Visa
Participants who need a visa to visit Poland are advised to apply at a Polish consulate well in advance. If you need an invitation from the organizers in order to apply for a visa, please write to cosmo15@ncbj.gov.pl. Please note that invitations will normally be issued only after your talk/poster has been accepted.
Arriving by plane
Warsaw Chopin Airport
Warsaw is served mainly by the Frederic Chopin airport located within the city limits, 10 km from the city center. Bus lines number 148, 175 and 188, and a train line connect the airport with the nearby residential districts and the city center.
Bus
The best way to get to the city center is to take a bus number 175 from the airport. Trip to the Central Railway Station (located at the city center) takes about 28 min (you have to get off at the stop DW. CENTRALNY). To get to the main campus of the University of Warsaw (the conference site) you have to get off the bus at the stop UNIWERSYTET (around 40 min from the Terminal 2 at the airport, depending on the traffic). For the detailed information about the tariff in the public transport see below, or consult this web page.
The hotels “Harenda”, “Polonia Palace”, “Metropol”, “Novotel Centrum”, “Mercure Grand”, “Bristol”, and “Gromada Warszawa Centrum” can be reached by bus number 175, while hotel “Aramis” can be reached by bus number 148.
Please note that pickpocketers tend to be an issue on airport buses.
Train
Another way of reaching the city center is by train, line S2. The train station is very close to the terminals, it can be found by following the signs. The station located in the center is called WARSZAWA ŚRÓDMIEŚCIE, the trip to the center takes about 30 minutes. To go from the center to the conference site, you need to take bus 175, 128 or 518 at the stop CENTRUM (approximately 10 minutes). The train will be convenient for participants staying at hotel “Logos” (station WARSZAWA POWIŚLE). The tarifs are the same as in the buses, see below.
Taxi
Taxis are available directly at the exit doors of all terminals (transport offered by unauthorized persons is neither cheap nor safe). Taxi prices vary between the companies (2 – 3 PLN/km day rate, with 50% late night and weekend surcharge). Taxi can be also ordered by phone: 19191 (MPT Taxi), 22 6777777(Merc Taxi), 22 6444444 (Sawa Taxi).
Warsaw/Modlin Airport
In the neighbourhood of Warsaw, 35 km from the city, there is also Modlin Airport, where Ryanair operates.
Getting from the Modlin airport to the center of Warsaw takes about 45 minutes. To get to the city center you can take a shuttle bus from the airport, go by train (but than you have to take a bus to get to the train station) or take a taxi.
Shuttle bus
The connection with a shuttle bus costs around 28 PLN one way. The tickest can be purchased on-line, at the airport or in the bus. The timetable can be found here (the second page of the document is in Englis). The bus stops in the city center, next to the Palace of Culture and Science. To get to the conference site, you need to walk to the bus stop CENTRUM and take bus number 175, 128 or 518 and get off at the stop UNIWERSYTET (this trip takes approximately 10 minutes).
Train
The connection with the train costs 20 PLN one way. First, you have to take a bus to the train station (5 PLN), and then take a train (15 PLN). The busses and trains are synchronised, the schedule can be found here. The train stops at the central station (“Warszawa Centralna”). To get from here to the conference site you should take bus number 175, 128 or 518 at the stop DW. CENTRALNY and get off at the stop UNIWERSYTET (this trip takes approximately 8 minutes).
Taxi
You can also take a taxi, there are two companies approved by the airport: SAWA TAXI and TAXI MODLIN. The fares for the travel from the airport to the city are fixed in these companies. A trip from Modlin airport to the city center costs (6 a.m. – 12 a.m.) 159 PLN, it takes 35-40 minutes.
Arriving by train
Warsaw main railway station Warszawa Centralna is located in the city center, with many bus and tram routes connecting it directly with all parts of the city. In particular the buses number 175, 128 and 518 go directly to the main campus of the University of Warsaw (the conference site). The trip takes about 12 minutes. The taxi stand can be found by following the signs on the platforms and along the underground passages.
Public transport in Warsaw
The public transport in Warsaw consists of buses, trams, one subway line and commuter trains. In all of these means of transport the same tariff applies. The tickets can be purchased in vending machines located at the stops, at newsstands, vending machines in selected busses (especially those going to and from the airport) or from the driver (exact amout of money is needed). The tickets have to be validated at the beggining of the journey! The following tickets can be useful:
- single fare ticket (4,40 PLN) — entitles to an unlimited number of journeys for a period not exceeding 75 minutes from its validation or to a single journey to a stop or station which is the last on the route (this ticket will be useful for the connection between the airport and the city center)
- 20-minute ticket (3,40 PLN) — entitles to unlimited number of journeys within 20 minutes from validation
- 1-day ticket (15 PLN) — entitles to unlimited number of journeys for 24 hours from its validation
- Weekend ticket (24 PLN) — entitles to unlimited number of journeys from 7:00 PM on Friday till 8:00 AM on Monday
- Group weekend ticket (40 PLN) — entitles a group of up to 5 people to unlimited number of journeys from 7:00 PM on Friday till 8:00 AM on Monday
A useful tool to search public transport connections is jakdojade.pl.