Poland

Is Poland safe to visit?

Yes. Poland had 0.80 homicides per 100,000Homicide rateThe number of people killed on purpose each year for every 100,000 residents. It is the most comparable crime figure between countries.More in the glossary people in 2023, a rate the Global Peace IndexGlobal Peace IndexAn annual ranking of 163 countries by how peaceful they are, based on conflict, crime, militarisation and political instability.More in the glossary calls among the lowest in Europe, and the US State Department keeps it at Level 1. The 2026 index moved Poland up 23 places to 22nd, the biggest improvement of any country. We score it 84, a little below Czechia and Hungary.

Two things hold it back. Its roads, though much safer than a decade ago, still kill more people per head than most of Western Europe. And as NATO's frontline state next to Ukraine and Belarus, it now lives with drone incursions and sabotage.

The war next door: drones and sabotage

Poland is not at war, and nothing in the travel advice tells visitors to stay away from any part of it. But the risk is not zero. In September 2025 Russian drones entered Polish airspace and some were shot down; the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says the incursions temporarily closed Poland's airports. In November 2025 an explosion damaged the Warsaw–Lublin railway, a route for aid to Ukraine. No one was hurt, and prosecutors opened an investigation into sabotage of a terrorist nature carried out for a foreign intelligence service. In 2022 a missile that fell on Przewodów near the Ukrainian border killed two Polish nationals.

For a traveller this means three things. Expect occasional airport disruption. Do not photograph or fly a drone near military sites, border areas or infrastructure, which the FCDO says is restricted. And do not plan on crossing into Ukraine or Belarus by road, as access to those borders is restricted and most car hire firms forbid it. The government sends emergency alerts to phones in Polish and English; follow them.

Terrorist attacks "cannot be ruled out", the FCDO's mildest wording. Protests are common and mostly peaceful.

How safe are Polish roads?

Much safer than they were. Police counted 1,651 road deaths in 2025, according to preliminary figures, 245 fewer than in 2024 and about 4.4 per 100,000 people. WHO's modelled estimate for 2019 was 9.4, more than double Germany's. We score mainly on the WHO figure, which keeps Poland below its neighbours, with credit for the steep fall since.

The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary describes minor roads, and even some main roads between cities, as narrow and poorly surfaced and hard to drive after dark. Heavy lorry traffic on east–west routes and summer roadworks add to it. Police caught 95,262 drunk drivers in 2025. Outside towns at night, pedestrians and cyclists must wear something reflective or face a 100 złoty fine.

Theft, taxis and bar bills

The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says criminals see foreigners as easy targets, especially at main railway stations, on trains including overnight sleepers, and in tourist spots such as Kraków's old town. Keep valuables out of sight and take care after using a cash machine.

Taxis are the main thing to get right. Official cabs carry the company name and phone number on the door and roof and show a rate card; a crest alone means nothing. Unofficial drivers overcharge, and the FCDO reports sexual assaults in unofficial taxis and in some cars booked through ride-share apps. In bars and clubs it warns of drink spiking and of visitors overcharged when paying by card at the end of the night. Check the amount on the terminal before you tap.

The FCDO also notes that a minority of attacks on foreigners have been racially motivated, and that small towns can be less tolerant of LGBT+ travellers than Warsaw, Kraków, Wrocław or Gdańsk.

Water, floods and mountains

Water is the outdoor risk to take most seriously. Police counted 292 drownings in 2025, down from 444 in 2024, most of them men, often swimming in unguarded spots or fishing, and alcohol was a cause in 58. Swim at guarded beaches on the Baltic and the Masurian lakes.

Floods are the natural hazard. In September 2024 the Nysa Kłodzka burst through towns in Lower Silesia and Opole, and Polish Radio reported at least seven deaths. In the Tatras, summer thunderstorms build fast on exposed ridges, so start hikes early and come down by early afternoon.

Health

Tap water is safe and private clinics in the cities are good. CDC recommends hepatitis A vaccine for unvaccinated travellers and tick-borne encephalitis vaccine for those spending a lot of time in forests. Winter smog from coal heating is a problem in Kraków and southern towns; people with asthma should check air quality before long walks.

How we scored it

Violent crime (95) is the strongest factor. Road safety (75) is the weakest, because WHO's estimate is more than double Germany's, though national deaths are falling fast. Conflict (82) reflects drone incursions and rail sabotage linked to the war in Ukraine, despite a big jump in the peace ranking.