Due to its geographical location and the presence of a common border with the Kaliningrad region, Poland has become one of the most visited European countries among the Russian population. You can get here in any way: by your own car, by train, by bus. And the trip will turn out to be tireless and exciting, especially if you are a resident of the western regions of Russia. What are the details in preparing documents for a trip to Poland? The most interesting routes and the most profitable transport are relevant topics of the proposed review.
Documents for traveling to Poland
To enter the territory of Poland, Russian citizens need a Schengen visa. In the most ordinary case, the list of documents is standard:
- A passport valid for three months after the completion of the trip.
- General valid passport.
- 2 photos 3.5 cm x 4.5 cm, photo requirements are standard for visa application forms.
- A completed visa application form, it is most convenient to fill out online on the secure.e-konsulat.gov.pl service.
- Financial guarantees, i.e. proof of solvency. Often enough information from the place of work on the letterhead of the enterprise. The official salary in the certificate must be at least 30 thousand rubles. If the amount in the certificate is less or the tourist cannot provide at all, a bank statement with an equivalent amount will do.
- Medical insurance for the period of stay.
- Hotel reservation, tourist voucher or invitation from a citizen of Poland.
- Pensioners also provide a copy of the pension certificate.
- Minor children are required to have notarized consent from one parent (if the child is traveling accompanied by a second), or from both (if the minor travels independently).
Transport choice: train
When planning a trip, tourists are faced with a key question, which significantly affects the cost of the tour as a whole: "How to get to Poland?" There are options here, each with its own pros and cons. The train, although not fast, is quite comfortable and somewhat romantic. Especially if you are traveling in Europe. You can watch the cozy European landscapes without stopping - still here the pictures outside the window change more often than on wide Russian soil. The journey from Moscow to Warsaw, taking into account all the necessary stops, will take from 13 to 19 hours.
There are two direct trains Moscow - Warsaw: morning and evening. When choosing the most convenient option, you need to take into account an important point: the need to pass border controls twice in Belarus Brest and Polish Terespol.
The morning train arrives at Warsaw Central Station at 6am. This is convenient from the point of view that you have a whole day ahead to look around, not to lose paid hours in a hotel or to get to another city. However, given that customs and border guards bothered you all night on the train, you are unlikely to be full of energy.
The evening train Moscow - Warsaw does not arrive at the central station, but at the Vostochnaya station at 10 pm. From it you need to make a transplant to get to the city center. But the first border control with filling out customs declarations will catch you at 12 o’clock, the second - at half past two in the afternoon.
Transport choice: bus
Bus tours in Europe, including Poland, remain the most popular for a wide mass of tourists due to their relatively low cost. There is an opportunity not to bother at all and to get a ready-made bus tour to Poland at any travel company - there are many such tours to choose from. Bus trips to Poland are organized by large tour operators who specialize in bus tours. They have their own fleet of buses that meet all modern requirements, as well as a staff of qualified drivers. Therefore, for safety and comfort you can not worry.
But if you prefer to independently build your travel itinerary and at the same time want to save on the road, you can use the services of transport campaigns and purchase a bus ticket to Warsaw. Direct buses from Russia, however, run only from the Kaliningrad region. Buses Moscow - Warsaw make transfers either in Riga or in Minsk. The cost of a one-way bus ticket varies from 1,500 rubles. (from Kaliningrad) up to 4000 rubles. (from Moscow or St. Petersburg). For comparison, a one-way train ticket costs an average of 9-12 thousand rubles.
Drive to Poland by car
If you decide to visit Poland with your own car, you need to consider some formalities. Firstly, car access to the territory of Poland is possible only through two routes: either from the Kaliningrad region, or through Belarus. Those traveling from the Central or Western regions of Russia, of course, prefer the second option. To get from Kaliningrad to Poland, you must first cross the border with Latvia or Lithuania, and this is much more troublesome than on the Belarusian border.
Secondly, when crossing the border by car, you must have a standard set of documents for traveling abroad, plus some others. So, the driver must know that for a trip to Poland you must additionally present a driver’s license, preferably of an international standard, but the old model of a driver’s license is also quoted so far. You will also need a technical passport of the vehicle and a valid green card on it (an analogue of our CTP insurance policy). The green card must be of international standard. It can be purchased in the same insurance campaign, where tourists buy health insurance before traveling abroad.
Travel Insurance
Every tourist trip requires medical insurance. Without a valid medical policy, no tourist will receive a visa and will not be able to cross the border. In Europe, any medical services, even a banal examination or consultation, are provided only with insurance, otherwise they will not even talk to you. However, due to the fact that European countries are more than civilized, insurance for travel to Poland will be the most standard. No additional items and advanced options are required. In this regard, the cost of the insurance policy will not exceed 500 rubles. for a standard trip period of up to 30 days per tourist.
Purpose of the trip
Often, tourists visit Poland in transit, passing by visiting the most famous sights, spending in the country no more than one or two nights. Then they are sent to other, more popular European countries, the same Czech Republic or Germany.
