Driving in Poland advice
Discussion
Visiting my girlfriends family in a few weeks in Central Poland. They actually live in what i'd describe as a hamlet, in the middle of nowhere.
Her brother has offered us the use of his car whilst we are there, and i'd like practical advice from those who have driven in Poland.
The purpose of the loan of the car is so that we can visit some interesting places instead of being restricted to her tiny 'village', so would be looking at going to Auschwitz etc.
Her brother has offered us the use of his car whilst we are there, and i'd like practical advice from those who have driven in Poland.
The purpose of the loan of the car is so that we can visit some interesting places instead of being restricted to her tiny 'village', so would be looking at going to Auschwitz etc.
AndyT77 said:
Visiting my girlfriends family in a few weeks in Central Poland. They actually live in what i'd describe as a hamlet, in the middle of nowhere.
Her brother has offered us the use of his car whilst we are there, and i'd like practical advice from those who have driven in Poland.
The purpose of the loan of the car is so that we can visit some interesting places instead of being restricted to her tiny 'village', so would be looking at going to Auschwitz etc.
If you're driving in on the autobahn past Cottbus be prepared for the worst road you've ever been on for about 50 miles into Poland. It's a statement that says "look what we've had to drive on since the war".Her brother has offered us the use of his car whilst we are there, and i'd like practical advice from those who have driven in Poland.
The purpose of the loan of the car is so that we can visit some interesting places instead of being restricted to her tiny 'village', so would be looking at going to Auschwitz etc.
I kid you not..All the way out to the border is beautiful new road,paid for by the tax payers of Europe..
Off the main roads after that it's pretty ropey.
Driving in Poland advice...........don't.
Probably on a par with India, Egypt and the Greek Islands for the sheer number of NUTTERS on the roads!
Makes the South Circular on a friday afternoon around Brixton look like a leisurely sunday drive in a deserted lake district!
Get your partners brother to do the driving!
Probably on a par with India, Egypt and the Greek Islands for the sheer number of NUTTERS on the roads!
Makes the South Circular on a friday afternoon around Brixton look like a leisurely sunday drive in a deserted lake district!
Get your partners brother to do the driving!
I agree with the above two posts - avoid it at all costs! Roads near the borders are terrible the worst and i mean the worst i have ever driven on! Lots of car jacking although if your driving a native car you should be OK and..... seemingly no idea of road law.
You have been warned sorry to be the bearer of such woes. Best of luck, hope she is worth it!
You have been warned sorry to be the bearer of such woes. Best of luck, hope she is worth it!
I've never driven there but I was on a coach (instead of a plane due to an icelandic volcano chundering into the sky) in Poland for about 7 hours before getting in to Germany and it was fine from what I could see. Absolutely no different to France, Germany or Belgium.
No real advice but I can't see a reason not to do it.
No real advice but I can't see a reason not to do it.
Some of their 'B' roads can be a bit ropey (but then quite a few British roads are too at the moment, just not quite as bad) just don't think you can drive on them like the locals and you'll be fine. Lots of pot-holes and ruts especially at this time of year mean you have to keep your speed down, in winter it can be really sketchy.
Bizarrely the best roads are the cobble ones that have been there since WW2 and built under Nazi direction, at least they are in the north east of the country.
Watch out for Lithuanian lorry drivers as they seem to be without doubt the craziest drivers out there, even the locals give them a wide berth, but maybe that's another NE thing. Seem to remember they weren't to keen on Ukrainian lorries either.
Locals and truck drivers will overtake you and expect you to move over onto the 'hard shoulder' even in the face of oncoming traffic. I've seen 3 abreast (a car overtaking a lorry overtaking a tractor) that'll take up the whole road.
Keep your wits about you and you should be fine though.
Bizarrely the best roads are the cobble ones that have been there since WW2 and built under Nazi direction, at least they are in the north east of the country.
Watch out for Lithuanian lorry drivers as they seem to be without doubt the craziest drivers out there, even the locals give them a wide berth, but maybe that's another NE thing. Seem to remember they weren't to keen on Ukrainian lorries either.
