The state of Polish roads?

[Cattwg]

We are off to Poland later this year and whilst researching I have come across several posts bemoaning the state of Polish roads. However these posts are a few years old. I just wondered if anyone had been to Poland in the recent past – say the last 12 months - and was able to comment on the state of the roads?

We intend to do about 3500 miles (Calais to Calais) over 7 weeks. If the roads are really horrendous then this will obviously reduce our cruising speed and impinge on our itinerary.

 

Cattwg :-D

[laimeduck]

Not as recent as you would like, but 2 1/2 years ago we drove from Colditz to Sagan which would have been on the A4, Dresden to Wroclaw road. Absolutely abominable, 25mph max on a motorway! Huge potholes, broken surfaces, not flat at all. Our car was shaken to bits. We were only on it for about 40 miles, but it really was truly appalling.

 

All along this motorway were people on the side of the motorway selling mushrooms from the interminable pine forests.

 

Apparently the east to west carriageway was pristine - EU money so we were told. I hear good stories about Poland, but this one road was not good.

 

 

[Brians dad]

A few years ago they were dreadful - built by Hitler and never repaired since. However, we have poured a lot of EU money into them and the main roads are now mostly much improved, though some of the new motorways are now toll roads. Well worth going, especially to Krakow and Zakopane.

[Bulletguy]

I have been touring in Poland every year since 2007 so was there last year and will be again this year.

 

Road conditions are pretty good with many major roads entirely resurfaced or in some cases newly built sections so don't be too surprised when your GPS tells you, you are in the the middle of a field! Motorways are very good though you obviously see and 'feel' much more of Poland by keeping off them and using main and country road routes.

 

Occasionally you get the odd one or two rough patches but nothing to get worked up about. The first time i drove in Poland i did think it was bad.....but nowhere near as bad as Albanian or Bulgarian roads. I always remember the words of a Polish joker i met once when i was having a bit of a moan about their roadworks he said, "yes but Hitler drove his bloody tanks down our roads......he never got as far as yours!"

 

It's one of my favourite countries. After all, why else would i keep going back?

 

It's a huge country with plenty to see and some really amazing countryside also the people are so welcoming, friendly and very helpful.

 

Enjoy!! :-D :-D

[nowtelse2do]

Just to add with Paul's post.

 

Brand new M/way from Frankfurt Oder borders to Warsaw, plenty services, parking and restplaces.

 

Dave

[Guest pelmetman]

Perhaps we should join the EU :D..................We might get some decent roads *-).......

[lennyhb]

Brians dad - 2014-03-31 3:42 PM

 

A few years ago they were dreadful - built by Hitler and never repaired since. However, we have poured a lot of EU money into them and the main roads are now mostly much improved, though some of the new motorways are now toll roads. Well worth going, especially to Krakow and Zakopane.

 

Went to Krakow and Zakopane in January a few years ago not in the van. Zakopane not to be missed in the winter world companionship ski jump event was on while we were there great atmosphere. It is also a summer walking destination got a bit of a surprise when you had to pay to walk the trails in some areas.

 

We travelled to and from Krawkow by bus and travelled around around in both areas by bus roads weren't too bad not much worse than some of the bone shakers in Belgium that shake your van to bits.

[Curly]

Hi Cattwg was there last Sept/Nov. majority of roads OK only when out in the sticks you may find some a bit iffy but so little to put up with to see the country we enjoyed every minute of it AND will return in the near future. The only frustrating bit for us was the Via box as we are over 3500kgs a little naughty when some roads were under repair but you still payed for the the yet to be resurface and the box does not tell you what's left on the system you have to find the garages that would check it for you but once I knew what to do the rest was simple so to answer your question is GO FOR IT you will not be disappointed.

Enjoy.

[enodreven]

Hi, Curly

 

We are thinking of going to Poland later this and are over 3500kgs so would appreciate any information you could give on the Via Box, like where you get them and how you add credit, and anything else you think could be helpful etc.

