About 588,000 Britons visited Poland in the first half of 2024 alone, making them the third-largest foreign tourist group after Germans and Ukrainians. Why the sudden surge? Poland’s basically Europe’s best-kept secret for budget travel – your pound stretches 45% further than at home, and that’s before you even start being clever about it.
Warsaw sees £10 for a three-course meal. Krakow charges £1.20 for a pint. Wroclaw offers hotel rooms for £25 a night. Meanwhile, London’s asking £60 for that same meal, £7 for the pint, and good luck finding anything decent under £100. The maths isn’t complicated.
But here’s what most travel guides won’t tell you: there are specific tricks that can slash your costs even further. Not the obvious rubbish about booking in advance or travelling off-season. Real, actionable stuff that’ll save you hundreds.
Many travellers spend more than they need to because they do not use all the available life hacks. It is worth noting that there are many ways to travel from the UK to Poland, and I have been to Poland twice myself, well I can explain better about this. Even while on holiday, visiting cultural events or having fun at casino psc, you can find ways to cut costs and get the most out of your trip with these tips.
The Truth About “Cheap (Not Expensive)” Poland = It’s Not
Poland isn’t uniformly cheap anymore. Warsaw’s fancy Żoliborz district has restaurants charging London prices. Krakow’s tourist centre is approaching Prague levels. But step two streets away from the obvious spots and prices halve.
Wroclaw remains the best value major city – tourists haven’t properly discovered it yet. Hotels that cost £80 in Krakow go for £40 there. Same quality, half the price.
The countryside is where your money really works. Zakopane (mountain resort) charges £20 for accommodation that would be £150 in the Alps. The food’s better too – proper highland cheese (oscypek) costs 8 PLN from street vendors.
The Currency Game: Where Your Pounds Actually Work Hardest
Right now (September 2025), you’re getting about 4.90 złoty per pound. Sounds simple enough, but where you exchange your money makes a massive difference to what ends up in your pocket.
Never exchange at UK airports. Travelex at Heathrow will give you 4.20 PLN per pound if you’re lucky. That’s 70 groszy less per pound – on £500, you’ve just lost 350 złoty (about £71). For what? The convenience of queuing for twenty minutes?
Polish ATMs beat UK exchanges every time. Euronet and Planet Cash ATMs are everywhere in Polish cities. They’ll offer you 4.75-4.85 PLN per pound. Yes, they charge a fee (usually 15-20 PLN), but you’re still miles ahead. On £500, you’re saving about £40 compared to UK airport rates.
But here’s the trick nobody mentions: refuse the ATM’s currency conversion. Every Polish ATM will ask if you want to be charged in pounds. Say no. Always choose złoty. The ATM’s conversion rate is daylight robbery – usually 4.30-4.40 per pound. Your UK bank’s rate will be 4.85-4.90. On a £200 withdrawal, that’s a £20 difference.
Kantor beats everything. These are Polish exchange offices, and they’re brilliant. In Warsaw or Krakow city centres, you’ll get 4.88-4.92 per pound – basically the interbank rate. No fees, no nonsense. The ones near tourist spots are slightly worse (4.80-4.85), but still beat any UK option. Google “kantor” plus your destination city before you go. The locals use an app called Cinkciarz to find the best rates.
One more thing: bring pristine notes. Polish kantors are fussy. A tiny tear or excessive creasing means they might reject your money or offer a worse rate. Those crumpled twenties in your wallet? Spend them at home.
The Mistakes That Cost You | (Book Uber After Getting Rates Locally First) Avoid Higher Charges
- Station taxis are (sometimes) a scam. The official taxi rank at Krakow Główny charges 5 PLN per kilometre. Uber charges 2.50 PLN. On a trip to Kazimierz, that’s 30 PLN versus 15 PLN. Download Uber, Bolt, or FreeNow before you arrive.
- Airport buses are fine. Every blog tells you to get the train from Krakow Airport. The 208 bus costs the same (5 PLN), takes 10 minutes longer, but drops you at the actual Old Town instead of the train station. Unless you’re staying near the station, the bus wins.
- Restaurant location matters more than you think. Main Market Square in Krakow: beer costs 15-18 PLN. Walk three streets to Józefa Street in Kazimierz: same beer, 8-10 PLN. The food’s better too – tourists don’t venture that far.
- Weekend tickets are incredible value. Polish railways do a “Weekend Ticket” – unlimited train travel from Friday 7pm to Monday 6am for 149 PLN (£30). Warsaw to Krakow normally costs 150 PLN each way. If you’re city-hopping over a weekend, this is golden.
The Airline Reality Check
Forget what you’ve heard about Ryanair always being cheapest. The UK-Poland route is more complex than that.
Wizz Air often beats Ryanair by £20-40, especially from Luton. They fly to more Polish cities too – not just Warsaw and Krakow, but Gdansk, Wroclaw, Katowice, Poznan. Their “Wizz Priority” (£25-35) includes a cabin bag, trolley case, AND front seat. Ryanair charges £40-60 for the same privileges.
