Travel information

Kraków is located in the south part of Poland with easy access by planes (direct flights from many European airports), cars (A4 motorway) or trains (Vienna, Berlin, Budapest, Kiev, Prague, Warsaw).
Transport from the airports:
There is a bus service from the airport to the city centre. Alternatively, you can reach the centre by taxi. which is available at the front door of the airport, and costs approximately € 18 - 20. There are also car rental companies operating in Poland, such as: Avis, Budget, Hertz, Europcar.
International flights from/to airport Krakow Balice - www.lotnisko-balice.pl
 

If you plan to travel by rail, the most useful information is available at www.intercity.pl. Krakow is one of Poland's main railroad junctions, and its central Krakow Glówny station is situated most conveniently in the very city center, close to the Old Town historic district. Every day express trains arrive from Germany (Berlin, Hamburg), Austria (Vienna), the Czech Republic (Prague), Hungary (Budapest). There are also express trains to all major cities in Poland, and the shuttle express service to and from capital Warsaw, departing every hour, is particularly convenient (the 300-km trip takes two hours and half or so, no stops in between).

Entry Documents Required
National Identity Card for citizens from the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Vatican,
Passport (valid up to 6 months) is required for all other visitors.

Visa
Citizens of the following countries are not required to be in possession of a visa when entering Poland for less than 90 days: Albania (only for holders of biometric passports), Andorra, Antigua Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina (only for holders of biometric passports), Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region), Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao (only for holders of biometric passports), Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro (only for holders of biometric passports), Netherlands, New Zeland, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Portugal, Romania, Saint Kitts and Nevis, San Marino, Serbia (only for holders of biometric passports), Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan (for holders of passports which include an identity card number), United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay, Vatican (Holy See), Venezuela. If a visa is necessary, please contact the nearest Polish Embassy or Consulate as soon as possible, since the Conference Secretariat is not in the position to assist in the visa application procedure. If a special invitation is needed to attend the Symposium, please contact the Conference Secretariat. For futher information about visas and documents you can check the following link: http://www.msz.gov.pl/en/travel_to_poland/visa/.

Language
The official language in Poland is Polish, but many Poles, particularly younger people, speak English.

Health & Emergency
No vaccination certificates are required on entry except for those countries registered in epidemic areas.
In case of an emergency those dialling  from a land line or public payphone should use the following numbers: 999 for an ambulance, 998 for the fire brigade and 997 for the police. Mobile phone users should call 112 to be forwarded to the relevant department.

Local time
Poland is in the Central European (CET) time zone (GMT +1 hr). Polish summer time (GMT + 2 hrs) starts and ends on the last Sundays of March and October.

Electricity
Electricity in Poland is 230V, 50HzAC. Plug sockets are round with two round pin sockets.  

Weather
Temperatures in Krakow in June may vary from 15 to 25°C. Usually, there is a lot of sunshine at this time of the year, but rain is possible.

Religion
Catholicism is the main religion in the country. The deceased Polish-born Pope John II remains a genuine source of pride for all Poles.

Safety
In general,  Polish cities are  safe cities, and most welcoming to visitors. However, as in all burgeoning cities, it is recommended that you are on your guard against pickpockets in trains, buses and trams, as well as other crowded places, and avoid dimply lit areas and parks at night.

Money
The standard unit of currency of Poland is zloty. Currency can be exchanged at airports, banks and currency exchange offices (kantor). You will get a better deal by using a kantor. Exchange rates ; 1 USD = 3,47 PLN (rate 25-07-2014), 1 EURO = 4,20 PLN (rate 25-07-2014). In the hotels only Polish zlotys or credit cards will be accepted.

Cuisine
Kraków’s streets are packed with vendors selling obwarzanki – round, twisted baked bread rolls, which have become a culinary symbol of this mediaeval city. In the region of Kraków you’ll find some of Europe’s tastiest apples, delicious cheeses from the mountains and unrivalled cured meats. Kraków is Poland’s culinary capital – no other city can boast an accumulation of so many restaurants in a relatively small area. This goes hand in hand with quality as confirmed by the prestigious Michelin Red Guide. Its authors recommend 36 restaurants throughout Poland, including 17 in Kraków.

Shopping
Kraków is proud of its merchant traditions standing at the crossroads of important trading routes, it has been attracting fans of spices and fabrics, artworks and local crafts. Today locals and tourists buy souvenirs, books and everyday objects in Kraków’s shops, malls and bookshops. Many search for clothes, jewellery, cosmetics – both famous and local brands. Good Polish brands – Hera, Hexeline, Deni Cler for women, Vistula for men, Apart, Batycki and W.Kruk – jewellery and accessories, Gino Rossi and Kazar - shoes.

Krakow Tourist Card
The two or three day card entitles the holder to free travel on city buses and trams and to free entry in up to 30 Krakow museums (including the Gallery in the Cloth Hall, the underground route below the Rynek Główny, Oskar Schindler’s Enamel Factory, the Polish Aviation Museum and St. Mary’s Church). The Card is valid on city buses and trams day and night (including buses no 208 & 292 to the Balice Airport and 304 to Wieliczka). Krakow has a rich and varied array of museums. Some of them have unique collections of art and are located in some of the city's most architecturally valued buildings. Highly recommended are the Gallery in the Cloth Hall, the underground route below the Rynek Główny, Oskar Schindler’s Enamel Factory, the Polish Aviation Museum and St. Mary’s Church. Cardholders can also make use of the various discounts on offer in selected restaurants and shops as well as local trips and excursions.

my KRK mobile application
The myKRK guide to Krakow includes six sections: practical information, visit Krakow, calendar of events, municipal transport, news, map of Krakow. The application is available in English.

Public transport
Krakow is serviced by many tram and bus lines, which make moving around the city (and the neighboring Wieliczka) fairly easy. Maps of public transport are available on the website of the Municipal Transport Enterprise (MPK), as are the timetables.
All tram and bus tickets must be punched in a ticket machine immediately on boarding a bus or a tram. The validity of timed and daily tickets is specified by the four last digits stamped on your tickets, which show the exact time when you first punched the ticket. If you are using a 20, 40, 60 or 90 min, daily, 2-3 days or weekly ticket you need to punch it only once on your first journey.