But the goals of a trip to Poland can be much more, from all the same tourism to visiting monuments and burial places, because many nameless graves of our ancestors who died during the Second World War are located in Poland. There are also many monuments to the heroism of Russian soldiers. This is an occasion for Russian tourists, being in Poland, to pay tribute to fallen heroes.
Shopping
One of the most popular travel destinations in Poland is shopping. It is especially relevant for residents of the Kaliningrad region. Living in more remote regions of Russia are unlikely to go shopping here. But for Kaliningraders, a trip to Poland for shopping is a pleasant and profitable event.
Even including the cost of travel and food during the trip, shopping in Poland is cheaper. Moreover, this applies to all groups of goods. Of course, food has been the most popular for many years. Firstly, the choice in Polish supermarkets is much wider, and secondly, some products are simply not imported into the territory of the Russian Federation and you can only buy them here. And, thirdly, more than attractive prices, and alcohol in Polish stores can be found cheaper than in Duty free. Clothing and textiles are in no less demand. Everything, from children's clothes to winter jackets and coats, seems to the Russians an attractive ratio of solid European quality and adequate price.
As for tourists traveling around Poland not for shopping, they often acquire authentic products here, for example, the famous Boleslav ceramics.
This is a unique dish made of white clay, which in its qualities is very close to porcelain. They often make and paint it manually, because each item is unique and distinctive. Amber products, jewelry and Polish cosmetics are also popular with tourists.
Warsaw: Popular City Tours
If your trip to Poland has tourist purposes, the capital of Warsaw will be a must-see destination. This city makes a boring, and sometimes repulsive, first impression with its rather dull appearance. The reason is that Warsaw was almost completely destroyed during the Second World War. Everything that we meet on the streets of Warsaw today was built after the end of the war.
However, upon closer inspection, the city is by no means devoid of its special charm and attractiveness. It is very convenient and cozy, clean and replete with all kinds of historical and simply interesting places. Undoubtedly, these include the Palace and Market Squares - business cards of Warsaw. The royal castle was also destroyed during the war, but it was reconstructed in its original form and now it houses one of the most popular museums in Poland. The sightseeing route around the city of Warsaw cannot bypass the most charming district of the city - Starowka. Here, time seemed to have stopped a few centuries ago, the cityscape with cobbled streets and houses clinging closely to each other looks so genuine.
Krakow
That's really worth visiting during a trip to Poland - this is the ancient city of Krakow. It is not in vain that it takes the first place in attendance throughout the country and is an obligatory item on all European sightseeing routes.
It is best to start acquaintance with the city from its main square - Market Square, all city sightseeing tours are traditionally started here. Next, you should definitely admire the picturesque and beautiful Wawel Castle, the former royal residence. The castle ensemble is equally interesting both outside and inside - today it houses a museum.
Definitely worth a visit to the famous Mariacki Church. Its building with two unmistakable high towers became the hallmark of the city. Inside, the church looks no less magnificent than outside. A carved altar alone is capable of captivating the imagination. Add to this a magnificent decoration, ancient intricate stained glass windows, painting. In short, one can reverence this cult structure for a long time. You can just wait for the famous melody to sound from its towers, which traditionally plays here every four hours.
Other attractions
Poland, as a place of tourism, is by no means limited to two cities that are well-known to everyone. In this country, you can spend an interesting and varied vacation, even without ever leaving its borders. It is only important to know how to properly build your route.
A trip to Poland can open up a lot of opportunities for knowledgeable tourists. You can devote one day to a beach holiday on the Baltic coast in the city of Sopot. Here, on the central promenade, the longest wooden sea pier in Europe rushes into the sea. In the evening, idle walking crowds flood the embankment, pleasant live music sounds from the coastal cafes - the classic atmosphere of a seaside resort. By the way, for those traveling with children it will be useful to find out that there is also a water park in Sopot.
An unusual and unique route point in the country is the underground city of Wieliczka. In fact, these are former salt mines, leading their history from the XIV century. Now the huge underground halls are beautifully decorated and are a museum with cameras scattered underground and long passages connecting the giant squares with vaulted ceilings. This unique place even hosts stylized balls with music and dancing.
In Poland, you can have a good time in the winter - go to one of the ski resorts. The most popular resort for winter holidays is the town of Zakopane. It is favorably located in a picturesque hollow, surrounded by mountain tops. There are many skiing trails for any level of athletes. There are also all the other attributes of a ski resort: a promenade stuffed with souvenir shops and cozy cafes, fashionable hotels with paradise spa and more.
It turns out that Poland is good from all sides, no matter how you look. You can visit her at any season. Getting here is quick and easy. And most importantly - an amazing variety of cities and towns that can give an incredibly rich and unforgettable vacation. One can only wonder how much interesting fit in such a compact territory. The easiest way to get to Poland is from Kaliningrad.