senior American officials, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, meet frequently with foreign opposition figures at various forums in the United States and abroad.

Security and policy officials monitor the travel plans of foreign officials visiting the U.S., but generally don’t have a say in where they go or with whom they meet, according to an administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss protocol.

Trump has been back in his hometown this week for the start of his criminal hush money trial , which has dramatically limited his ability to travel and campaign. While in town, aides have been planning a series of events that began Tuesday evening when Trump, after court adjourned, stopped by a Harlem bodega where a man was killed to rail against crime, and to blast the district attorney who made him the first former president in U.S. history to stand criminal trial.

Duda, a right-wing populist who once proposed naming a military base in his country “Fort Trump,” described the dinner earlier Wednesday as a private get-together between friends at Trump’s former residence while he is in town for meetings at the United Nations, where Duda is to deliver a speech.

“I have been invited by Mr. Donald Trump to his private apartment,” Duda told reporters, saying it was “a normal practice when one country has good relations with another country” to want those relations to be as strong as “possible with the representatives of various sides of the political stage.”

“We know each other as people. Like two, I can say in some way, friends,” said Duda, whose term ends in 2025.

Duda’s visit comes as House Republicans wrangle over a $95 billion foreign aid bill that would provide new funding to Ukraine, including money for the U.S. military to replace depleting weapon supplies. Polish leaders have been urging the House to approve the aid bill and ease domestic concerns.

Many Trump allies in the House are fiercely opposed to aiding Ukraine, even as the country warns that it is struggling amid a fresh Russian offensive . Trump has said he might be open to aid in the form of a loan.

One area where Trump and Duda agree when it comes to the conflict is a desire to push NATO members to increase their defense spending. Duda has called on fellow members of the alliance to raise their spending to 3% of gross domestic product as Russia continues its invasion of Ukraine. That would represent a significant increase from the current commitment of 2% by 2024.

Trump, in a stunning break from U.S. precedent, has long been critical of the Western alliance and has threatened not to defend member nations that do not hit that spending goal. That threat strikes at the heart of the alliance’s Article 5 , which states that any attack against one NATO member will be considered an attack against all.

In February, Trump went even further, recounting that he’d once told leaders that he would “encourage” Russia to “do whatever the hell they want” to members that are — in his words — “delinquent.”

Trump’s campaign said the two discussed the NATO proposal during the meeting. The two also discussed Israel and the Middle East, Trump’s 2017 trip to Warsaw, “and many other topics having to do with getting to world peace,” the campaign said in its readout, which described the men as “great friends.”

The visit was met with mixed reaction in Poland , where fears of Russia run high and Duda’s friendly relationship with Trump has been a source of controversy.

Poland’s centrist Prime Minister Donald Tusk, a political opponent of Duda, was critical of the dinner but expressed hope that Duda would use it as an opportunity “to raise the issue of clearly siding with the Western world, democracy and Europe in this Ukrainian-Russian conflict.”

Scislowska reported from Warsaw. Associated Press writers Matthew Lee, Zeke Miller and Seung Min Kim in Washington contributed to this report.

Search Smartraveller

Latest update

We continue to advise:

Do not travel to Russia due to the security situation and the impacts of the military conflict with Ukraine.

Russia (PDF 2.04 MB)

Europe (PDF 2.62 MB)

Local emergency contacts

All emergency services, fire and rescue services, medical emergencies, advice levels.

Do not travel to Russia. 

Do not travel to Russia due to the dangerous security situation and the impacts of the military conflict with Ukraine. 

Do not travel to North Caucasus.

Do not travel to North Caucasus due to the high threat of terrorism and political unrest.

See Safety .

• There's an ongoing threat of terrorism. Terrorist groups, including al-Qaeda and Daesh-aligned groups, continue to call for attacks in Russia. Attacks can be indiscriminate and may occur on or around seasonal, festive, or religious events in public places and could include popular tourist sites. Attacks may occur with little or no warning. Always be alert to possible threats and have a clear exit plan. On 23 March, there was a terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall in Moscow, resulting in significant loss of life.
• Security incidents, such as drone attacks and explosions, often occur in southern and western areas of Russia, including regions bordering Ukraine, Moscow, and St Petersburg. This can cause significant flight delays and travel disruption. You shouldn't attempt to travel to the Russia-Ukraine border or cross into Ukraine from Russia.
• The security situation could deteriorate further with little warning. If you're in Russia, leave immediately using the limited commercial options available or private means if it's safe to do so. Departure routes from Russia may become disrupted at short notice, so have an alternate exit plan. 
• If you decide to stay in Russia, review your personal security plans. You're responsible for your own safety and that of your family. Our ability to provide consular assistance in Russia is limited. The Australian Government will not be able to evacuate you from Russia.
• There are limited transportation options, restrictions on financial transactions and possible shortages of essential products and services. 
• The Russian Government has introduced a 'medium response level' in several regions of Russia, including Krasnodar, Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Kursk, and Rostov and a 'heightened preparedness level' in the remainder of the Central and Southern Federal districts. A basic readiness level covers the rest of Russia. There may be an increase in security personnel and installations. Security measures or restrictions may be introduced with little to no notice. Monitor the media for developments. 
• Russian authorities have made strong, negative comments in relation to Western countries. Local authorities may adopt a more negative attitude towards foreigners in Russia in reaction to perceived support for Ukraine and sanctions on Russia. Non-participating bystanders can draw scrutiny from security forces and have been detained. Remain vigilant, avoid protests or demonstrations and avoid commenting publicly on political developments.
• Continue to follow the advice on Smartraveller. If you have significant concerns for your welfare or that of another Australian, contact the Consular Emergency Centre on 1300 555 135 in Australia or +61 2 6261 3305 outside Australia.

Full travel advice:  Safety

• Laws about the import and use of medicines are strict. You need a doctor's letter and a notarised translation confirming your need for each medication that contains restricted substances. Contact the  Embassy of Russia  for details.
• Rabies and tick-borne encephalitis are on the rise. Ticks are common from April to October. Take care when travelling through forests.
• Infectious diseases such as typhoid, hepatitis, diphtheria, measles and tuberculosis are a risk. Boil drinking water or drink bottled water.
• Public medical facilities in Russian cities are below Australian standards and basic in rural areas.

Full travel advice:  Health

• Russia may subject males it regards as Russian to mobilisation, regardless of any other citizenship held. Laws introducing heavy penalties for 'crimes against military service' have been passed. The Australian Government won't be able to intervene if you're subjected to mobilisation.
• Conscription occurs regularly in Russia. The Government may subject males it regards as Russian to mandatory conscription, regardless of any other citizenship held. From 1 January 2024, the maximum age of conscription will change from 27 to 30 years old. Russian authorities have also passed laws allowing for the draft notice to be serviced to the conscripts online, preventing conscripts from leaving the country once the notice is registered and sent.
• Russia has passed laws that severely inhibit free speech related to the current situation, imposing severe restrictions on the publishing and distribution of information related to the Russian armed forces and any military operations. Foreign journalists and other media workers in Russia may face considerable risks, including arrest and imprisonment. Don't share or publish information related to the current events in Ukraine and Russia.
• Russian authorities may enforce local laws in an arbitrary manner. You may be interrogated without cause by Russian officials and may become a victim of harassment, mistreatment, and extortion.
• Don't use or carry any illegal drugs. Penalties are severe. Carry your passport, visa and migration card at all times. Authorities won't accept copies.
• Don't take photos of military places or sensitive areas, such as passport control. It's also illegal to use commercial film, television, camera equipment or drones in public without permission. Hand-held video cameras are legal.
• Russia doesn't recognise dual nationals. We can only provide limited consular assistance to dual nationals who are arrested or detained. You'll need a valid Russian passport to leave.
• Same-sex relationships are technically legal but are not widely accepted. Violence against members of the LGBTI community occurs. Russia's parliament passed a law banning "LGBT propaganda", criminalising any act regarded as an attempt to promote what Russia calls "non-traditional sexual relations". The promotion of LGBTI issues may be considered illegal by local authorities, and activists may face consequences under Russian law. In July 2023, the Russian President signed a decree banning gender changes without medical requirements. The law also annuls marriages in which one person "changed gender" and prevents transgender couples from adopting children.
• Law enforcement agencies in Russia cooperate closely with agencies in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries. If you commit an offence in one of these countries, you may be detained in another (including at the border) and extradited for prosecution.

