It is believed that airports determine the status of a country, and the more there are, the higher the status. This also allows us to characterize the state in terms of tourist attractiveness, investment, and interest in it from other countries. Taking into account all these factors, it can be argued that Poland is a very popular and visited country, since twelve air terminals of international importance are located on its territory. As a result, business, various international projects, and cooperation with the EU are actively developing in the country.
Not all of the twelve airports are equal in importance and in the number of passengers. The largest airport is Warsaw Okęcie, and the youngest is Lublin, which has just begun to actively develop.
History of the air services market
In Poland, the construction of airports began at the beginning of the 20th century, but at that time the airfields received exclusively military aircraft. Civil air travel was practically undeveloped, and only very wealthy people could purchase the coveted ticket for a winged aircraft. Many airports were improved during the First and then the Second World Wars. This was necessary to create air bases and warehouses with food and ammunition. Infrastructure development meant the construction of roads and runways, weather stations, and terminals.
Reconstruction and expansion
Significant changes in the air services market occurred with the advent of capitalism. The transition to a “market economy” required the development of all spheres of life, including aviation. Therefore, airports began to expand and increase in quantity. During the same period, two forms of ownership of air terminals were established - public and private. This contributed to the rapid development of industry and the construction of international terminals.
At the beginning of 2000, the Polish government adopted a state program for the development of airports, which included the reconstruction, repair and restoration of buildings and runways. As part of the program, military bases were closed in cities such as Szczecin, Lodz, Gdansk, Bygdoszcz, Wroclaw, Modlin and others. The country's central airport in Warsaw, called Okęcie, began to gradually expand. In addition to government assistance, the following factors had a significant influence.
Firstly, private companies entering the market. Secondly, the abolition of the monopoly on the air travel and air transportation market. Thirdly, the creation joint stock companies in certain cities to revive the airline business. Fourthly, the emergence of low-cost airlines, both national and European, Asian, and Turkish.
Fifthly, an increase in the number of people who began to use the services of companies, preferring to travel not by trains or buses, but by plane.
Sixth, Poland's accession to the European Union has attracted additional investment in the air services market. In particular, such large low-cost airlines as Wizz Air (Hungary), RyanAir (Ireland), Austrian Airlines (Austria), Finair (Finland), Turkish Airlines(Türkiye). Many companies, considering geographical location Poland, sought to open bases for their aircraft here. This has become an additional source of income for airports and the country’s budget
It is this market segment that has become decisive in the development of airports in Poland. Since the Poles, when joining the EU, did not have much high level income per capita. Therefore, they constantly left to work in other countries. Those who decided to travel around Europe or the world began to actively use international flights.
Seventh, strong ties have been established between the cities, thanks to the creation of modern aviation infrastructure.
Eighth, the implementation of charter flights through the reception of international or European companies, as well as the development of our own market.
A new stage in the history of airports was the country’s victory in the competition to host the European Championship in 2012. Then, together with Ukraine, Poland got a chance to host a serious football championship, which promised to attract additional investment to the country, expand the geography of tourism and popularize the country in the world.
The government of the country made the most of the opportunity. The country's air gate in Warsaw received a new international terminal, receiving several million passengers a year. The same terminals appeared in other cities, even in such small ones as Szczecin, Wroclaw, Bygdoszcz, Olsztyn, Rzeszow or Przemysl.
Airports
It is located in the Voivodeship called Kuyavian-Pomeranian, located in the north of the country. The largest cities whose population uses the services of the airport are Torun and Bygdoszcz. The location for the airfield was chosen precisely in the latter, which is explained by the presence military base airplanes and runway. The air gates of the north are named after the famous Polish pianist I.Ya. Paderewski. From the airport to the city center it is only three and a half kilometers, so public transport runs here regularly. The intervals between buses are about half an hour, although you only have to travel a few kilometers.
In addition, you can get to the airport by taxi; the trip will cost thirty zlotys.
Bygdoszcz is home to two major low-cost airlines, Polish Airlines LOT and the Irish company RyanAir.
There are three regular flights and several charter flights served at the international terminal.
