Practical guide · for jobseekers

How to get around Poland — a guide for foreigners

Getting to the city where you will work, everyday transport and the first formalities after arrival — gathered in one place, under a lawyer's patronage.

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✈️ Airports🚆 Rail🚌 Buses🎫 City tickets🧭 First steps
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A guide for those coming to Poland for work

This is not a tourist guide. We have gathered practical knowledge here for someone coming to Poland to earn a living: how to travel cheaply and efficiently to the city where you will work, how to get around by public transport, and what to arrange in the first days so that everything is legal and safe.

Below you will find four sections on transport and a short "first steps" plan. At the end — how to recognise a dishonest intermediary and not lose your money.

How to get around

Transport around Poland — 4 ways

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Airports

Which airports there are, where they are located and how to get from the airport to the city centre.

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Railways and PKP stations

Addresses of the main railway stations, carriers and how to buy a ticket.

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Long-distance buses

FlixBus and domestic carriers, international routes, tickets.

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Public transport

Tickets, zones, validation and phone apps.

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First days

What to arrange right after arrival

Before you start work, a few formalities will make your life easier: a PESEL number, address registration, a bank account, a Polish SIM card and health insurance. We describe the order and details separately.

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First steps after arrival

PESEL · address registration · bank account · SIM card · health insurance (NFZ/ZUS).

See the step-by-step plan →
Watch out

How not to get cheated

The golden rule: you do not pay an intermediary merely for finding you a job in Poland. If someone demands a fee "for arranging work" or offers wages "off the books" without a contract — that is a warning sign.

What to look out for

Check the employment agency in the official National Register of Employment Agencies (KRAZ) — a legal agency must be entered there. Always demand a written contract in a language you understand, and never hand your passport over to anyone "for safekeeping". Beware of housing offers where you pay in advance before seeing the property.

If your employer breaks the law (does not pay, does not register you with ZUS), free help is offered by the National Labour Inspectorate — including under the "Foreigners at work" campaign. You will find the links in the sources at the bottom.

We operate under a lawyer's patronage

Work and legalisation of residence — we will help

Do you have a question about work, residence or benefits?

We will review your situation, handle your residence and work application in the MOS system and help you recover money owed by a dishonest employer.

Fill in the survey — we will help →Benefits and allowances
Frequently asked questions

FAQ

Is the guide only for workers from Ukraine?
No. The advice applies to every foreigner coming to Poland for work — regardless of country of origin. Some information (e.g. about bus connections) is particularly useful for people from the East.
Do I need a PESEL to start work?
Not always to start work itself, but a PESEL makes life much easier — it is needed for an employment/mandate contract, a bank account and tax settlements, among other things. Details in the "First steps" section.
How do I know whether an employment agency is legal?
Check its entry in the National Register of Employment Agencies (KRAZ) — a free online search engine run by the Ministry. The absence of an entry is a serious warning sign.
Basis

Sources and useful links

Sources and useful links

This content is for information purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Prices, timetables, addresses and procedures change — before travelling or submitting documents, confirm current information with the indicated source or with us. As of 07.2026.
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