Car Rental in Poznan

Why rent a car in Poznan?

Poznan is a great city to explore. Although it is an industrial city, Poznan is also historic and sophisticated, and it has plenty to offer when it comes to museums, architecture, and art. Poznan’s convenient location means that from it, you can easily explore the rest of Poland like the country’s beautiful Baltic Sea coast in the north and the Tatra mountains in the southeast. Cities like Warsaw, Gdansk, and Krakow are close, and with a rental car you can even visit Poland’s neighbors, Germany and the Czech Republic.

Top ways to enter Poznan

Poznan Airport: Poznań–Ławica Henryk Wieniawski Airport served 2.4 million travelers in 2018. The airport is a large hub for Enter Air, Ryanair, and Wizz Air and also hosts flights by 11 other airlines. Located just 7km (4 miles) northwest of the city center, the airport can be reached in 10-15 minutes.

Bydgoszcz Airport: A small airport serving the city of the same name in north-central Poland, Bydgoszcz Airport hosts flights to around 15 destinations across Europe, although many of them are only active seasonally. Located 140km (87 miles) northeast of Poznan, the distance between the two can be traveled in 1 hour and 40 minutes.

Wroclaw Airport: Also known as Copernicus Airport after the famous Polish scientist who hailed from the city, Wroclaw Airport has been constantly growing for the last couple of years. As of July 2019, it offers flights by 16 different airlines. The airport is located 190km (118 miles) south of Poznan and can be reached in about two hours by car.

Szczecin Airport: Located in the far northwestern corner of Poland near the border with Germany, Szczecin-Goleniow is another Polish airport popular with low-cost carriers like Ryanair and Wizz Air. It hosts flights to and from a number of European countries including the United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden, and the Republic of Ireland. The airport is about 290km (180 miles) north of Poznan and can be reached in less than three hours.

Warsaw Chopin Airport: By far the busiest in the country, Chopin Airport hosts nearly the same amount of international flights as all the other airports in Poland, combined. In addition to connections to many European countries, the airport also has flights to and from the Middle East, North Africa, and North America. Located 310km (192 miles) to the east, the distance between the capital and Poznan can be traveled in about three hours.

By rail: If arriving in Poznan by train, you can conveniently pick up your rental car at Poznan Glowny. 

City facts

• Poznan has a humid continental climate with oceanic influences. The average temperature is around 20°C  (68°F) in July and August, the warmest months, with some days getting significantly hotter, and −1°C  (30°F) in January, the coldest month. July is by far the most humid month and has frequent thunderstorms; February is the driest. Snowfall occurs in Poznan every winter.
• The first capital of Poland and seen by many as the birthplace of the nation, Poznan is a historically important place. Capital of the historic Greater Poland region, today it has a population of around 530,000 people, making it the fifth-largest city in the country. Around 900,000 more people live in the larger Poznan metropolitan area. The city is made up of five districts that are further divided into 42 neighborhoods. Stare Miasto, or the Old Town, is the district that has most of the city’s landmarks and some of the most beautiful architecture.

Top sights and activities

• Town Hall. Located in Stary Rynek, the city’s famous old square, Poznan’s town hall is a mixture of Gothic and Renaissance styles. It has been called the most beautiful Renaissance building north of the Alps and is one of the symbols of the city. Its halls and courtrooms make it as impressive from the inside as it is from outside. Today, the town hall houses the Historical Museum of Poznan. It is also famous for its two mechanical goats who butt their heads each day at noon time.
• Old Jesuits’ College. Built as a school for the Jesuit religious order, the old college hosted Napoleon I when he marched towards Russia in the early 19th century and later held concerts for Frederic Chopin, Poland’s most famous composer. Even if you take all the history away, it would still be one of the most beautiful buildings in the city.
• Imperial Castle. Although not particularly old - it was built in the early 20th Century for the German emperor William II - Poznan's Zamek is one of the most impressive in Poland. The castle was built in a Neo-Romanesque style, with its fountain purposefully made to resemble the Fountain of the Lions of Alhambra in Granada.
• The National Museum. The largest in Poznan, the National Museum is in fact made up of several distinct museums. These include the main building which houses artwork by famous Polish masters, as well as foreign painters like Monet and Velazquez, but also the Ethnography Museum, the Museum of Musical Instruments, and others. Three impressive palaces, Rogalin, Gołuchów, and Śmiełów, which are located in and near Poznan, are also considered to be a part of the museum. Visit the museum’s official website to learn more.
• Church of Saint John of Jerusalem Outside the walls. Dating back to the 11th century, this small, but fascinating house of prayer is, for many, among the interesting attractions of Poznan. The church’s name comes from its peculiar location outside the original city walls, and it is also highly unique through the fact that its exterior and interior combine several architectural styles. The church of St. John can be found in the southeastern Nowe Miasto area of the city.

Traffic and parking

• Poland drives on the right hand side of the road.
• Unless specifically indicated otherwise, the speed limits in Poland 140km/h (87 mph) on motorways, 120km/h (75 mph) on expressways with a dual carriageway, 100km/h (62.2 mph) on expressways with a single carriageway, 90km/h (56 mph) on all other urban roads, 60km/h (37.2 mph) in urban and built-up areas at night, 50km/h (31 mph) in urban and built-up areas during the day, and 20km/h (12.4 mph) in residential areas.
• It is illegal to use a mobile phone while driving.
• The legal alcohol limit is 0.02% for both experienced and novice drivers. Exceeding the limit can lead to large fines and a licence ban. Exceeding the limit of 0.05% is a criminal offence and can lead to up to 2 years imprisonment. 
• While the general quality of roads in Poland has improved immensely during the last 2 decades, some rural roads, especially in the northernmost, southernmost, and easternmost parts of the country can still be in a rather bad shape. It is a good idea to set out your route in advance and look up the roads you’ll be driving. 
• The insurance and car documentation needs to be in the car whenever you’re driving.
• If you’re the driver, you need to have your passport or ID card with you at all times.
• The emergency number in Poland, like elsewhere in the EU, is 112.

