Poland : Safety by CityOne of the larger countries in Central Europe, Poland offers a variety of landscapes, the main of which is the long Baltic Sea coastline, its great pride, along with picturesque countryside and an abundance of cultural attractions.
Poland shares borders with by Belarus, the Czech Republic, Germany, Lithuania, Russia, Slovakia, and Ukraine.
This country is so large in size that its natural regions can be divided into five major belts: coastal, northern lake districts, central plains, south-eastern highlands, and southern mountains.
Apart from the coastline, another natural attraction in Poland is its picturesque countryside which is still unspoiled to some extent.
You can go through Poland and encounter breathtaking primeval forests, mountain ranges, secluded valleys, meadows, lakes, and organic and traditional farms.
Surrounded by this abundance of nature, visitors have many options when it comes to activities such as bird watching, cycling or horseback riding.
As for culture, Poland (and especially its countryside) is filled with churches, museums, ruins, palaces and adorable traditional ceramic and basket-making workshops.
Warnings & Dangers in Poland
OVERALL RISK: LOW
Generally, Poland is a very safe country to travel to. Still, never let your guard down, and be wary of pickpockets and scammers since their activities increased in the past couple of years.
TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW
Public transport and taxis are safe and reliable, but it is recommended that you be very careful with your valuables in public transport, since that's where organized pickpockets operate. Also, be careful with taxi drivers using numerous tricks and scams to try and overcharge you.
PICKPOCKETS RISK: MEDIUM
Pickpocketing and bag snatching are common in tourist landmarks and crowded areas. Be vigilant at all times and never leave your belongings in plain sight. Be careful in crowded areas, in railway and bus stations and especially in public transport, since pickpockets often work in teams, and make artificial crowds around tourists in order to steal from them, or try to distract people as a trick to pick their pockets.
NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: LOW
There are no threats of natural disasters in Poland. During spring there are occasional floods and during winter there are snowstorms and heavy snowfall. Be cautious when driving during the winter period.
MUGGING RISK: LOW
You shouldn't worry about being mugged or kidnapped in Poland since it rarely if ever occurs.
TERRORISM RISK: LOW
Even though there haven't been any terrorist attacks in Poland's recent history, they shouldn't be ruled out, so remain aware of your surroundings at all times.
SCAMS RISK: MEDIUM
Scams are very common in Poland. There are credit card scams with someone calling you on the phone in your hotel room claiming they're the receptionist asking to confirm your credit card details; also be wary of taxi drivers trying to charge you double or convince you that you haven't paid enough (showing you smaller bills instead of the ones you paid with). Be wary of people claiming they're the police, and get familiar with Polish police uniforms.
WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW
Women traveling solo are completely safe in Poland. If you have your wits with you and follow your common sense, avoid dark and desert alleys or walking alone with strange people at night, your trip should go smoothly.
So... How Safe Is Poland Really?
Poland is a safe country to travel to.
It is getting more and more visitors each year, and its tourism has generally increased especially after joining the European Union in 2004.
However, petty crime has also increased with the influx of tourists.
Be wary of pickpockets bumping into you on the streets, or at the beach, and generally be careful with your valuables, especially in crowded places.
Pickpockets usually work in an organization, so they either create a distraction while someone else steals something from you, or they create artificial crowds on public transport.
Apart from pickpockets, you can easily get scammed in Poland.
There is a number of scams to watch out for like credit card scams where someone wakes you up early in the morning by calling you on your hotel room phone, claiming they’re the receptionist calling to verify your credit card information.
After you read out your credit card number and other details and return back to sleep, they steal everything from your card.
Also, be careful when taking a taxi, since taxi drivers have been known to cheat by insisting you didn’t pay enough, in the meantime having hidden the money you actually paid and showing you smaller bills.
Some might agree on one price and then charge you double once you arrive at your destination.
Also, watch out for “fake officers” claiming to be police and trying to extort money from you.
Get familiar with real uniforms of Polish police, because it’s easy to be tricked when you don’t know how the real police officers look like.
How Does Poland Compare?
| Country | Safety Index |
|---|---|
| Poland | 84 |
| Morocco | 54 |
| Czech Republic | 88 |
| Bulgaria | 80 |
| Vietnam | 73 |
| Slovenia | 87 |
| Japan | 83 |
| Ghana | 73 |
| Portugal | 57 |
Useful Information
Visas
Most countries do not need a visa for any stays shorter than 90 days. Any longer than that, you might have to obtain a visa. Your passport needs to be valid for at least six months from your planned date of return. However, if you are not sure about your visa status, visit www.doyouneedvisa.com which will let you know whether or not you need a visa based on your nationality and the country you want to visit.
