In 2019, a considerable number of Russians were able to travel to Poland by car. Located in the very center of Europe, the republic has land border from the Russian Federation. Namely, with the Kaliningrad region. It is not surprising that many of our compatriots prefer to travel around Polish territory by personal transport. We will find out all the nuances of traveling to Poland in your car.

In 2019, the Central European country continues to be popular among tourists from Russia. Visitors from the Russian Federation enter Poland as by air, and by land - including on personal vehicle. The latter option is preferred by residents not only of the Kaliningrad region neighboring the republic, but also of regions remote from the border. IN European state Guests from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and even Vladivostok arrive in their own cars.

To come to Poland by car, you will need to obtain a visa in advance. In this sense, traveling to a European country is no different from arriving by plane, train or bus. You cannot visit the country without an entry document.

Typically, motorists and their travel companions apply for tourist Schengen visas. Each visitor, including children, will need their own document. Polish Schengen allows you to stay in the country for a maximum of 3 months within a six-month period. You will learn how to obtain a tourist visa to Poland from the article on our website.

Where to enter Poland

Of all the regions of the Russian Federation, Poland borders only the Kaliningrad region. Therefore, entering the republic from Russia by personal transport is only possible through this region. There are special checkpoints at the border. You are only allowed to drive your car through these checkpoints.

The second option for starting a Polish road trip is to enter Poland through Belarus. Citizens of the Russian Federation are allowed into the fraternal republic with a Russian passport. In this case, the route is built like this:

1. Leave Moscow or another Russian city to Belarusian Brest.
2. The path to Brest lies along the M1 highway (Smolensk road).
3. Get to border crossing. You can enter through the largest checkpoint Brest - Terespol or try the Domachevo crossing (50 km south of Brest).

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Basic nuances of crossing the border

When planning a trip by car to Poland from Kaliningrad or Brest, drivers and passengers should consider several factors:

• A foreign passport with a Polish visa must be presented. The passport is valid for at least 3 months from the date of return home.

• Entrants have the right to be required to present funds as financial guarantees. The minimum amount for 1 day of stay is PLN 300. The equivalent in foreign currency is allowed (about 100 US dollars). It is allowed to present both cash and credit cards.
• The import of foreign currency is not limited, but a declaration is required if the permitted amount exceeds the allowed amount of 10,000 euros.
• If guests of Poland enter the territory of the country with pets, they will need a certificate from the veterinary service. It must contain notes on all vaccinations given to the animal, including vaccination against rabies.

What might they ask at the border?

• Purpose of the trip.
• Travel route planned to visit the city.
• Scheduled tour dates.
• What is being imported into Poland, do you have alcohol and cigarettes with you? The established norm for 1 person is 2 packs of cigarettes, 1 liter of strong alcohol or 2 liters of wine.

Documents for crossing the border by car

For passengers

• International passport with visa.
• Medical insurance:
  • For the entire trip.
  • Valid throughout Schengen.
  • Coverage from 30 thousand euros.
• Sometimes they require you to present:
  • Financial guarantees.
  • Reservation of a hotel room or place at a campsite, or availability of another residential address in Poland.
  • Invitation from a local individual or legal entity.

For the driver

1. International passport with visa.
2. Medical insurance.
3. Sometimes they require the same additional documents as for passengers.
4. Driver's license (no special requirements).
5. Vehicle registration certificate (vehicle registration certificate). It is important that the document is issued to the driver. Handwritten powers of attorney are not accepted.
6. Current green map.

What is a green card for a car?

When traveling by car to Poland, a green card is required. In fact, this is an analogue of our OSAGO. The document is issued not for the driver, but for the vehicle. This means that anyone on the trip can drive the car. Of course, provided he has a driver's license.

A green card for traveling to Poland must be of an international format and valid throughout Europe. It is not possible to issue the document at any insurance company. A limited number of organizations have the right to sell this type of insurance service. Among them:

• "Rosgosstrakh".
• "Alpha Insurance"
• "RESO-Garantiya"
• "Alliance".
• "ERGO Rus".

Important! You can buy an insurance policy no earlier than 30 days before the start of its validity and the date of the trip.

How much do you have to pay for a green card?