Full travel advice:  Local laws

• If you're in Russia, leave immediately using the limited commercial options available or private means if it's safe to do so. The security situation could deteriorate further with little warning. If you decide to stay in Russia, review your personal security plans. You're responsible for your own safety and that of your family. Have an alternate exit plan.
• Confirm with your transport operator that services are still operating if you plan to depart Russia. Commercial travel routes between Russia and Europe are often disrupted due to measures taken in response to military action in Ukraine. Several Russian airports are now closed to the public, disrupting internal flights to and from Moscow and other cities. The train and bus service between St Petersburg and Helsinki is suspended. 
• If you're travelling through an overland border crossing into  Estonia  or  Latvia , confirm the entry requirements for your destination before arrival. Finland has closed border crossings with Russia indefinitely and maritime borders will close on 15 April. Latvia introduced an entry ban on vehicles registered in Russia in September 2023. There's a ban on vehicles crossing into/from Estonia at the Ivangorod- Narva crossing. Train service is also suspended. Entry and exit on foot will still be allowed. Additional restrictions or entry requirements could be imposed or changed suddenly. Be aware that some borders may close without notice. Australia and other countries have placed sanctions on Russia. Russia's response to these sanctions may disrupt travel and affect travellers.
• Russian airlines and railways may be affected by shortages of parts and essential technical components for their fleets, affecting maintenance and safety standards. Research your railway and aviation provider before choosing their services. The International Civil Aviation Organisation has issued a Significant Safety Concern (or 'red flag') notice regarding the capacity of Russian airlines to oversee safety. 
• If, despite our advice, you decide to enter Russia, expect thorough security checks at the border, including questioning and inspections of electronic devices. Entry requirements can change at short notice. Contact your airline or the nearest embassy or consulate of Russia to confirm entry requirements.
• Bank cards issued outside of Russia don't work in Russia. You won't be able to access funds from these cards once you enter Russia. You may not be able to exchange Australian dollars as well as old, worn, or damaged US dollar and euro banknotes into Russian rubles in Russia. Ensure you have enough money to cover your stay.
• Dual nationals can't leave Russia without a valid Russian passport. If your Russian passport expires while you're in Russia or if you enter Russia using a repatriation certificate, you'll need to get a new Russian passport before you leave. This can take up to 3 months. The Australian Government won't be able to intervene or fast-track this process.  

Full travel advice:  Travel

Local contacts

• The  Consular Services Charter  details what we can and can't do to help you overseas.
• For consular help, contact the  Australian Embassy  in Moscow. Our ability to provide consular assistance in Russia is limited due to the evolving security situation. The Australian Government will not be able to evacuate you from Russia.
• The Australian Consulate in St Petersburg can provide limited help.
• If you have significant concerns for your welfare or that of another Australian, contact the Consular Emergency Centre on 1300 555 135 in Australia or +61 2 6261 3305 outside Australia.

Full travel advice:  Local contacts

Full advice

Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Russia. Terrorist groups, including al-Qaeda and Daesh-aligned groups, continue to call for attacks in Russia. Attacks can be indiscriminate and may occur on or around seasonal, festive, or religious events in public places and could include popular tourist sites. Attacks may occur with little or no warning. Always be alert to possible threats and have a clear exit plan. Russia has seen a number of terrorist attacks which have caused large casualty numbers. On 23 March, there was a terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall in Moscow, resulting in significant loss of life. Russia's aviation has also been targeted. 

Russian authorities continue to announce arrests and the disruption of planned attacks.

Terrorists have attacked other European cities. Targets have included:

• places of worship
• government buildings
• shopping areas
• tourist sites
• restaurants
• entertainment venues
• transportation hubs
• major events which attract large crowds

To protect yourself from terrorism:

• be alert to possible threats, especially in public places
• be extra cautious around possible terrorist targets
• always have a clear exit plan
• report anything suspicious to the police
• monitor the media for any new threats
• take official warnings seriously and follow the instructions of local authorities

If there's an attack, leave the area as soon as it's safe. Avoid the affected area in case of secondary attacks.

Terrorism is a threat worldwide.

More information:

North Caucasus

There's a high threat of terrorism in parts of the North Caucasus, including:

• North Ossetia
• the south-eastern part of Stavropol bordering Chechnya
• Karbardino-Balkaria
• Karachay-Cherkessia

Terrorist attacks continue to occur in Chechnya. Several people have been killed and injured.

Our ability to provide consular assistance to Australians  in those parts of the North Caucasus  is limited.

If, despite our advice, you travel to these parts of the North Caucasus:

• monitor local conditions via media and travel operators
• arrange personal security measures

Georgia-Russia border

The Georgia-Russia border area is volatile because of tensions in Georgia.

If, despite our advice, you travel in the border region, read our  Georgia travel advice .

Security situation

Security incidents, such as drone attacks and explosions, often occur in southern and western areas of Russia, including regions bordering Ukraine, Moscow, and St Petersburg. This can cause significant flight delays and flight cancellations. You shouldn't attempt to travel to the Russia-Ukraine border or cross into Ukraine from Russia.

The security situation could deteriorate further with little warning. If you're in Russia, leave immediately using the limited commercial options available or private means if it's safe to do so. Departure routes from Russia may become disrupted at short notice. If you decide to stay in Russia, review your personal security plans. You're responsible for your own safety and that of your family.

The Russian Government has introduced a 'medium response level' in several regions of Russia, including Krasnodar, Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Kursk, and Rostov and a 'heightened preparedness level' in the remainder of the Central and Southern Federal districts. A basic readiness level has been introduced in the rest of Russia. There may be an increase in security personnel and installations. Security measures or restrictions may be introduced with little to no notice. Monitor the media for developments.

Ukraine border areas and Crimea

The Russia-Ukraine border is volatile due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Security incidents regularly occur in Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk and other regions of Russia bordering Ukraine, including explosions and large fires. The security situation in the region could deteriorate at short notice. You shouldn't travel to the Russia-Ukraine border or cross into Ukraine from Russia.

We currently advise you do not travel to Ukraine due to the volatile security environment and military conflict. Read the  Ukraine travel advice   for more information.

The Australian Government doesn't recognise Russia's claimed annexation of the Ukrainian region of Crimea or its other territorial claims in occupied Ukraine.

Leaving Russia

Where it's safe to do so, you should leave Russia immediately. Use your judgment to decide the best time and safest means of exit. 

Transport routes may be disrupted. Plan for delays at land border crossings. Expect disruption to travel and changes at short notice. Make sure you have an adequate supply of food, water, medication and fuel. Make sure you have payment options that will work during your journey and at your destination. 

Read your destination's travel advice to ensure you meet the entry requirements. These may differ when entering by road, rail or air. Be aware that some borders may close without notice. Commercial travel routes between Russia and Europe have been impacted by measures taken in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Check with your airline or travel agent for current flight availability. Any travel options you pursue are at your own risk. See ' Travel '

For more information on entry requirements for countries bordering Russia, read the travel advice:

The European Union also has a website with  information on travel restrictions for people seeking to enter member states .

If you decide to stay in Russia:

• follow the instructions of authorities
• ensure your travel documents are up-to-date, and keep your passport and other travel documentation safe
• contact your family and friends in Australia so they're aware of your location and situation
• keep up to date with developments on the security situation, monitor reputable media, and regularly check our travel advice and  social media
• review your personal security plans and make contingency plans to leave as soon as you judge it safe to do so
• always be alert and aware of your surroundings
• avoid large gatherings and areas with groups of fighters and military equipment.

