Travel to Poland. Schengen visa to Poland - personal experience of obtaining. Transit visa to Poland

In Poland, the bus network of the Polski Bus carrier is well developed, with which you can get to every point on our route. And what is important for your budget, the cost of the trip will not exceed €5-6, and if you plan everything in advance, there are almost always tickets for €1.

Accommodation prices in all cities on the route are approximately the same:

• bed in a hostel - from €5
• room in a 3* hotel - from €20 for two
• room in a 5* hotel - from €70 for two

The easiest way to get to Poland from Ukraine is by plane. Wizz Air has cheap flights to various Polish cities, including Katowice - a city that is located not far from Krakow, and where we can conveniently start our route.

There are also direct buses and trains from Kyiv and Lviv, or you can make the most budget route with several transfers and crossing the border on foot.

Krakow

Just a few hours and you will find yourself in the medieval - cultural capital of Poland. Its heart is the Old Town (listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site) with the spacious Market Square, St. Mary's Church and Wawel Castle. For a long time, Krakow was the place of coronation of Polish monarchs, although the country's capital was in Warsaw - you can learn more about this on the excursion "

Well, in my opinion, it’s time to plan a winter, maybe even a New Year’s trip to some pleasant and suitable place. Those who can hardly endure winter and cold are probably already packing their suitcases for the warm countries of Southeast Asia or Latin America. Others are looking forward to seeing European cities turn into a fairy tale during the Christmas holidays or to take off their skis at one of the 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 steps that are taken when planning an independent trip. 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 is simply a wonderful spiritual 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, it would be the Polonaise, a signature train of the Russian Railways, traveling on 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 in another city may vary. If you have never been to Krakow and you are more interested in an excursion holiday, then you can only take a 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 applying for a visa on your own is not at all difficult or expensive, either in terms of material or 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 Eastern European countries, which are still quite loyal to Russian tourists.

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 a double standard room 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

Of course, “the most beautiful places” is a somewhat subjective concept. But the attractions collected in this review will show how diverse the country is and how much you can see while traveling around Poland. Here we are talking about those places that are very convenient to visit if you don’t have much time - say, one day or a weekend.
1. Zywiec Lake. This is an artificial reservoir near the town of Żywiec in the Silesian Voivodeship. Although it serves economic purposes - there is a hydroelectric power station here - the lake is distinguished by its unique beauty, and therefore attracts a huge number of tourists. There are marinas, beaches, you can surf and go yachting. A particularly beautiful view of the lake opens from Mount Żar, which belongs to the Lesser Beskids.

2. Koniaków, Istebna, Jaworzynka. This is the so-called Beskydy Truive. All three villages are part of the magnificent landscape of the Silesian Beskids, and are connected by one main road and several smaller roads. These places are also very famous for their traditions: local music and lace weaving skills are especially famous.


3. Skansen in the city of Sanok in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship. This is one of the largest open-air museums in the country. On an area of ​​38 hectares there are almost 100 wooden buildings in the spirit of local traditions.


4. Torun. This is one of the most beautiful and oldest cities in Poland. Toruń is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The city is also well known for the birthplace of Nicolaus Copernicus. And Torun is also the capital of... gingerbread!


5. Gniezno. It is the first capital of Poland. The first Polish archbishopric was formed here and the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is located here - one of the most revered and famous Polish churches. How pleasant it is to wander through the narrow streets, the heart of which is the ancient Market Square!


6. Kamenczyk waterfall in the town of Szklarska Poreba (Elenegur County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship). This is the highest waterfall in the Polish Karkonosze Mountains. The water falls in a frame in three steps from a height of 27 meters. Behind the waterfall there is an artificial cave in which there is a large accumulation of amethysts and pegmatite. This cave is called “Golden Pit”. The waterfall itself is located at an altitude of 846 meters above sea level.

