Dangers & Annoyances in Poland

Crime With the downfall of the totalitarian regime and appearance of market economy, the level of crime has risen dramatically. On one hand the police is no longer watching every people step; on the other hand the new market economy has left many people without jobs and increased the inequalities among people. This makes the situation quite dangerous for potential crime victims: the attackers are not only after money, they are also often frustrated and hostile towards anybody who appears successful.

You are most likely to be confronted with pickpocketing, snatching, or luggage theft on a train. Anybody who is visibly foreign is of course a most likely target.

Pickpocketing - most likely to occur at large train stations (especially in Warsaw). Keep your valuables close to your body and beware of large crowds spontaneously materializing around you.

Snatching - may happen at train stations (then even your luggage may be carried away) or at any other place, including popular public places. I have heard of a number of cases where a bunch of teenagers would run up to a group of people and snatch a hand bag or a camera.

Luggage theft [esp. on trains] - if you travel during day time on IC (Inter City) or express trains, you should be fine. However, if you travel at night or on slower trains, you should watch your luggage carefuly. It's best to lock (or tie) your luggage to the shelf and, if possible, place it far from the door. Most commonly, luggage is quitely taken away if everybody in the compartment falls asleep.