Civil unrest and political tension

Russia's parliament has passed laws that severely restrict free speech related to the current situation. Foreign journalists and other media workers in Russia may face considerable risks, including arrest and imprisonment.

While the effects of this law are still unclear, you may be detained or fined for:

• sharing or publishing information that local authorities deem false
• sharing or publishing information that may be detrimental to the armed forces
• calling for, sharing or publishing speech in support of sanctions against Russia

You should not:

• share or publish information related to the current events in Ukraine and Russia
• participate in demonstrations and large gatherings

Russian authorities may adopt a more negative attitude towards foreigners in Russia due to perceived support for Ukraine and sanctions on Russia. Russian authorities may enforce local laws in an arbitrary manner. You may be interrogated without cause by Russian officials and may become a victim of harassment, mistreatment, and extortion.

Avoid commenting publicly on political developments.

Anti-war and anti-mobilisation protests have taken place in cities across Russia over the invasion of Ukraine. Many protesters have been arrested.

Unsanctioned protests are illegal, and you can be arrested if you participate. Remain vigilant and avoid rallies, protests, demonstrations and other large public gatherings, as they can turn violent, and you may be arrested.

• Demonstrations and civil unrest

Theft and assault

Petty crime, pickpocketing and mugging is common. Groups of children sometimes commit crimes, too.

Hot spots for crime include:

• the Izmailovsky Market
• other tourist attractions
• the Moscow and St Petersburg metros

Thieves often steal passports. They target travellers in  robberies  and  assaults , particularly in large cities.

To protect yourself from theft and assault:

• keep your personal belongings close, particularly in tourist areas
• be aware of your security in public places, particularly at night
• monitor local media on crime
• racially or religiously motivated assaults may occur throughout Russia.

Drink spiking

Criminals may drug and rob travellers at nightclubs and bars. Sometimes this happens after people accept offers of food, drink or transportation from strangers.

To protect yourself from spiking-related crime:

• never accept food or drinks from strangers
• don't leave drinks unattended
• leave your drink if you're not sure it's safe
• stick with people you trust in bars, nightclubs and taxis
• don't accept offers of transport from strangers
• Partying safely

Using taxis

People have reported extortion and robbery while taking unauthorised taxis.

To protect yourself from robbery while travelling in taxis:

• only use official taxi companies
• always book your taxi in advance
• don't flag down taxis on the street
• don't share taxis with strangers
• always negotiate and confirm the fare before you get in a taxi

Credit card and ATM fraud

Credit card and ATM fraud is common.

To protect yourself from fraud:

• only exchange currency at banks
• keep your credit card in sight during transactions
• only use ATMs inside banks and during business hours
• always hide your PIN

Other scams

Criminals may try to cheat you by changing money in the street or a bank queue.

Some Australians have been victims of fraud by bogus internet friendship, dating and marriage schemes operating from Russia.

These are large-scale, well-organised  scams .

Criminals arrange to meet people through internet dating schemes or chat rooms. After getting to know each other, the criminal asks the Australian to send money so they can travel to Australia. However, the relationship ends after the money has been received, and the funds can't be recovered.

Be wary of people you meet through internet dating schemes or chat rooms.

People have also reported harassment, mistreatment and extortion by police and other local officials.

If you suspect you're being extorted by a police officer or other local official, offer to walk with them to the nearest police station. Once there, you can check their identity and their demands.

Cyber security 

You may be at risk of cyber-based threats during overseas travel to any country. Digital identity theft is a growing concern. Your devices and personal data can be compromised, especially if you're connecting to Wi-Fi, using or connecting to shared or public computers, or to Bluetooth. 

Social media can also be risky in destinations where there are social or political tensions or laws that may seem unreasonable by Australian standards. Travellers have been arrested for things they have said on social media. Don't comment on local or political events on your social media. 

More information:   

• Cyber security when travelling overseas  

Kidnapping  is common in parts of the Northern Caucasus.

It can be for:

• political purposes
• retribution

Foreigners have been targeted in the past.

If, despite the risks, you travel to an area where there is a particular threat of kidnapping:

• get professional security advice

The Australian Government's longstanding policy is that it doesn't make payments or concessions to kidnappers.

Climate and natural disasters

Severe weather  during winter can disrupt travel in Russia.

To protect yourself from accidents caused by severe weather:

• take care when walking in snowy, icy or windy conditions
• take care when driving
• use appropriate driving equipment, such as winter tyres or chains
• monitor the media and other sources for updates

If you're delayed, contact local authorities about a visa extension if required.

In April, severe flooding affected multiple settlements across Russia in the South Urals region east of Moscow, in Western Siberia and near the Volga River. 

Snow and ice

People are injured or killed yearly in wind, snow and ice-related accidents. These include:

• traffic accidents
• collapsed roofs and snow falling from roofs 
• falling debris 
• prolonged exposure to extreme cold

Slipping on ice can result in serious injuries, such as broken bones, back injuries or paralysis.

During summer, forest and peat  fires  can occur in Russia, including in the Moscow region.

Earthquakes and tsunamis

The North Caucasus and the far eastern region of Russia can experience  earthquakes .

Tsunamis  are common in all oceanic regions of the world.

To protect yourself from natural disasters, take official warnings seriously.

If a  natural disaster  occurs, follow the advice of local authorities.

Get updates on major disasters from the  Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System .

Travel insurance

Most Australian travel insurance policies won't cover you for travel to Russia. Do not travel to Russia. See ' Safety '

If you're not insured, you may have to pay thousands of dollars up-front for medical care.

Physical and mental health

Do not travel to Russia. If, despite our advice, you travel to Russia, consider your physical and mental health before you travel, especially if you have an existing medical condition. 

See your doctor or travel clinic to:

• have a basic health check-up
• ask if your travel plans may affect your health
• plan any vaccinations you need

Do this at least eight weeks before you leave.

If you have immediate concerns for your welfare or the welfare of another Australian, call the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on +61 2 6261 3305 or contact your  nearest Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate  to discuss counselling hotlines and services available in your location.

• General health advice  (World Health Organization)
• Healthy holiday tips  (Healthdirect Australia)

Medications

Not all medication available over the counter or by prescription in Australia is available in other countries. Some may even be considered illegal or a controlled substance, even if prescribed by an Australian doctor. 

Russia has imposed temporary restrictions on exporting certain categories of goods, including foreign-made medical products. 

If you plan to bring medication, check if it's legal in Russia. Take enough legal medication for your trip.

Russia has strict laws about the import and use of medications. This includes medications that are available over the counter in Australia, such as cold and flu tablets.

When you arrive in Russia, you must present a doctor's letter to authorities confirming your need for each medication. This is the case if your medications contain the following:

• barbiturate
• sibutramine
• anabolic steroids
• androgens and other sex hormones
• analgesic, such as tramadol
• psychostimulants
• other restricted substances

The letter must:

• contain a description of the medication, including the chemical composition
• describe the required dosage
• explain the underlying medical condition
• confirm the medicine is for personal use only
• be signed by your treating doctor

You must also have a notarised translation of the letter into Russian.

Before you leave Australia, contact the Embassy of Russia for the latest rules for bringing medicines into Russia.

• Russian Government website

Health risks

Tick-borne diseases.

Tick-borne encephalitis  (World Health Organization) and other tick-borne diseases are a risk, especially if you travel through forested areas.

Ticks are common in rural areas from spring to autumn: April to October.

People have reported increased incidents of tick-borne encephalitis.

Measles cases can routinely occur in Russia, with the country currently experiencing increased measles activity. Make sure your vaccinations are up-to-date before you travel.

• Measles immunisation service  (Department of Health and Aged Care)

Bird flu (avian influenza)

Avian influenza  is a risk in Russia.

