Poland | Gdańsk University of Technology

Official name: Republic of Poland (short name: Poland) -> in Polish: Rzeczpospolita Polska (short name: Polska)

Official language: Polish

Currency: złoty, PLN

Capital: Warsaw (Warszawa)

Major cities: Kraków, Łódź, Wrocław, Poznań, Gdańsk, Szczecin, Bydgoszcz, Lublin, Katowice, Białystok

Time zone: Central European time zone (GMT + 1hour / TUC + 1hour), except for between last Sunday in March and last Sunday in October when it switches to daylight saving time

Customs and religious holidays

• 1st of November: All Saints' Day (Wszystkich Świętych) (day off) - on this day people visit cemeteries to light up candles and pray for those who have passed away
• 11th of November: Independence Day (day off)
• 29th of November: Eve of St. Andrew's Day - a magical night of future-telling, when people pour hot wax into cold water through a key hole and try to read their fate from the shape of the congealed wax
• 24 December - 1 January: Christmas (Boże Narodzenie) Break
  Christmas Eve dinner on 24th of December (Wigilia)
• 6 January: Epiphany (day off)
• Fat Thursday (Tłusty czwartek): the day of eating traditional Polish doughnuts (pączki) and Angel Wings (faworki) - celebrated on the last Thursday before the religoius period of Lent
• Shrove Tuesday (Ostatki): the last day of the Carnival when people party before the beginning of Lent
• 8th of March: Women's Day (Dzień Kobiet)
• 21st of March: the First Day of Spring (Pierwszy Dzień Wiosny) - the day of the spring equinox when people used to burn and/or drown an effigy of Marzanna, who was considered the embodiment of death and winter ("frost maiden")
• Easter (Wielkanoc): from Thursday to Monday - moveable feast between late March and late April (days off), one of the most important public holidays steeped in tradition
• 1st of May: Labour Day (day off) - celebrated in Poland since 1886
• 2nd of May: Polish Flag Day
• 3rd of May: Constitution Day (day off)
• Corpus Christi (Boże Ciało): on Thursday-moveable feast, depends on Easter Sunday; May/June (day off)

Living costs

Monthly living costs of an average student in Poland: 1200-2000 PLN.

Monthly rent: dormitory 350-550 PLN, room at a private apartment 500-1000 PLN

Generally the costs of food, public transportation and housing are somewhat lower in Poland than in Western Europe. Nonetheless, they increase every year.

Average prices of everyday products:

• bread 500g: 2-5 PLN,
• milk 1l: 2-4 PLN,
• butter: 5-9 PLN,
• eggs (10): 4-8 PLN
• water 1,5l: 2-3 PLN,
• water (restaurants, pubs) 0,33l: 3-5 PLN 
• coffee in a cafe: 7-12 PLN
• apples 1kg: 1-4 PLN,
• potatos 1kg: 1-3 PLN,
• tomatoes 1kg: 2-9 PLN,
• orange juice 1l: 3-5 PLN,
• white sugar 1kg: 3-5 PLN,
• chicken breasts 1kg: 15-20 PLN,
• washing detergents: 4-7 PLN,

Other exemplary costs:

• energy and gas monthly: 120 PLN,
• full price monthly ticket: 80-105 PLN,
• cinema student's ticket: 16-23 PLN,
• haircut: 25-50 PLN,
• lunch at canteen: 10-15 PLN

Travel

If you want to travel within Poland or Europe you can do it by intercity transport:

1. train (the national railway company PKP, which operates various types of trains, from fast and expensive EuroCity to slower and low standard 'pospieszne');
2. coach (regional bus operators under a general name PKS, as well as private coach companies, e.g. Polski Bus);
3. plane ( LOT, Wizzair, Ryanair).

Introduction to Polish