The cost of a green card to Poland depends, first of all, on the type of vehicle and the duration of the insurance contract. Approximate amounts:

Key requirements for the car

• Full technical serviceability of the machine.
• Serviceability and one hundred percent working condition of lighting devices. It is advisable to stock up on light bulbs so that you can change them at the border if necessary.
• The windshield is clean and free of visible cracks. Only cracks of 2-3 centimeters and small chips are acceptable.
• The vehicle must contain:
  • First aid kit.
  • Spare tire or repair kit.
  • Fire extinguisher (it is recommended to check its expiration date before travelling).
  • Warning triangle.
  • Reflective vests for all participants of the trip.
• Child car seats (when traveling with children under 12 years old).
• Foreign motorists traveling on Polish roads in their car must place on it a sign of the state where the car is registered. For Russians, this is the “RUS” sign in a white oval. It is not permissible to drive a vehicle without a sticker.

Main road rules in Poland

• Maximum permissible driving speed (in km/h):

• When driving, the low beam headlights are always on. Time of day and weather conditions do not play a role.
• Studded tires are prohibited. The use of winter tires is voluntary.
• It is prohibited to equip vehicles with radar detectors and similar devices. Even an unused radar detector cannot be carried.
• The maximum possible alcohol content in a motorist's blood is 0.2 ppm. For driving while intoxicated, the driver's driver's license is confiscated. In addition, the violator faces imprisonment for up to 8 years.

Fines for traffic violations

Parking in Polish

Polish drivers and motorists visiting from other countries are allowed to park their cars only in specially designated areas. It is also prohibited to leave a car in parking lots intended for people with special needs. For this there is a fine of 800 zlotys.

Free parking in Polish city centers is not as scarce as in other Central European countries. They are focused:

• At large retail outlets (Ikea, Auchan and others).
• Near historical centers.
• In courtyards and near residential buildings.
• Near restaurants, cafes and shops.

Paid parking is also available in large quantities. They are available on all main streets, near attractions and in areas that are most in demand. Finding a parking spot is easy. Just follow the blue signs with the letter “P”.

Important! In large Polish cities parking is paid only on certain days (usually weekdays) and hours (usually from 9:00 to 17:00). The rest of the time you can stay on them for free.

The cost of parking depends on their proximity to the center, significant objects and crowds of people. For example, an hour of parking in the center of Gdansk will cost 3 zlotys.

Parking is paid through a parking meter. As a rule, these devices are located near the parking lot. On the parking meter display you need to select the parking time and pay for the service (in small change or large bills).

The machine will issue a receipt - a parking ticket. It must be placed on the car’s dashboard so that inspectors can see the paper through the windshield.

If you run out of gas...

Self-service is common at Polish gas stations. The driver fills the tank and then pays for the fuel at the ticket office. Drivers are allowed to carry up to 20 liters of fuel in cans. It is worth considering that 92nd gasoline is not available at local gas stations. And the 95th comes in 2 types - with and without lead.

At the beginning of 2017, the average cost of gasoline and diesel fuel in Poland was:

• 1.07 euros (95 petrol).
• 1.13 euros (98 petrol).
• 1.05 euros (diesel).
• 0.5 euro (LPG).

At the same time, prices at gas stations located along highways can be 10-20 eurocents higher than at gas stations near large shopping complexes.

Toll roads

Polish motorways A1, A2 and A4 are toll roads. The fare depends on the distance traveled.

Payments are calculated differently for specific road sections. Typically, travel is paid both in cash and by bank transfer, in national currency, euros and American dollars. However, it is recommended to pay with local money. Change is also always given in zlotys.

By car through Poland: transit rules

People enter Poland via Kaliningrad or Brest by personal transport not only for the sake of a road trip through the Central European republic. Many of our fellow citizens are only passing through Polish lands, choosing other countries as the main goal of their auto tour. The following documents are submitted for a Schengen transit visa to travel through Poland:

• :
  • It must be filled out completely and certified with a personal signature.
  • It is advisable to fill out the form on a computer, but it is acceptable to fill out the form by hand.
  • The information must be entered legibly, using a pen with blue or black ink (if filled out by hand).
  • Information is written in Russian, Polish or English.
  • Points No. 1-5 are filled in in Latin letters, strictly as in the international passport.
  • A separate form is filled out for a minor child included in the parent’s passport. It is signed by the parent.