Currency
Zloty is the official currency in Poland. ATMs are widely available throughout the country and credit cards are accepted in most establishments such as hotels and restaurants.
Weather
Poland's has a temperate climate which is characterized by relatively cold winters and warm summers. The climate in Poland is greatly influenced by cold polar air from Scandinavia and Russia, as well as warmer, sub-tropical air from the south.
Airports
Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport is Poland's busiest and biggest airport, located in the Włochy district of Warsaw, Poland's capital.
Travel Insurance
Just like anywhere else, we recommend getting travel insurance when traveling to Poland, since it covers not only medical problems but also theft and loss of valuables.
Poland Weather Averages (Temperatures)
Average High/Low Temperature
| Temperature / Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °C | 1 | 2 | 7 | 14 | 19 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 19 | 13 | 6 | 2 |
| Low °C | -5 | -4 | -1 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 9 | 4 | 0 | -3 |
| High °F | 34 | 36 | 45 | 57 | 66 | 72 | 75 | 75 | 66 | 55 | 43 | 36 |
| Low °F | 23 | 25 | 30 | 37 | 46 | 52 | 55 | 55 | 48 | 39 | 32 | 27 |
Poland - Safety by City
| City | Safety Index |
|---|---|
| Gdansk | 68 |
| Krakow | 68 |
| Lodz | 84 |
| Poznań | 73 |
| Warsaw | 81 |
| Wroclaw | 78 |
Amazing Country
Poland is absolutely beautiful and one of the safest places I feel I have traveled to in the last 10 years. I remember growing up I had a school friend who came to America with his family from Poland and he always mentioned going back as nothing compared to his home country. I understand why. My wife and I visited late this summer and are going back next year.
Authoritarian country
You mean Russia?
No I don’t mean Russia
Probably the safest country in Europe – has very few non-europeans.
That’s a good thing compared to what we suffer in the USA!
USA is.Not Poland for sure.
Lgbtq people
Quick notice for lgbtq people, poland has made its entire country a lgbtq free-zone. PLEASE BE SAFE!
that is not true, only in the east of poland there are some provinces which are lgbt free zones, but for example Warsaw is very liberal, and majority of people there tolerate lgbt people, the president of Warsaw included
This lgbt free zones are not what you think they are. They means something like ‘here you will not see any rainbow flags, we will not treat you better just because you are lgbt.’ That’s all. There is no risk for any lgbt people there.
Bullshit. If that were true then what would be the damn point? Are people that bothered by flags? And preferential treatment for LGBT people? As if that happens. I’m not gay, and I’ve always wanted to visit Poland. This appalling bullshit has put me right off.
Lack of flags and acknowledgment is to prevent indoctrination. No one will hurt gay people here unless they start getting uppity…
Yeah because being indoctrinated by gay people is a huge problem. What is wrong with you? Those uppity gay people act like they have human rights. They do. I know a lot of gay people who are awesome and funny. Never met a homophobe who is awesome and funny. Usually dumb. Can’t travel to this country while they’re doing this all the time. Not because I’m LGBT, I’m not……
No one is aking you to come to Poland hahaha, you better back off and saty in your unsafe country
Excellent place to vacation with family.
People like you want special treatment and it’s not OK!!! Here in Marxist America, we can’t even fly our American Flag because it offends people.
I don’t care what you do in your bedroom! Most people mind their own business because we don’t care, we have our own stuff to deal with! I don’t like an ideology shoved down my throat!!! So please stop! Nobody cares!! I think I made myself clear!
If you don’t respect our Country and our heritage,you are not welcome here.Our country- our rules.Please go visiting somewhere else.Thank you.ohh one more think ,communism agitation in Poland is prohibited as well.
Dinsdale, Poland is a very safe and peaceful place. People there are more traditional, prefer a more family oriented society and has deep roots with their culture which has largely maintained their people through several wars and even not existing on the map for 123 years. They do not have to support the LGBT movement or promote it. In a world where Women and Men do not even know what gender she or he is, it is reassuring to know that there are still places in which some level of normality still exists. In my visits to Poland, I am very happy one does not witness the mass stabbings, shootings, over sexualised cultures which have taken over many other places in the world.
A general rule with traveling, If you don’t like it, you are free not to go!
To all others, I pleasantly hope you enjoy your trip to Poland. The people there are very kind.
Not true
It’s fake made popular by one man who wants to harm the ruling gov. There’s nothing like this in Poland
I’ve been violently attacked in eastern Poland for holding hands with my LGBT partner. Avoid eastern Poland. Western Poland is probably safe
good for everyone except LGBT people
oh man, in the name of my country, i’m sorry. It really isn’t safe here for LGBT people. You won’t be murdered, but the chances of being harassed and even attacked are high. Big cities are safer, but never 100% safe. To feel free as a gay person, this unfortunately isn’t yet the country to do it. But we’re slowly becoming better!!!
