Published 12 Oct 2026
For a first trip to Poland, fly into Warsaw, spend two days there, take the fast train to Kraków for three days with a day trip to Auschwitz-Birkenau, and finish with two nights in the mountain town of Zakopane. Budget about ₹95,000 to ₹1.35 lakh per person for seven days including flights, and file the Schengen visa at least six weeks before you go.
Visa and entry rules for Indians
Indian passport holders need a Schengen short-stay visa (type C) for tourism in Poland, applied for in advance. We checked the Embassy of Poland in India’s C-type Schengen visa page and its notice on the processing fee on 12 October 2026, and they say:
- Where to apply: in person at a VFS Global visa application centre. Missions do not accept applications by post, fax or email. The New Delhi embassy covers Delhi NCR, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and other northern and eastern states; the Mumbai consulate general covers Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and other western and southern states.
- Fee: the embassy’s notice gives INR 8,272 for adults and INR 4,136 for ages 6 to 12, in force since 11 June 2024 (that is the €90 and €45 EU-wide fee). Children under six are exempt. VFS charges a separate service fee, and we could not confirm it from an official page, so check it when you book.
- Processing: a decision within 15 calendar days of an admissible application, up to a maximum of 45.
- How early: no earlier than 6 months before the trip and, as a rule, no later than 15 calendar days before it.
- Appointments: New Delhi slots are released weekly on Wednesdays at 11:00, and Mumbai’s monthly on the last working day, two months ahead. Expect to refresh.
- Insurance: travel medical insurance of at least €30,000, valid across the EU for the whole stay.
- Documents: the embassy publishes tourist checklists, dated 18 February 2026, and a list of approved insurers. Download the current checklist rather than relying on an old one.
A Polish visa lets you travel across the whole Schengen area. The process matches our Prague plan and Budapest plan. More facts are on the Poland hub.
Apply only through VFS Global or the embassy. Look-alike “Poland visa” sites charge large fees for the same appointment. Book flights on a refundable or flexible fare until the visa is in hand.
What it costs in rupees
Per person, sharing a mid-range double room, for seven days (two nights in Warsaw, three in Kraków, two in Zakopane). These are our estimates for typical fares and rates, and they swing with season. One złoty is roughly ₹22 to ₹25, so check the day’s rate.
| Item | Approx. cost |
|---|---|
| Return flights Delhi or Mumbai, one stop (into Warsaw, out of Kraków) | ₹44,000 – ₹65,000 |
| Visa fee (INR 8,272) plus VFS service charge | about ₹10,000 |
| Hotels, 7 nights (half a PLN 350–450 room) | ₹12,000 – ₹16,500 |
| Food, about PLN 90–130 a day | ₹14,500 – ₹21,000 |
| Intercity trains, Zakopane bus and city transit | ₹5,000 – ₹7,000 |
| Attractions (Auschwitz guide, Wawel, salt mine, cable car) | ₹6,000 – ₹9,000 |
| Travel insurance, eSIM, small extras | ₹3,500 – ₹5,000 |
| Total | ₹95,000 – ₹1.35 lakh |
Poland is the reason this plan costs less than our Italy or Spain trips: the visa and flight cost the same, but food, rooms and trains cost much less on the ground. Sharing a room halves the hotel line.
Day-by-day itinerary
Days 1–2: Warsaw
Day 1. Arrive at Chopin Airport, take the train or bus to the centre and drop your bags. Walk the Old Town and its market square, which was rebuilt from rubble after the war, then go on to the Royal Castle and the Vistula riverside.
Day 2. Visit the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews or the Warsaw Uprising Museum, whichever suits you, then see Łazienki Park and the Palace on the Isle. Have dinner at a milk bar or a pierogi restaurant.
Days 3–5: Kraków
Day 3. Take a morning Intercity express to Kraków. The trip takes about two and a half hours, and booking a seat in advance usually saves money. Spend the afternoon in the Main Market Square, St Mary’s Basilica and the Cloth Hall, then walk the Planty park ring around the old town.
Day 4. Climb Wawel Hill for the castle and cathedral, then cross to Kazimierz, the former Jewish quarter, for lunch and a walk around its synagogues and courtyards. Add Schindler’s Factory in the afternoon if you have the energy.