7. The village of Zalipie in the Lesser Poland region of Poland. It is famous for the fact that almost everything in it is painted! Local traditional patterns can be seen everywhere: on houses, fences, swings, furniture, stoves, trees, even kettles and washing machines! By the way - this is also a local feature - basically all the artists in Zalipye are women.


8. Bydgoszcz lies on the Brda River. The unofficial name of the city is “Bydgoszcz Venice”. And it’s hard to argue with this: looking at the centuries-old buildings reflected in the clear river waters and at the boats and boats slowly sailing through the city, you begin to feel like you’re in a medieval fairy tale. To the east of the city is the Bydgoszcz Canal, the oldest existing waterway in the country, connecting the Vistula and Odra.


9. Zegrzyn Lake. If the weather is good on a summer weekend, it means that the beaches near the lake, located 30 km from Warsaw, will be full of tourists. This artificially created reservoir on the Narew River is today one of the most popular Sunday destinations among residents of the capital and surrounding areas.


10. Routes for horseback riding in the Low Beskids. The so-called Transbeskid route is the longest among mountain routes of this kind. Its length is 400 km. When you travel along this road, you can meet colorful villages, picturesque valleys, mountain ranges, and magnificent national parks.


11. Palace in Bozkow near the town of Nowa Ruda (Lower Silesian Voivodeship). This beautiful 18th century building has been abandoned for several years now. But perhaps that is why it attracts tourists with its mystery and enigma.


12. Soltykov Jets. This is a natural reservoir in the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship. In addition to magnificent vegetation, there are also deposits of minerals and paleontological fossils.


13. Lake Turkusovo on the western coast of the Baltic. It is located on the site where chalk has long been mined. The color of the lake is somewhat unusual - blue with a green tint. This color is obtained due to the play of sunlight, which, penetrating into clean water and reflecting from the minerals located at the bottom of the reservoir, gives this effect. There are walking paths around the lake. If you climb the nearby hill, you can see not only this lake, but also the Baltic Sea itself.


14. The village of Zhelazova Wola near Warsaw. Frederic Chopin was born and spent his childhood here. Nowadays, in the house where the future composer lived, there is a museum, and near it there is a park and garden laid out in the 30s of the last century.


15. Rafting along the beaver route. This is a real treat for kayaking enthusiasts. The route passes through the West Pomeranian and Lubusz Voivodeships and is located among picturesque forests and rivers.


16. Moshni Castle. Located in the Opole Voivodeship, the architectural ensemble is one of the main attractions of Upper Silesia. Nowadays there is a center for the treatment of diseases of the nervous system, but part of the castle is open to the public.


17. Lake Nidzke. This glacial lake is one of the least untouched lakes in Masuria. Those who value contact and harmony with nature will especially like it here.


18. Rafting on the Dikaya (Divoka) Orlitsa River. Traveling along this river is not an easy task and is more suitable for those who have some experience. It is quite rocky, very cold and incredibly beautiful - an extreme pleasure for rafting lovers. The Wild Eagle flows in the Sudetes through the territory of Poland and the Czech Republic.


19. Museum of characters... before bed. Here are the heroes of the Polish analogues of the program “Good Night Kids”. The only museum of its kind is located in Rzeszow. And it’s not even clear who is more interested here - children or adults...


20. The city of Bielsko-Biala in the Silesian Voivodeship. One of the most beautiful Polish cities with many old buildings and, of course, the central Market Square. By the way, there are two unusual monuments here - to heroes... of cartoons. These are the dogs Rex and Bolek and Lolek, beloved by the Poles.

21. Ruins of Rabztyn Castle in Lesser Poland Voivodeship. This is a knight's castle from the 13th century. Part of it has been restored, but from most of the structure only the skeletons of the walls remain. Which, however, attracts a huge number of tourists. There are many legends associated with the castle. For example, that deep underground there is another castle - large and beautiful. And that its inhabitants sleep there. And only once a year they wake up, open the doors of luxurious halls and sit down at tables covered with delicious dishes. And then everything goes to sleep again - until next year...