The catch? Wizz’s seats are 28 inches pitch. That’s two inches less legroom than Ryanair’s standard 30 inches. On a 2.5-hour flight, you’ll feel it. Their A321neos are particularly cramped – avoid rows 15-30 if you’re over 5’10”.
LOT Polish Airlines is the secret weapon for specific routes. London City to Warsaw with LOT costs about £120-150 return. That’s maybe £40 more than Wizz, but you get:
- 31-inch seat pitch
- Free 23kg checked bag
- Actual food (not amazing, but free)
- Flying from London City (tube accessible, no Stansted/Luton hassle)
The time and transport savings alone make it worthwhile if you live in London.
British Airways to Krakow from Heathrow starts at £90 return. Not the cheapest, but they don’t charge for seat selection, you get a free drink and snack, and Heathrow Express is faster than the Stansted Express. Factor in transport costs and suddenly BA looks reasonable.
Quick maths on real routes (September 2025 prices):
- Luton to Krakow (Wizz): £38 flight + £25 priority + £30 transport = £93
- Stansted to Krakow (Ryanair): £42 flight + £45 extras + £35 transport = £122
- Heathrow to Krakow (BA): £90 flight + £0 extras + £25 transport = £115
Fights to Katowice or Poznan are sometimes cheaper than direct flights to Warsaw. The same applies to British cities: flights from Manchester or Birmingham may cost less than from London.
Public Transport: The 20p Miracle
Polish public transport is so cheap it’s almost offensive to Western sensibilities.
- Krakow: 20-minute ticket costs 3 PLN (61p). But here’s what tourists don’t know – the 20-minute “combined ticket” (4 PLN/82p) works on buses AND trains. That gets you to Wieliczka Salt Mine on regular transport instead of the £25 tourist bus.
- Warsaw: Don’t buy single tickets. The 24-hour pass is 15 PLN (£3). A single 75-minute ticket is 4.40 PLN. Take three journeys and you’re already ahead. The weekend family ticket (44 PLN/£9) covers two adults and up to four children from Friday 7pm to Monday 8am. That’s basically free transport.
- The student hack: If you’re under 26, your UK student card might work for half-price tickets. Polish controllers rarely check if it’s a Polish university. Worst case, you pay full price. Best case, you save 50%. ISIC cards definitely work everywhere.
Where the Real Savings Hide
Milk bars aren’t dead. Bar mleczny (milk bars) are Communist-era canteens that still exist. Tourists think they’re extinct or too sketchy. Wrong. Bar Bambino in Warsaw, Milkbar Tomasza in Krakow – these places serve proper Polish food for 15-20 PLN (£3-4) per meal. Pierogi for 12 PLN. Bigos for 10 PLN. It’s not Instagram-pretty, but it’s what locals eat.
Żabka is your friend. This convenience store chain is everywhere – literally every 200 metres in city centres. Pre-made sandwiches: 6-8 PLN. Hot dogs: 5 PLN. Coffee: 5 PLN. Is it gourmet? No. Will it keep you fed between proper meals? Absolutely. Their app gives 10% off everything after you register.
University canteens are open to everyone. Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Warsaw University – their canteens serve anyone, not just students. Full meal with soup, main, and kompot (fruit drink): 18-25 PLN. Find them on Google Maps as “stołówka studencka.”
Local cafes and small restaurants outside tourist areas. These are attractive for their prices. These establishments often prepare dishes according to home recipes, allowing you to experience the true taste of Polish cuisine.
The museum Monday trick: Most Polish museums have free entry one day per week. In Krakow:
- Monday: Schindler’s Factory, MOCAK (contemporary art)
- Tuesday: National Museum, Czartoryski Museum
- Sunday: Galicia Jewish Museum (after 2pm)
Plan your week around these. That’s £30-40 saved without trying.
Polish SIM cards are basically free. Orange, Play, Plus – they all do tourist SIMs. 30GB for a month: 30 PLN (£6). Your UK provider wants £5 per day for roaming. Even for a week, that Polish SIM saves you £30.
Alternative Ways to Travel = Good Only If You Cover Multiple Routes
Flying is not always the best option. For some travellers, ground transport may be more interesting, especially when saving money or seeing more countries along the way is important.
Bus companies such as FlixBus connect London with Warsaw, Wroclaw and other cities. The journey takes longer, but tickets are usually cheaper than flights. In addition, this option allows you to enjoy the scenery and make stops in different European countries.
Rail routes are another alternative. Although there is no direct train from London to Poland, you can get to Brussels or Berlin via Eurostar and then continue your journey by local trains. This option allows you to combine several cities in one trip.
Travelling by car also has its advantages. Thanks to the Channel Tunnel and ferries, it is easy to reach continental Europe. From there, you can drive through Germany, Belgium or the Netherlands, planning your route at your own discretion. This is especially interesting for families or groups of friends who want to be independent of public transport.
