GUIDEBOOK for NEWLY-ADMITTED students

PUBLIC TRANSPORT SCHEDULE - CITY MAP

Daily buses and trams run on weekdays 5.00-23.00, and days off from work from 6.00 to 22.00. Night buses run between 23.30 and 5.00 every half an hour, starting from the bus station (PKS Bus Station) where they travel in all parts of the city. Regular/normal (“Normalny”) bus lines are marked with numbers from 100 to 149. The fare bus Accelerated (“Przyspieszony” numbers 4…) is the same as for a normal bus ride. More expensive are Suburban (“Podmiejski”) buses (numbers 6...), Rushed (“Pospieszny” marked with letters) and night numbers from 240 to 259.
If you want to easily plan a route using public transport in Wrocław check website:

http://wroclaw.jakdojade.pl/?locale=en
 
CAMPUS MAP
In this place you can find Wroclaw Medical University campus map.

URBANCARD

The Wrocław Urban card is a convenient, multipurpose carrier of electronic services and products in a prepaid card format. From May 2010, the Wrocław Urban Transportation System's tickets are encoded on the card. Benefits for URBANCARD users include e.g. an option to reclaim the ticket in  case the card is stolen or lost, wide availability of electronic ticket vending points, easy and convenient use, transaction security, multipurpose nature and durability of the card, as well as an option to implement new services supported by the card. With this card you can go by trams, buses and trains within the Wrocław city. Very interesting proposal is Wrocław URBANCARD with Payment Function (prepaid Visa, payWave BZWBK card).

Here you can apply for URBANCARD, receive the card, buy tickets, submit a complaint concerning Wrocław Urban Card :
ul. Grabiszyńska 9, entrance from Piłsudskiego street (at pl. Legionów)
(Mon-Fri: hours: 8.00-18.00, Sat: hours. 8.00-14.00),  tel.: 71 341 12 00
Find out more information in English on Urbancard website :  http://www.urbancard.pl/en/index.html

EMERGENCY TELEPHONES
Police: 997
Fire brigade: 998
Ambulance: 999
From mobile phone dial 112 for emergency services

MOBILE PHONES

There are many deals on cell phones. We propose to start buying pre-paid "card". Facility operators can be found in most shopping malls such as Wroclaw in the marketplace Pasaż Grunwaldzki. In Poland there are four major mobile phone operators – Play, Plus, T-Mobile and Orange  :

Play - www.play.pl 
T-Mobile www.t-mobile.pl ,
Plus www.plus.pl 
Orange www.orange.pl 

BANKS

In Wroclaw, there are many banks, including international ones. Most of them allow you to hold a bank account, and the differences in the offers are not significant.
To open a bank account you should go to a bank branch and carry a passport or other identity document. Similarily as mobile operators, the establishment of banks can be found in shopping malls such as the Pasaż Grunwaldzki  Marketplace or in the city center.

Examples of banks:
Alior Bank, www.aliorbank.pl
Bank BPH, www.bph.pl
Bank Pekao SA, www.pekao.com.pl
Bank Zachodni WBK, www.bzwbk.pl 
Credit Agricole Bank,  www.credit-agricole.pl
Deutsche Bank, www.deutschebank.pl
Euro Bank, www.eurobank.pl
Getin Bank, www.getinbank.pl
ING Bank Śląski, www.ingbank.pl
Millenium Bank, www.bankmillennium.pl
PKO Bank Polski, www.pkobp.pl
…and much more.