HIV/AIDS  is a risk.

Take steps to reduce your risk of exposure to the virus.

There has been a reported increase in  rabies  across Russia.

Rabies is deadly. Humans can get rabies from mammals, such as:

• other animals

If you're bitten or scratched by a dog, monkey or other animal, get treatment as soon as possible.

Other health risks

Waterborne, foodborne, parasitic and other  infectious diseases  are common, including these listed by the World Health Organization:

• tuberculosis

Serious outbreaks sometimes occur.

To protect yourself from illness:

• drink boiled water or bottled water with sealed lids
• avoid ice cubes
• avoid uncooked and undercooked food, such as salads
• avoid unpasteurised dairy products

Get urgent medical attention if you have a fever or diarrhoea or suspect food poisoning.

Medical facilities

Public medical facilities in Russian cities are below Australian standards.

Standards are extremely basic in rural areas.

There are a few international-standard private facilities in major cities – these clinics can be very expensive to access.

Before you're treated, private facilities need either:

• up-front payment
• evidence of adequate insurance
• a written guarantee of payment

If you become seriously ill or injured, you'll need to be evacuated to get proper care. Medical evacuation can be very expensive.

You're subject to all local laws and penalties, including those that may appear harsh by Australian standards. Research local laws before travelling.

In July, the Russian President signed a decree banning gender changes, including gender transition surgery, hormone therapy and changing gender on official documents without medical requirements. The law also annuls marriages in which one person "changed gender" and prevents transgender couples from adopting children.

In November 2022, Russia's parliament passed a law banning "LGBT propaganda", criminalising any act regarded as an attempt to promote what Russia calls "non-traditional sexual relations". Sharing information or public display of any material promoting "non-traditional relationships" is now a serious criminal offence.

In November 2022, Russia announced that the partial mobilisation of military reservists for the conflict in Ukraine was complete. However, a decree formalising the completion has not been issued. The Russian Government may subject males it regards as Russian to mobilisation, regardless of any other citizenship held. Laws introducing heavy penalties for 'crimes against military service' have been passed. The Australian Government will not be able to intervene if you are subjected to mobilisation.

The US Government issued travel advice in March 2022 advising that Russian security services have arrested US citizens on spurious charges, singled out US citizens in Russia for detention and/or harassment, denied them fair and transparent treatment, and have convicted them in secret trials and/or without presenting credible evidence. The US Government warns that Russian officials may unreasonably delay consular assistance to detained US citizens.

Russian authorities have introduced criminal liability for publishing and distributing 'deliberately misleading' information about the Russian armed forces and any military operations. These laws have been interpreted and applied very broadly to many forms of dissent.

Law enforcement agencies in Russia cooperate closely with agencies in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries. If you commit an offence in one of these countries, you may be detained in another (including at the border) and extradited for prosecution. 

If you're arrested or jailed, the Australian Government will do what it can to help you under our  Consular Services Charter . But we can't get you out of trouble or out of jail.

Russian authorities imposed restrictions on real estate and foreign currency transactions for foreign residents. These restrictions can be revised at short notice. Seek advice from local authorities.

Possessing, selling, consuming, or carrying any illegal drugs is illegal.

Penalties are severe and include long prison terms.

Russia has strict rules around medication carried into the country for personal use, including some medications that you can get over the counter in Australia.

If you don't declare restricted medications, authorities could detain you. See  Health .

• Carrying or using drugs

Routine police checks are common in public places.

Carry your passport, visa and migration card with you at all times. Authorities won't accept copies.

If you can't provide travel documentation on request, authorities can detain and fine you.

In Russia, it's illegal to:

• take photos of military places, strategic sites and other sensitive areas, such as passport control and guarded railway sites
• use commercial film, television or camera equipment in public areas without permission, but hand-held home video cameras are allowed
• use drones without permission from the Russian aviation authority.

Penalties for breaching the law include fines, jail and deportation.

Russia regulates religious activity. Authorities restrict activities such as preaching and distributing religious materials.

If you plan to engage in religious activity, ensure you're not breaking local laws.

Contact the Embassy or Consulate of Russia for more information.

Cybersecurity laws

Russia has blocked or restricted some social media platforms and websites, including Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Russia has banned certain Virtual Private Networks (VPN) and has indicated it will implement a nationwide ban on VPNs in March 2025.

• Cyber security when travelling overseas
• Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media (Roskomnadzor)

Official documents

Some Australian documents, such as birth or marriage certificates, need to be  legalised  before Russian authorities will accept them.

If you have an Australian document that you need to use while in Russia, contact the Embassy or Consulate of Russia for information.

Apostilles  and some legal certificates can be issued by:

• DFAT  in Australia
• Australian embassies and high commissions  overseas

Surrogacy laws

Russia has laws governing child surrogacy and has passed legislation banning surrogacy for all foreigners except those married to Russian citizens. Recent court cases have resulted in long custodial sentences for some providers of surrogacy services. All children born through surrogacy in Russia are granted Russian citizenship, regardless of their parent's citizenship.

Get independent legal advice before making surrogacy arrangements in Russia or with residents of Russia.

• Going overseas for international surrogacy
• Going overseas to adopt a child

Australian laws

Some Australian criminal laws still apply when you're overseas. If you break these laws, you may face prosecution in Australia.

• Staying within the law and respecting customs

Dual nationality

Russia doesn't recognise dual nationality.

In November 2022, Russia announced that the partial mobilisation of military reservists for the conflict in Ukraine was complete. However, a decree formalising the completion hasn't been issued. Russia may subject males it regards as Russian to mobilisation, regardless of any other citizenship held. Laws introducing heavy penalties for 'crimes against military service' have been passed. The Australian Government won't be able to intervene if you are subjected to mobilisation.

Conscription occurs regularly, and Russia may subject males it regards as Russian to mandatory conscription, regardless of any other citizenship held. Conscription in Russia occurs semi-annually, and conscripts typically serve one year. From 1 January 2024, the maximum conscription age will change from 27 to 30 years old. Russian authorities have also passed laws allowing for the draft notice to be serviced to the conscripts online and preventing conscripts from leaving the country once the notice is registered and sent.

Russian authorities won't recognise your Australian nationality if you're a dual national. They will treat you like any other national of Russia.

If you're a dual national:

• you must enter and leave Russia on a Russian passport
• you can enter Russia using a repatriation certificate (svidetelstvo na vozvrashcheniye) if you don't have a Russian passport, but you must still leave Russia on a Russian passport
• you must declare any other nationalities or foreign residency permits to the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs
• you could be conscripted into the Russian military if you're a male between the ages of 18 and 30 

If you're a dual national, this limits the  consular services  we can give if you're arrested or detained.

Contact the  Embassy or Consulate of Russia  well before any planned travel to Russia.

Dual nationals can't leave Russia without a valid Russian passport.

You'll need to get a new Russian passport before you leave if:

• your Russian passport expires while you're in Russia
• you enter Russia using a repatriation certificate

Getting a new Russian passport for non-residents is complex and can take up to 3 months. The Australian Government is unable to intervene or fast-track this process.

Children born outside Russia and added to their parents' Russian passports need their own passport to leave Russia.

If you're travelling alone with a child, Russian border authorities may require the following:

• documentary evidence of your relationship to the child
• written permission for the child to travel from the non-travelling parent
• Dual nationals

Local customs

Same-sex relationships are legal in Russia but not widely accepted.

Intolerance towards the LGBTI community is common, particularly outside Moscow and St Petersburg.

People have reported violence against members of the LGBTI community, including by local security forces.

In April 2017, there were reports of arrests and violence against LGBTI people in Chechnya.

In November 2022, Russia passed a law banning "LGBT propaganda", criminalising any act regarded as an attempt to promote what Russia calls "non-traditional sexual relations". Sharing or displaying material promoting "non-traditional relationships" is now a serious criminal offence. The bill broadens the existing law banning the promotion of 'non-traditional sexual relationships' to minors.