22. Sheep Mountain. It is the second highest mountain in the Silesian Beskids. Its height is 1220 meters. Paths running through virgin nature lead to its top, where the geodetic station and observation point are located. And the view from the mountain is simply fabulous!


23. Vistula Žuławy. In northern Poland, several tens of kilometers from the sea, the Vistula leaves a large amount of river sediment, thereby forming sand dunes - they separate Żuławy from the Baltic Sea. A significant area of ​​Żuławy is located below sea level, and therefore an extensive network of dams and canals was built there - it is considered one of the densest in Europe.


24. Icons in Lancut. The town of Lancut in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship is famous for the Lubomirski Castle from the 17th century. To this day it has been preserved in excellent condition. The largest collection of icons in Poland is kept here. There are about 2,500 of them in the castle. Most of these icons were transferred after the war from destroyed churches located in the north-eastern part of Poland.


25. The village of Krasiejów in Opole County, Opole Voivodeship. Traces of ancient amphibians and reptiles were found here, and a paleontological pavilion was built at the site of the discovery. Now “Jurapark” is open there - an amusement park “inhabited” with dinosaurs.


26. Lavender fields. And not in Provence, but near Olsztyn! The lavender field near New Kavkov has existed since 2001. And although it is sometimes difficult for enthusiasts growing this plant - after all, the local climate is not as suitable for lavender as Provençal - every year you can observe luxurious blooms here. At the same time, farmers try not to use chemical fertilizers and pesticides. And when the season ends, bouquets and sachets are made from dried flowers.


27. Underwater quarry in Piechcin (Kuyavia-Pomeranian Voivodeship). At its bottom lie real treasures - yachts, sailing boats, even two Fiat 126s in almost perfect condition. It is especially interesting here when there has been no rain for some time and the water is completely clear. This is one of the few quarries in Poland where diving is possible.


28. Mouth of the Warta (Lubskie Voivodeship). This is a kingdom of wild animals and birds living near water. There are 270 species of the latter here. All of them are under protection - after all, there is a national park here. In 2009 it was voted the best European tourist destination.


29. Underground bunkers in Szczecin. It is believed that there were almost 800 of them here! After the Second World War, 160 were opened. One of the most interesting is the anti-aircraft bunker. It is located at a depth of 17 meters and even had its own water supply. The thickness of its walls is 3 meters. There could be 2,500 people in the bunker at the same time.


30. Center of the Slavs and Vikings in Wolin. Walking through this scansen is like traveling back in time. There are recreated huts from the early Middle Ages, where members of Slavic brotherhoods sometimes spend time. You can go into each of these houses and get acquainted with the interior. A festival of Slavs and Vikings takes place here every year.

Then you need to apply for a Polish visa only if this country will be your main place of stay or the country of entry with an equal number of days in all countries.

A Schengen visa to Poland can be obtained independently in the following ways:

• In the consular section of the embassy in Moscow;
• Through the visa center;
• Through a travel agency accredited by the embassy. This option is suitable for those who have already taken biometrics in one of the Schengen countries over the past 5 years.

A Polish Schengen visa may have several categories and types, which differ depending on the purpose of the trip.

Note: for Russians flying in transit through Poland with a transfer to another plane up to 24 hours, a visa is not required. You need to have tickets and a visa (if required) to a third country. However, to go into the city, you must have a valid Schengen visa.

• Category C is the most common short-term visa. According to it, you can stay in Schengen for up to 90 days in a six-month period (-180 days are counted from the date of current entry).
• Category D – long-term national visa. According to it, you can live in Poland for more than 90 days, and travel to other countries in the zone in transit (up to 90 days).
• Visas for transit purposes - formerly called categories A and B, are now more often issued under category C and marked “transit”.

• C01 – valid for less than 30 days.
• C02 – 6 months.
• C03 - visa for a year to Poland.
• C04 – validity period 2, 3 or 5 years.

The categories C1 and C2 are most often issued, especially if your passport is empty. An annual visa to Poland (Schengen) is issued only to active travelers: those who have already been to Europe over the past 3 years and have not violated the rules.