Toll roads

There are a number of toll roads in Poland. Some roads use an open toll system while others use a closed toll system. In open toll system, the payment is made upon entering the toll road. In closed toll system, the driver will be given a printed ticket that will state the time and point of entry of the toll road; the toll fee will be calculated and paid when exiting the road.

Payment can be made either in cash or by credit card. If you choose to pay in cash, you can pay in three currencies, Euros, Polish zloty (PLN), or United States dollars (USD), but keep in mind that even if you pay in one of the two foreign currencies, you might be given change in zloty. As of July 2019, 1 EUR = 4.25 PLN.

See the Polish toll road map here. Learn more about toll roads in Poland the toll fees for specific roads on the official Polish toll road website.

Ideas for day trips

• Morasko Meteorite Nature Reserve. One of just two such places to be found in Europe, Morasko is a nature reserve dedicated to a meteor crater (or, to be more precise, seven of them). Scientists think that the impact happened about 5,000 years ago; several extremely heavy fragments of the meteorite have been found in the crater lakes. A place of otherworldly feel, the site is located just 12km (7.4 miles) north of Poznan city center.
• Kornik. The small town of Kornik is best known for its impressive 14th Century castle. Built in a Gothic Revival style, its arches were also inspired by the Islamic art of India. Nowadays, the castle houses a museum and library and is surrounded by Kórnik Arboretum, a beautiful green area of large alleys and many unique tree and shrub species. Located just 25km (16 miles) southeast of Poznan, Kornik can be reached in about 25 minutes.
• Wielkopolski National Park. Made up glacial lakes and thick woodlands and inhabited by many different species of fauna and flora, Wielkopolski is a great place to escape the business of the city. It’s near, too - Jeziory, where the park’s headquarters is located, is just 18km (11.1 miles) southwest of Poznan and can be reached in about 20 minutes by car, making it a perfect day-trip destination.
• Bydgoszcz. Although not as famous as Warsaw, Poznan, or Lodz, the city of Bydgoszcz is a lovely under-the-radar destination in Central Poland. Home to many heritage buildings and historically known as Little Berlin, it is nowadays a lively student city and boasts quirky attractions like the Museum of Soap and Dirt. The drive from Poznan takes only about 90 minutes.
• Wroclaw. A famous university city, Wroclaw is one of the most interesting destinations of the southern Silesia region. Attractions include the Rynek, one of the largest town squares in Europe, the scenic Cathedral Island area, St. Elizabeth’s Church, and the Botanic Garden of Wroclaw. The drive from Poznan takes about 2 hours and 10 minutes.

Most popular cars

The most popular rental car in Poznan is the VW Golf, but many travelers also go for the Seat Ibiza and the Toyota Aygo. The most popular rental car types are compact, economy, and mini.

Further destinations

• Gdansk. A former freecity and a member of the Hanseatic League, Gdansk has always been culturally distinct. The largest Polish city on the Baltic coast, it is known for its shipbuilding and maritime trade, with both classical and recent seafaring heritage represented in its architecture and way of life. Gdansk is also the largest of the three famous locations making up the Tricity region – the others, Sopot and Gdynia, are only a short drive away. From Poznan, Gdansk can be reached in about 3 hours and 40 minutes by car.
• Warsaw. One of the fastest-growing European capitals, Warsaw is a true modern metropolis. Although tourists have sometimes overlooked it for more historical Polish destinations like Krakow and Wroclaw, Warsaw has plenty to offer both in terms of heritage and very lively contemporary cultural life. Having a rental car in Poznan means you are less than a four hour drive away.
• Krakow. With perhaps the highest concentration of stunning churches and cathedrals in Europe, Krakow is a prime historic destination. Take your time walking through its squares, medieval streets, and along River Vistula. Then get in your rental car and visit the salt mines in Wieliczka or go for the summits of the nearby Tatra Mountains. Located 465km (289 miles) southeast of Poznan, Krakow can be reached in about five hours.
• Berlin. Fun, charming, and way more affordable than London or Paris, the capital city of Germany remains one of the best travel destinations in Europe. Famous for its eclectic architecture, unique neighborhoods, world-class museums, and relaxed way of life, you shouldn’t miss your chance to visit, especially since Berlin is just 270km (167 miles) west of Poznan and can be reached in about three hours. To make this trip, you’d have to cross an international border between Poznan and Berlin, so ask your rental car provider in advance if they permit this.

Car rental prices in Poznan

• Small cars - from $21 per day
• Medium cars - from $22 per day
• Large cars - from $29 per day
• SUVs - from $22 per day
• Premium cars - from $44 per day
• Vans - from $85 per day
• Station wagons - from $22 per day

Money-saving and other tips

Try these simple tips to get a great rental car in Poznan:

• Compare the rates of different rental car providers
• Book your rental car well in advance
• Plan your route before you go
• Know your fuel and mileage requirements
• Visit during the month when the rental prices are the cheapest. According to our data, visiting Poznan is the cheapest in January when renting a car is about 64% cheaper than the yearly average.