• Advice for LGBTI travellers

Visas and border measures

Every country or territory decides who can enter or leave through its borders. For specific information about the evidence you'll need to enter a foreign destination, check with the nearest embassy, consulate or immigration department of the destination you're entering. 

Australia and other countries have placed sanctions on Russia. Russia's response to these sanctions may disrupt travel and affect travellers.

You need a visa to enter Russia unless you're travelling on certain commercial cruise ships.

You can't get a visa on arrival.

If you arrive in Russia without a valid visa, authorities will fine, detain and deport you at your own expense. They may bar you from re-entering.

Make sure you apply for the correct visa type, such as 'tourist' and 'visitor' visas.

If your visa type doesn't match the purpose of your visit, authorities may:

• not let you enter 

You may need to provide biometric fingerprints for the visa application process.

After you get your Russian visa, check your passport details are correct, including the following:

• passport number
• date of birth
• intention of stay
• validity dates

If there are errors, return your passport to the  Russian Embassy or Consulate  for correction.

It's impossible to amend visa details once you're in Russia.

Discuss your travel plans with your cruise operator before you travel to check if you need a visa.

Check transit visa requirements if you transit through Russia to a third country.

• Russian Embassy
• Going on a cruise

Border measures

If, despite our advice, you decide to enter Russia, expect thorough security checks at the border, including questioning and inspections of electronic devices.

Entry and exit conditions can change at short notice. Contact the nearest  embassy or consulate  for details about visas, currency, customs and quarantine rules.

Australians sanctioned by Russia

The Russian Foreign Ministry issued statements on its website advising that, in response to Australian sanctions, the Russian Government had added several Australians to a 'stop list', denying them entry into Russia on an indefinite basis.  

These statements can be viewed here (copy and paste the URL into a new browser if you can't open the link):

• 17 April 2024 statement – https://www.mid.ru/ru/foreign_policy/news/1944697/ (in Russian)
• 21 June 2023 statement -   https://mid.ru/en/foreign_policy/news/1890258/
• 16 September 2022 statement  -  https://mid.ru/ru/foreign_policy/news/1830085/  (in Russian)
• 21 July 2022 statement  -  https://www.mid.ru/en/foreign_policy/news/1823204/
• 16 June 2022 statement  -  https://www.mid.ru/en/foreign_policy/news/1818118/
• 7 April 2022 statement  -  https://www.mid.ru/en/foreign_policy/news/1808465/

DFAT can't provide advice on the implications of another country's sanctions. If you're listed, you should obtain legal advice if you have concerns about the potential impacts of the Russian sanctions. Do not travel to Russia if you're on Russia's 'stop list'. 

Other formalities

Migration card.

All foreign visitors receive a migration card on arrival in Russia.

If you receive a paper migration card, keep the stamped exit portion of the card with your passport.

The migration card covers both Russia and Belarus. You must show the stamped card to passport control when leaving either country.

If you lose your migration card:

• your departure could be delayed
• you could be stopped from staying at a hotel in Russia

You can get a replacement from the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, which is complex and could delay your departure.

Biometric fingerprinting

Foreign citizens entering Russia for work or intending to stay over 90 calendar days may be subject to biometric fingerprinting and regular medical check-ups. The procedure of biometric fingerprinting will need to be done only once. Medical check-ups will need to be re-taken upon the certificate's expiry (valid for 1 year).

Travel with children

If you're  travelling with a child , you may need to show evidence of parental, custodial or permission rights. This is particularly the case for dual nationals. See  Local laws

• Advice for people travelling with children

Electronics

The government strictly controls the import of electrical and some high-technology equipment.

The rules are complex.

You may import terminal global positioning systems (GPS) devices if you declare them on arrival. However, you'll need a special permit to import a GPS device connected to a computer or an antenna.

Authorities can detain you if you don't have a permit.

You must show proof of advanced approval to import a satellite phone. Request approval from the  Federal Service for the Supervision of Communications .

Russian border officials can demand to inspect any electronic device, including installed software when you leave.

Travel between Russia and Belarus

Do not travel to Russia and Belarus due to the security environment and impacts of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. If you’re in Russia or Belarus, leave immediately using the limited commercial options available or private means if it's safe to do so.

If, despite our advice, you decide to enter Belarus from Russia, note that the government doesn't allow foreigners to cross the land border between Russia and Belarus.

If you travel between Russia and Belarus, it must be by air.

If you're travelling between Russia and Belarus, you must have visas for both countries.

Visa-free entry into Belarus doesn't apply to travellers arriving from or travelling to Russia.

Contact the  Embassy of Russia  and the  Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus  for details.

Registering your stay in Russia

If you stay more than 7 working days, including your arrival and departure day, you must register with the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs.

You have to pay a registration fee.

Most hotels do this for their guests, but you're legally responsible. Confirm with check-in staff on arrival that they've registered you.

The registration process can be complex if you're not staying at a hotel.

Register at the nearest post office if you're travelling on a visitor visa.

Register through your employer if you're travelling on a visa that lets you work. Confirm with your employer that they've registered you.

If you don't register, authorities can fine you or delay your departure.

• The Russian Embassy

Visa overstays

Make sure you leave Russia before your visa expires. Some visas, including tourist visas, can't be extended.

If you overstay your visa, you won't be allowed to leave Russia until the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs determines your legal status or deports you.

Authorities can detain you until they've processed your case.

Penalties for overstaying include fines and deportation.

You may be banned from re-entering.

Exporting goods

Russia has imposed temporary restrictions on exporting certain categories of goods, including foreign-made medical products. Seek advice from local authorities.

Russia has strict regulations on the export of antiques, artworks and items of historical significance. This is for items purchased in Russia or imported to Russia from overseas. It includes modern art and posters if they are particularly rare or valuable.

Authorities may not allow the export of items more than 100 years old.

If you want to export any antiques, artworks or items of historical significance:

• keep receipts of your purchases
• obtain an export permit from the Ministry of Culture in advance of travel — export permits aren't issued at the airport
• declare each item to border authorities when you leave Russia
• be ready to show each item to border authorities
• be ready to show receipts for each item to border authorities

Don't try to export items requiring permits without the relevant paperwork. This is a serious offence.

Legislation about the export of artwork and antiques from Russia may change without warning.

Some countries won't let you enter unless your passport is valid for six months after you plan to leave that country. This can apply even if you're just transiting or stopping over.

Some foreign governments and airlines apply the rule inconsistently. Travellers can receive conflicting advice from different sources.

You can end up stranded if your passport is not valid for more than six months.

The Australian Government does not set these rules. Check your passport's expiry date before you travel. If you're not sure it'll be valid for long enough, consider getting  a new passport .

Lost or stolen passport

Your passport is a valuable document. It's attractive to people who may try to use your identity to commit crimes.

Some people may try to trick you into giving them your passport. Always keep it in a safe place.

If your passport is lost or stolen, tell the Australian Government as soon as possible:

• In Australia, contact the  Australian Passport Information Service .
• If you're overseas, contact the nearest  Australian embassy or consulate .

If your passport is lost or stolen while ashore, you will need to obtain an emergency passport and an exit visa to leave Russia within the 72-hour visa-free period. If it’s not done within 72 hours, you will face a court hearing and possible fine, deportation and entry ban.

To arrange a new visa:

• obtain an official police report
• apply for a replacement passport through the  Australian Embassy in Moscow
• apply to Russian authorities for an exit visa
• include the police report with your application

If you replace your passport while in Russia, make sure authorities transfer your visa to the new passport.

Passport with 'X' gender identifier

Although Australian passports comply with international standards for sex and gender, we can't guarantee that a passport showing 'X' in the sex field will be accepted for entry or transit by another country. Contact the nearest  embassy, high commission or consulate of your destination  before you arrive at the border to confirm if authorities will accept passports with 'X' gender markers. 