In addition, visas are divided according to the number of uses (entries/exits): there are single-entry, double-entry and multiple-entry visas to Poland.

At the same time, do not confuse the visa validity corridor with the maximum period of stay within the zone; even C4 will be subject to a maximum permitted limit.

How to get a visa to Poland

• Step 1: Collect the necessary documents, which may vary depending on the purpose of the trip. Start processing no earlier than 3 months before your trip.
• Step 2: . It is permissible for the Polish Consulate to submit only applications registered and filled out on the website http://www.e-konsulat.gov.pl. Documents will not be accepted without a form filled out electronically! After filling out the form, you will be able to choose a date and make an appointment at the Consulate. When submitting documents to the visa center, it is not necessary to fill out the application online; you can use the form and fill out the application on the computer or by hand.
  Check out a sample of filling out an online application for a visa to Poland ( and ).
  Save the completed application form on your computer and print it along with the issued barcode and number. Please provide your personal signature and date.
• Step 3: Collect a package of supporting documents. It is necessary to prove the purpose of the trip, financial security, availability of transport and place of residence.
• Step 4: On the appointed day, come with the application form and other documents to the embassy, ​​or on any working day contact the VFS.GLOBAL visa center. At the visa center you can also get additional services: order delivery of documents, take photos, insurance. The visa and service fee are paid at the time of application and are not refundable even in case of refusal. The status of your documents when applying to the CC can be tracked on this page.
• Step 5: On the appointed day, show up and pick up your passport with your visa ready.

Required documents for a visa to Poland

• A completed and printed Poland visa application form with the personal signature of the applicant.
  An application for a visa to Poland is made through the official website. To do this, select your country and region, and then in the left menu, click on the link “Schengen Visa - Register Form” to select a free appointment date. Enter the security code in the picture, select the date that suits you and fill out the form on the website. Please note that registration for a visa to Poland is not always available on the website, so if everything is busy, it is better to contact the visa center or try again later. If you just want to fill out the form without registering with the consulate, for example, to give it to the visa center, then you need to follow the link “Schengen Visa - Fill out the form”. You can also use the Polish visa application form.
• Original passport (new or old, + copy of photo page).
  The passport must have 2 blank pages and be valid for more than 3 months after the planned end of the trip.
• Internal passport of the Russian Federation + a copy of all completed pages.
• Old passports with Schengen visas (only for the last 3 years, if available). Having them will allow you to get a visa to Poland for a longer period.



• Two passport-type photographs taken no more than six months ago.
  The photo size is 3.5*4.5 centimeters, approximately 75% of the photo should be taken up by the face. Facial features must be clearly visible: without hats or dark glasses, a clear photo with normal skin color, etc.
• Confirmation of income - a certificate from work indicating your salary and position, an extract from a current, credit or savings account or with confirmation of your income and a copy of your passport. At least 60 euros for each person for every day.
• .
  to Poland must be valid for the entire trip and valid in all countries of the agreement. It must cover any medical treatment, transportation of the sick or deceased. The insured amount of coverage must be at least 30,000 euros.
• Route confirmation.
  If you are traveling by plane, train or bus:
  • Printing of tickets.
  • Plan for visiting cities (route).

  If you are traveling by car:

  • Russian or international driver's license.
  • Vehicle registration certificate.
  • International car insurance (Green Card).
  • Route plan in written and free form, with dates and names of hotels.
  • If you are driving someone else's car, you need to provide a rental contract or a general power of attorney, in which a separate line will allow travel abroad of the Russian Federation.
• Documents confirming the purpose of the trip and availability of accommodation.
  Applying for a Polish visa for tourist purposes:

  Sample certificate from work

  • Confirmation of housing - fax, printout or original hotel reservation (booking confirmation from booking.com is suitable), apartment rental agreement, or ownership of real estate in Poland.
  • Confirmation of the route - a printout of the route cavitation (tickets), a written travel plan or a voucher (ticket) from a travel agency.

