Road Transport Operations Poland

Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country located in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative subdivisions, covering an area of 312,696 square kilometres, and has a largely temperate seasonal climate. With a population of nearly 38.5 million people, Poland is the fifth most populous member state of the European Union. Poland's capital and largest metropolis is Warsaw.

Cabotage

UK operators may carry loads to, from or through the country. Loads carried between third countries can only do so under a bi-lateral agreement and/or Individual Authorisations. Cabotage is permitted. Out of all the EU member states, Poland undertakes more Cabotage work than any other. It currently accounts for 30% of all Cabotage across the EU.

Dangerous Goods

Poland is party to ADR. It is essential that fully completed ADR documentation is prepared for the movement of dangerous goods.

For further information, visit the UNECE website at the link below & select the country name applicable - http://www.unece.org/trans/danger/publi/adr/country-info_e.html

Abnormal Loads

Vehicles exceeding the weights and dimensions below must apply for a special authorisation which is available by contacting the http://www.gddkia.gov.pl/1062/gddkia-website

Vehicles exceeding 3.5 metres in width must have an escort; Vehicles exceeding 4.5 metres in height must have a Police escort.

All abnormal load operators will require a keeper’s certificate to prove ownership of the trailer which must be carried as part of the vehicle documents at all times.
An application form can be downloaded below:

Keepers Trailer Certificate Abloads (pdf, 0.7 MB)

Taxation

Fuel in the 'running tank(s)' can be imported duty-free.

Customs

TIR Carnets are accepted for vehicles crossing Poland. ATA Carnets are accepted for certain temporary imports. CMR notes are required.

Vehicle Legal Documentation

Green Card required, plus original vehicle registration docs.
A GB plate must be fitted to the rear of the vehicle/trailer. A trailer Registration Certificate is a requirement.
To register for a trailer certificate go to - https://www.gov.uk/register-trailer-to-take-abroad

Driver Legal Documents

The following items must be carried by HGV drivers travelling in or through Poland:

Full passport
Appropriate driving licence (If the driver is not a citizen of an EU member state he/she will have to carry an international driving licence in order to drive a car). If the driver is a citizen of an EU member state the driver should ensure that they take it with them as it is valid in Poland.
Letter of authority to drive the vehicle from the registered owner
Attestation letter and form. AETR Hours rules apply.

If the UK fully leaves the EU on 31 January 2021, HGV drivers will require travel insurance with healthcare cover

Lights

The use of dipped beams or daytime running lights mandatory at all times.

Movement Restrictions

There are driving restrictions throughout the National Road network for goods vehicles with a Maximum Permissible Weight of over 12 tonnes during Public Holidays:

From 18:00 to 22:00 on the eve of public holidays
From 18:00 to 22:00 on all public holidays

Weekend restrictions during the school summer holidays (June to August). Summer truck bans apply from the last Friday in June to the last Sunday before the start of the school year, i.e. from 26 June to 30 August this year. Trucks over 12 tonnes are forbidden to move:-

On Fridays from 18:00 to 22:00
On Saturdays from 08:00 to 14:00
On Sundays from 08:00 to 22:00

There are also local restrictions for goods vehicles with a Maximum Permissible Weight of over 16 tonnes within the area of Warsaw. The prohibition is daily from 07:00 to 10:00 and from 16:00 to 20:00.

The transit of the city of Warsaw by goods vehicles over 16 tonnes (with the exception of traffic serving communities surrounding Warsaw) is forbidden. Transit traffic should divert via roads No. 50, 62 and 60. Vehicles travelling with a C16 identity card onboard are exempt from this restriction. This card is delivered to carriers by the consignor. Restrictions are signposted.

In addition there are restrictions on HGV movements during periods of high temperatures. Restrictions are notified by the Directorate of National Roads.

Public Holidays

The following dates are for the official public holidays in Germany. However, it should be noted that there are several other regional holidays in various states.

January 1 - New Year’s Day
January 6 - Three Kings Day
April 12 - Easter
April 13 - Easter Monday
May 01 - Labour Day
May 03 – Constitution Day
May 31 – Pentecost Sunday
June 11 - Corpus Christi
August 15 – Assumption Day
November 01 – All Saints Day
November 11 – Independence Day
Friday 25 - Christmas Day
Saturday 26 - St Stephens Day

Exemptions

The following vehicle types and operations are exempt from the movement restrictions noted above.