Locals and truck drivers will overtake you and expect you to move over onto the 'hard shoulder' even in the face of oncoming traffic. I've seen 3 abreast (a car overtaking a lorry overtaking a tractor) that'll take up the whole road.
Keep your wits about you and you should be fine though.
oh, to the OP. If you're going to Auschwitz. Be prepared for a SERIOUSLY moving day.
Regardless of religion, belief, whatever, the place WILL move you.
And take your time. After all, it's possibly one of the most significant historical sites of WW2.
I've never really had much interest in WW2 apart from my own late grandfathers Baltic Convoy stories to us as kids but on a trip to Warsaw I ended up stumbling across Pawiak Prison (museum). Which is where 'at least' (the nubers are vague) 1,000,000 were detained before being sent to camps like Auschwitz.
I decided I would extend my 'work' trip by a few days and go there.
So glad I did. Such a poignant place.
Make sure you go!
Regardless of religion, belief, whatever, the place WILL move you.
And take your time. After all, it's possibly one of the most significant historical sites of WW2.
I've never really had much interest in WW2 apart from my own late grandfathers Baltic Convoy stories to us as kids but on a trip to Warsaw I ended up stumbling across Pawiak Prison (museum). Which is where 'at least' (the nubers are vague) 1,000,000 were detained before being sent to camps like Auschwitz.
I decided I would extend my 'work' trip by a few days and go there.
So glad I did. Such a poignant place.
Make sure you go!
Watch out for the crazy overtaking, but apart from that it's fine. After a while it takes root, think my record was 4 cars and a bus at once in a Nissan Qashqai 1.5 diesel, much to the wife's disgust. We drove from central Warsaw (got the car from the Avis beside Stalin's Wedding Cake) to Szczytno (the town where Poland has their police college) and that's mostly two lane highway with only a little dual carriageway. Don't expect bypasses either.
downthepub said:
Watch out for the crazy overtaking, but apart from that it's fine. After a while it takes root, think my record was 4 cars and a bus at once in a Nissan Qashqai 1.5 diesel, much to the wife's disgust. We drove from central Warsaw (got the car from the Avis beside Stalin's Wedding Cake) to Szczytno (the town where Poland has their police college) and that's mostly two lane highway with only a little dual carriageway. Don't expect bypasses either.
Yup, don't expect that.Just got back from there,Zakopane is AMAZING,dont forget your camera!,G/F,s friend owns a chalet there,pm me if you want details,cost me £40 for 2 nights B&B with evening meal.
as for Auschwitz,a very moving place :-(.
just keep up with the rest of the traffic and watch for pot holes,in towns road markings are mainly worn away,the locals know where to stop,you may not !.
as for Auschwitz,a very moving place :-(.
just keep up with the rest of the traffic and watch for pot holes,in towns road markings are mainly worn away,the locals know where to stop,you may not !.
The first thing I can think of is don't try it in a black Alfa 156 like I did. When I borrowed the car in Warsaw first time I saw it I caught someone trying to steal it. After a small fight he ran away and we started on the journy south. When we got to Katowice it was getting dark so we switched the lights on and thanks to wonderful Itialian electrics nothing happened. S there we were at a filling station with the bonnet open trying to get the lights to work. A gang of kids were slowly getting closer to us pionting and shouting. Luckily we got one side light working so we jumped in the car and ran before they got to us.
Also look out for these signs. Tracks left in the road by truck due to the poor construction of the roads. If you drive in them the car can jump off the road as you leave them.
ETA: I know the sign says end but it was the only one on google I could find.
Also look out for these signs. Tracks left in the road by truck due to the poor construction of the roads. If you drive in them the car can jump off the road as you leave them.
ETA: I know the sign says end but it was the only one on google I could find.
Edited by xrv on Tuesday 26th April 10:07
That stretch of road comes as quite a surprise 
terrible is not a fair descriptiion it is worse than that 
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