The registration rules here are standard:
For international flights: the opening for boarding begins two and a half hours before departure and ends forty minutes before the end of boarding.
For domestic flights: you must arrive for boarding two hours before departure, and check-in ends forty minutes before departure.
To register, you will need a ticket (if you have a printed version) and a passport. If the ticket is in electronic form, then you only need to present your passport at the check-in counter.
Built in order to partially relieve passenger traffic at the country's main airport, Okęcie. It is located only forty kilometers from the center of the state capital. Charters and budget airlines are redirected here, but this absolutely did not save the Warsaw air terminal. After Euro 2012, the number of tourists increases every year, as do those who use low-cost airlines to fly for business, study or work. In addition, the number of vacationers who try to fly charters is constantly increasing. This helps to fly to such distant countries as Tunisia, Egypt, Israel.
There is constant communication between Modlin and Warsaw - via buses, trains, taxis, cars. How to get there - choose for yourself!
It's the cars that are popular. You can rent them yourself, ask friends or call a taxi. True, the cost of a taxi will cost from one hundred nineteen to two hundred and fifty zlotys.
A car is one of the fastest ways to get to Warsaw or the airport. If there are no traffic jams or repairs on the road, you can get there in just forty-five minutes. But you should leave one and a half hours before registration starts, taking into account various traffic situations.
Travel by bus will cost only thirty zlotys, which arrives quite quickly. The official carrier is the ModlinBus company, on whose website you can buy tickets, which will be cheaper than buying from the driver.
There is also a train running from the central stations of the two countries. The journey will take forty-five minutes. Having reached the airport stop, you need to transfer to a shuttle that takes passengers to the entrance to the airport. The fare is eighteen zlotys.
The main air gate of the country, which is officially named in honor of the great composer F. Chopin. But it is better known under the name Okętse.
Located in Warsaw, just eight kilometers from the center (Włochy district). This determined the development of the airport infrastructure.
Four huge parking lots were built next to it, two of which are intended for short-term parking, and two for long-term parking.
More often local residents It is by car that people arrive at the airport; there are signs for this throughout the city. They help you get to the airport quickly and without problems.
A taxi ride from the center of Warsaw will cost forty zlotys.
You can also get there by bus, which travel both during the day and at night. Special express buses belonging to various airlines come to their aid. The trip will cost three zlotys. Express transports passengers around important route: airport – several hotels – central railway station – Centrum metro station.
One of the young but actively developing airports. It was built in Lower Silesia, which allowed it to immediately enter the top five most popular air terminals. Getting there is not a problem, since Strahovice is located within the city limits of Wroclaw (ten kilometers from the center). In this regard, public transport is the main one that takes travelers to the airport. The duration of the trip is twenty minutes.
It bears the name of the country's first president, Lech Walesa, and is located in the town of Rembechowo. It is between three big cities Gdansk, Gdynia and Solot, allowing to serve the entire population of the Pomeranian Voivodeship. Annual passenger traffic ranges from two and a half to three million people.
Flights are often redirected to Gdansk if Warsaw Okecie Station cannot accommodate them.
You can get there by car, train or bus, the main thing is to time it correctly so as not to get stuck in traffic jams. Taxis run from the city station to the airport and cost fifty zlotys. It will be cheaper to travel by bus - only three and a half zlotys. The bus runs every half hour, both day and night.
In addition, a train runs between Gdynia, Gdansk and Solot, which takes you almost to the airport. There, a shuttle picks up passengers from the stop.
A small provincial airport located in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship. It also has international status, which allows it to accept low cost flights European airlines.
A specially launched bus runs from the airport along line L. A special feature is that its schedule depends on arrivals and departures of flights. The trip costs eight zlotys and lasts forty minutes. A city bus that can be used to get there will cost half as much. At the same time, travelers who prefer to take a taxi will cost fifty zlotys.
The most comfortable and small airport that serves only one hundred and fifty thousand people. It is located in the Lubuskie Voivodeship, near the town of Zielona Gora. An airport was built at a distance of thirty-four kilometers from it to operate flights to Dresden, Gdansk and Warsaw.
