In Warsaw

The University of Warsaw has its seat in the capital of Poland, one of the most dynamically-developing cities in Europe. Warsaw is steadily climbing the international rankings of the world’s most attractive urban areas. Not only is Warsaw a political, economic, social and cultural centre, it is also an undisputed leader in Polish higher education and science. According to QS Best Student Cities 2019, Warsaw is 51st  best city in the world. It receives a very high score in the affordability category – within the top five of the entire index – thanks to its combination of low living costs and reasonable tuition fees.

Warsaw – facts and figures

Area Facts
history: the capital of Poland since 1596
location: Central Poland (Masovian Voivodeship)
population: 1.7 milion inhabitants
area: 517 km2
districts: 18
academic life 15 public Higher Education Institutions, 240,000 students
  • 8.3 million tourists per year
  • 120 hotels and youth hostels
  • 175 cinemas, theatres, music venues, museums, art galleries
  • 80 parks
  • 270 bus and tram lines, 2 metro lines, 4 SKM lines (Urban Rapid Rail)
  • 450 kilometres of cycle paths

Official websites and social media of Warsaw and recommended links

Maps of Warsaw

Living costs

In comparison to other European countries, Poland is a relatively affordable place to live. The cost of living in Warsaw depends greatly on individual needs and lifestyle, but you can get by with about EUR 500 at your monthly disposal when choosing a cheaper accomodation..Below are some examples to give an idea of the amounts people living in Warsaw spend per month.

  • Rent in a student residence hall: EUR 80-150
  • Rent in a shared flat: from EUR 200
  • Rent in a studio: from EUR 400
  • Transportation: monthly pass for all means of transport in Warsaw: full fare – EUR 27 (110 PLN), reduced (for students) – EUR 14 euro (55 PLN)
  • Food: EUR 150
  • Phone / internet: EUR 20-30
  • Leisure / entertainment: EUR 50-100
  • Lunch in a mid-range restaurant: from EUR 7
  • Coffee in a café: from 2 EUR
  • Theatre ticket: EUR 7-24
  • Cinema ticket: EUR 3-7
  • Museum ticket: EUR 4-10

Transportation

There are plenty of options to choose from to move around Warsaw. The city have well-developed network of buses, trams, suburban trains and metro.It is worth noting that at night public transport (from 11 pm to 5 am) functions a little bit differently than during the day. Night bus lines, always prefixed with an “N”, run less frequently than the day ones. Most buses take off from Central Railway Station every 20, 30 or even 60 minutes! As to a ticket tariff – it is the same as usual. If you look for the information about the buses, trams, metro or trains, you can easily check it with the jakdojade.pl website. It is also possible to download it to your phone for free.A monthly pass entitles you to unlimited use of all means of transport in Warsaw, including suburban (SKM) trains within zone 1.To quickly move around Warsaw, you can also use city bikes provided by Warsaw Public Bike system (also called Veturilo). Here you can find the map of bike stations and learn how to rent bikes.

Cultural, Sports & Tourist Activities

According to tourists, the Old Town is the loveliest place in Warsaw. It has been placed on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites as an outstanding example of a near-total reconstruction of a span of history covering the 13th to the 20th century. The capital city of Poland offers its visitors not only beautiful historic residences, like the Wilanów Palace or the Royal Łazienki, but also modern museums packed with multimedia displays. You can satisfy your scientific curiosity at the Copernicus Science Centre, experience history in an extraordinary way at the Warsaw Rising Museum and Polin Museum of the History of Polish Jews, or visit the Chopin Museum, which holds the largest collection of Chopin memorabilia in the world. 21% of the city’s area is taken up by green spaces. Some of the capital’s most beautiful parks: Saski Park, Ujazdowski Park, the Royal Łazienki Park, the UW Botanic Garden and the UW Library roof garden are located in the vicinity of the city centre.

Cultural institutions and sports facilities in Warsaw

  • 70 museums
  • 40 art galleries
  • 25 cinemas
  • 40 theatres and music institutions
  • 200 libraries
  • 2000 monuments
  • 80 parks
  • 450 kilometres of cycle paths
  • 250 sports clubs
  • 6 city beaches along the Vistula river

Recommended links, guidebooks, brochures

Calendar of major cultural and sports events in Warsaw

Month Event
March
April
May
June
September
October
December

Warsaw in social media