Eastern Poland only
I’ve been assaulted on the streets of eastern Poland holding hands with my lgbt partner. Eastern Poland is not safe for lgbt people. Western Poland is probably safe though.
Sam, it is not true. LGBT free-zone is a project of polish LGBT activist who prepared “LGBT free zone” logo, put it in various places and took photos of it to create fake news about LGBT free zones. Then he claimed it is “artistic project”.
There are few villages in Poland who voted for laws which locally “protect traditional families”, but it does not have any power, as local governments are very weak in Poland.
If you are visible LGBT some people may be rude to you in east part and poor villages, in bigger cities and West/North part you will be fine. Physical assaults are extremely rare.
There are unfortunately lots of insanely conservative people in Poland but there is no lgbt free zone and I’d say there is no risk for lgby people.
…
Nonsense. No such thing in Poland as LGBT free zones. It’s fake news created by government opposition and idiots like you.
Then why did the EU withhold EU money to regions that declared themselves LGBT+ free zones?
It is only in recent weeks that regions like the ones below backed down so they could receive the funds from the EU.
The southern region of Małopolska
The southeastern provinces of Lublin and Podkarpackie
The eastern Swietokrzyskie region
The full list of Powiats (regions) and Gminas (Districts) is below
Powiat białostocki
Powiat bielski
Powiat dębicki
Powiat jarosławski
Powiat kielecki
Powiat kolbuszowski
Powiat krasnostawski
Powiat leski
Powiat limanowski
Powiat lubaczowski
Powiat lubelski
Powiat łańcucki
Powiat łowicki
Powiat łukowski
Powiat mielecki
Powiat nowotarski
Powiat opoczyński
Powiat przasnyski
Powiat przysuski
Powiat puławski
Powiat radomski
Powiat radzyński
Powiat rawski
Powiat rycki
Powiat sztumski
Powiat świdnicki
Powiat tarnowski
Powiat tatrzański
Powiat tomaszowski
Powiat wieluński
Powiat włoszczowski
Powiat zamojski
Gminas
Gromnik (gmina)
Istebna (gmina), revoked by a court ruling
Jordanów (gmina wiejska)
Klwów (gmina),revoked by a court ruling.
Kraśnik,[95] withdrawn by city council in April 2021
Lipinki (gmina)
Łososina Dolna (gmina)
Niebylec (gmina)
Serniki (gmina),[100] revoked by a court ruling.
Szerzyny (gmina)
Trzebieszów (gmina)
Tuchów
Tuszów Narodowy (gmina)
Urzędów (gmina)
Zakrzówek (gmina)
Skierniewice
Radziechowy-Wieprz, repealed in October 2020 by the voivode of the Silesian Voivodeship, Jarosław Wieczorek
Times will change but we have to tell the truth for that to happen.
By the way, I have lived in Poland for 21 years now and it is an amazing country that runs deep in my soul and you will be hard-pressed to find another modern European country with the same diversity of fora and flora as Poland has.
Safe 100 % , people very nice
Clarification to misleading post
The reason EU is blackmailing Poland is because EU hates diversity. Everybody has to have the same worldview, and it has to be approved by the EU. Any dissent will be punished. Misleading propaganda is encouraged while rational discussion is deemed homophobic. Since Polish people had very bad experience with two major totalitarian sysyems of the XXc, many are naturally suspicious of its new incarnation.
Poland is not only safe, but very courteous and patient with foreigners (which Is more than I can say about France and the US). Very often if you ask them for directions they’ll guide you or walk with you. How can you rate this country’s safety (with 1 star), if you’ve never been (Dinsdale, yeah, you)? They may not understand you, or agree with you, but not only you’ll be safe, you’ll be treated fairly. I just wish every country was as safe, courteous , and as tolerant as Poland! You want some special LGBT attention? Go to San Francisco or LA, good luck being safe there!
Havent Been there, But the people seem amazing!
Hey KitKat, and Many of you other reviewers (But not the awful LBGQ antagonist person).. You all sound awesome, Never really thought of going to poland until I saw Something about the Salt-mine.. Wielicska I believe it is called (Plz. forgive any mispelling)… Then I started reading these reviews on travelsafe abroad… You people sound amazing (not the antagonist). I would super love to visit, Poland sounds amazing and I dig the way you guys (90% of the people in this review chat) roll! I Hope, when I finally make it there, I share a random smile or hello w/one of you all! (And for some reason..) if you ever get the inkling to come to the U.S. Minnesota isn’t bad…. There are some conservative small towns/villages… some liberal big ones…. but all in all I like to think the people there are very welcoming and kind also for the most part (The weather is colder though… One of the other things that turned me on about Poland is the temperate winters 😛 1 degree celsius is a beautiful temperature). In any case, Much Love, Stay Chill, and Many Blessings!
