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Euro 2012
- Ensure you have all relevant travel documentation, such as your passport or national identity card, as this may be required by the relevant authorities. Also make copies of your travel documents in case you lose them and note the number of your credit card provider in case you lose your credit card.
- Make sure you pick up the European Health Insurance Card. This will allow you to access necessary healthcare in the public system in Poland, if you become ill or injured on your trip. You can apply for the card and get further information at www.ehic.ie. The EHIC is free of charge but watch out for unofficial websites who may impose a fee for booking through them.
- Familiarise yourself with your destination before you travel. An excellent resource for planning your trip is www.polishguide2012.pl/en/ which includes information on all host cities, transport, security and safety and fan zones.
- The Polish Pass is an initiative of the Polish tourism authorities designed to make it easier for football fans to organise their trip to Poland. The Polish Pass allows travellers to book their accommodation, transport and insurance online in a single booking which can be tailored to meet individual fans’ needs. To use the pass you must carry ID with you that has been registered with the Polish Pass system. See www.polishpass.org for more information.
- Remember 112 is the European emergency number, reachable from fixed and mobile phones, free of charge, everywhere in the EU
- Make a note of the contact details of the nearest Irish Embassy or Consulate while you are abroad in case you need to contact them urgently:
Embassy of Ireland in Poland
ul. Mysia 5
6th Floor00-496
City: Warsaw
Phone: +48-22-849-6633
Fax: +48-22-849-8431
http://www.embassyofireland.pl
Ambassador: His Excellency Declan O'Donovan.
Honorary Consul of Ireland in Poland
ul. Kramarska 1
61 - 855
City: Poznan
Phone: 00 48 61 853 1894
Fax: 00 48 61 853 1894
Email: konsulat@irlandia.pl
Honorary Consul: Dr Jacek Ksen
Now that the official allocation of tickets is finished, the UEFA EURO 2012 ticket portal is the only authorised way to buy tickets from people offering their tickets for resale. You can also buy tickets as part of a package through approved travel agents.
Tickets may also be advertised on unofficial reselling sites but these are best avoided. Tickets are offered at extortionate prices and you have no guarantee that the tickets are genuine or that they will be accepted at the stadium. It’s the online equivalent of buying from a tout. If you do choose to take a risk with an unauthorised seller, make sure to use a secure payment method such as a credit card so that you may have some recourse if problems arise.
In addition, due to the high demand, fraudsters may set up fake websites to take payment for tickets which do not exist. If not buying through official channels, it is important to exercise extreme caution to avoide losing money and risk having your credit card details compromised.
Information on getting to he host cities of Poznan and Gdansk can be found via the links below. Here you can find detailed information on how to get to the cities from the local airports and from abroad by rail, airplane and bus.
Gdansk:
For information on getting to Gdansk click here
See also the city of Gdansk website here
Poznan:
For Information on getting to Poznan Click here
See also the city of Poznan website here
- Bear in mind that if your flight is cancelled or significantly delayed EU legislation states that you must be given a choice between re-routing to your final destination or a refund if you decide not to fly. The airline should also provide you with information, care and assistance, and compensation in certain circumstances. For further information see www.flightrights.ie
- Also, remember if your luggage is lost or damaged by the airline while travelling, you can claim compensation under the Montreal Convention. Fill out a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) at the airport and ensure to keep receipts for all necessary expenses. Make sure to complain in writing to the airline immediately as strict time limits apply to claims.
- Be aware that if you book a package holiday through a bonded and licensed travel agent, you will normally enjoy a higher level of protection should something go wrong than if you book travel services separately.
- You also enjoy rights when travelling by rail in Europe. can find more information on your rail passenger rights at the following link
[url=http://http://ec.europa.eu/transport/passenger-rights/en/13-rail.html target=_blank]http://ec.europa.eu/transport/passenger-rights/en/13-rail.html[/url]
If you are in need of medical assistance, first aid facilities (marked with a white cross on green background) will be available in the stadiums and in the fan zones. Also, clinics, accredited hospitals and pharmacies working 24h will be available for fans. There will be qualified medical staff wearing red uniforms present in the fan zones and in the stadiums.
A list of healthcare facilities assisting fans requiring medical assistance can be found here
Before you consult a doctor or hospital ensure that they accept your European Health Insurance card. Some hospitals and health centre's offer both private and state-provided healthcare and it is important that you ensure that you are treated by a state healthcare provider as you will not be covered for private healthcare under the EHIC scheme. Be careful when obtaining one of these cards, the cards are free; however some websites charge consumers for the card. To apply for an EHIC card or for more information click www.ehic.ie.
