FAQs concerning Warsaw

Our Conference Web Site collects many links to tourist information sites concerning travelling to Poland, sightseeing Warsaw, exchange rates etc. You also find there train connections to Warsaw and the Social Programme proposed by VARSOVIA TOURS . Consult these pages for details. If you have any problems, you may call me 24 hours. Take the phone numer from my E-mails signature. I will try to organize a rescue mission, wherever you are. Below I try to answer some of the Frequently Asked Questions arriving to me:

Opening / Money

Opening hours of shops are usually from 9.00 to 19.00 Monday - Saturday. Many shops close on Sunday or are open until noon only. Most of the banks are closed on Saturday and Sunday. It is difficult and not economic to pay with foreign money in the shops, taxis or restaurants. You may exchange cash in large number of "KANTOR"s (exchange kiosk) around the city. Some of them are open 24 hours. There are few hundred ATMs (Bankomat) at the main streets, hotels, airport (arrival deck), at the railway, gas and metro stations, around supermarkets, etc. Most of them accept major international cards. The ATMs closest to our Conference site are at the Neste gas station (250m), Bank BOS (opposite to Neste), Bank WBK (Orzycka St., 800m) and at the metro station Wilanowska. Current exchange rate is: 1EURO=4.2zloty (20.06.1999).

Transport

Warsaw has rather well developed network of bus (Autobus) and tram (Tramvaj) lines as well as one underground (Metro) line, connecting south part of the city with the center. Tickets are available at RUCH (newspaper kiosks) and must be stamped after entering the bus/tram. Regular fare is 2,40 zloty. You can also buy tickets from the driver .

There are over twenty taxi companies. Every legal taxi has its identification, counter and driver's ID displayed. Watch out for people from the taxi mafia, waiting at every tourist spot and trying to convince them to use their service. Do not trust them. Regular taxi driver never leaves his car to search for customers! Regular taxi costs about 3.60zloty for the first km and 1.60 zloty / km after. Price is well visible. If you pay more it was your false selection. Nobody can help you. Hence ask before you start. The cheapest (and most safe) is to call the taxi. They are coming within few minutes and you pay only from the place you start. Some reliable companies:

MPT - tel. 919 (accepts also credit cards), Hallo - tel. 9623 , OK - tel. 9628, Volfra - tel. 9625, Super - tel. 9622, Plus - tel. 9621, Sawa - tel: 6444444.

In the Airport it is cheaper to pick up taxi at the departure deck (upper).

Taxis waiting by exit from the Railway Station are usually more expensive too. Walk 200m along the main road to get rid of them.

To use telephone you need a phone card (6.5 zloty/ 25units). It can be bought at RUCH kiosks. One calling unit costs 0.26 zloty, it allows 3 min local call. One minute to Europe costs below 3 zloty. There are four mobile phone companies. Add prefix +4822 to all stationary numbers in Warsaw if you call from your mobile. One cellular minute costs below 2 zloty.

To reach the Conference site from the City Center (coming by train) you may use underground. From the railway station Warszawa Centralna walk east about 600m to Marszalkowska Street (direction Forum Hotel). There is first stop of the underground (Metro) line running north-south from the stations Centrum to Kabaty. Take underground until the fifth stop called Wilanowska. Leave the station through the south exit Wilanowska, go direction west, cross the main street Pulawska on the trafic lights and walk about 700m west along Al. Wilanowska. Turn left on the first traffic lights to Modzelewskiego Street. The first street right (50m) is called Smoluchowskiego. You will see our conference building at the end of this short street. Consult for details the map on the Web . If you decide to take a taxi, it should not cost you more than 25 zloty from the City Center. From the Airport the simplest way is to take a taxi. We are only 6km from the Airport, it shouldn't cost you more than 20 zloty. If you decide to take a bus, best is to take the Airport Shuttle bus (8 zloty paid to driver) to Forum/Metropol Hotel. Here you find the underground (M) station Centrum. Continue by underground as indicated above.

General

Warsaw has about 2mln people, it has about 30km north-south and 20km west-east. Despite small size of the city due to missing fast transit routes it may take you more than one hour to drive across.

You may have problems finding people speaking any foreign language. Prepare some simple expressions in a body language. Keep address of the Conference, show it to get help. The Conference site is a 3 floor building surrounded by high appartment houses. It can be difficult to see our place at some distance.

Caution, It's a Metropolis!

Warsaw, just like other cities in Europe, has some higher risk areas. In trams and busses, markets and especially around the Central Railway Station and in bus lines from the Airport always watch out for pickpockets collecting the "Tourist Tax". The codes of safe behaviour are much the same wherever you are going in Europe. Just try to use experience you maybe already gained in Barcelona, Berlin, London, Paris or Rome. The toll-free Police emergency number is 997 (and 112 from a mobile). But I am sure you will not need it. In spite of often repeated opinions, Poland has one of the lowest crime index in Europe! (comp. Interpol statistics here ).

VARSOVIA TOURS

Accommodation and social programme form

VARSOVIA TOURS
Walowa 4
PL 00-211 Warszawa
tel.: (+48 22) 636 70 80
fax.: (+48 22) 636 7081

E-mail: varsovia@cyf.gov.pl

Family name: ...................................................................................................................................

First name: ...................................................................................................................................

Address: ...................................................................................................................................

City & Postal Code: ...................................................................................................................................

Country: ...................................................................................................................................

Phone: .................................................................... Fax: ..........................................

e-mail: ...................................................................................................................................

__________________________________________________________________________________

I require accommodation as follows:

IN WARSAW

*** or **** Hotel

before the conference from ..................... till ................. nights .............

after the conference from ..................... till ................. nights .............

for 1 night

minimum two nights

	sgl room		dbl room		sgl room		dbl room
	from100DM/night		from 140DM/night		from 90 DM/night		from 130DM/night

IN CRACOW

*** or **** Hotel

before the conference from ..................... till ................. nights ..............

after the conference from ..................... till ................. nights ..............

SOCIAL PROGRAMME

I intend to join:

1. Warsaw Sightseeing Tour     ____50 DM/person

Motorcoach, English speaking guide, one entrance fee.

Minimum number of participants: 12

2. Full Day Excursion to Cracow      ____185 DM/person

Transportation: first class train; motorcoach in Cracow; sightseeing: The Old Town, Wawel Hill with the Royal Castle and Cathedral, Wieliczka - underground salt mine; English speaking guide; lunch in a cosy restaurant in the Old Town.

Minimum number of participants: 12

3. Three Days Excursion to Cracow         ____490 DM/sgl room/person

                                       ____410 DM/dbl room/person

Transportation: first class train, two overnights in the *** hotel; 2*breakfast; 2*diner (one with a concert of the Jewish Music; 1*lunch, motorcoach in Cracow, English speaking guide; sightseeing: The Old Town, Wawel Hill with the Royal Castle and Cathedral, Jewish district Kazimierz, Visit to Wieliczka - historical underground salt mine.

Minimum number of participants: 12

Should be made by bank transfer or credit card (mail order)

___ I remitted the total amount of ............. DM by bank transfer through .....................................

................................................................. on ....................1999.

VARSOVIA TOURS

Export Development Bank, Warsaw Branch

DM account:      11401010-00-243616-DM Curr 01-97

___Please debit the total amount of .................... DM from my credit card

___ VISA ___ Eurocard / Mastercard ___ AmEx ___ Dinners Club

Card number ......................................... Expiry date: ...............................

Card holder .........................................

...................................

signature

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