• Visa of the state of destination (original and copy). In case of its absence, the following shall be submitted:
  • Or a 100% paid hotel reservation.
  • Or documents for ownership of real estate (lease agreement, purchase and sale agreement, etc.).
• International passport:
  • Copies of the first page and Schengen visas for 3 years (if available).
  • With 2 free sheets.
  • The document is valid for 3 months after returning home.
  • The passport is valid for no more than 10 years.
• Russian passport. Copies of pages:
  • First.
  • With registration.
  • Pages 18-19 (about previous passports).

When crossing the border, the same papers are presented as for road trips directly within Poland. It is important to remember that if a foreigner already has a valid Schengen visa, there is no need to make a separate document for transit.

Polish highways are considered one of the safest in Europe. The vast majority of drivers treat all road users with respect. Pedestrians and cyclists have priority on the road. Almost all highways are equipped with CCTV cameras and radars and are carefully monitored by the police. Therefore, when traveling around the republic by car, you should strictly follow traffic rules.

Well, in my opinion, it’s time to plan a winter holiday, maybe even New Year's trip to some pleasant and suitable place for this. Those who can hardly endure winter and cold are probably already packing their suitcases in warm countries SEA or Latin America. Others are looking forward to seeing European cities turning into a fairy tale during the Christmas holidays or uncovering your skis on one of ski resorts. And I propose to combine the last two desires and do it in Poland.

Last time we sorted things out: we looked for answers to the main questions related to tickets, hotels and other preliminary actions that are taken when planning independent travel. Today we will do the same with Poland and try to find answers to specific questions:

1. Why Poland?
2. How to get there?
3. Where to stay?
4. How to get a visa?
5. How much will the trip cost?

Let's get started (=

1. Where exactly in Poland and why?

I suggest Krakow + Zakopane. And not only in winter, but also in summer. Because Krakow is the most majestic and worthy city in Poland with a rich historical and cultural heritage, and Zakopane is the Polish ski capital, and in the warm season it’s simply a wonderful, soulful place, because the mountains are magnificent in any season. This does not mean that other cities are not worthy of attention, I am also extremely interested in the northern Polish Tricity (Gdynia, Gdansk and Sopot), but in winter it is not very comfortable there, and besides, it is a bit far away, Krakow and Zakopane are the very south of the country. Well, if you ask yourself why Poland? Yes, simply because you definitely need to visit this country at least once. I'm sure she won't disappoint you.

2. How to get there?

Most choose to travel by plane. You can fly to Krakow (with a transfer) or to the capital of Poland. Distance Warsaw - Krakow 300 km. You can overcome it by train or bus. It is also convenient to get from Krakow to Zakopane by bus or train; travel time is from two to three hours.

If you like to travel by private car, great! From Moscow to Krakow you need to cover a distance of only 1,500 km. Then, to calculate travel costs, you will need information about the cost of gasoline in the countries through which the road passes and the cost of vehicle insurance.
If you prefer a train, then it will be the Polonaise, branded train Russian railways, following the Moscow-Warsaw route. The drive is not very long, only 18 hours. Departure daily at 17:21.

3. Hotels in Krakow and Zakopane

Depending on your preferences, the number of nights in one and another city may vary. If you have never been to Krakow and are more interested excursion holiday, then you can only ride in Zakopane for a couple of days. If the main purpose of your visit is skiing, you can accordingly keep your stay in Krakow to a minimum. In Zakopane, it’s great to stay in a private mini-hotel, where you can spend your evenings like home.

4. Visa issues.

I never tire of repeating that independent registration Visas are not at all difficult or costly, neither in terms of material nor in terms of time resources. Of course, things get more complicated if you live far from Moscow or other major centers where embassies and visa centers may be present. In this case, the cost of visa services becomes more expensive.
So, if you have carefully studied the official website of the Polish Embassy in Russia (http://wiza.polska.ru) and carefully collected the necessary package of documents, then you don’t have to worry about the entry permit; you will most likely receive a visa. At least in the case of countries of Eastern Europe, which relate to Russian tourists still quite loyal.