There is a bus from the city here, and the trip will take forty-five minutes.
In the north of the popular Polish city of Katowice (Silesia), a huge aviation complex has been built for Poles and Czechs. There are two terminals here, the passenger flow of which is four million people a year. There are several important roads near the airport: express, highway, national.
An airport bus runs regularly from the city; fares vary for children (twelve zlotys) and adults (twenty-three zlotys).
Krakow Batice Airport (Lesser Poland Voivodeship) is the second largest airport for the number of passengers received throughout the year. It is built near Krakow, where more than eight million people live in and around it.
One of the most technically equipped airports in Europe and the world, both in terms of service and infrastructure development.
You can get there by motorway, which provides quick access to the airport. There is a large parking lot built here for cars.
A railway station was built near Krakow (just two hundred meters from the airport terminal). From here, trains reach the city center in twenty minutes and cost ten zlotys.
Buses also run both during the day and at night.
A small air terminal located within the city of Lodz (six kilometers from the center). Named in honor of the writer and Nobel laureate V. Reymont. It took a long time to choose the location for the construction, and it turned out very well. There are two trans-European highways nearby.
You can get to the airport by public transport, as well as on a special airport bus.
An airport was built fifteen kilometers from the center of Lublin, the opening of which was timed to coincide with the start of the European Football Championship. The terminal accepts passengers arriving on regular domestic flights, as well as charters and low-cost airlines.
Active development is facilitated by the highway passing by, along which motorists quickly get to the station.
You can also take the so-called bus, coming from the central railway station.
The airport appeared here thanks to the Germans, who, on the eve of the First World War, built a runway and a building here to receive passengers. Since then, Lavica has expanded significantly, accepting quite a large number of passengers. The bulk of flights are made up of aircraft flying between Poland and Germany.
The International Fair is held annually near Poznań Airport, and there is a route from Warsaw to Berlin.
You can only get there by bus or car; a taxi is expensive. However, if personal comfort is much more important to you, feel free to contact a taxi service.
A city in the western region of Poland called Pomerania. The airport is located almost “close” to the city - forty-five minutes from Szczecin. The airfield is used by residents of the city of Goleniow, which significantly increases the number of passengers.
Poland has only 12 international airports, connecting all regions of the country with the rest of the world. See the list below to find the most convenient one for your route.
- Warsaw Airport - IATA code WAW - (~ 11 million passengers)
Warsaw Chopin Airport is the country's largest and busiest airport, serving more than 40% of the country's total passenger traffic. It serves about 40-50% passenger transportation in Poland. The busiest international flights from the airport are to Frankfurt, Amsterdam, London, Chicago and Paris. There is only one passenger terminal, known as Terminal A. The best way get to the center of Warsaw - by railway, as it connects the airport and the city center in 20 minutes. Another option is to take a bus that connects to the center of Warsaw with lines 175, 188 and N32 (at night). There is an additional line 148 which goes to Ursinow (south of Warsaw) and Prague (eastern part of Warsaw). Warsaw is an ideal location for visiting other international destinations such as Vienna, Berlin or,
- Wroclaw Airport - IATA code WRO - (~2.3 million passengers)
Wroclaw Nicolas Copernicus Airport is an international airport serving the city of Wroclaw in southwestern Poland. The airport is located 10 km southwest of the city center. He has two passenger terminal and one cargo terminal. Due to its proximity to the city, it is not a problem to reach it, by bus or car. Bus line 106 departs daily to/from the Central Train/Bus Station every 20 minutes. The entire trip takes approximately 40 minutes, depending on traffic and conditions. Night bus line 206 operates on the same route through the airport. From Wroclaw you can visit other places such as Krakow or Katowice.
