Compare Poland car hire

Poland's big cities – historic Krakow, arty Warsaw and pretty Gdansk – are finally getting the love they deserve. It's time for the rest of the country to share it. Grab a hire car and head into the Masurian lakes in the north, the Tatra Mountains in the south, and the huge open spaces in between.

Language: Polish | Currency: Euros (€) | Avg. Flight time: 2 hrs 30 mins

There's a good choice of car hire brands at Poland's main airports, including Warsaw Chopin Airport (WAW), Krakow John Paul II Airport (KRK) and Gdansk Lech Wałęsa Airport (GDN). It's usually easy to reach city centres from the airports too – it takes under 20 minutes in both Warsaw and Krakow. Krakow is the best gateway for southern Poland, Warsaw is best for the heart of the country, and Gdansk puts you in the north, on the Baltic coast.

Most of the big car hire brands cover Poland, including Avis, Budget, Hertz, Sixt and Europcar. There are pick-up locations in airports and cities. So it's easy to shop around for a cheap deal.

Having access to a rental car is essential if you want to explore some of the more rural parts of Poland without waiting around for (often very irregular) public transport. Outside of cities, some roads can be poorly maintained, so you’ll need to stay vigilant and look out for potholes, particularly at night. The main urban roads can also get very busy, and traffic jams in the cities are a fact of life.

The country's key roads include the E75/A1, which runs north-south through the centre of Poland, connecting to Gdansk in the north. The E30/A2 is a central east-west route that links Poznan and Warsaw, and the more southerly E40/A4 runs through Wroclaw and Krakow.

There are tolls for sections of certain motorways and main roads, including the A1, A2, A4 and A8. Ask your car hire firm whether the vehicle has an automated viaTOLL system – if not, you'll need to pay cash at toll booths.

There are many different car hire companies located in the centres of major cities. In Krakow, options include Express Rent a Car, Hertz, Sixt, Europcar and others. Warsaw car hire firms include Europcar, Hertz, Sixt, Centrum and many more.

Sopot

While the beautiful port city of Gdansk has much to keep you entertained, its close proximity to the coast also offers you the opportunity to explore other gems along the northern reaches of the country. One particular highlight is the nearby seaside town Sopot, which is often described as Poland’s Riviera. Potter about the pier and check out the Crooked House. If you’re travelling by hire car from Gdansk, make a slight detour east to experience the lush forests of the Tricity Landscape Park beforehand.

Ojców National Park

Ojców National Park, a pleasant 30- to 40-minute drive north from Krakow, is one of Poland’s prettiest national parks, jampacked with a plenty of natural and manmade attractions. Make time for the Castle on Pieskowa Rock – fairly close to the carpark – explore the Grota Łokietka cave and follow one of the trails that takes in part of the Prądnik river. As Poland’s smallest national park, it’s very accessible.

Masurian Lake District

Home to over 2,000 lakes, the Masurian Lake District is perfect if you’re looking for a picturesque escape. From Gdansk it’s around a two-hour drive, while from Warsaw, you’re looking at a three-hour drive – a proper road trip. Popular with Poles, it’s still relatively unknown by outside travellers, so you can enjoy the scenery and wildlife in relative tranquillity. It’s also a great spot for watersports, including fishing, kayaking and sailing.

1. Although Poland drives on the right and overtakes on the left, trams must be overtaken on the right. If a tram is at a stop, it's illegal to overtake it at all.
   
2. Easy on the horn. It is technically illegal to use it in urban areas, other than for emergencies (we say technically because most locals do it anyway).
   
3. You’ll need to have your headlights on at all times, even when driving in daylight. Just sidelights will do during the day.

Fair fuel policy

A fair fuel policy (also known as full-to-full or same-to-same) means you’ll only pay for the fuel you use. All car rental deals compared on TravelSupermarket come with a fair fuel policy, so you can book your hire car safe in the knowledge there will be no nasty surprises at drop-off. More information on TravelSupermarket’s commitment to fair fuel policies can be found here.

No hidden fees

All rental deals compared on TravelSupermarket include mandatory fees (for example, one-way and young driver surcharges) in your rental quote at the time of booking, meaning you’ll know the full price of your car hire upfront.