5. How much does all this cost?

Your budget for such a trip may consist of the following figures:

– train tickets – from 230.6 euros
Moscow-Warsaw-Moscow, in second grade.
(current tariffs on the website rzd.ru)
— — from 8,000 rubles
Moscow-Warsaw-Moscow, economy class.
— night in a hotel in Krakow — from 1,800 rubles/night
price for double standard number in a *** hotel within walking distance of the city center.
— night in a hotel in Krakow min — from 1,000 rub./night
minimum price for a double room in a hotel of any type within relative accessibility of the center (walking/public transport).
— night in a hotel in Zakopane — from 2,000 rubles/night
price for a double standard room in a hotel ***
— consular fee — 35 euros
per person.
– equipment rental – from 20 zlotys per day
set (skis, boots and poles)
— liter of gasoline in Poland — from 5 zlotys

Entry into Poland for citizens of Ukraine within the framework of laws on visa-free regime possible on the basis of a biometric passport and subject to additional conditions. Which ones exactly were described in detail by the press service Border Service Poland.

The conditions for entry into Poland for Ukrainians without a visa are as follows:

1. Having a valid travel document (in this case biometric passport), giving the owner the right to cross the border and meeting the following criteria:

— it is valid for at least three months after the expected date of departure from the territory of the Member States; in justified emergency cases this criterion may be changed;

- was issued within the last 10 years;

2. The traveler must justify the purpose and conditions of the intended stay, as well as have sufficient funds for the duration of the intended stay and return to his country;

3. Citizens should not have been denied entry into the SIS;

4. Do not pose a threat to public order, internal security, public health or international relations of any EU country.

The Border Guard may require third-country nationals to present documents that confirm their residence. For example, booking a hotel on a website or a written statement from a relative with whom the foreigner will stay. As well as a travel and return plan (for example, a return ticket or a round trip ticket).

It is also necessary to have enough funds with you for the entire duration of your stay and return to your country or for transit to a third country.

How much money do you need to have:

– minimum PLN 300, if the duration of the intended stay does not exceed 4 days,

- 75 zlotys for each day of the planned stay, if the duration of the intended stay exceeds 4 days - or the equivalent of this amount in foreign currency.

In addition, you must additionally have:

- at least 200 zlotys for the return trip or return ticket.

Foreigners traveling to Poland:

— to tourist events, resorts, camps, sports competitions;

- have a paid stay in the Republic of Poland,

Can confirm the purpose and duration of the planned stay:

- a document confirming participation in an event, in sports competitions, or show a ticket to a camp, directions to a resort;

- evidence of payment of at least the cost of accommodation and food during your stay in Poland;

Documents that confirm the necessary funds can be, for example:

- checks;
— certificate about the amount of the limit on credit card, issued by the bank;
– a certificate confirming the availability of funds in an account with a bank that has a representative office in Poland or another state in the EU.

What documents might you need for a Poland visa?

When booking a tour to Poland, you will need to apply for a single-entry tourist visa, for which you must provide the following documents:

• Foreign passport (valid for three months from the end of the foreign trip);
• General passport;
• Two photos (in color, using a white background, size 3.5 cm x 4.5 cm, with 70% for the face);

Important: Photos must be no older than six months at the time of applying for a visa!

• Complete personal data (the form is available, but it is more convenient to fill out the form online at the link: secure.e-konsulat.gov.pl) ;
• Confirmed sufficient solvency of the departing tourist in the form of bank statements or a current certificate from the place of work, with the correct indication of information such as actual official wages, or copies of bank cards with additional confirmation from the bank about cash balances on linked accounts;
• For people of retirement age - confirmation of the fact of having a valid pension certificate;
• For a child traveling with one of the parents, the previously required power of attorney, certified by a notary, and received from the other parent is no longer necessary;
• For a child traveling independently, it is not necessary to have a mandatory power of attorney, certified by a notary, for independent travel from each of the parents; such permission from one of the parents is sufficient.

Clarifications and nuances

Before you begin processing documents, you should carefully study the rules, including the possibility of new changes and clarifications.

