HEALTH & SAFETY

The emergency number is 112 to contact any emergency service: an ambulance, the fire brigade or the police. The operator not always is an English speaking person.

There are also TOURIST-HOTLINE numbers: +48 22 278 77 77, +48 608 599 999. They are available during the weekdays - Monday thru Friday - except on Saturdays, Sundays and on public holidays, between 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM and from June 1st to September 30th from 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM. Assistance is available in English, German and Polish. Additionally between June 1st and September 30th assistance is also available in Russian. The Tourist Hotline can provide you with information about Poland and all of its regions. Calls are charged at the standard local rates.

Medical care in Poland is generally at a good level, although The Polish people usually complain about it. Private clinics are usually not very expensive - particularly outside of the bigger metropolitan cities. A lot of people from Western Europe come to Poland to visit a dentist because of the favorable costs in most part thanks to favorable currency conversion.

For the travelers from EU, the public medical care is not paid. But before arriving they have to do The European Health Insurance Card ("EHIC").

Pharmacies are almost everywhere. It is called an "Apteka". A pharmacist not only can dispense medicine (over the counter or via a prescription from a Doctor) but also can give advice, about simple illnesses such as the common cold or diarrhea. Its recommended inquiring beforehand if they speak English to make the process easier.