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Warsaw Chopin Airport, positioned just 10km south of the city center, is Warsaw's main airport. Many major airlines offer frequent flights to Warsaw, minimising the stress of searching for an appropriate flight. Upon arrival at Warsaw Chopin Airport, you'll find an array of useful services within close proximity: the tourist office, car rentals, and currency-exchange services. The underground Warsaw Chopin Airport Railway Station is in close range of the Airport terminal, as well bus services that run during the day and night. Bus 175 will take you directly to the city center during the day, whereas during the night bus N32 is in operation. If public transport isn't to your liking, however, there are a selection of reliable taxi services situated outside.
Buses, trams and metros journey through every inch of the city, enabling you to reach any site of interest with ease. Tickets may be purchased from most tourist offices and newsagents, with all public transport working under the same ticket system, therefore promising the utmost simplicity. Most major routes run from 5am until 11am, before night transport takes over. Though car rental services are available, they might not be the most preferable option due to requiring a great amount of attention, with paid parking also increasing your expenses. Considering the city spans out for 517 squared kilometers, walking is only an option if you wish to remain close to your accommodation. If you wish to go a little further, however, there are a variety of places from which you can rent a bike.
Home to over 1.7 million people, Warsaw is the wide-spread capital of Poland. Modernised glass buildings tower the city, once one of the most diverse in the world, whilst authentic points of interest remind us of its historical past. Warsaw is an easy to navigate capital, that gained a place on the UNESCO list of world heritage sites during the 1980's, after the town was restored to its original state. It's an enjoyable place to visit for those who are intrigued by the cities historical past. From tombs, museums and churches, there is something to peak anyone's interest.
Warsaw is a wonderful city for walking as the city center, or Old Town, is fairly compact and the ground is level. There are also plenty of cafes and restaurants in the city if you need to take a break from walking. Start your journey at the Royal Castle, which was once home to the Polish Royal Family. The castle was completely destroyed in WWII, but was carefully rebuilt and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Those that are interested in Polish history should take one of the guided tours of the castle. Across from the castle, you will find St. Anne's church, where there is a narrow staircase to the top of the church tower. The climb is worth the effort for birds-eye views of the whole city. A short walk away, you will find the Barbican, which is a historic fortification that was once part of the city's walls. There is a small monument there to children who died in the war. Next, head towards the historic Jewish Ghetto, where you can learn about the treatment of the city's Jewish residents during the Nazi occupation of Warsaw. There are a number of interesting museums and memorials to explore here.
The city center of Warsaw has an extensive public transport system that makes it easy for visitors to travel to all the attractions in the city. The bus and tram system provide multiple routes that criss-cross the whole of the city center, and English maps are available at all tram and bus stations. There is a subway or metro system that offers two lines across the city with one running from north to south, and the other line running east to west. Each line of the subway has a number of stations, making this a quick and efficient means of travel in the city center. Public transport tickets include all three methods of transport and the tickets are available at all metro, bus, and tram stations. A few of the newer buses and trams have ticket machines onboard. The machines take credit cards, debit cards, and coins for the exact amount of the fare. Visitors can purchase tickets that are valid for twenty minutes, one hour, and one day depending on their travel requirements. Those over seventy, and children under the age of seven, travel for free on all Warsaw public transport - but proof of age is required.