OVERALL RISK : LOW. Generally, Poland is a very safe country to travel to. Still, never let your guard down, and be wary of pickpockets and scammers since their activities increased in the past couple of years.
English is fairly widely spoken in Poland with just over a third of Poles overall reported as being able to speak English to some degree. This ratio goes up in the major cities and tourist destinations, where you will have no problems finding people who can speak English if you need help.
The CIA World Factbook estimates that 17 percent of Poland's population is under the poverty line. The World Data Group defines the poverty line as earning anything below $1.90 per day. Poland's total population is 37.95 million people, which means that there are 6.4 million people in poverty.
Traffic, Narrow and Potholed Roads in PolandWhile the major highways in Poland are in good condition and well maintained, it's the rural roads you need to be aware of. Driving, especially after dark, is hazardous due to narrow and poorly lit roads.
Unless one ends up in Poland and assumes that Poland is like any other EU country. There is no way to rent a car in Poland while one has arrived in Poland without having a document International Driving Permit that can be only issued back in USA. This means that driving any car without the IDP is illegal in Poland.
Standard speed limits (unless otherwise stated by traffic signs) [km/h] 50 km/h (5 a.m. – 11 p.m.) 60 km/h (11 p.m. – 5 a.m.)
The Eurovignette is the nickname given to the fare that heavy vehicles over 3.5 tonnes must currently pay to travel on the road network in European countries such as Holland, Luxembourg, Sweden and Denmark.
Although Germany began charging an autobahn toll for trucks in 2003, passenger car drivers can still drive on the Autobahn without any extra charges.
You can buy several digital vignettes as well as the digitale section toll at once, if you like. Basically, you have two options in the shop to buy your digital vignette: with or without registration in the customer portal. You will receive an automatic reminder before your Digital Vignette expires.
A vignette is required to drive on Swiss motorways. Vignettes can be purchased online, at the border or gas stations. An additional vignette is obligatory for trailers and caravans. Swiss rental cars already have a vignette.
A vignette road is similar to a toll road, but unlike traditional tolls, vignette roads work via a purchased sticker placed on the car's windscreen. This sticker is referred to a vignette sticker or a highway toll sticker. It is needed in several European countries in order to drive on select roads.
In Italy, the Swiss vignette can be found only at major branches of ACI (automobile club).
While technically you can drive a vehicle without an emissions sticker through the restricted zones when the restrictions aren't in force, the RAC strongly recommends that if you're planning to drive in Paris, Lille, Lyon or Grenoble, and you qualify for a vignette, you get one and display it at all times.
There is no need to have a vignette to drive in Italy. However, it is required to take a ticket in order to access the toll road. Also, there are lanes called “Telepass” reserved for those with a special wireless device.
Example #1: In Our Time (By Ernest Hemingway)Each time he felt the horn coming. Sometimes the bull only bumped him with his head. Once the horn went all the way through him and he felt it go into the sand … Maera felt everything getting larger and larger and then smaller and smaller.
Any car, motorbike or trailer using the motorways will need one: the motorway vignette. The sticker costs 40 francs (36.50 euros) and is valid from December 2019 to the end of January 2021.
The toll sticker has been compulsory on Austria's motorways and expressways since 1997. All cars, motorbikes and camper vans up to 3.5 mpw (maximum permissible weight) must properly display a toll sticker or have purchased online in time a digital vignette when they drive onto a motorway or expressway.
It is generally not permitted to stay overnight in a car on a public parking lot. It is therefore recommended to find a campground or any other accommodation where you can spend the night. In some regions, sleeping for one night in the car is tolerated. You can ask at the local police station for more information.
The Latin name for the country, Helvetia, still appears on Swiss stamps. The letters CH appearing on Swiss cars and in internet addresses stand for the Latin words Confoederatio Helvetica, meaning Swiss Confederation. Helvetica is a widely used sans-serif typeface developed in Switzerland in 1957.
The basic rules for driving in Switzerland
- You need to drive on the right lane.
- You need to have a motorway vignette on your car.
- The headlights must be switched on during the day as well.
- Maximum speeds: motorways 120 km/h, highways 100 km/h, other roads outside built-up areas 80 km/h, towns 50 km/h.
As all of the autostrades are interlinked in Italy's road network, the charges for tolls are proportional to the distance travelled. This means around a euro for every seven kilometres, around 50% more than in France. On some shorter stretches, charges may be slightly higher.
You can buy the vignette at the border (pick the lane for cars without a vignette) and gas stations near the border in Germany and other surrounding countries.
Vignettes are compulsory for all motor vehicles with a maximum gross total weight up to and including 3.5t (cars, motor-homes, motorcycles). Yes, trailers with a total weight of up to and including 3.5t towed by a motor vehicle which needs a vignette also need an own vignette.
To drive in Austria you will need an international driver's license. If you are in the country for more than six months you will need to get an Austrian license. Like most western countries, drink driving is illegal and the punishment is significant.