- Krakow Airport - IATA code KRK - (~ 4.2 Mio. passengers)
St. John Paul II Airport Krakow-Balice is an international airport in the village of Balice, near Krakow, 11 km from the city center on the southern side of the country. Shuttle trains connect Balice Airport with Krakow Glowny Central Station, which is located near the historic Old Town district in the city center. They run every 30 minutes and the journey takes less than 20 minutes. The earliest train to Krakow airport leaves from central station at 4:05 a.m. and the last one at 11:35 p.m. The first and last departures from the airport station are 5:16 am and 0:15 am, respectively.
- Gdansk Airport - IATA code GDN - (~3.7 million passengers)
Gdansk Airport, also known as Lech Walsa Airport, is an international Polish airport located 12 km west of the city of Gdansk. The airport is named after the former President of Poland. The city is easily accessible from the airport. Bus line 210 ZTM Gdansk takes 40 minutes to travel from Gdansk Airport to Gdansk Main Railway Station (Dworzec Glówny).
- Katowice Airport - IATA code KTW - (~3 Mio. passengers)
Katowice Airport is the fourth busiest airport in the country. It is located 30 km north of Katowice, in Pyrzowice. The city has 3 bus lines connecting the airport with different areas: Bytom - Airport - lines 85 and 53, Mierzzice Airport - Airport - line 17 or direct bus. From the city you can visit other places nearby such as Krakow.
- Warsaw Airport - IATA code WMI - (~2.6 million passengers)
Warsaw Modlin Airport is an international airport that opened in 2012 after being used as a military airfield. It is located 40 km from the center of Warsaw. The airport is intended for use by low-cost airlines and serves as a base for Ryanair.
- Poznan Airport - IATA code POZ - (~1.5 million passengers)
Poznań-Ławica Airport or Henryk Wieniawski Airport is one of the oldest airports in the country, located 5 km from the city center. During the season it offers flights to many destinations such as Hurghada and European resorts.
- Rzeszow Airport - IATA code RZE - (~0.6 million passengers)
Rzeszow-Jasionka Airport is an international airport in south-eastern Poland, in the village of Jasonka, 10 km from the city of Rzeszow. It is the seventh largest airport in the country by passenger traffic.
- Szczecin Airport - IATA code SZZ - (~0.4 million passengers)
Solidarity or Szczecin-Goleniow Airport is the main domestic and international airport for the region around the city of Szczecin. It is located 45 km northeast of the city center, in the village of Glewice.
- Lublin Airport - IATA code LUZ - (~0.3 million passengers)
Lublin Airport is an international airport serving the city of Lublin and the surrounding region. It is located 10 km east of Lublin.
- Bydgoszcz Airport - IATA code BZG - (~0.3 million passengers)
Bydgoszcz Airport Ignacy Jan Paderewski is an international airport serving the Bydgoszcz city area. In terms of passenger numbers, it is the country's ninth largest airport.
- Lodz Airport - IATA code LCJ - (~0.3 million passengers)
Lodz Airport, also known as Władysław Reymont Airport, is an international airport in central Poland, located 6 km from the city center. It offers flights to several European destinations.
- identification document specified in the order,
- birth certificate when flying with children,
- printed itinerary receipt(optional).
What can you take on a plane?
Carry-on luggage is the items you will take with you into the cabin. Weight norm hand luggage can vary from 5 to 10 kg, and its size most often should not exceed the sum of three dimensions (length, width and height) from 115 to 203 cm (depending on the airline). A handbag is not considered hand luggage and is carried freely.
The bag you take with you on the plane should not contain knives, scissors, medicines, aerosols, or cosmetics. Alcohol from stores duty free can only be transported in sealed packages.
How to pay for luggage at the airport
If the weight of luggage exceeds the standards established by the airline (most often 20-23 kg), you need to pay for each kilogram of excess. In addition, many Russian and foreign airlines, as well as low-cost airlines, have tariffs that do not include free baggage allowance and must be paid separately as an additional service.
In this case, luggage must be checked in at the airport at a separate Drop-off check-in counter. If you are unable to print boarding pass, you can get it at the regular airline check-in counter, and check in and drop off your luggage there.
Where to find out the arrival time if you are a greeter
You can find out the plane's arrival time on the airport's online board. The Tutu.ru website has an online display of the main Russian and foreign airports.