Day 5: Auschwitz-Birkenau. The memorial is about an hour and a half from Kraków by road. Entry is timed and has to be booked in advance on the memorial’s own site, auschwitz.org, well ahead in summer, and the visit takes around three and a half hours with a guide. It is a sombre morning, so keep the afternoon free. Go back to Kraków for the evening, or add the Wieliczka Salt Mine on another half-day.
Days 6–7: Zakopane
Take a morning bus or minibus to Zakopane, around two to three hours. Walk Krupówki street, ride the funicular up Gubałówka for the view of the Tatras and try the smoked sheep’s cheese, oscypek. On day 7, go up Kasprowy Wierch by cable car in clear weather, or walk to Morskie Oko, a lake in the Tatra National Park, then return to Kraków for your flight. Leave at least five hours before an international departure.
Eating in Poland as an Indian traveller
Poland is easier for vegetarians than most of Europe. Look for pierogi ruskie (potato and curd cheese dumplings), placki ziemniaczane (potato pancakes), naleśniki (crêpes), barszcz (beetroot soup) and kasza with mushrooms. Milk bars (bar mleczny) are cheap, state-era canteens with plain vegetarian sets. Many soups use meat stock, so ask. Jain food is hard: carry dry snacks. Warsaw and Kraków both have Indian restaurants if you want a familiar meal.
Best time to go
May, June and September have mild weather and long days, with the lowest crowds outside July and August. December brings Christmas markets in Kraków and Warsaw, and snow in Zakopane, but hotel prices rise. For the same season elsewhere, see our Germany Christmas markets plan. November to March is cold and cheapest, and the Tatra trails can be icy.
Practical tips
- Money: Poland uses the złoty, not the euro. Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere, UPI does not. Use a bank ATM and skip street exchange booths.
- Transport: book Intercity trains on the PKP site or app in advance; the Zakopane leg is faster by minibus than by train. A day ticket covers city transit in Warsaw and Kraków.
- Pickpockets: crowded trams, stations and the Kraków square are the main risk. Keep your phone and passport in a zipped pocket.
- SIM: an eSIM bought before you fly saves queueing at the airport.
- Plugs: Poland uses the two-round-pin Type C/E plug at 230 V, so pack an adapter.
- Border check: you may be fingerprinted and photographed under the EU’s Entry/Exit System on arrival, so allow extra time at immigration.
- Paperwork: keep your visa, insurance certificate, hotel bookings and Auschwitz ticket in one folder.
Related guides
Want another Schengen trip on the same visa? See the Prague 6-day plan, the Budapest 5-day plan or the Austria plan for Vienna, Salzburg and Hallstatt. All facts for Poland are on the Poland hub.
Frequently asked questions
Do Indians need a visa for Poland?
Yes. Indian passport holders need a Schengen short-stay visa (type C) for tourism in Poland. Applications are lodged in person at a VFS Global centre, and the visa lets you stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area.
How much is the Poland Schengen visa fee for Indians?
The Polish embassy's notice says INR 8,272 for adults and INR 4,136 for ages 6 to 12 since 11 June 2024. Children under six are exempt. VFS adds a service charge on top, which we could not confirm from an official page, so check it when you book.
How long does a Poland visa take from India?
The embassy says a decision is taken within 15 calendar days of an admissible application, extendable to a maximum of 45. Apply at least six weeks before you fly, and no later than 15 days before the trip.
Is Poland cheaper than other Schengen countries for Indians?
Yes, noticeably. Meals, local transport, hotels and trains cost well below France, Italy or the Netherlands, so a 7-day Poland trip lands around ₹95,000 to ₹1.35 lakh per person including flights. The visa fee is the same in every Schengen country.
How many days do I need for Poland?
Seven days covers Warsaw for two days, Kraków for three with Auschwitz-Birkenau, and Zakopane for the last two. With five days, drop Zakopane or Warsaw. Kraków alone deserves at least three days.
Is Poland good for vegetarians?
Better than most of Europe for the price. Pierogi ruskie (potato and cheese), placki ziemniaczane (potato pancakes), naleśniki, soups like żurek made without sausage, and bar mleczny (milk bar) canteens with vegetarian sets are easy to find. Say "bez mięsa" for without meat and check stocks.
Can I use UPI or rupees in Poland?
No. The currency is the złoty, not the euro, and UPI is not accepted. Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere, so carry little cash and use a bank ATM if you need some. Decline the ATM's own conversion and choose to be charged in złoty.