For example:

1. Passports must be signed. This clarification concerns the rule for minors aged 14-18 years, according to which they are required to sign in their passport.2. One color photo (size 3.5 cm x 4.5 cm) must be pasted onto the application form with a signature. Requirements for the photo: faces are not covered by hair, gaze is directed at the lens, neutral expression, mouth closed; the eyes are clearly visible, without reflection of flashes in the lenses, without the use of lens tinting, with glasses whose thin frames do not cover even part of the eyes; without hats.
2. When scanning internal passports(from the age of fourteen) the copy must contain those pages that contain all the information about the applicant’s biometric data, as well as notes regarding the issuance foreign passports, confirmation of marital status, as well as official registration in Russia. This means that if you have an issued second passport, you need a copy of the page with a stamp confirming this fact. And if you have a marriage stamp, you need to make a copy of the page that is marked in the “marital status” column.
3. For applicants with third-country citizenship, an additional confirmation of the legality of their stay in Russia is required, which fully complies with federal legislation (in the form of a residence permit, long-term visas or registration with the Federal Migration Service), which will remain valid for (at least) three months after the applicant’s planned return from the Schengen area. You can also get by with documents confirming the fact that you have officially submitted documents to renew your confirmation of legal stay.
4. Citizens of the Russian Federation with temporary registration in the Kaliningrad region are limited by the validity of visas, which are tied to the period of such temporary registration.
5. Tourists must have a special voucher or a confirmed reservation of a place in a Polish hotel, paid for at least 50%, and when planning to travel to other countries of the Schengen area, they must pay in full for their stay in these countries (100%).
6. The original certificates issued from the place of actual work of tourists differ in their actual status:
   • Employees submit certificates from their place of work, issued using company letterhead, which indicate the details of the employing company, the actual position of the tourist, his length of service, as well as the confirmed amount of monthly salary and other income for the last six months (the validity of such a certificate is no more than one months);
   • Entrepreneurs submit originals and copies of documents confirming the registration of their company with authorized local authorities (certificates of form 2NDFL and 3NDFL).

Traveling with minor children

Registration of travel for minor children must be completed in the visa folder with the following documents:

1. Full personal data;
2. Two color photos, size 3.5 cm x 4.5 cm, with a white background;
3. Child's birth certificate;
4. His mother's civil passport;
5. , with notarization.

About multiple-entry tourist visas

As for multiple-entry tourist visas, with a validity period of six months to one year (with a maximum stay of 90 days), applicants with the following parameters will be able to possess such documents:

• In the last two years, they have been issued at least two Schengen visas, which were correctly used, without any violation of laws, and at least one of them was issued at a Polish consular post, and was subsequently used in accordance with the purposes defined in writing in the official application submitted for such a visa;
• The rules for entry, stay and exit from the territories of all visited EU member states were not violated;
• They can show all the documents that confirm the presence of permanent legal sources of income, or they will familiarize themselves with the latest current statement of their any bank account, or with a statement issued by an ATM confirming the presence of sufficient financial assets in the client account in the applicant’s banks;
• It is possible to present receipts for payment made for a stay in a Polish hotel, which will be at least six (for the entire period of the last two years) days, before submitting the application for such a visa. Checks from hotels for independent visits, checks from a Polish travel agency for payment for the provision of travel services, checks from Russian travel companies for tour services. Such checks must necessarily coincide with the periods in which the visas were issued. And confirmation of actual payment is made by checks or payments from the bank confirming the fact of transfer Money for certain travel services to bank accounts of legal entities from Poland, or with official confirmations from hotels (with their full details and signatures certified by “wet” seals).

Additional documents for tourists applying for multiple visas include: petition statement To the Consul of the Republic of Poland for the issuance of a multiple visa (can be filled out at the tourist office).
A visa center has also been operating since November 1, 2012. Consulate General Poland, where to the basic visa price (35 euros). service cost is added visa center, equal to 19 euros.

For children under six years of age, as well as for disabled people, visa center services are provided free of charge.

Opening a Polish business visa

In order for the opening of a business visa to be successful and the procedure for obtaining it to occur without any delays, you will be required to carry out a certain procedure when providing the following documents:

1. An original invitation from a Polish legal entity, issued on the letterhead of this organization, with the obligatory confirmation of the signature with the original imprint of the company's seal, as well as indicating the most complete information (both about the company and the type of its activity). In addition, this invitation must contain information about the specific invited person, which will indicate his full name, date of birth, passport details, purposes and dates of the trip, with mandatory information on determining the party bearing full financial responsibility for all expenses necessary for such a trip leaving.
2. A completed form in Latin, which you can find on the consulate website.
3. And finally, you must submit documents in person.