More information:  

•       LGBTI travellers  

The currency of Russia is the Rouble (RUB).

Russian authorities have imposed temporary restrictions on the export of foreign currency in cash out of Russia. Travellers exiting Russia can't take more than the equivalent of $US10,000 in cash.

Make sure a customs official stamps your declaration. Only stamped declarations are valid.

You must carry proof that your funds were imported and declared or legally obtained in Russia.

Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Mastercard, Visa, and American Express have suspended operations in Russia. Cards issued outside of Russia will not work at Russian merchants or ATMs. Cards issued inside Russia may continue to work, but they won't work outside Russia. It may not be possible for you to access your funds through Russian banks or to make payments to Russian businesses with non-Russian credit/debit cards. Be prepared with alternate means of payment should your cards be declined.

You may not be able to exchange Australian dollars as well as old, worn or damaged US dollar and euro banknotes into Russian rubles in Russia. Ensure you have enough money to cover your stay in Russia. 

Traveller's cheques aren't widely accepted, even in Moscow and St Petersburg.

Local travel

Postal services between Russia and Australia are temporarily suspended. 

More information 

• Australia Post website

Confirm with your transport operator that services are still operating if you plan to depart Russia. Commercial travel routes between Russia and Europe are disrupted. Expect thorough security checks at the border, including questioning and inspections of electronic devices.

Flights between Russia and Europe have been affected by measures taken in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Several Russian airports are now closed to the public, disrupting internal flights to and from Moscow and other cities. The train and bus service between St Petersburg and Helsinki is suspended.

Finland  has closed border crossings with Russia indefinitely and maritime borders will close on 15 April. 

Latvia introduced an entry ban on vehicles registered in Russia in September 2023. More information can be found on the  State Revenue Service website . There's a ban on vehicles crossing into/from Estonia at the Ivangorod-Narva crossing. Train service is also suspended. Entry and exit on foot will still be allowed. Additional restrictions or entry requirements could be imposed or changed suddenly. Be aware that some borders may close without notice. 

If you're travelling through an overland border crossing into  Estonia  or  Latvia , confirm the entry requirements for your destination before arrival.

Australia and other countries have placed sanctions on Russia. Russia's response to these sanctions may disrupt travel and affect travellers. Confirm entry requirements for your  destination  before arrival, as additional restrictions or entry requirements could be imposed or changed suddenly.

If, despite our advice, you decide to go to Chechnya or the North Caucasus, you must first get permission from the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Several other areas of Russia, especially in Siberia and the Russian Far East, are also 'closed' areas.

Foreigners need government permission to enter 'closed' areas.

If you need government permission or are unsure if you need it, contact the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Driving permit

You should carry an International Driving Permit (IDP).

You may drive with an Australian driver's license if you carry it with a notarised Russian translation.

Road travel

Driving in Russia can be hazardous due to:

• poor driving standards
• ice and snow in winter
• poor road conditions in rural areas

The blood alcohol limit for drivers is 0%.

• Driving or riding
• the Russian Embassy

Some taxis appear official but aren't licensed by local authorities.

People have reported extortion and  robbery  while taking unauthorised taxis. See  Safety

Book an official taxi by phone, at major hotels and from inside airports.

Flights from Russia to other countries are limited. These may change or be suspended at short notice. You should contact airlines or travel agents directly for the most current information.

The  EU announced  that 21 Russian-owned airlines were banned from flying in EU airspace due to safety concerns.

Russian airlines and railways may be affected by shortages of parts and essential technical components for their fleets, affecting maintenance and safety standards. If you're flying domestically or internationally, research your aviation provider before choosing their services.

DFAT doesn't provide information on the safety of individual commercial airlines or flight paths.

Check Russia's air safety profile with the  Aviation Safety Network

Emergencies

Depending on what you need, contact your:

• family and friends
• travel agent
• insurance provider

Always get a police report when you report a crime.

Your insurer should have a 24-hour emergency number.

Consular contacts

Read the  Consular Services Charter  for what the Australian Government can and can't do to help you overseas.

For consular help, contact the Australian Embassy in Moscow.  Our ability to provide consular assistance in Russia is limited. The Australian Government will not be able to evacuate you from Russia.

Australian Embassy, Moscow

13 Kropotkinsky Pereulok Moscow 119034 Russia Phone: (+7 495) 956-6070  Fax: (+7 495) 956-6170  Website:  russia.embassy.gov.au Twitter:  @PosolAustralia

If you're in St Petersburg, you can also contact the Australian Consulate for limited consular help.

Australian Consulate, St Petersburg

Moika 11 St Petersburg 191186 Russia Tel: (+7 964) 333 7572 (NOT for visas) Email:  [email protected]  (NOT for visas)

Check the Embassy website for details about opening hours and any temporary closures.

24-hour Consular Emergency Centre

Australians in need of consular assistance should contact the Australian Government 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre:

• +61 2 6261 3305 from overseas
• 1300 555 135 in Australia

Travelling to Russia?

Sign up to get the latest travel advice updates..

Be the first to know official government advice when travelling.

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser .

• Moscow Travel and City Excursions

Our 20 Best Moscow Day Tours of 2022

See all that Moscow has to offer by choosing one or more of our incredible Moscow day tours. Visit Red Square , St. Basil’s , the Kremlin or perhaps a vodka museum and the fantastic Moscow metro system , we have it all. Our expert, informative and fun guides will help you get to know Europe’s largest city. Please click on the day tour details to learn more or contact us for more information about our Moscow tours using the form at the side of the page.  You can also schedule a call with one of our Russian travel specialists to learn more.

Head to the heart of Moscow with a professional guide on a 4-hour private walk through the city center. See Tverskaya and Old Arbat streets, Theatre Square with the world-famous Bolshoi Theatre, and the former KGB headquarters...

• Schedule Daily 09:00 - 20:00
• Languages English-speaking guide is guaranteed. Other languages are on request.
• Walking tours Transportation is not included
• PRIVATE TOUR This is a private tour, there won't be other people in your group

Panoramic City Tour. This Moscow tour is a great start to your trip and the best way to get acquainted with many of the city’s major highlights. Our professional guide will escort you on a route that includes Vorobyevi...

• Schedule Daily 09:00 - 18:00
• Tours by car Transportation by private car/minivan is included

This tour offers a detailed look into the history and present-day life of the Jewish community of Moscow. On the tour, you will visit sites connected with the cultural and religious life of different Jewish families, as well...

• Schedule Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday 11:00 - 20:00 Friday 10:00 - 14:00 Saturday not available

The tour begins with a drive or walk down Tverskaya Street – a Soviet masterpiece. In the years of Soviet power, Tverskaya began to undergo a transformation: it was widened to two and a half times its original size,...

This is a very interesting and insightful tour. You will visit places connected with Stalin’s terror - a time of great repression and fear. You will be shown monuments to the victims of the repression. You will then...

You will be told of the street’s interesting history and view the street’s artisan culture. You will also have the opportunity to view and purchase souvenirs from the street’s many craftsmen....

The Kremlin is truly a fascinating structure, at the same time it is an ancient tower, the city’s former military fortification, a palace, an armory, the sovereign treasury and the workplace of the Russian President....

• Schedule Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday 10:00 - 17:00 Thursday not available

This world-famous gallery contains masterpieces of Russian art beginning in the 10th century up until today. You will view exquisite Russian icons and paintings from the 18th and 19th century including works by Rublyov, Karavak,...

• Schedule Monday not available Tuesday, Wednesday, Sunday 10:00 - 17:00 Thursday, Friday, Saturday 10:00 - 20:00

Tour of the Novodevichy Monastery. Founded in 1524 by Grand Prince VasiliIoanovich, the original convent was enclosed by fortified walls and contained 12 towers. The structure served as a convent for women of noble birth...