Cold as ice
Who has a colder personality? North Poles or South Poles?
You
You mean because they do smile like a brain damaged chimp at everything?
Poland od very safe country
Poland is a very safe country. It is a country much safer than Germany, France and Great Britain.
Poland seems like a fairly good European country many towns and cities to go to
Poland is a safe country. Love the food!
French Fries
Well Snaps… Went From Salt Mines to Poland to Polish Food…. Pardon my ignorance, I am still learning, but in thinking (at this exact moment) what I know about polish food… all I can think of is Polish Sausage (Which most likely isn’t even from Poland like French Fries aren’t from France! 😛 ) Hey Tourist, What is your favorite Dish?
Love Poland God bless
Poland is a wonderful country. it was rebuilt after WW11 and it will stand firm on morality and the traditional family principles. If you have other ways to live than this, find another country that meets your needs. Poland will not change. Why should it? God is for Poland.
Rafael
Have visited many times and decided to move to Poland. I could not agree with this statement more! This is a very good place to raise a family and a great place to travel!
good europe place
overall safe and very beautiful country but really anti-LGBT, keep that in mind.
and that is a good thing 🙂
btw, islam is right about lgbt. if you dont agree you’re racist.
Violence against LGBT is not as high as people make it seem. A country or society does not approve in a sex focused culture in many ways makes the place a better place to visit. Very safe country and people will show you respect if you show them respect as-well 🙂
Poland has the greatest music and the largest castle in the world
Safe, unless you're non-white or gay
Safe, unless you’re non-white or gay. Highly racist and homophobic society.
You guys are hilarious I love the comments I am going to Poland soon and I think it’s gonna be awesome
Lovely People
You will love it! Learn a few words and the people here will love you back.
Never had any problem
Sorry, but you are overoptimistic. A front country with several million of war refuges from Ukraine is not as safe as Germany or Finland which have nearly the same score. Additionally, there are gangs of football hooligans which terrorize whole cities and go unpunished as the police and courts are extremely corrupted. Finally, I you get sick or have an accident, better seek help abroad because the health service is totally inefficient and hardly anyone speak there English.
Do refugees from Ukraine bother you? These are almost exclusively women with small children. They live with Poles in homes and most often have a job. They won’t mug you in Lidl. Don’t worry.
Buy commercial insurance – you will be able to see a commercial doctor if necessary. Public health care can be weak when you get to a very small town. An English friend broke his leg skiing in Poland. He was delighted with the hospital where he was treated.
As you already compare with Finland – Finland has a border with Russia several times longer than Poland. And less guarded.
Awesome!
We visit every year, Krakow is a wonderful and beautiful city. Coming from US it is a great place to relax and let our kids explore the city and not worry about them. Medicine is old socialized service just like we have in the US …. Unless ….one has money and can afford better treatment…just like we have in the US. BTW cost for concierge care in Poland is much lower than what I pay for Mayo Clinic here.
I recommend visiting Poland to all as it is safe and wonderful. Poland is working to shake the communist damages and return to prosperity while US is now drowning in this ideology…
If this is Your opinion seriously stay in San Francisco as it is made for you. Love Poland
How much russia is paying You for this fake news?
Lyla
Idk tbh. I visited in 2017 and to be fair it wasn’t the best country i’ve been to. People weren’t very friendly and I got dirty looks from people everywhere i went. Felt a bit uncomfortable. Food wasn’t great but the landscapes and architecture of the country were nice. So, it was okay. Wont be heading back though.
This is Polands whole thing about it’s safety and how I’ve been there
My mom is Polish and I went to Poland once. It is the safest country I’ve ever been to. I’ve been to Mexico before but it wasn’t really safe. We had to be at a secure resort and it’s expensive. Poland should be much better. But be warned. I’m not LGBT, but to the LGBT do NOT go to the Eastern part of Poland. You won’t be murdered but you can get attacked. in the western part it’s kinda safe, BUT NOT 100%. You won’t get attacked, but you might be makes fun of. btw Poland is rated LEVEL 1 (exercise normal precautions) which means not much dangers. But pickpocketing and scams can occur, so be aware at all times.
It is nice and safe country, I hope no woke people will come over. They are ruining their own countries.
Probably the safest place in Europe aside small countries like Latvia and Denmark
Very very safe.