Local Tip
No złoty needed on arrival at Chopin: ticket machines take cards, and a 4.40 zł 75-minute ticket covers the train or bus 175 into the centre. Change notes later at a kantor in town, such as Tavex on Świętokrzyska.
Where to change money in Warsaw
Warsaw's tourist office tells visitors to use a registered kantor (exchange office), never a stranger in the street, and says commission is not usually added. Tavex is a handy benchmark: it posts its rates online, says its counters use the same ones, and quotes better rates by phone above 4,000 zł.
- Tavex, Świętokrzyska 32 Across the road from the Palace of Culture, between Emilii Plater and Marszałkowska. Open Monday to Friday 09:00-20:00 and Saturday 10:00-18:00; currency can be reserved by phone or online and collected in person.
- Tavex in shopping centresWestfield Arkadia (10:00-22:00), Dom Mody Klif on Okopowa (09:00-21:00) and the Koneser centre in Praga (10:00-18:00), all Monday to Saturday. No Warsaw branch lists Sunday hours.
Changing money at the airport
Chopin Airport (WAW), about 10 km from the centre, has two exchange firms. Money World has counters in the baggage reclaim hall and in landside departures, opposite the travel agencies, staffed from 06:00 to the last flight; tax-free refunds are paid only at the arrivals one. Currency Express runs four points from 05:00 until the final departure, including one at baggage reclaim and two airside. Bank Pekao's landside branch also changes money, 09:00-16:30 on weekdays. The airport publishes no rates for any of them.
Warsaw's second airport, Modlin (WMI), lies about 35 km north-west. A shuttle bus timed to the trains runs to Modlin station for Koleje Mazowieckie services into the city; the rail firm's office in the terminal, open 09:00-21:00 daily, sells only its combined airport ticket. The tourist office puts a taxi to central Warsaw at 100 to 250 zł.
ATMs and cards in Warsaw
Euronet runs Chopin's cash machines, on both sides of security, and the airport lists dynamic currency conversion among their features. If the screen shows the amount in sterling, pick złoty and leave the conversion to your bank. Some hypermarkets and cash-only windows take euros if you warn the cashier first, but the tourist office says change normally comes back in złoty.
Paying for transport in Warsaw
The city's fare table, updated on 20 November 2025, prices a 75-minute zone 1 ticket at 4.40 zł (2.20 zł reduced), and Rynek Kolejowy reported in December 2025 that no rise was planned for 2026. From Chopin, SKM trains S2 and S3 leave from the underground station beside the terminal and bus 175 runs to Plac Piłsudskiego; the airport reckons on about 30 minutes to Centrum and says a 75-minute ticket is the minimum to buy. Machines on most buses, in newer trams, at metro stations and near stops take coins or cards. Validate a paper ticket straight after boarding, or at the metro gates.
Good to know
- Riding without a valid ticket costs 266 zł, reduced by 40% if you pay the inspector on the spot or by 30% if you pay within seven days.
- Most Sundays are non-trading days in Poland, so malls and the kantors inside them stay shut; the trading Sundays left in 2026 are 6, 13 and 20 December. Shops also close on public holidays, including 1 and 11 November, though small grocers such as Żabka may open.
Key Areas in Warsaw
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Warsaw travel money FAQ
Where is the best place to exchange money in Warsaw?
A registered kantor in town. Tavex at Świętokrzyska 32, opposite the Palace of Culture, opens until 20:00 on weekdays and 18:00 on Saturday, and its website shows the rates its counters use, so you can compare first.
Do I need złoty when I land at Chopin Airport?
No. Ticket machines take cards, and a 4.40 zł ticket gets you into the centre by train or bus. For notes, Money World and Currency Express open early and stay open until the last flight.
Can I change money in Warsaw on a Sunday?
In town it is difficult: Tavex lists no Sunday hours and most malls close. The exchange desks at Chopin Airport, which keep the same hours every day, are the fallback.
Checked October 2026. Fees, fares and opening times change, so check locally before relying on them. Sources: Warsaw Tourism Office (Go To Warsaw) · Tavex · Warsaw Chopin Airport · Koleje Mazowieckie · City of Warsaw (Warsaw 19115) · Rynek Kolejowy
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