Cheap flights to Warsaw depart from Heathrow and Luton airports near London. Some flights to Warsaw may also be available from other regional airports around the UK. Citizens of the UK do not require a visa to enter Poland. Flights to Warsaw will arrive at Warsaw Chopin Airport. Buses operated by the Public Transport Authority of Warsaw (ZTM) provide transport between the airport and Warsaw city centre. Tickets are available from the driver and from vending machines on the bus or at the bus stop. Warsaw Airport Transfers also provide shuttle services between the airport and the Central Railway Station in Warsaw. Tickets can be purchased from the bus driver. Licensed taxis can be hired from outside the airport terminal. Fares are usually displayed in the front window of the vehicle.
Warsaw has an extensive network of bus, Metro and tram services, operated by ZTM (Public Tranport Authority of Warsaw). Check the ZTM website for more information about routes and timetables. Tickets are available from kiosks and ticket vending machines, as well as from shops displaying a Sprzedaż biletów ZTM sticker. Tickets can also be purchased from bus drivers, although some may refuse to sell them. The same tickets are used on all forms of public transport. They need to be validated in the yellow boxes located inside all bus and tram entrances. Metred taxis are readily available throughout the city centre, and can be flagged down as needed or booked in advance.
Warsaw’s turbulent history can be witnessed through its architecture. Most visitors gravitate towards the photogenic Old Town, carefully rebuilt after World War Two. The Market Place houses a statue of the Syrenka, the symbol of Warsaw. The Royal Castle, although rebuilt after the Second World War, is nevertheless still an impressive sight. Its interior has been meticulously restored with lavish period furniture and original details. The crumbling, pockmarked buildings around Prozna Street bear witness to the horrors of World War Two. A remnant of the brick wall encircling the former Jewish Ghetto still stands on Sienna Street. For a more uplifting experience, spend a day strolling through the colourful gardens of Lazienki Park and explore the collections of the Royal Lazienki Museum.
Warsaw has its fair share of shopping malls, including the Zlote Tarasy, a futuristic-looking shopping centre in the Centrum area. The building houses the usual array of high street chains and fast food outlets. The Hala Mirowska is a far cry from the glitzy malls springing up in the city – the redbrick market hall is filled with fruit and flower kiosks as well as a selection of independently owned businesses. Other reminders of the past are the ubiquitous milk bars such as Bar Mlezcny Pod Barbakanem, frequented by students and those hankering for a taste of homecooked food. The Srodmiescie district heaves with life once the sun sets. Kamienolomy is a club popular with students and the younger crowd.