Vehicles used for humanitarian aid;
Vehicles carrying livestock;
Vehicles used for the collection of fresh milk, corn or livestock;
Vehicles transporting liquid fuel, oil products, lubricants, spare parts or freshwater for ships;
Transport of transmission equipment for radio or TV stations;
Transport of equipment intended for mass events;
Vehicles transporting newspapers which constitute a considerable volume of the total cargo or of the available loading space;
Vehicles used for the carriage of drugs or medicines;
Vehicles used for the carriage of mail which constitutes a considerable volume of the total cargo or of the available loading space;
Vehicles whose operation is strictly connected with the necessary maintenance of the production cycle or with providing services to a company working around the clock;
Vehicles transporting dangerous goods, as covered by separate regulations, in quantities for which the orange plate is required;
Vehicles carrying perishable goods or foodstuffs* which constitute a considerable volume of the total cargo or of the available loading space;
Vehicles used for the transport of loads unloaded from railway wagons up to a distance of 50km from the Railhead
Vehicles used in combined transport;
Vehicles returning from abroad to complete a road transport operation or travelling to the consignee who has his registered office in Poland provided that the driver has a valid annual or monthly toll card for driving on domestic roads;
Vehicles that entered Poland before the date or time of the restriction and which may travel up to 50 km from the border crossing, and vehicles in the border zone waiting to exit Poland.

The exceptions mentioned under points 2 to 14 apply also to empty vehicles travelling to load cargo or on their return journey after unloading on Polish territory.

* List of perishable foodstuffs (point 12 above) include: meat and edible offal; fish, shellfish, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates; dairy products, in particular yoghurts, kefir, sour cream, milk, cheese, butter and ice cream; eggs and egg pastes; cut flowers and house plants; fresh and frozen vegetables, fruit and mushrooms; cereals and agricultural produce for the production of food, fodder and vegetable fats; ground cereals, in particular flour, oats, semolina and corn granules; fat and oil of animal or vegetable origin; food preserves, in particular of meat, poultry, fish, vegetables and fruit; sweets and confectionery; preserves of cereals, flour, starch, milk powder and bakery products; soft drinks; remains and waste from the food industry, ready-made animal feedstuff; sugar beet; potatoes; fresh yeast; cultivation medium for mushrooms.

Road Tolls

In Poland, the use of main roads by vehicles with an admissible total weight exceeding 3.5 tonnes depend on:

Road class
Maximum permissible weight of a vehicle
EURO emission class

Electronic toll rates for National Roads of Class A and S or their sections
The toll rate for 1 km travelled on a national road dependent on exhaust emission limits (1)
Vehicle Category	*Euro 2	Euro 3	Euro 4	**Euro 5
MPW (2) over 3.5 tonnes and less than 12 tonnes	0.40	0.35	0.28	0.20
Vehicles with MPW (2) of at least 12 tonnes	0.53	0.46	0.37	0.27

Electronic toll rates for gp and G Class National Roads or their sections
The toll rate for 1 km travelled on a national road dependent on exhaust emission limits (1)
Vehicle Category	*Euro 2	Euro 3	Euro 4	**Euro 5
MPW (2) over 3.5 tonnes and less than 12 tonnes	0..32	0.28	0.22	0.16
Vehicles with MPW (2) of at least 12 tonnes	0.42	0.37	0.29	0.21

*Min / ** Max

Where it states an MPW (maximum permissible weight) this also includes the total MPW of a trailer (or semi-trailer).

Bridge and Tunnel Tolls

At the time of writing we are unaware of any bridge or tunnel tolls not included within the existing toll system, therefore we recommend contacting the online service provider for rates per Euro emissions class and vehicle weights where applicable.

Maximum Weights & Dimensions
Height	4 metres
Width	2.55 metres (Fridges 2.6 metres)
Length	Artic 16.5 metres Road Train 18.75 metres
Weight	Artic 40 tonnes (40 foot ISO containers - 44 tonnes) Road Train 40 tonnes There is also various maximum permitted weights on vehicles, trailers and road trains which are applicable according to the number of axles. NB: There are restrictions on certain roads where single drive axle weights are concerned, it is, therefore, essential to check before using them.

Safety Equipment

It is compulsory to carry the following items of equipment and/or observe specific rules:

First Aid Kit (Advisable)
Warning triangle (Required)
Spare bulbs (Advisable)
Breathalyser test kits
Seat belts must be worn (Required)
Snow chains should be carried and used were indicated by the relevant road signs.

Speed Limits

Vehicles Concerned	Residential Areas (Kms)	Built-Up Areas (kms)	All-Purpose Roads (kms)	Expressways / Dual Carriageways (kms)	Motorways (Kms)
Rigid Trucks under 3.5 tonnes	20	50	90	100	130
Rigids, Artics & Road Trains over 3.5 tonnes	20	50	70	80	80

Low Emission Zones

Currently, there is only one LEZ in Poland, which is in Krakow. However, there are other bans/restrictions in other cities in Poland which are available at the website link below: https://www.urbanaccessregulations.eu/countries-mainmenu-147/poland