Poland     Medical insurance: make sure you are fully covered for medical treatment, hospitalisation and medical evacuation to the UK. Take your valid NHS medical card – British nationals need to show this to qualify for free emergency only medical assistance in Poland.       Travel Advice: check Foreign and Commonwealth Office Travel Advice before travelling.       Travel insurance: make sure you are fully covered for unexpected losses or expenses (eg cancelled flights, lost luggage, lost passport, stolen cash or credit cards). Keep passport, money, tickets and valuables in a safe place out of sight. Be alert. There is a serious risk of robbery at main railway stations, on all trains, and on public transport to and from the airports. Busy street, tourist sites and areas around the main hotels are also popular with thieves.       Visas: British nationals who come to Poland as tourists for no longer than six months do not require visas. Get a visa if you intend to work in Poland. Don’t work without a valid work permit.       Funds: check Polish customs regulations before bringing in or taking out funds in excess of 5,000 Euros (approximately £3,000). Declare the currency to Customs on arrival. It is advisable to get a Customs declaration even if you are importing less than 5,000 Euros. Some banks require a Customs statement when you are opening a bank account. Change money at banks or legal foreign exchange offices called Kantor.       Driving: Don’t drink and drive. Permitted alcohol levels are very low and in practice equal zero tolerance. Make sure your documents are in order when coming to Poland by road. Drivers must carry at all times a valid driving licence, identification document, insurance and car registration papers. Officially British driving licences are not valid. Apply for international driving permits. Drive carefully. Roads and the standard of driving are not good.       Enter next of kin details into the back of your passport.       Public transport: Don’t travel on public transport without a ticket. The ticket must be punched immediately after boarding the bus or tram. On the metro, ticket punchers are located on the wall before you cross the line ticket zone.       Dual nationals: British nationals who also hold Polish nationality should enter and leave Poland on a Polish passport. Dual nationals should be aware that the level of consular assistance, which can be given by the British Embassy, is limited. For more information see our information on 'Dual Nationality'.       Don’t get involved with drugs. The penalties for drug trafficking, smuggling and possession are severe.       Identification documents. It is obligatory to carry original identification documents in Poland. Photocopies are not recognised as a proof of identity. Keep your documents on you, but not in a visible or obvious place.       Book a hotel room prior to arrival. Increasing numbers of tourists are visiting Poland and the hotels in major cities are usually booked in advance.       Climate. Polish winters are long and hard. Summers can be extremely hot and visitors can run the risk of dehydration.