Traveling by car in Poland requires knowledge of toll roads, parking lots, traffic fines and driving features, as they differ slightly in each EU country.
Do you have to pay for traveling on the roads of Poland? Toll roads in Poland.
In Poland, all roads are free, with the exception of expressways. Payment for the use of motorways in Poland is calculated for the distance traveled. In general, roads in Poland are of good quality, and every year Poland builds new roads and transport interchanges, because roads have a direct impact on the country’s economy.
Millions of Poles and foreigners travel on Polish roads every year. Some of them have to be paid for. Therefore, when planning a trip around the country, you need to know where to pull out your wallet and how much you are going to spend.
Driving on most roads in Poland is free. Vignettes or other similar solutions do not apply. Only certain sections of highways are tolled.
As of 2024, there are 5 toll freeways in Poland:
- A1 Gdansk — Torun. The cost is PLN 0.20/km. The full price is PLN 29.90. Payment at the gate or through applications.
- A2 Swiecko — Konin. The cost depends on the area – from 0.20 to 0.50 PLN/km. The full price is 93 zlotys. Payment at the gate.
- A4 Katowice — Krakow. The cost for the full journey is PLN 26. Payment at the gate or through applications
- A2 Konin — Strykow. The price for motorcycles is PLN 0.05/km; for passenger cars – 0.1 PLN/km. The full price is PLN 9.90. Payment via e-Toll Pl Bilet
- A4 Wroclaw — Gliwice. The cost for the full journey is PLN 16.20. Payment via e-Toll Pl Bilet or applications.
Payment for travel on toll highways is made directly at the entrance to the highway or through mobile applications – mPay, Autopay, SkyCash . To travel on state lanes, you must have an electronic ticket – e-Toll Pl Bilet .
Do not forget about insurance in Poland
Car insurance in Poland is mandatory for all citizens and guests. Fines for driving vehicles in Poland without insurance:
- Up to 3 days PLN 1,700 for cars and PLN 2,550 for trucks;
- From 4 to 14 days PLN 4,240 for passenger cars and PLN 6,360 for vans;
- More than 14 days PLN 8,480 for cars and PLN 12,730 for trucks;
I recommend that you have valid car insurance, it will save you money, time and cover the costs of an insurance event.
Gas stations and the price of gasoline in Poland
Poland is the 20th city in the world in terms of the number of cars per thousand people, which is more than 24 million cars, so there are no problems with refueling cars here.
According to the latest data, there are almost 8,000 gas stations in Poland. The largest network in Poland is “PKN Orlen” with more than 1,700 gas stations, the second and third places are shared by the British “BM” and the Polish “LOTOS” , which have almost 600 gas stations each. The fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh places were divided by “Sheel” , “Circle K” , “Amic ” , “Total” can be paid in cash and by VISA, Mastercard payment cards. There are also shops where you can buy drinks, snacks, food and things for the car. Gas stations in Poland sell gasoline 95 and 98, diesel fuel, and gas.
Gasoline quality in Poland
In 2022, more than 130,000 questionnaires were received, and drivers said that the best fuel is at the “Orlen” gas station . “BP” finished second, “Circle K” third, “Shell” (fourth) and “Moya” (fifth) both outside the podium.
Fuel prices in Poland
As of 2024, average fuel prices in Poland:
- Gasoline 98 – PLN 7.12-7.25 per liter
- Gasoline 95 – PLN 6.45-6.57 per liter
- Diesel is PLN 6.46-6.59 per liter
- LPG – PLN 2.72-2.79 per liter
Parking in Poland
Średnie ceny parkowania w Polsce w miastach:
| Nie ma żadnego | Miasto | Pierwsza godzina | Drugi rok | 3:00 | Trzy lata |
| 1 . | Warszawa | 4,50 zł | 5,40 zł | 6,40 zł | 16,40 zł |
| 2 . | Nie martw się | 4,00 zł | 4,50 zł | 5,00 zł | 13,50 zł |