Although the European Health Insurance Card gives you access to basic health cover, it is advisable to consider taking out travel insurance to cover other unforeseen costs, such as an emergency flight home. Read your policy document carefully to ensure you have appropriate cover for your needs.
Under EU legislation your basic legal rights as a consumer are protected when you are shopping in Poland. Everywhere in the EU the consumer has a right to send back a faulty product within 2 years of purchase. If there is a fault with your good, you have a right to free repair or replacement for a faulty product and, if that fails, you can return it and get your money back. For information on buying goods and services, click here.
Avoid counterfeit products. Such goods are often of very poor quality and may even been dangerous. Remember that the sale of fake goods is illegal and often linked to organised crime.
Tipping is not mandatory in Poland as service is always included with the price of a meal or drink. However, tipping is a common practice at bars and restaurants, hotels, and taxis, depending on the total price for the service, and on the generosity of the client. Most people leave some small change or round up if they’re satisfied.
Poland is not in the Eurozone so familiarise yourself with the exchange rate and verify ant charges that your bank may levy for accessing money during your trip.
Stay in touch for less at Euro 2012 with EU rules on roaming charges. Since July 2011, it will cost no more than 35c per minute to make a roaming call and no more than 11c to receive a call. Beware however that retailers’ data roaming rates have not been capped and in many cases remain stubbornly high so make sure data services are switched off when you're not actively browsing the web. Your data roaming limit is capped under EU rules at €50 unless you inform your operator otherwise. (Rates exclude VAT). The rates are set to fall further in July 2012.
- If you are driving, remember that in Poland you must drive on the right (opposite to Ireland)
- It is mandatory to drive with dipped headlights all year-round with fines being imposed for non compliance
- The driver must be at least 18 years old and must hold a full, valid driving licence. You are legally required to carry the original vehicle-registration papers, ownership documents and insurance papers at all times. Non-Polish drivers are obliged to present an ID or a passport when requested.
•There is zero tolerance of drink driving in Poland. The current limit is 20mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. (In Ireland, the limit is 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood.)
- Poland has several tolled roads and the fee depends on the vehicle category and the distance travelled. Cash (PLN, EUR, and USD) as well as credit cards are accepted at toll booths. There is a new automated tolling system in place in Poland for all vehicles over 3.5 tonnes and/or more than 9 seats.
- Seat belts must be used in both front and back seats. If you are travelling with small children (under 12) they must use an approved child safety seat in the back of the car. The use of a mobile phone while driving (unless it is "hands-free") is banned.
- If you are driving all the way to Poland, [url=http://http://www.aaireland.ie/AA/Insurance/European-Breakdown-Cover/Euro-2012-Travel/Fuel-Prices-Pozan-Gdansk.aspx target=_blank]here[/url] is a rough guide to petrol prices in countries which you may pass through.
During Euro 2012, alcoholic beverages will not be on sale at the stadiums. Fans are strictly prohibited from bringing their own alcoholic beverages into the stadiums, with strict penalties of up to 2,000PLN (€500) being applied.
Equally, there will be a complete ban on the use, sale or promotion of tobacco in all stadiums involved in EURO 2012. The regulation will apply without exception to all spaces within stadium perimeters, both indoors and outdoors.
Police in Poland take a strict approach to public drunkeness, and fans causing problems run the risk of being detained in so-called drunk tanks to sober up! Many Polish beers are significantly stronger than those found in Ireland so it‘s important to drink responsibly.
The European Commission launched a dedicated Euro 2012 website for consumers in conjunction with UEFA which contains lots of useful information for fans.
They have also set up a helpline for fans seeking advice, in English, on a concrete consumer problem when in Poland.
*Free Consumer Infoline 800 007 707 (calling from a Polish fixed-line phone or mobile phone of Polish operators)
*Consumer Infoline +48 228 27 5474 (calling from a mobile phone of foreign operators. Normal charges apply including roaming)
For more information or assistance feel free to contact the European Consumer Centre Ireland at 01 8797646 or fill out our contact form.
- BEFORE YOU GO
- TICKETS
- GETTING THERE
- Air Travel
- Rail Travel
- HEALTHCARE
- SHOPPING ADVICE
- ROAMING CHARGES
- DRIVING IN POLAND
- ALCOHOL & SAFETY
- HELP AND ADVICE
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