01Free
The 30-second card
Emergency · tap to call
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Water at restaurantsRestaurants serve tap water free of charge.Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗
SIM and eSIM
Prepaid SIM starter packs cost about 5–20 zł and are sold in most shops, supermarkets and newsagents.Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Apps locals use
Jakdojade: city transit timetables and ticket buying on your phone.Bolt: ride-hailing in many towns.Uber: ride-hailing in every regional capital and some other big cities.WhatsApp: messaging and video calls, widely used by locals.
Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Cards or cash
Mostly cashMostly cards
Step 4 of 5: Most things are paid by card, though a little cash is still useful.Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Money in Poland
Polish Zloty · zł · PLN
Santander cash machines charge nothing to withdraw with a foreign Visa or Mastercard.
When a card terminal offers your home currency, pick złoty instead; the offered rate is usually worse.
Avoid the orange Interchange exchange offices; their rates are poor.
Say thank you only once you have your change back, or the waiter will keep the rest as a tip.
Collect Polish Zloty in CointryOur sister app for coin and banknote collectors · cointry.appOpenPublic holidays in the next 12 months
Wed, 11 Nov 2026 · Independence Day Narodowe Święto Niepodległości
Thu, 24 Dec 2026 · Christmas Eve Wigilia Bożego Narodzenia
Fri, 25 Dec 2026 · Christmas Day Boże Narodzenie
Sat, 26 Dec 2026 · St. Stephen's Day Drugi Dzień Bożego Narodzenia
Fri, 1 Jan 2027 · New Year's Day Nowy Rok
Wed, 6 Jan 2027 · Epiphany Święto Trzech Króli
Sun, 28 Mar 2027 · Easter Sunday Wielkanoc
Mon, 29 Mar 2027 · Easter Monday Drugi Dzień Wielkanocy
Sat, 1 May 2027 · May Day Święto Pracy
Mon, 3 May 2027 · Constitution Day Święto Konstytucji 3 Maja
Sun, 16 May 2027 · Pentecost Zielone Świątki
Thu, 27 May 2027 · Corpus Christi Boże Ciało
Sun, 15 Aug 2027 · Assumption Day Wniebowzięcie Najświętszej Maryi Panny
Mon, 1 Nov 2027 · All Saints' Day Wszystkich Świętych
02Free
Safety today
Germany, the US and the UK publish their travel advice openly. Here is what those that cover Poland say, side by side, checked daily.
German Foreign Office says
No travel warning
Calm ●
Caution
Serious
Don’t go
Source: Auswärtiges Amt
Updated 20 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 20 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
U.S. Department of State says
Exercise normal precautions
Calm ●
Caution
Serious
Don’t go
Level 1 of 4
Source: travel.state.gov
Updated 4 Jun 2025 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 4 Jun 2025 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
UK Foreign Office says
No advice against travel
Source: GOV.UK
Updated 11 Aug 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 11 Aug 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Scams to know
Unofficial taxis
Only take taxis with firm name and phone on door and roof, and a rate card in the window.
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Padded bar bills on cards
Read the bill line by line before paying for late-night drinks by card.
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Drink spiking and robbery
Refuse drinks from strangers and never leave your glass unwatched.
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Countrywise is a summary. The official page is authoritative.
03Free
Health
Get your routine vaccines up to date before setting off.
Vaccinations
Get your routine vaccines up to date before setting off.
Talk to a travel clinic 4–8 weeks before you go.
Source: CDC
Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Summarised from the CDC’s Travelers’ Health pages. Using them does not mean the CDC endorses Countrywise.
04Travel layer
In the app: the travel layer
The travel layer
Read a country like someone who’s been there.
What’s different from home, and what’s the lawMust-see places, free entry and World Heritage sites20 words to remember, with pronunciationStrange and surprising factsThe anthem and national symbolsSaved for offline use
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05Free
Deep facts
| GDP | ≈ $1 trillionSource: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Per person | ≈ $28,420Source: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Top exports | vehicle parts/accessories, electric batteries, plastic products, cars, seats (2023)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Population | 36.4 millionSource: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 43.4 yearsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Life expectancy | 76.7 yearsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · 2024 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Religions | Roman Catholic 70.7%, refused to answer 20.9%, no religion 6.9%; less than 1 percent: Orthodox, Jehovah Witness, Evangelic of Augsburg, Greek Catholic, Pentecostal, other Protestant, not stated, old Catholic Mariavite Church, other Christians, Islam, Buddhist, Polish Catholic Church, other, Baptist Union of Poland, Pagan, Seventh Day Adventist, Hindu, other Catholic (2021 est.)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · 2021 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Area | 312,685 km²Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Climate | temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and thundershowersSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Terrain | mostly flat plain; mountains along southern borderSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Type of government | parliamentary republicSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Calling code | +48Source: libphonenumber · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗ |
About the data
Written from the sources we link, and checked against them before each release. Countrywise summarises public sources. We are not an official source. For safety and entry rules, always follow the official page we link to.
From your foreign ministry when it publishes its advice openly (Germany, the US, the UK). Otherwise we show those three side by side. Checked daily, with the date next to every entry.
CDC · 24 Oct 2026 ↗GOV.UK · 24 Oct 2026 ↗IANA Time Zone Database · 23 Oct 2026 ↗libphonenumber · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Nager.Date · 23 Oct 2026 ↗The World Factbook (archive) · 23 Oct 2026 ↗Unicode CLDR · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Wikidata · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Wikivoyage · 24 Oct 2026 ↗World Bank · 23 Oct 2026 ↗
Flag artwork from flag-icons (MIT licence).
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