| 3 . | Kielce | 4,00 zł | 4,40 zł | 4,80 zł | 13,20 zł |
| 4 . | Kalisz | 4,00 zł | 4,80 zł | 5,70 zł | 14,50 zł |
| 5 . | Opole | 4,40 zł | 5,20 zł | 6,20 zł | 15,80 zł |
| 6 . | Łódź | 5,00 zł | 5,50 zł | 6,00 zł | 16,50 zł |
| 7 . | Rzeszów | 5,00 zł | 6,00 zł | 7,20 zł | 18,20 zł |
| 8 . | Poznań* | 7,00 zł | 7,10 zł | 7,90 zł | 22,00 zł |
| 9 . | Wrocław* | 7,00 zł | 7,30 zł | 7,70 zł | 22,00 zł |
| 10 . | Szczecin* | 3,60 zł | 4,30 zł | 5,10 zł | 13,00 zł |
| 11 . | Lublin* | 4,50 zł | 5,40 zł | 6,40 zł | 16,30 zł |
| 12 . | Kraków | 9,00 zł dla zwiedzających, 6,00 zł dla mieszkańców Krakowa | 10,00 zł dla zwiedzających, 7,00 zł dla mieszkańców Krakowa | 11,00 zł dla zwiedzających, 8,00 zł dla mieszkańców Krakowa | 30,00 zł dla zwiedzających, 21,00 zł dla mieszkańców Krakowa |
| 13 . | Gdańsk* | 5,50 zł | 6,60 zł | 7,20 zł | 19,30 zł |
| 14 . | Gdynia* | 5,50 zł | 6,60 zł | 7,90 zł | 20,00 zł |
| 15 . | Sopot | 5,40 zł | 6,20 zł | 7,40 zł | 19,00 zł |
| 16 . | Uruchomić | 6,20 zł | 7,40 zł | 8,90 zł | 22,50 zł |
| 17 . | Ostrów Wlkp.* | 2,50 zł | 3,00 zł | 3,50 zł | 9,00 zł |
| 18 . | Karpacz* | 5,00 zł | 5,00 zł | 5,00 zł | 15,00 zł |
| 19 . | Mendzidzdroje* | 4,50 zł | 5,40 zł | 6,40 zł | 16,30 zł |
| 20 . | Olsztyn* | 4,50 zł | 5,40 zł | 6,40 zł | 16,30 zł |
| 21 . | Grudziadz* | 3,90 zł | 4,60 zł | 5,50 zł | 14,00 zł |
| 22 . | ropiejący* | 4,00 zł | 4,40 zł | 4,80 zł | 13,20 zł |
| 23 . | Tarnów* | 3,30 zł | 3,90 zł | 4,60 zł | 11,80 zł |
| 24 . | Hel* | 3,00 zł | 3,60 zł | 4,30 zł | 10,90 zł |
| 25 . | Pochowany* | 3,00 zł | 3,50 zł | 4,30 zł | 10,80 zł |
| 26 . | Walzich* | 4,00 zł | 4,80 zł | 5,70 zł | 14,50 zł |
| 27 . | Nowy Sonch* | 3,00 zł | 3,60 zł | 4,30 zł | 10,90 zł |
| 28 . | Zielona Góra* | 3,00 zł | 3,60 zł | 4,30 zł | 10,90 zł |
| 29 . | Bydgoskie* | 3,80 zł | 4,50 zł | 5,40 zł | 13,70 zł |
| 30 . | Krynica Morska* | 3,00 zł | 3,60 zł | 4,30 zł | 10,90 zł |
| 31 . | Częstochowa* | 3,00 zł | 3,60 zł | 4,20 zł | 10,80 zł |
| 32 . | Białystok* | 2,80 zł | 3,20 zł | 3,60 zł | 8,60 zł |
| 33 . | Gorzów Wlkp.* | 3,50 zł | 4,00 zł | 4,50 zł | 12,00 zł |
| 34 . | Elenia Hura* | 2,40 zł | 2,80 zł | 3,30 zł | 8,50 zł |
| 35 . | Pracujący | 3,60 zł | 4,20 zł | 4,80 zł | 12,60 zł |
| 36 . | Noga | 3,00 zł | 3,60 zł | 4,20 zł | 10,80 zł |
| 37 . | Augustow* | 2,00 zł w okresie wakacyjnym, 1,00 zł poza okresem wakacyjnym | w okresie wakacyjnym 2,40 zł, poza okresem wakacyjnym 1,20 zł | w okresie wakacyjnym 2,80 zł, poza okresem wakacyjnym 1,40 zł | w okresie wakacyjnym 7,20 zł, poza okresem wakacyjnym 3,60 zł |
| 38 . | Elbląg* | 3,00 zł | 3,30 zł | 3,50 zł | 9,80 zł |
| 39 . | Koszalin | 2,80 zł | 3,20 zł | 3,60 zł | 9,60 zł |
| 40 . | Siedlce* | 2,00 zł | 2,40 zł | 2,80 zł | 7,20 zł |
| 41 . | Płock* | 2,00 zł | 2,40 zł | 2,80 zł | 7,20 zł |
| 42 . | Giżycko* | 2,00 zł | 2,40 zł | 2,80 zł | 7,20 zł |
| 43 . | Belsko-Biala | 3,50 zł | 4,00 zł | 4,50 zł | 12,00 zł |
| 44 . | Krynica-Zdruj* | 2,00 zł | 2,40 zł | 2,80 zł | 7,20 zł |
| 45 . | Schab* | W sezonie 4,50 zł, poza sezonem 4,00 zł | W sezonie 5,40, poza sezonem 4,80 | W sezonie 6,40, poza sezonem 5,70 zł | 16.30 w sezonie, 14.50 poza sezonem |
| 46 . | Cezyn* | 3,00 zł | 3,50 zł | 4,00 zł | 10,50 zł |
| 47 . | Żywiec | 2,50 zł | 3,00 zł | 3,50 zł | 8,00 zł |
| 48 . | Oświęcim* | 3,00 zł | 3,50 zł | 4,00 zł | 10,50 zł |
| 49 . | Velichka | 3,00 zł | 3,50 zł | 3,50 zł | 10,00 zł |
| 50 . | Cichy* | 2,00 zł | 2,40 zł | 2,80 zł | 7,20 zł |
| 51 . | Sanok* | 3,00 zł | 3,50 zł | 4,00 zł | 10,50 zł |
| 52 . | Konin | 3,00 zł | 3,60 zł | 4,20 zł | 10,80 zł |
| 53 . | Orzech laskowy | 2,00 zł | 2,40 zł | 2,80 zł | 7,20 zł |
| 54 . | Limanowa | 2,50 zł | 2,50 zł | 2,50 zł | 7,50 zł |
| 55 . | Bytów | 2,50 zł | 2,50 zł | 3,00 zł | 8,00 zł |
Ceny parkingów w polskich miastach
Speed limits in Poland
The maximum speed of a car in Poland is almost the same as in other European and EU countries and is:
