Poland - Eastern Europe - page 390

recent years, and they've even added some English-speaking ticket sellers to the inter-
national ticketing counter. Centralna is well served by taxis, tram lines, and buses; the
only trick is finding which stairway to use to locate the tram going in the direction
you want to travel.
BY BUS Warsaw's main bus station (Dworzec Centralny PKS; & 022/94 33 ) is sit-
uated in the city center ( 2 ródmie 1 cie), about 1km ( 1 ⁄ 2 mile) to the west of the Cen-
tralna train station along Al. Jerozolimskie. The station handles all of the bus traffic to
and from western Europe as well as most major Polish routes. The station is well
served by tram, bus, or taxi to anywhere in the city. The easiest way to get between the
bus and train stations is to grab any tram heading in the direction you want to go and
ride three stops.
BY CAR As Poland's capital city, all roads lead to Warsaw. You'll have no problem
finding your way here. You may be surprised, though, by how long it takes to get here,
and once you're here by the sheer volume of traffic. Once you've found your hotel,
stow the car and use the trams and taxis.
CITY LAYOUT
Warsaw is cut in two by the Vistula River (Wis l a), but nearly all of the interesting
things to see and do lie on the river's western side. The heart of the city, and where
you'll find most of the hotels, restaurants, and nightlife, is the central district known
as 2 ródmie 1 cie. With its huge avenues and acres of space between buildings, it's not
particularly pedestrian-friendly. But trams scoot down the rails at an impressive speed
and can whisk you around in a few minutes. The center of 2 ródmie 1 cie is the inter-
section of Aleje Jerozolimskie (Jerusalem Avenue) and Marsza l kowska street. The Old
Town (Stare Miasto) lies about 1km ( 1 ⁄ 2 mile) to the north. The best way to find it on
foot is to follow the street Nowy 2 wiat, which intersects with Al. Jerozolimskie, and
continue along the “Royal Route,” Krakowskie Przedmie 1 cie, which brings you to the
Royal Castle, and the start of the Old Town. To the south of Jerozolimskie, along the
Al. Ujazdowski, beginning at Plac Trzech Krzy 9 y, you'll find Warsaw's embassy district,
and some of the city's swankiest shops, cafes, restaurants, and nightclubs. Farther to
the south lies the enormous residential district of Mokotów, home to some half of the
city's two million people. Across the Vistula from the Old Town is the up-and-com-
ing residential district of Praga. This area has long been one of the poorest districts in
Warsaw, but is starting to see something of a revival, primarily led by artists attracted
by Praga's rock-bottom rents.
GETTING AROUND
ON FOOT Warsaw is a big city, so walking is only an option within specific areas,
such as the Old Town or in 2 ródmie 1 cie. For longer distances, you'll want to use pub-
lic transportation or taxis.
BY TRAM Trams trundle down Warsaw's enormous avenues regularly from about
5am to 11pm, and are the best means for covering large distances quickly and cheaply.
Tickets costs 2.40 z l (80¢/45p), and you can buy them from Ruch kiosks around town
or almost any place near a tram stop that sells newspapers and cigarettes. You may
have a hard time finding a place to buy a ticket in the evening, so buy several during
the day and stock up. You can also buy reasonably priced long-term tickets: for 1 day
(7 z l /$2.30/£1.20), 3 days (12 z l /$4/£2.20), and 1 week (24 z l /$8/£4.30). The tram