 

Thanks

Brian

 

Curly - 2014-03-31 6:03 PM

 

Hi Cattwg was there last Sept/Nov. majority of roads OK only when out in the sticks you may find some a bit iffy but so little to put up with to see the country we enjoyed every minute of it AND will return in the near future. The only frustrating bit for us was the Via box as we are over 3500kgs a little naughty when some roads were under repair but you still payed for the the yet to be resurface and the box does not tell you what's left on the system you have to find the garages that would check it for you but once I knew what to do the rest was simple so to answer your question is GO FOR IT you will not be disappointed.

Enjoy.

[bounty hunter]

Lots of info here http://www.viatoll.pl/en

 

John

 

[Curly]

Hi enodreven the Viabox is not the best for toll paying roads but at the moment that's what Poland has got for the time being they will be looking at it in the future.

There's is no problem getting the box going in there is a 125 Zloty deposit which is refundable when leaving Poland they are available at the border and signed very clearly you then load the box with an amount you decide to put on it I put 125 Zloty on the box this is the easy bit.

 

The main problem is there is no indication on the box what you have used or what is left on the box so you need to find on your travels the garages that has Via box facilities and here are not many of them they will download your box number that tells you what is left on it.

 

When travelling all you will hear is a "ding ding" as you pass under the cameras you will stay pay EVEN if the road is being resurfaced not only motorways or dual carriageways but all roads being upgraded.

 

Now as mentioned it is easy getting the box BUT a devil of a job finding a Via box office when leaving Poland and they try to indicate they do not understand English when you want the refund.

We finally did have it sorted out and had our deposit refunded and about 50 Zloty's left on the box from the original 125 we put on it so it is not expensive.

 

A word of warning DO NOT TRY to do without it here is a 5000 Zloty (not a miss print) instant fine @ approx. 5 to the £ that equates to £1000.

 

But the country is well worth the "potch" with the Via box.

We had a better rate /£ in Poland than in the UK

 

Have a great time as mentioned we will go back, point of interest is we had no problem with wifi anywhere in Poland great stuff.

[bounty hunter]

Curly - 2014-04-01 8:33 AM

 

 

A word of warning DO NOT TRY to do without it here is a 5000 Zloty (not a miss print) instant fine @ approx. 5 to the £ that equates to £1000.

 

As we approached the German border last year PC Plod was parked 250 metres from the border with binoculars checking for foreign vehicles leaving Poland. We were pulled in and asked for our documents and waited 10 minutes while they checked their computer to see if we had been on any toll roads. We had downloaded all the toll routes and travelled across Poland from Lithuania without going on the toll roads. it was possible but difficult and we only did it as we couldn't find out where to get the Viabox and would not do it again. We had read on here about someone being fined £750 and were on tenterhooks all the time as roads were being changed to toll roads frequently and there was no way of knowing.

 

John

 

[Curly]

One other point I should mention the smallest currency they will give on the conversion leaving is £5 so try to get rid of all change below 25 Zloty's as you will not be able to get the smaller amount refunded this would not be a problem if you were to visit Poland regularly as we visit Europe at least twice a year we do not exchange our Euros so no need to exchange.

 

Also we tried several times to find garages via the tourist offices for the nearest Via box stations and they did not know what we were talking about, they did not know of the system even when we showed them the original Via box box it was alien to them, not sure if you can get this info. on line which may be worth a try.

 

We entered Poland North on the Baltic Coast and it was impossible to miss the Via box station as we did a clockwise tour of the country, any thing else I may be able to help with drop me a line.

 

Curly

[Cattwg]

Thank you to all those who replied my post. You have confirmed what I hoped – that the roads are a lot better than just a few years ago.

 

Cattwg :-D

[Bulletguy]

In respect to toll charges on Motorway sections i must admit i cannot even remember paying anything! That said the only one i've ever used is the A4 from Krakow and i check each year i'm there by calling in at a Service area.

 

But charges are so minimal anyway you won't even notice. We are talking small change 'peanut money' here.

 

As a comparison the M6 toll costs eleven quid for a MH/Campervan for just 27 miles. Krakow to Wroclaw on the A4 will cost you just £3.50.......and that's a good 170 miles. Remember........you are not in Blighty!

 

Whats the price of a pint of beer now in this country? Think like that and it soon brings costs into perspective.

