How Warsaw works
Tickets, Sunday shopping, tipping, everyday manners and the rules that catch newcomers out — a practical guide to life in Warsaw.
Trams, buses and the metro
One ticket works on every tram, bus, metro line and the city's SKM trains. Time tickets (20 or 75 minutes) cover changes; day and multi-day tickets are cheaper if you ride a lot.
Validate a paper ticket in the yellow machine as soon as you board. Most vehicles have a machine that takes contactless cards, and the mobile apps sell tickets too. Inspectors are common and fines are steep.
Offer your seat to older people, pregnant passengers and anyone with small children; the marked seats near the doors are meant for them.
Shops on Sundays
Most large shops and supermarkets are closed on Sundays, apart from a few trading Sundays a year (usually before Christmas and Easter). Plan your weekly shop for Saturday.
Small convenience stores, petrol-station shops, pharmacies and bakeries often stay open, as do restaurants, cafés, cinemas and museums.
Tipping and paying
Around 10% is a normal tip in restaurants for good service; it's appreciated, not required. When paying by card, say the total you'd like to pay before the waiter enters the amount.
Careful with cash: saying "dziękuję" (thank you) as you hand it over usually means "keep the change".
Cards and phone payments are accepted almost everywhere, including small shops and market stalls; keep a little cash for older kiosks.
Everyday manners
Greet people with "Dzień dobry" when you walk into a shop, lift or doctor's waiting room. Use "Pan" (Sir) and "Pani" (Madam) with people you don't know; first names come later.
Take your shoes off when visiting someone's home unless they say otherwise. If you bring flowers, an odd number is the custom (even numbers are for funerals).
Rules that catch newcomers out
Drinking alcohol in public places (streets, parks, beaches) is not allowed outside licensed areas such as café gardens, and it is fined.
Cross the street only at crossings and on green: jaywalking is fined, and the police do check. Bikes and e-scooters stay off pavements unless there's no cycle path.
Foreigners staying longer than 30 days should register their address (zameldowanie) at a district office; landlords and employers often ask for it.
Sorting your rubbish
Waste is split into five bins: yellow for plastics and metal, blue for paper, green for glass, brown for food and garden waste, black for everything else. Mixed-up bins can cost the whole building extra.
Many plastic and glass bottles and cans now carry a deposit; return them at shops with a collection point to get it back.
Emergencies and health
Call 112 for any emergency; operators often speak English. The city's help line 19115 handles everything from broken streetlights to questions about city offices.
Pharmacies (apteka) give a lot of advice without an appointment, and some are open all night. Warsaw's tap water is safe to drink.
Useful Polish
| Polish | Say it like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Dzień dobry | jen DOB-ri | Hello / Good morning |
| Dziękuję | jen-KOO-yeh | Thank you |
| Proszę | PRO-sheh | Please / Here you are |
| Przepraszam | psheh-PRA-sham | Sorry / Excuse me |
| Ile to kosztuje? | EE-leh toh kosh-TOO-yeh | How much is it? |
| Poproszę rachunek | po-PRO-sheh ra-HOO-nek | The bill, please |
| Czy mogę zapłacić kartą? | chi MO-geh za-PWA-cheech KAR-tom | Can I pay by card? |
| Nie mówię po polsku | nyeh MOO-vyeh po POL-skoo | I don't speak Polish |
| Czy mówi Pan / Pani po angielsku? | chi MOO-vee pan / PA-nee po an-GYEL-skoo | Do you speak English? |
| Gdzie jest przystanek? | gjeh yest pshi-STA-nek | Where is the stop? |
| Na zdrowie! | na ZDRO-vyeh | Cheers! / Bless you! |
Rules change: check the linked official sources for fares and dates.