- on internal roads of residential buildings — 20 km/h;
- in populated areas – 50 km/h;
- outside populated areas — 90 km/h;
- on expressways with two-way traffic — 110 km/h;
- on highways — 130 km/h.
Mandatory equipment in the car in Poland
In Poland, at the moment, there are three mandatory elements of car equipment: a legible, illuminated and well-installed number plate, a warning triangle and a working fire extinguisher . Although there is no legal obligation, you should also have a reflective vest and a first-aid kit in your car.
Is it possible to transport food and alcohol to Poland?
As a rule, excise duties are paid in the country of consumption of alcohol and tobacco. However, there are exceptions for people traveling between EU countries. The exception is when the purchased product is intended only for personal use and not for sale. Taxes (VAT and excise tax) are included in the price of the product in the country of purchase, i.e. in other EU countries you do not need to pay additional fees.
However, to determine whether you are buying products for your own use, EU customs may check several different things, such as whether you work for a trading company, how the products are packaged, how they are transported and the amount of products you are transporting. Therefore, each country may have its own rules regarding the amount of tobacco products and alcoholic beverages that can be imported into its territory. However, the values specified in these recommendations cannot be lower than:
| Product | Meaning in EU recommendations |
|---|---|
| Cigarettes | 800 |
| Cigars (cigars weighing no more than 3 g each) | 400 |
| Cigars | 200 |
| Tobacco | 1 kg |
| Spirits (eg whiskey, gin) | 10 liters |
| Fortified wine (eg sherry, port) | 20 liters |
| Wine | 90 liters (including no more than 60 liters of sparkling wine) |
| Beer | 110 liters |
If customs believe that you are carrying goods other than for your own use or sale, they may ask you to prove otherwise (for example by asking for proof of purchase). If you do not provide sufficient evidence, the customs authorities may require you to pay the excise tax of the destination country or confiscate the goods in transit.
Restrictions on the import of alcohol and tobacco products into the EU from a non-EU country
You can bring:
- 4 liters of still wine and
- 16 liters of beer.
Alternatively, you can bring b):
- 1 liter of alcohol over 22% vol. (for example, vodka, gin) or
- 1 liter of undenatured alcohol (ethyl) 80% vol. (or more) or
- 2 liters of fortified wine (for example, sherry, port) or sparkling wine.
Each of the quantities listed in point b) is the total limit in this category of alcoholic beverages – you can divide it as you see fit. For example, you can bring: 4 liters of still wine, 16 liters of beer, half a liter of spirits and 1 liter of fortified wine or 4 liters of still wine, 16 liters of beer and 2 liters of sparkling wine.
Tobacco restrictions
There are upper and lower limits and their application depends on the country you are entering. If an EU country applies lower restrictions, they may apply only to people traveling by land and sea (eg Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary) or to all travelers (eg Estonia and Romania).
| Higher limit | Lower limit |
|---|---|
| cigarettes – 200 pcs. or cigars – 100 pcs. or cigars – 50 pcs. or tobacco – 250 g. | cigarettes – 40 pcs. or cigars – 20 pcs. or cigars – 10 pcs. or tobacco – 50 g. |
You can freely combine these tobacco products, but you cannot exceed the total limit . For example, when traveling to EU countries with a higher limit, you can take 50 cigarillos and 25 cigars with you, making up the total permitted limit.
Other goods, including: perfumes
You can carry other goods worth up to €300 per person or €430 per traveler by air or sea. Some EU countries apply a lower limit of €150 for travelers under the age of 15.