Poland - Eastern Europe - page 452

trains an hour during the day depart from Gda ^ sk's main train station. The full jour-
ney up to Gdynia will take a little more than half an hour and cost 4 z l ($1.35/70p).
Buy your tickets in the hallway below the main station and validate them before you
board the train.
BY TAXI A good way to get to your hotel on arrival at the bus or train station, but
you won't need taxis much once you've sorted out the public transportation system.
Figure on fares of around 20 z l ($6.65/£3.60) for journeys in town.
BY FERRY It's possible to go by ferry from Gda ^ sk to several local and regional des-
tinations, including Westerplatte, Sopot, and Gdynia, as well as to the beaches on the
Hel Peninsula farther afield. The main ferry landing (D l ugie Pobrze 9 e; & 058/301-
49-26 ) is just near the intersection of the D l ugi Targ and the waterway, outside the
Green Gate.
BY BIKE Gda ^ sk is navigable by bicycle, and several new bike lanes now connect
the center with the suburb of Wrzeszcz and beyond toward Sopot. That said, the net-
work is spotty and there are plenty of places where you'll still have to contend with
stairways, sidewalks, heavy traffic, and clueless Polish drivers. Bikes, however, are a
good way of getting around Sopot. An easy and tranquil 10km (6-mile) bike lane
skirts the beaches from Sopot to the northern Gda ^ sk suburbs.
VISITOR INFORMATION
The city's main tourist information office (ul. D l uga 45; & 058/301-91-51 ) is con-
veniently situated in the heart of the G l ówne Miasto on the pedestrianized ul. D l uga.
The office is badly overburdened in summer, but nevertheless an essential stop for
maps, lists of hotels and pensions, and ideas of what to see and do. Pick up a copy of
the map “Gda ^ sk, Stare Miasto,” a large-format, easy-to-read guide to all of the major
sights in the center of town. Also look for the free brochure The Best of Gda ^ sk, a com-
prehensive, self-guided walking tour, with explanations in English. The tourist office
also sells copies of Gda ^ sk, In Your Pocket (5 zl/$1.65/85p), an excellent overview of
the city, including sections on Sopot and Gdynia.
WHERE TO STAY
The lodging situation has improved in recent years, but accommodations are still tight
in July and August, so pre-booking is essential. Most of the expensive places, not sur-
prisingly, are in the center, and you'll usually have to pay a premium for location. The
cheaper places and pensions tend to be in the suburbs, like Wrzeszcz, about 3km (1 3 ⁄ 4
miles) north of the center toward Sopot.
Very Expensive
Hanza This is a clean, modern, privately owned hotel right along the river
promenade, boasting an impressive roster of actors and politicians who regularly book
here. The lobby and public areas have an understated, contemporary look. The rooms,
in blue carpet and dark wood, are on the plain side, but very comfortable. Be sure to
ask for a room with a view over the canal and the old town in the background (though
these tend to fill up first). One big perk: It's one of the few hotels in the center to offer
a full-service fitness club and sauna.
Tokarska 6. & 058/305-34-27. Fax [phone]. www.hotelhanza.pl. 60 units. 600 zl ($200/£110) double. AE,
DC, MC, V. Amenities: Restaurant; health club and spa; concierge; business center; limited room service; nonsmok-
ing rooms. In room:A/C, TV, dataport, minibar, hair dryer.