• Schedule Daily 09:00 - 17:00

The Moscow Metro is one of the largest and most grandly built metro systems in the world. It was meant to be a showcase of the Soviet Union’s achievements for both the Russians themselves and for visitors from abroad....

• Schedule Daily 10:00 - 17:00

The history of Kolomenskoye stretches back for centuries. In 1380, Dmitri Donskoi’s army passed through Kolomenskoye on their way to the Kulikovo battlefield, and it was here that Donskoi celebrated his victory over...

• Schedule Monday not available Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday 10:00 - 17:00 Saturday 11:00 - 18:00

Considered by some to be the Russian Vatican, Sergiev Posad is the temporary residence of the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church. The Trinity St. Sergius Monastery (Lavra) was built in the first half of the 1340s by...

The Tsaritsyno Estate is located in the southern part of Moscow. The estate was constructed for Catherine the Great by the Russian architects Bazhenov and Kazakov in a romantic gothic style. The complex includes a landscape...

• Schedule Monday not available Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 11:00 - 17:00 Saturday 11:00 - 19:00 Sunday 11:00 - 18:00

The Kuskovo Estate often called the Moscow Versailles due to its perfectly preserved French park, is an example of an 18th century, luxurious Moscow summer residence. Its history dates back to 1715, when the village of Kuskovo...

• Schedule Monday, Tuesday not available Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday 10:00 - 18:00

Vodka is an important component of Russian life, an element of national identity and everyday culture. We invite you to visit the Vodka Museum and feel the atmosphere of long-gone centuries. You will get to know the story...

• Schedule Daily 10:00 - 19:00

Take this opportunity to learn more about the Russian writer Lev Tolstoy. During the visit to the museum you will see part of a vast collection of exhibits connected to Tolstoy and his family including books and personal...

• Schedule Monday not available Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday 10:00 - 17:00 Thursday 12:00 - 19:00

This apartment museum located close to Patriarch Ponds became the prototype of the "bad apartment" described in the novel "The Master and Margarita." Currently the museum's collection includes more than three thousand...

• Schedule Monday not available Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday 12:00 - 19:00 Thursday 14:00 - 21:00

Express to Russia specializes in Moscow city excursions, an essential part of your Moscow travel itinerary. We offer a large variety of day excursions throughout Moscow and its suburbs. From  Red Square  and the  Kremlin  to a city tour of Moscow’s  Old Arbat Street  or the  Moscow metro , an excursion specializing in Stalin and the KGB and much more. No travel to Moscow is complete without taking a few of our day tours that most meet your interest in Russia.

Moscow City Tours

Our Moscow day excursions can be organized on foot or with transport. All of our excursions are led by an experienced guide, specializing in the subject matter of the tour. Excursions are privately run and can be booked for 1 traveler all the way up to large groups of travelers. We run our Moscow city tours in every season. This is because travel to Moscow is excellent in any season. In the summer take a stroll through  Gorky Park  or take a riverboat tour along the Moskva River. In the winter, see Moscow’s winter wonderland of ice and snow and then settle in for a cozy lunch or dinner with a hot bowl of borsht. In winter, spring and fall, you can beat the crowds at all of Moscow’s main attractions and museums. Regardless of when you come, Express to Russia will make sure that your trip is one of your best vacations ever.

Our travel brands include

Express to Russia

Join us on Facebook

We invite you to become a fan of our company on Facebook and read Russian news and travel stories. To become a fan, click here .

Join our own Russian Travel, Culture and Literature Club on Facebook. The club was created to be a place for everyone with an interest in Russia to get to know each other and share experiences, stories, pictures and advice. To join our club, please follow this link .

We use cookies to improve your experience on our Website, and to facilitate providing you with services available through our Website. To opt out of non-essential cookies, please click here . By continuing to use our Website, you accept our use of cookies, the terms of our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service . I agree

With War in Ukraine on Its Border, Poland Wants to Be Among the Countries Setting Europe's Agenda

Poland’s foreign minister has called on NATO to increase its defense preparedness and said his government wants to be at the center of decision-making in the European Union, seeking to reestablish the country as a reliable international partner as the war in Ukraine rages across the border

With War in Ukraine on Its Border, Poland Wants to Be Among the Countries Setting Europe's Agenda

Geert Vanden Wijngaert

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, left, shakes hands with Poland's Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski a ceremony to mark the 75th anniversary of NATO at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Thursday, April 4, 2024. NATO marked on Thursday 75 years of collective defense across Europe and North America, with its top diplomats vowing to stay the course in Ukraine as better armed Russian troops assert control on the battlefield. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s foreign minister called on NATO to increase its defense preparedness on Thursday and said his government wants to be at the center of decision-making in the European Union, seeking to reestablish the country as a reliable international partner as the war in Ukraine rages across the border.

Setting out his vision for Poland at the heart of Europe, Radek Sikorski warned that a Russian attack on NATO would end in defeat for Moscow, but NATO must increase its defenses.

The previous national conservative coalition government in Poland clashed frequently with the EU, especially over the rule of law.

Arguing that EU membership brought many benefits, Sikorski said: “That is why it is so important for Poland to return to the group of countries creating Europe, and not defending themselves against Europe.”

Ahead of the speech, the foreign ministry said Sikorski’s vision was closely aligned with that of French President Emmanuel Macron, who was also laying out his ambitions for Europe to be a more assertive global power in a speech on Thursday.

Senior Polish officials have welcomed Macron’s outspoken support for Ukraine but also want Paris to increase its deliveries of military aid.

Photos You Should See - April 2024

“It is not we – the West – who should be afraid of a clash with Putin, but the other way around," Sikorski said. "It is worth recalling this, not to increase Russians’ sense of threat, because NATO is a defense pact, but to show that an attack by Russia on any of the Alliance members would inevitably end in its defeat.

"Russia’s military and economic potential pales in comparison to that of the West. If we do not lack the will, Russia will lose. Putin’s only hope is our lack of determination.”

Under President Vladimir Putin, Russia has waged a hybrid war against Poland, including with disinformation, Sikorski charged. He said Russia was lying when it falsely claimed that Poland seeks to annex parts of Western Ukraine around the city of Lviv that once belonged to Poland.

Speaking in Ukrainian, he said: “Lviv is Ukraine.”

Sikorski's speech set out the new direction of the pro-European government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk, which took office in December , replacing the coalition led by the arch-conservative Law and Justice party.

Among those attending the speech was President Andrzej Duda, who is aligned with Law and Justice, as well as members of the diplomatic corps in Warsaw who listened to the speech from the parliament's gallery.

The government is also asserting its right to define Poland's international policies as Duda has recently been acting against its wishes. Duda recently met with presumptive Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and expressed openness to hosting nuclear weapons within NATO's sharing program.

He did not seek approval from Tusk's government for either step.

Sikorski harshly condemned many of the previous government’s policies, noting that former prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki was not in parliament Thursday because he had gone to Budapest for the annual meeting in Europe of the American Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC. Sikorski said Morawiecki would be meeting with “pro-Putin nationalists.”

After the speech, Duda said he was shocked and disappointed at what he called an “attack on the policy pursued by the previous government.”

"In my opinion, it was baseless and contained many lies, manipulations and untruths. This divides Poles and creates an unnecessary political conflict. These words simply provoked distaste in me,” Duda told reporters in the halls of Parliament.

Law and Justice led Poland from 2015 to 2023, and while it stressed ties with the United States, it had a conflicted stance toward the 27-member EU and in particular toward Germany, which invaded and occupied Poland during World War II.

Sikorski stressed the importance of friendship with Germany, saying that the period of confrontation under the previous government had ended.

“Differences of opinion, however, do not mean that we are doomed to eternal conflict. Germany is our democratic neighbor, our largest trading partner, an important European actor, and a key ally in NATO. Warsaw and Berlin need each other,” he said.