A well-executed invitation from the host party serves as the basis for guaranteed receipt of this type of visa.

We should not forget about this decisive role of the invitation in the process of obtaining a business visa, as well as the varying requirements for it in different consulates. For example, in addition to the standard sample, you may need to provide an eight-digit identification number of an electronic invitation or an original invitation from the receiving party, where, in addition to detailed description activities of the company, goals and duration of stay, it is necessary to indicate the position of the invitee and the sources of covering the financial costs associated with this invitation. In the event that the invitation does not contain information about financial responsibility, an application is required official letter from the company to cover such travel expenses.

In some cases, any country that issues business visas to Russians, including Poland, may request Additional information, confirming the declared purposes of the trip, additional confirmation of financial support, or confirmation of family ties in Russia.

About local border traffic (LBT) for residents of Kaliningrad

For residents of Kaliningrad, the possibility of crossing the border is always relevant, so they are more likely than other residents of Russia to apply for special border visas.

What do Russians need to know about MPP?

All persons who require a special permit to cross the border, valid on the basis of the Agreement on cross-border movement can register their applications by going to the official website of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, taking advantage of the e-konsulat system. This type of procedure coincides with the rules for filling out Schengen visa applications. When filling out an application, you should correctly fill out the proposed application forms in order to then deliver them with a general set of documents to the Consulate at the exact time specified for this visit, which will be written on the application itself.

And you should know that documents for MPP can also be submitted both personally and by immediate relatives, for example: a wife has the right to submit these documents for her husband, a father - instead of his own children who have not reached the age of majority.

Please note that applications not registered on the official website will not be considered.

The following administrative units are classified as special Polish territories of the MPP zone:

• For Pomeranian Voivodeship: cities of Gdynia, Sopot and Gdansk; as well as the powiats: Nowodworski, Gdańsk, Puck and Malbork.
• For the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship: cities of Olsztyng and Elbląg; as well as the powiats: Elbląg, Giżycki, Braniewski, Mrągowski, Lidzbar, Bartoszycki, Olsztyn, Węgorzewski, Kętrzyn, Olecki and Gołdap.
• IN Russian Federation includes the entire territory of the Kaliningrad region.

Complete list of documents for MPP:

1. Confirmed place of permanent residence in the border region (no less than a period of three years) - both original and copies.
2. Application for a permit for MPP (with ease of execution when electronic registration carried out on the website e-konsulat.gov.pl).
3. Passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation, with marked registration of a specific place of residence in one of settlements which are located in the border zone.
4. A travel document recognized by both parties as an identity document and giving the right to cross certain points on state borders(excluding diplomatic passports, service passports, as well as seaman’s passports) - both in the original and in a copy.
5. Temporary identity card of a citizen of the Russian Federation, with a marked registration of a specific place of residence in one of the settlements located in the border zone.
6. Certificate of registration at the place of residence in one of the settlements located in the border zone.
7. An extract from the house register, which is certified by the authorized bodies for registration and registration of citizens of Russia, which must certify the fact of residence in one of the settlements located in the border zone.
8. A residence permit for a foreigner or a stateless person must indicate registration of place of residence in one of the settlements located in the border zone.
9. Stay card.
10. Certificate from the competent Polish authorities about the place of actual residence.
11. A letter of justification for the reasons for frequent crossings of the Polish-Russian state border, including factors supporting family relationships, or socio-cultural contacts that are not legally related to entrepreneurship or work.
12. A color photograph that meets all visa requirements, measuring 3.5 cm by 4.5 cm.
13. Identification.

All of the above data is entered into a specific form, according to the requirements detailed instructions, and a document with errors is not accepted.

Obtaining such a permit gives the unconditional right to residents of the border areas of one of the states to enter and also stay in the border areas of another state specified in this MPP permit. However, each stay cannot be more than 30 days, with a specified time of entry, and the total total stay can never exceed ninety days in each six-month period, which is counted from the moment of the very first visit to the country with such a permit.