WROCŁAW CITY BIKES (WRM)

Wroclaw has an extensive network of city bikes (WRM). It is a convenient and inexpensive means of transportation available in many parts of the city. How does this work and how to use:
1. Sign Up for Nextbike (www.nextbike.pl ) bookmark “Rejestracja” ( Registration), enter the required data, confirm conditions and a deposit of at least 1 PLN  initiation fee (WRM) - this fee will allow you to use the bike Nextbike 24 hours a day from spring to late autumn.
2. To rent a bike from the station, walk to the terminal, press the icon "Wypożycz” (Rent).
3. Then you have to authorize the rental by phone number and PIN code generated during the registration or any card type of 'PayPass' (you can register the card in the terminal during the first rent a bike).
4. Displayed on the terminal and enter the code remember to lock the security cable that's built into every bike in the station. It also helps to protect the bike when stopping outside the station.
5. Unlock the lock on the bike station and ... hit the road!
6. During cycling, follow the Highway Code rules and common sense.
7. To donate a bike go to the terminal, log in by entering your phone number and PIN and then click “Tak”(Yes) to confirm the return and wait for the command - "zwrot przyjęty, zapnij rower"(return accepted, fasten your bicycle).
8. Enter a bike rack mount and attach it to a rope cipher.
• In the absence of the holders stand, clip the ear of any bike rack or other fixed utilities (sign, barrier) a short distance from the station. Please bicycle in the terminal.
• If no operation terminal so rent a bike or a hotline / well in English / or website www.nextbike.pl
• Helpline Phone No. 22/382 13 12, or 22/244 13, 13 are provided on each terminal.
 

LEGAL RESIDENCE IN POLAND

Foreign students, who will remain on the Polish territory for more than three months should definitely legalize their stay. This applies to both EU citizens and students from outside the European Union.
Residence permits for a specified period of time are issued to foreigners upon request and apply to the foreigners who can prove that there are circumstances substantiating their residence in the Republic of Poland for a more than 3 months.
Application deadlines
Foreigners are obliged to forward application forms for a residence permit for a defined period at least 45 days before expiry of the period of stay specified in the visa they are in possession of or of the validity period of the former residence permit for a defined period.
Required documents
  • 4 copies of a filled in form of application for granting a residence permit for a defined period (1 original and 3 photocopies),
  • 5 undamaged up-to-date, color photographs, dimensions: 4.5 cm x 3.5 cm, taken in the last 6 months on a single light background with good focus and clearly showing the eyes and face from the top of the head to the top of the shoulders, so as the face occupies 70-80% of the picture; photographs should be presenting a person without head covering and dark glasses, looking straight ahead with eyes open and mouth closed and natural expression of the face,
  • a photocopy of a valid travel document and the original document for inspection,
  • certificate confirming that a foreigner has performed his/her duty to report his/her place of residence,
  • a confirmation of the stamp duty payment.
ALL INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE  here:

 
APARTMENTS FOR RENT
If you want to rent a separate apartment you can see the ads on many portals. Unfortunately, most of which is available exclusively in Polish. Ask someone speaking Polish for help. Here are some sample addresses:
Apartments for Students
Gratka
Tablica
DomiPorta
WGN
WroclawApartaments
Flats for Rent
When renting an apartment it is necessary to sign the agreement. See an example of a lease agreement in Polish / English
Polish Verison
English Version

 
TAXI

Always choose Taxi company (licensed), never  so called “Independent” Taxi.  Taxi company is cheaper and available by phone. Remember from  6 am to 11pm is cheaper, and from 11pm to 6am is more expensive.  Licensed taxis must have a rooster with the words "taxi", and at  the side door "Wrocław" with the number of lateral and pricing glued to the glass and equipped with a taximeter cash register. There is one area of taxi fares and rates per kilometer which are approved by the City Council and are maximum prices. The journey from the airport to the city center on a  working day will cost about 40 PLN and on a free day or at night around 60 PLN.
Examples of Taxi company:

ZTP Radio Taxi,                 tel. 71/196 22
Radio Taxi Expres,           tel.  71/196 28
MPT Radio Taxi,                tel.  71/191 91
Radio Taxi Serc,                tel.  71/196 29
Super Taxi,                         tel.  71/196 63
Radio Taxi Blues,             tel.  71/196 61
Good luck !