 

The other positives worth a mention for the OP's first time Polish 'experience'. Forget the cooker.....you won't need it other than to make a morning brew. Eating out (if you go to the right places) is so cheap. The way to do this is by avoiding the major cities/tourist areas and look around for small towns and villages.

 

Here is just one example;

 

Between Bydgoszcz and Poznan on the E261 you will find the small town of Znin.

 

There is a campsite "Paluki Oddzial" N 52° 50' 30" E 17° 43' 31.6" which overlooks a large lake. The site itself is fairly basic, but clean and quiet and only a short walk into the town centre. There is also a narrow gauge railway which runs trips daily. I used it to visit the Steam Railway Museum at Wenecja which cost around £2.50 return and it's quite a lengthy trip too!

 

The centre square (typical feature of many Polish town and cities) has a Restaurant at the top end. You can't miss it as it's the only one which has tables and brollies outside. A decent meal here will set you back the staggering sum of around £3.50. Not microwaved muck either. Proper decent food and waitress service!

 

I found this little 'gem' purely by chance last year. Intended to stay a couple of nights.....ended up staying a week! Dined out at 'my' Restaurant each evening....often having 'a few too many' to wash my three quid meal down but that didn't matter as i wasn't driving.

 

Here are a couple of photos of Znin;

 

http://oi57.tinypic.com/soydxz.jpg

 

http://oi58.tinypic.com/iqwva9.jpg (the Restaurant is at the upper left and tables/brollies where the hedge is)

 

[EMS]

We went on a cycling holiday in the East of Poland Mazouren (probably spelt wrongly!). Fantastic lakes and beautiful countryside, fields of wild poppies. There are lots of cycle tracks next to roads, many forest gravel roads for the braver cyclists.

The roads in this region where well paved but the motorist drove very quickly and we saw several serious crashes between cars. In this region there are very few large roads most are like our B class roads, enjoyable if you are not in a hurry. The road surfaces were good, but dual carriageways were rare. We found them only near to Warsaw.

We did not see any motorhomes during our stay.

 

 

[Bulletguy]

EMS - 2014-04-01 7:56 PM

 

We went on a cycling holiday in the East of Poland Mazouren (probably spelt wrongly!). Fantastic lakes and beautiful countryside, fields of wild poppies. There are lots of cycle tracks next to roads, many forest gravel roads for the braver cyclists.

The roads in this region where well paved but the motorist drove very quickly and we saw several serious crashes between cars. In this region there are very few large roads most are like our B class roads, enjoyable if you are not in a hurry. The road surfaces were good, but dual carriageways were rare. We found them only near to Warsaw.

We did not see any motorhomes during our stay.

 

 

It's the Masurian area In the north east and known as Poland's Lake District though with somewhere in the region of 2000 lakes, makes our own Lake District a mere tiddler!

 

I was in this area a couple of years ago pottering along some country B roads when i took a lunch break at a very nice Restaurant overlooking Lake Sniardwy, Poland's largest lake;

 

http://i.imgur.com/Ws35shW.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/0ibf7aE.jpg

 

As you can see the weather was boiling hot and i managed to get my van parked up in the shade (just see the van parked under a tree). Very peaceful and quiet with an amazing outlook, i decided to make an overnight here.

 

Needless to say......excellent fresh food at sensible prices meant i didn't need much persuading!

 

http://i.imgur.com/4l5LU0e.jpg

 

 

Dual carriageways in Poland? Hmmmm.....believe me there are some and here is one i have memories of for all the wrong reasons!

 

http://i.imgur.com/IKHqTj7.jpg

 

This was at Zamosc and behind where i was standing to take this photo was a Biedronka Supermarket where i'd gone to stock up. Parked the van up, did my shop, then drove out to go back to the Camp site i was staying on (site can be seen over the road). Only instead of turning right as i should have done, i turned left so found myself on the wrong side of the carriageway! It didn't take me long to realise and made a very hasty retreat to turn round! *-)

 

It's worth mentioning also that all Campsite facilities in Poland have the usual chemical disposal points and water for tanking up and there are no extra charges made as seems to be the case with what 'clubby' members are saying on another thread about UK sites. Also many have their own Restaurant and Coffee bar as did this one at Zamosc.