Poland is one of the most dynamically developing states of the European Union. The country has an ancient history and many different monuments, so it is interesting both for living and visiting for tourist or other purposes. Getting to Poland by car from the CIS countries is not a problem. In addition, many foreigners arriving in Poland by other means of transport often rent cars in order to move freely around the country and not depend on anyone. Let's try to figure out how parking is organized in Poland.
What are the parking options
As in all of Europe, there are two parking options in Poland: paid and free. The biggest problems with finding a place to park your car arise in large cities and historical centers that are often visited by tourists.
Of course, the further from the city center you want to park, the easier it is to find a parking space. For example, in Warsaw in the center, you will find only paid parking spaces.
In addition, if you intend to drive up to the end point of your route, you should bear in mind that traffic is generally blocked on a number of streets in the center of the capital. On the outskirts of Warsaw, there is a chance to find a place where you can park your car for free, and there are always free spaces in paid parking lots.
The situation is the same in Krakow. In less-visited cities, there are usually no special problems with finding a parking lot, but the rule that the further from the center, the easier it is to park, also works there.
Parking signs are everywhere. An additional sign under them, as a rule, informs that parking is paid.
You can find an equipped free parking only near large shopping centers, but this is quite a rarity. Without breaking the rules, you can park at the side of roads, in yards and even on lawns.
In general, when planning a trip, one should proceed from the fact that it will be possible to park only for money in the historical part of ancient Polish cities (the so-called old town). Usually the municipalities of such cities divide them into parking zones.
The bottom line is simple: the further from the city center you leave the car, the less you will have to pay for it. The situation is similar in the area of airports, in particular, Warsaw's Modlin and Chopin. However, there are paid parking lots there, and there are quite enough places for them.
Many paid parking lots become free on weekends and after 6 pm.
How can and how not to park in Poland
Parking rules are the same all over the world, but each country is different. Poland was no exception.
For example, in this country it is strictly prohibited:
- leave the car where it is not allowed by the rules. For such a violation, you will definitely be issued a fine, and possibly even evacuate or block the car;
- occupy parking spaces designed for disabled people - you will also be fined for this violation.
In the parking lot, you must pay for parking immediately, although sometimes you have to look for a parking meter. Otherwise, returning to the car, you will find a receipt for the issued fine.
Free parking is allowed only where it is not prohibited by the rules.
Let's consider some options:
- you can park cars inside the residential area only in the designated areas. If you break this rule, you will be fined, even if the car leaves enough space for pedestrians and other cars to pass;
- parking at the crossing is usually prohibited at a distance of 10 m before and after it, however, on roads with two or more lanes, it is allowed to park your car right behind the crossing;
- You cannot park at public transport stops. If the stop is marked with a sign, then the restricted area is 15 m before and after it. If there is a pavilion at the stop, its entire length is considered a restricted area;
- against traffic, it is allowed to park only inside cities on roads with low traffic volume. But since the term “low intensity” is not legally defined, in fact, this method of parking is not prohibited;
- parking at a distance of 15 m before and after the safety island is prohibited. You can not leave the car on the very island of safety;
- parking on the lawn - in Poland, they are fined not for the fact of parking on the lawn, but for damaging the grass. If it is already trampled down (almost not), you can park there. You can also park in winter when the grass is covered with a dense layer of snow;
- parking on the sidewalk - it is allowed to park cars weighing up to 2.5 tons if there are at least 1.5 meters left for pedestrian traffic. Reverse driving onto the sidewalk for parking is prohibited;
- you must not leave your car at a distance of 10 meters before and after the intersection. However, in Poland there is a concept of an internal road. Intersections with such a road are not considered an intersection, and the rule does not apply in this case;
- you cannot occupy two spaces in the parking lot. In general, if a parking method is indicated, you need to park the car exactly as indicated;
- parking back to buildings - there is no direct prohibition on this method, although signs prohibiting this method are found. People don't like to breathe in exhaust fumes, so be aware of that.
In Poland, parking in paid and free parking spaces is possible only in accordance with the traffic rules, using the capabilities of mobile applications and sites to find the nearest free parking spaces, which we will talk about later in the article.
Where to find parking in cities in Poland
In order to find out where the parking lots are in the Polish city that you intend to visit, you can use the maps of the specialized sites Parkopedia (parkopedia.com) and ParkMe (parkme.com). Maps allow you to find parking lots around the world, including Poland.
There is a possibility of selection by distance to the point of your choice in the city and price. Using the map, it is convenient to develop access routes to your chosen parking lot.
How much will parking in large cities cost
Parking prices depend on a specific city, proximity to the location of popular visiting sites, as well as on the border of which parking zone the parking is located.
Most of the parking lots set prices per hour and per day. Of course, one hour of parking is much cheaper than paying for a day.
In some parking lots, it is possible to book a place for a long-term subscription, which is very profitable and convenient.
For example, at the Krakow Balice airport, an hour of parking in a multi-level parking lot costs 10 zlotys (2.38 euros), the first day of parking costs 55 zlotys (13.7 euros), every subsequent day 25 zlotys (5.91 euros), and a subscription per month costs 300 zloty (71.3 euros).
In 2021, the cost of parking in major cities in Poland ranges from 0.47 to 1.17 euros per hour; 6.3 - 28 euros per day.
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How to pay for parking
The most popular method of paying for parking spaces is using parking meters. Paid parking lots usually have a sign of where you can pay. Parking machines accept coins and / or cards.
The received receipt of payment should be placed on the dashboard under the windshield so that the parking attendants can see that the parking has been paid.
There are options for paying for parking using various mobile applications such as mobiParking. In this case, there should be a sticker on the glass with the name of the system used, or its name can be written on paper and put on the dashboard under the windshield. The employee will make sure to check whether the payment was actually made.
Paying for such services in cash directly to employees in Poland is not welcome and is possible only in garages and in specialized parking lots.
Penalties for violation of parking rules
Poland, like other European countries, prefers to punish negligent drivers with fines. Depending on the offense, fines generally range from 70-120 euros. But the fine for occupying places intended for the transport of disabled people is 190 euros.
In some cases, improperly parked cars can be evacuated. It will cost about 85 euros.
More detailed information on traffic rules and penalties for violations is provided in the article: “Basic traffic rules and fines in Poland”.
FAQ
Are there mobile apps to find the nearest parking spot?
Of course, there are such applications. In particular, there is the mobile Parkopedia. You can download this application from the official app stores of your mobile device. If you register with Parkopedia, you will have the opportunity to book parking spaces.
Where to leave a car in Warsaw for about a week?
Very convenient and relatively inexpensive parking at the Frederic Chopin and Modlin airports - for 7 days of parking, you need to pay 19.24 euros.
Where can I leave my car at Gdansk Airport?
Parking at Gdansk Airport is not alone. The airport is located near three major cities: Gdansk, Gdynia and Sopot. On the ParkCloud website, you can find information about 16 car parks located near this airport.
Conclusion
Despite the fact that Poland is visited by a large number of travelers, problems with finding a parking place can arise only in the central parts of large cities. And even then, if we are talking about free parking during the day.
There are many equipped parking lots in the country, and using online parking maps, you can easily find a parking space that is suitable for the price and distance.
There is a possibility of parking outside equipped parking lots. However, in this case, you need to carefully monitor compliance with the rules, otherwise you will be fined, and possibly punished by the evacuation of your car.