Sikorski argued that Poland’s development and security should be based both on trans-Atlantic cooperation and on European integration, and that it is also ready to take responsibility for global challenges.

Sikorski’s speech was directed at both the world and the domestic audience in the nation of 38 million people located along a geopolitical fault line.

Poland, a member of NATO and the European Union, is on the eastern flank of both and shares borders with Russia and Belarus in addition to Ukraine. It is a key hub for Western weapons going to Ukraine.

Copyright 2024 The  Associated Press . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation

Tags: Associated Press , politics , world news

America 2024

Health News Bulletin

Stay informed on the latest news on health and COVID-19 from the editors at U.S. News & World Report.

Sign in to manage your newsletters »

Sign up to receive the latest updates from U.S News & World Report and our trusted partners and sponsors. By clicking submit, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions & Privacy Policy .

You May Also Like

The 10 worst presidents.

U.S. News Staff Feb. 23, 2024

Cartoons on President Donald Trump

Feb. 1, 2017, at 1:24 p.m.

Photos: Obama Behind the Scenes

April 8, 2022

Photos: Who Supports Joe Biden?

March 11, 2020

RFK Jr.: By the Numbers

Laura Mannweiler April 26, 2024

Biden’s Student Loan Chief to Step Down

Lauren Camera April 26, 2024

What to Know: Bird Flu Virus in Milk

Cecelia Smith-Schoenwalder April 26, 2024

Inflation a Stubborn Foe for the Fed

Tim Smart April 26, 2024

The Curse of the Modern Vice President

‘A Rule for the Ages’

Lauren Camera April 25, 2024

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

Poland's president visits Donald Trump as allies eye a possible return

The Associated Press

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump walks with Poland's President Andrzej Duda at Trump Tower in midtown Manhattan in New York on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. Stefan Jeremiah/AP hide caption

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump walks with Poland's President Andrzej Duda at Trump Tower in midtown Manhattan in New York on Wednesday, April 17, 2024.

Former President Donald Trump met Wednesday in New York with Polish President Andrzej Duda, the latest in a series of meetings with foreign leaders as Europe braces for the possibility of a second Trump term. The presumptive Republican nominee hosted Duda at Trump Tower, where the two discussed the war in Ukraine and Duda's push to boost NATO members' defense spending, according to a readout from Trump's campaign. Duda, who has long expressed admiration for Trump, is also a staunch supporter of Ukraine and has encouraged Washington to provide more aid to Kyiv amid Russian's ongoing invasion. That funding has been held up by Trump allies in Congress. As he arrived, Trump praised the Polish president, saying, "He's done a fantastic job and he's my friend." "We had four great years together," Trump added. "We're behind Poland all the way." Following the almost 2 1/2 hour meeting, Duda said only that it was a "friendly meeting in very nice atmosphere." His aide, Wojciech Kolarski, also in attendance, described it as an "excellent meeting" of "two friends who reminisced on the time when for four years they cooperated while holding presidential offices," a time that was "very fruitful for Polish-U.S. relations." Duda is the latest foreign leader to meet with Trump in the weeks since he locked up the Republican nomination. U.S. allies across the world were caught off guard by Trump's surprise 2016 win, forcing them to scramble to build relationships with a president who often attacked longstanding treaties and alliances they valued. Setting up meetings with him during the 2024 campaign suggests they don't want to be behind again. Even as he goes on trial for one of the four criminal indictments against him, Trump and Democratic President Joe Biden are locked in a rematch that most observers expect will be exceedingly close in November. While some in Poland worried the visit might damage the country's relationship with Biden, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn. — a Biden ally and a major voice in his party on foreign affairs — said such meetings make sense. "The polls are close," he said. "If I were a foreign leader — and there's a precedent attached to meeting with candidates who are nominated or on the path to being nominated — I'd probably do it too." Murphy noted that former President Barack Obama did a lengthy international tour and met with foreign leaders when he first ran for the White House. So did Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, who challenged Obama in 2012 and whose trip included a stop in Poland's capital, Warsaw. Duda's visit comes a week after Trump met with British Foreign Secretary David Cameron, another NATO member and key proponent of supporting Ukraine, at the former president's Florida estate. In March, Trump hosted Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, an autocrat who has maintained the closest relationship with Russia among European Union countries. Orbán shared a montage of footage of the visit on his Instagram feed, which included an image of him and his staff meeting with Trump and the former president's aides in a scene that looked like an official bilateral meeting. Trump also met briefly in February with Javier Milei, the fiery, right-wing populist president of Argentina who ran a campaign inspired by Trump, complete with red "Make Argentina Great Again" hats. Milei gave Trump an excited hug backstage at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference outside Washington, according to video posted by a Trump campaign aide. Biden administration officials have been careful not to weigh in publicly on foreign leaders' meetings with Trump, acknowledging he has a real chance of winning the race. While some officials have privately expressed frustration with such meetings, they are mindful that any criticism would open the U.S. to charges of hypocrisy because senior American officials, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, meet frequently with foreign opposition figures at various forums in the United States and abroad. Security and policy officials monitor the travel plans of foreign officials visiting the U.S., but generally don't have a say in where they go or with whom they meet, according to an administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss protocol.

Now that he's the presumptive nominee, Trump readies next campaign: who will be VP?

Trump has been back in his hometown this week for the start of his criminal hush money trial, which has dramatically limited his ability to travel and campaign. While in town, aides have been planning a series of events that began Tuesday evening when Trump, after court adjourned, stopped by a Harlem bodega where a man was killed to rail against crime, and to blast the district attorney who made him the first former president in U.S. history to stand criminal trial. Duda, a right-wing populist who once proposed naming a military base in his country "Fort Trump," described the dinner earlier Wednesday as a private get-together between friends at Trump's former residence while he is in town for meetings at the United Nations, where Duda is to deliver a speech. "I have been invited by Mr. Donald Trump to his private apartment," Duda told reporters, saying it was "a normal practice when one country has good relations with another country" to want those relations to be as strong as "possible with the representatives of various sides of the political stage." "We know each other as people. Like two, I can say in some way, friends," said Duda, whose term ends in 2025. Duda's visit comes as House Republicans wrangle over a $95 billion foreign aid bill that would provide new funding to Ukraine, including money for the U.S. military to replace depleting weapon supplies. Polish leaders have been urging the House to approve the aid bill and ease domestic concerns. Many Trump allies in the House are fiercely opposed to aiding Ukraine, even as the country warns that it is struggling amid a fresh Russian offensive. Trump has said he might be open to aid in the form of a loan. One area where Trump and Duda agree when it comes to the conflict is a desire to push NATO members to increase their defense spending. Duda has called on fellow members of the alliance to raise their spending to 3% of gross domestic product as Russia continues its invasion of Ukraine. That would represent a significant increase from the current commitment of 2% by 2024. Trump, in a stunning break from U.S. precedent, has long been critical of the Western alliance and has threatened not to defend member nations that do not hit that spending goal. That threat strikes at the heart of the alliance's Article 5, which states that any attack against one NATO member will be considered an attack against all. In February, Trump went even further, recounting that he'd once told leaders that he would "encourage" Russia to "do whatever the hell they want" to members that are — in his words — "delinquent." Trump's campaign said the two discussed the NATO proposal during the meeting. The two also discussed Israel and the Middle East, Trump's 2017 trip to Warsaw, "and many other topics having to do with getting to world peace," the campaign said in its readout, which described the men as "great friends." The visit was met with mixed reaction in Poland, where fears of Russia run high and Duda's friendly relationship with Trump has been a source of controversy. Poland's centrist Prime Minister Donald Tusk, a political opponent of Duda, was critical of the dinner but expressed hope that Duda would use it as an opportunity "to raise the issue of clearly siding with the Western world, democracy and Europe in this Ukrainian-Russian conflict."

• 2024 election
• Andrzej Duda
• Donal Trump