You can find out the exit number (gate) on the arrivals board at the airport. This number is located next to the incoming flight information.
What to do if your flight is canceled
If a flight is canceled more than 24 hours before departure, passengers will be transferred to similar airline flights. The carrier bears the costs; the service is free for the passenger. If you are not satisfied with any of the options offered by the airline, most airlines can issue an “involuntary return.” Once confirmed by the airline, the money will be returned to your account. Sometimes this can take several weeks.
How to check in at the airport
Online check-in is available on most airline websites. Most often it opens 23 hours before the start of the flight. You can go through it no later than 1 hour before the plane departs.
To check in at the airport you will need:
Polish beauty, as well as ample opportunities for business, shopping and the status of a transit country attracts many travelers. In terms of transport, Poland's international airports play an extremely important role, confirming the importance of this European state.
The extent to which the “air gates” connecting any independent country with the outside world are developed largely speaks to its attractiveness both for tourists and for other categories of travelers who come there. Well-developed communications, including by air, coupled with modern infrastructure are the basic conditions for the attractiveness of a particular destination for foreigners.
There are many airports in Poland, but only a few of them have international status and serve flights to other countries. Based on which airlines they work with and the seasonality of arrivals/departures by month of the year, three main categories of Polish airports can be distinguished:
- Serving both traditional and low-cost airlines on a year-round basis.
- Those that work exclusively with low-cost airlines (Ryanair, Wizz Air, Easy Jet, Norwegian and others).
- Having a seasonal work schedule and accepting charter flights.
As it integrated into European structures, Poland became an increasingly open and developed country in terms of foreign transport connections. Today there are 16 airports in the country (see map below), which receive and dispatch foreign flights on a permanent or seasonal basis. Let us dwell on the main, largest “air harbors” in a little more detail.
Warsaw-Okęcie
This capital airport, named after the composer Frederic Chopin, is currently the main airport in Warsaw. It is here that flights from Russia, Belarus and other CIS countries arrive and depart from here.
Good to know! Among the airlines that fly to Lotnisko Chopina from the CIS countries, mention should be made of Aeroflot, Belavia, and Polish Lot.
If at the time of its construction “Okęcie” was located outside the city, today it is located within the city limits, located, however, on the outskirts of the city, far from the city center. You can get there not only by taxi, but also by public transport, taking buses 175 or 188 in the very center, near Warszawa Centralna. In addition, for additional convenience of passengers, night route 611 was introduced. From the railway station you can get to Okęcie by train. Important information:
- Address: st. Żwirki i Wigury, 1.
- Website: lotnisko-chopina.pl.
Warsaw-Modlin
While Okęcie mainly serves aircraft from “traditional” airlines, this Warsaw airport is relatively new and serves mainly low-cost airlines. It was opened in 2012, especially before the European Football Championship. The distance to it from the city center is more than 40 km. You can get there by train and other means of transport. By the way, both capital airports are connected by shuttle routes, along which both buses and electric trains run. The ticket price is quite affordable and amounts to only a few dollars in US currency.
Interesting to know! Modlin Civil Airport was built on the site of a former military airfield.
The terminal is noticeably simple, but it has everything you need. In short, a typical secondary air hub large city, which mainly serves low-cost airlines, in this case. Information for travelers:
- Address: Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki, Generała Wiktora Thommée, 1a.
- Website: http://modlinairport.pl.
Gdansk
This is an important economic, cultural, commercial and tourist center, located in the north of the country, on the Baltic coast. Gdansk Airport, located near the city (just over 10 km) was named after the country's former president, Lech Walesa. Today (2017), it serves aircraft of such airlines as LOT, Finnair, Lufthansa, KLM, Wizz Air, SAS, Ryanair and Norwegian Air Shuttle, operating regular flights to various international destinations.
Getting to the city is not a problem, since both trains and buses run between the terminal and the Gdansk railway station. In addition, the air harbor is connected by regular transport links with numerous nearby resorts located on the shores of the Baltic Sea.
- Address: Gdańsk, st. Juliusza Słowackiego, 200.