  To visit relatives you need a visa to Poland by invitation:

  • An invitation drawn up by an individual and certified by a notary. It should contain your data (last name, first name, date of birth, passport details of both parties, dates, purpose and place of travel).
  • Documents confirming the legality of the inviting person’s stay in Poland and a copy of his passport.
  • A copy of a document confirming the relationship.
  • Proof of finances: work certificate, bank statement or sponsorship letter.

  Business trip:

  • An invitation from a legal entity or other confirmation of the purpose of the trip, for example, an invitation card to a conference.
  • A certificate from work confirming income, position and leave/business trip with retention of position, or another document that will prove the availability of funds and your interest in returning back.
  • For individual entrepreneurs:
    • Tax return 3NDFL or certificate 2NDFL;
    • OGRNIP.

  Treatment:

  • A document from a European medical organization about the need to provide you with medical services. It should indicate the approximate duration and cost of treatment.
  • Confirmation of financial resources for travel and medical payments. services.

  Training (for schoolchildren, students and their teachers):

  • Certificate of enrollment in an educational institution.
  • If the certificate does not indicate financial guarantees, you must attach a separate document to confirm them (certificate from a bank account, sponsorship letter), as well as payment for training.

Visa for children

For children, you need to collect a separate set of documents, fill out a form and get your own international passport. Signatures for the minor are made by his legal representative (parent or guardian). Documents can be obtained even without the presence of the child.

If the child is included in the parent’s passport and does not have a personal passport, he will receive his own visa, but it will be pasted into the parent’s passport.

Additionally you will need:

• Original and copy of birth certificate.
• If a minor is traveling without both parents, a notarized consent to travel from each parent is required.
• If one parent accompanies a child on a trip, only the second parent’s consent is required. It must be valid for the entire duration of the trip, indicating the countries and travel dates.
• A copy of the tickets and visa of the accompanying person, if he submitted documents at another time.

MPP for residents of Kaliningrad

The local border movement, in effect from 2012 to 2014, allowed persons living in Kaliningrad to visit certain areas of Poland without a visa. Residents of the Kaliningrad region could stay in the border areas for up to 90 days in a six-month period. The first MPP permit was issued for 2 years.

Required documents for a border visa:

• Documentary proof of residence in the Kaliningrad region for at least 3 years. A Russian passport with a registration stamp will do.
• An application for an international travel permit, filled out online through the website according to the data from the international passport.
• A valid foreign passport.
• Written justification of the reasons for frequent trips to Poland.
• Color photograph 3.5*4.5 cm.

Consular fee for registration is 20 euros.

But since 2014, this agreement was temporarily suspended unilaterally at the initiative of the Polish side for an unknown period. And so far no decisions have been made on its resumption.

Questions and answers

Q: What is the cost of the visa fee?

A: The consular fee is 35 euros, a fixed fee regardless of the duration of the visa. To be paid at the time of application. When submitting documents not at the Consulate, but at the Poland Visa Application Center, an additional service fee is paid.

Q: Where can I get a visa to Poland cheaply?

A: The cheapest way is directly at the consular section of the embassy. Only the consular fee is charged there. The visa center charges an additional service fee of about 20 euros, but you don’t need to register there; it’s easier to get in in the regions. The most expensive and easiest way is to go to a travel agency, but it must be accredited by the Russian Embassy.

Q: How long does it take to register for a Polish visa?

A: As usual, documents will be ready in 5-10 business days after submission. An urgent visa to Poland is issued in 3 days.

Q: How much does an urgent visa to Poland cost?

A: For urgent registration, you will need to pay a double consular fee - that is, 70 euros. A visa to Poland is quickly obtained at embassies, but not all visa centers have this opportunity due to the transfer of documents.

Q: I plan to visit several more Schengen countries besides Poland during my trip. Where should I submit documents?

A: The application is submitted to the main country of residence, according to the time or purpose of the visit. If it cannot be determined, go to the first country of border crossing.

