Independent Warsaw and Krakow: Capitals Past and Present

After you enroll, we’ll ask you to provide or update your personal information and preferences, which includes your health information, lodging and meal preferences for your program.

A passport is required for this program. It must be valid for at least 6 months after your return date.

This information about travel documents pertains to participants holding U.S. passports. Non-U.S. citizens should refer to their country's requirements to ensure they have the necessary documentation for travel.

United States citizens don’t need a visa for any of the countries you’ll be visiting. Non-U.S. citizens should refer to their country's requirements to ensure they have the necessary documentation for travel.

If Road Scholar is arranging your air travel to and from the program, and you travel on the scheduled start and end dates, you’ll receive free round-trip transfers from the airport to the hotel.

Arrival day is on October 8, 2026

Meet the group at Polonia Palace Hotel in Warsaw

Start of Trip:  3:00 p.m. hotel check-in; 5:00 p.m. Orientation followed by Welcome Dinner.

Getting to the site: We recommend that you travel to the hotel via taxi, Uber and Bolt are available. It takes about 30 minutes and costs approx. 45 Polish zloty. If you would prefer to travel via public transportation, you can take the train or the bus. For the train we recommend the following route. Take one of the many trains at the airport station to Warszawa Centralna. The train ride is about 20 minutes with a short walk of about three-tenths of a mile (or a quick tram/bus) to the hotel. It is around 20 Polish zloty. The following bus route is best. Take bus #175 which goes to the city center and get off at the "Warszawa Centrum" bus stop. The hotel is located approx. 800 feet from the bus stop. It takes about 30 minutes and costs approx. 4.40 Polish zloty per bus ticket, which can be purchased from the bus driver.

Getting to the site by train or bus: Train and bus service runs from many major cities to Warsaw. Take taxi from station to hotel.

Your trip ends on: Thursday, October 15, 2026 in Krakow at Novotel Krakow Centrum

End of Trip: 10:30 a.m. after breakfast; 12:00 Noon hotel check-out. Breakfast available depending on your transfer time.

Getting to the airport: Take a taxi from the hotel to the airport. It will cost approx. 150 Polish zloty and take 30-40 minutes. Alternatively, you may take public bus #252 from the hotel to the airport. From the hotel, walk about 1000 feet to the "Jubilat" bus stop to take the bus. It costs about 6 Polish zloty per bus ticket.

Information if you are purchasing your own airfare: Participants who have not purchased airfare through Road Scholar are responsible for making their own transfer arrangements to the first site at the beginning of the program, as well as from the last site at the end of the program. The Information Packet Road Scholar sends in advance of the program includes details needed to make your transfer arrangements. If you wish to purchase airfare through Road Scholar, please call (800) 241-1404. Please note: In the unlikely event Road Scholar must make changes to the program's arrival or departure details, we will notify all participants as soon as possible. Participants who have purchased Road Scholar airfare are protected against airline change fees; however, anyone who has not purchased Road Scholar airfare will be required to make their own adjustments and may incur fees imposed by the airline.