- Web site: http://www.airport.gdansk.pl(there is a version in Russian).
Krakow
international Airport Kraków-Balice is in 2nd place in Poland in terms of annual passenger traffic. Also known by the name Jana Pawła II (John Paul II). This major transport hub serves most major carriers, both standard and low-cost.
Flight destinations include Western and Southern Europe, Asia and Africa, including many resort destinations. In the summer season, the number of flights expands, including thanks to charter flights to Egypt, Turkey, Greece, Montenegro and other warm regions. As late autumn and winter approaches, the number of flights to Thailand, Vietnam and other popular Asian destinations begins to increase.
Getting to Krakow Airport is not difficult: regular trains and buses run there from the city center. During the day you should use routes 192 and 208, and at night - 602. The duration of the trip is about a quarter of an hour.
- Address: Balice, st. kapitana Mieczysława Medweckiego 1.
- Web site: krakowairport.pl.
Attention! All modern terminals have free Wi-Fi, using which you can use the Internet.
Katowice
Not so far from Krakow is the Polish city of Katowice, known for its industrial focus and numerous mines. The proximity of both cities means that from the Katowice-Pyrzowice Airport (Port lotniczy Katowice-Pyrzowice) there is a bus network that goes both to Katowice and to Krakow. From here you can get to famous tourist places located nearby.
By the way, some passengers, especially transit passengers, use Katowice as a transit place when traveling to/their other nearby Polish cities, and even neighboring countries (Czech Republic and Slovakia). Information for passengers:
- Ożarowice, st. Wolności 90.
- https://www.katowice-airport.com.
Wroclaw
Located near this beautiful city Wroclaw Airport is named after Nicolaus Copernicus, a famous Polish scientist and historical figure who lived and worked in this city. International passenger traffic opened there about 25 years ago, in 1993. Several airlines are based there, including Ryanair, Wizz Air, EuroLot, Lot, Lufthansa, SAS.
From the Wroclaw railway station there is bus number 406, which will take you to the airport in about half an hour. In terms of passenger turnover it is in 5th place in Poland.
- Address: st. Graniczna, 190.
- http://airport.wroclaw.pl.
Lodz
Wladyslaw Reymont Airport in Lodz is very popular and crowded, as it is located next to the second most populous city in Poland. In recent years, a fairly large flow of passengers has formed in Lodz, a significant part of which are Polish labor migrants working in Great Britain, Ireland and other Western European countries.
You can get there from different parts of the city by bus. In particular, route 65 runs from the railway station. Information for travelers:
- St. Generała Stanisława Maczka, 35.
- http://www.airport.lodz.pl.
Full list
Airports of Poland on the map:
This review included brief information only for the main, largest and most significant air harbors countries. And here it is full list airports in Poland, where all 16 Polish air hubs serving international flights on a regular or seasonal basis are listed (indicating IATA codes):
- Warsaw, im. Frederic Chopin (Okęcie, WAW).
- Warsaw, Modlin (WMI).
- Gdansk, im. Lech Walesa (Rembiechowo, GDN).
- Szczecin, (Goleniów, SZZ).
- Poznan, im. Henryk Wieniawski (Ławica, POZ).
- Kolobrzeg (Bagic).
- Lublin (Swidnik, LUZ).
- Lodz, im. Vladislav Reymont (Lublinek, LCJ).
- Krakow, im. John Paul II (Balice, KRK).
- Katowice (Pyrzowice, KTW).
- Zielona Gora (Babimost, IEG).
- Rzeszow (Jasionki, RZE).
- Gdynia (Kosakowo, QYD).
- Olsztyn-Mazury (SZY).
- Wroclaw, im. Nicolaus Copernicus (WRO).
- Bydgoszcz, im. Ignatius Jan Paderewski (Shvederovo, BZG).
As we can see, in different Polish cities, in addition to numerous domestic flights, there is a significant flow of passengers flying abroad or arriving from there. Understanding how many airports there are in Poland with international flights, we can clearly conclude that it is an open country, favorable for travelers, business people and those working abroad.