Many people believe that abroad is something expensive and distant, which is accessible only to very wealthy people. When I found out that in one of the largest countries of the European Union the currency is zlotys, which are much cheaper to buy than the dollar or euro, I thought: maybe I should go to Poland? “I heard it’s not expensive there...” It turned out to be true!

And therefore, dear friends, I would like to devote my second post to organizing a trip to Poland: where to buy tickets, how to apply for a tourist visa, where to find cheap accommodation. And even dispel the myth that traveling abroad is an expensive pleasure. Let's go!

I know in advance that absolutely everyone is interested in the question of how much our trip cost. Especially considering that we are students. First things first.

Initially, we set ourselves a budget of 25 thousand rubles. Many people told me that Poland is inexpensive, and therefore I hoped that this should be enough. Do you think we succeeded?

The main thing is to take the first step

The first thing we started our journey to Poland with was buying tickets. I went to the Aviasales website and typed in “Moscow-Krakow, Moscow-Warsaw”, and, of course, I was upset by the cost of the flight, which was about 13-15 thousand rubles. No, such an amount was not included in the plans.

Then I went to the page of the Travelbelka Moscow group on VKontakte. There, every day there are profitable promotions on air travel and tours to different countries of the world. I got a cheap flight to Kaliningrad. I think you know geography well and understand that Kaliningrad borders Poland, which means you can get into the country through this city. Tickets cost 4,500 rubles roundtrip. It's decided! Let's take it!

We took the cheapest round-trip tickets from Kazan to Moscow (seated), and they cost 1,600 rubles round-trip. Friends, this way we saved about 8-9 thousand rubles on travel.

The most important leap

When we set out to go to Poland, at first we had the following thoughts in our heads: “Let’s live by couchsurfing,” “Let’s try hitchhiking.” But that was not the case!

When we arrived at the visa center, we were a little disappointed. It turns out that Poland - country with difficult visa conditions. If in Germany, France, Spain you can book any hotel for two weeks, receive confirmation by mail from the hotel, provide this confirmation at the visa center, receive a visa and cancel the confirmation, then in Poland you need to pay 50% or 100% of the stay so that you provided a visa. Our friend Alice’s idea of ​​couchsurfing and free housing in Krakow sank to the bottom. We had to book three hostels and pay 100% of the stay (because all hostels sent a confirmation if the full amount was paid). And here other problems began.

Money "hemorrhoids"

All three hostels provided us with bank details to which we needed to transfer a certain amount of money. Here I will tell you in order how to transfer money abroad.

1. Transfers are made only in dollars or euros. In order to send money to another country, you need to open a Foreign Exchange account. This can be done absolutely free at any bank (we had Sberbank)

2. Then, through your Sberbank personal account, you need to transfer rubles into dollars to your Foreign Exchange account. This is called converting money.

IMPORTANT!

When you convert rubles to dollars, correctly calculate the required amount of money in advance. It turns out: accommodation + conversion (we got 1000 rubles) + commission for transfer abroad (a foreign bank takes $20 + Sberbank takes $15 = $35). Convert the entire required amount into dollars and add money on top “just in case” (at least another $20).
We needed to make 3 transfers abroad, which means the commission would be $105. Are you seriously? This is completely unprofitable! We booked hostels, which themselves were cheaper than transferring money. Luckily, as I mentioned earlier, our friend Alice lives in Krakow. We sent all the money to her, making only 1 transfer. So we saved 70 bucks!

It took us 3 thousand rubles for translation and conversion. Since there are three of us, we divided this amount among all. Therefore, everyone spent 1000 rubles.

I would also like to note an important point: do everything as much as possible before the start of the trip. All these procedures take more than one day. First, you send the required amount abroad, which takes about three days (until the money arrives). While Alisa transferred money to the accounts of each hostel, about three days passed here too (the money does not arrive in the hostel account immediately). Then, you need to ask the hostel for a confirmation document stating that you paid for it. As a rule, this also takes about three days (depending on the hostel).

Memo for Kazan residents: It is better to apply for a visa at the United Visa Service Center (Paris Commune St., 8). It is cheaper to get insurance at the Schengen-Consult visa center (Parizhskaya Kommuny St., 13). I also advise you to immediately take photographs for documents (good quality).

The visa application along with insurance cost us 3,500 rubles.

Where will we rest?

The cheapest accommodation option is hostels. You need to look for them on Booking.com. I would like to point out the main thing - always check the location. This is very important, really. It was a miracle that I didn’t book a hostel outside the city of Gdansk, and in Warsaw we lived far from the center, which is why we had to return to the hostel earlier than we wanted.

In Gdansk we lived in a hostel "Hostel4u". It is a five minute walk to the center. The price, which was 490 rubles/day, included free breakfast. Well, who wouldn’t refuse to build up their buttocks for free with butter and jam and cereal with milk? I won’t say that this is an ideal option for a cheap overnight stay, because there are a lot of hostels in this city, and I’m sure you can find much better ones. But honestly, we really liked it here. There was some kind of spiritual component to it. The host guy even exchanged euros for zlotys for us on the first day of arrival without any commission (exchange offices do not work on Sundays).

In Warsaw we lived in a hostel "Krokodyl". The cost was 500 rubles per night. Breakfast was not included in the price. I don't recommend it, really. As for the location, you first need to walk 10 minutes to the tram stop, and then drive to the center for another 20 minutes. This is nothing yet! The point is different. In this hostel, most of the residents are workers who came from Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Georgia. There were about 15 percent women (it felt like it was just us). A huge crowd of men surrounded us in the kitchen every time we wanted to cook ourselves a meal. Someone approached us, someone commented on our dinner, someone considered it obligatory to monitor the way we were cooking. Every time we wanted to eat as quickly as possible and escape from that kitchen. In general - no!

In Krakow We had a wonderful hostel! It is called "Benedict Hostel". Not to say that this is the best hostel in the world, but here, like in Gdansk, there is a soul. The location is right in the center. This is exactly the hostel a novice traveler imagines: many young students, foreigners, new acquaintances, fun evenings. Girls from America and Germany lived with us in the room. The cost for 5 nights was only 1300 rubles! If it were up to me, I would live in Krakow for another month for that amount! Every day there were morning breakfasts with several types of jam, cereals and processed cheese. Well, isn't it a fairy tale?

As I mentioned earlier, initially the budget was 25 thousand rubles for the entire trip, which included 2 days in Moscow, 11 days in Poland and 5 days in Kaliningrad. To be honest, I raised the budget bar by 13-15 thousand rubles. And then, only because it was necessary to live in Kaliningrad and Moscow, and here, you know, it’s not Poland, the prices are wow! Well, where would we be without a little shopping? :)
BUT! The entire time I lived and traveled around Poland, I did not deny myself anything: I ate in good cafes, bought clothes and souvenirs, went to bars, visited all the museums and even bought tickets for buses between cities. If you don’t show off and don’t buy anything at all, then 10-12 thousand rubles, or even less, will be enough for you for 11 days in Poland!

My answer: if you don’t make long journeys between cities, but go straight to Poland, then 25,000 rubles will be enough for you!

Maybe someone will think: “Why is she writing all this here?” Friends, you can’t even imagine how much effort, time and nerves were spent on what I described above. For two weeks, every day we had to discuss and resolve issues regarding the transfer of funds, booking accommodation and obtaining a visa. After the neurosis that we experienced, I want to say: DO NOT APPLY FOR A TOURIST VISA TO POLAND! It is better to go there through another country, for example, Germany or Lithuania. There, at least, you won’t have to worry about transferring money abroad. And if you have acquaintances or friends in this country, then ask them to send you an invitation, it will be much more convenient.

I don’t want to combine organizational and pleasant aspects of the trip in one post, so I will talk about each city we visited in my next posts. Kisses, Elena.