Szczecin

Szczecin, (pronounced Shchetsin, German: Stettin, Latin: Stetinum) is a maritime port city and the capital of Zachodniopomorskie in Poland. The city has a population of over 400,000, with almost 780,000 living in its metro area (2019). It is one of the seven largest metropoles in the country. It lies in the northwestern corner of Poland, very close to the German border. It is easier to get to Szczecin from some parts of Germany, notable from Berlin, than it is from much of Poland. For a significant part of its history, Szczecin was a part of Germany, and in other periods, of Denmark and Sweden. Szczecin is Poland's third-largest port and much of its industrial base used to be a part of an important shipyard. But the city is not on a seaside, but rather on the river Odra (German: Oder), some 20 kilometres south of the Baltic Sea as the crow flies, and many more by road. Many visitors to Poland are also unaware of Szczecin's architectural attractiveness, as the large parts of the city were designed by Baron Haussmann, the same man who designed the boulevards of Paris.

Understand
The place now known as Szczecin was first mentioned in written history in 1st century when West-Roman historian Tacitus located East Germanic tribe of Rugians somewhere in the area; the Rugians left in the 5th century during the Great Migration. Sometime in the 8th century Western Slavic tribe of Pomeranians built their stronghold here. In 10th century the town was mentioned as "one of major in Pomerania" in Abraham ben Jacob's chronicle. In approximately 1080 its area was incorporated into Poland, but within eight years, the town was controlled by the Dukedom of Pomerania, and five years later, Denmark. In 12th century when its competitor, Wolin (also known as Veneta in medieval chronicles) declined Szczecin began to prosper from trade and became one of the major Baltic sea harbours. Its name was first recorded in 1133 as "Stetin".

In 1181 Pomeranian dukes joined Holy Roman Empire. In 1243 Szczecin got city rights before it became member of the Hanseatic League in 1278. Until early 17th century the city was the capital of Pomeranian Dukedom, then in 1630 when local dukes died out it became part of Sweden, then Kingdom of Prussia, then for a brief period, due to Napoleon's conquests, the French Empire. Beginning in the 18th century, the city was a part of Germany and served as the "port of Berlin". During World War II the city was hit hard by Allied bombers; city centre, Old Town and industrial areas were destroyed. After the Soviet forces invaded Nazi Germany in 1945, according to Potsdam Conference agreements, Poland annexed all lands up to the Oder river, expelling the native German population and extending the border to include Stettin: Poland thus gained control of the city.

In the 1980s, the city was (with Gdańsk) one of the birthplaces of Solidarity movement.

An unusual feature of Szczecin is its urban planning, with many roundabouts and wide avenues. Stettin was rebuilt in 1880s using designs by Georges-Eugene Haussmann, who also did the urban planning for Paris. His design style is still being used for newly built (or modified) city areas.

The maritime industry is still strong with a busy port and repair shipyard, and it is a center of service industries in Poland. Szczecin is sometimes considered one of the most liberal Polish cities.

By plane
You can reach the airport by car (the journey may take up to 1 hour, depending on traffic), by taxi (about 120 zł), or by minibus – LOT operates a minibus to and from the airport for all LOT's flights (free of charge for passengers), leaving from LOT's office (al. Wyzwolenia 17) about 90 minutes before departure, and Interglobus has minibuses for all international flights. A railway service links the airport's terminal directly with Szczecin's main railway station and with Kołobrzeg.

Due to Szczecin's proximity to Berlin, the latter's airport is a viable option to get to Szczecin. From Berlin, you can get to Szczecin by minibus (numerous Szczecin-based companies, including Atlastransfer and Interglobus, operate regular services to Berlin Brandenburg International airport at attractive prices), by car or by train in 2–3 hours.

By train
Polish State Railways (PKP) has connections to and from all major Polish cities. There are several trains daily to and from Warsaw – travel time on express or Intercity trains is less than 6 hours, but minor delays are not uncommon. To Poznań, travel time is about 2½ hours (from 40 zł), with frequent trains running throughout the day. There are also frequent trains to Świnoujście (2 hours).

Deutsche Bahn (German Railways) has train connections from Berlin, Amsterdam, Prague and many cities in neighboring Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

Due to the construction works of the rail tracks between Berlin and Szczecin, there are no direct trains between the cities until some time in 2025; coming from Berlin, you'll have to change to a replacement bus service or different train in Angermünde. Upon completion, travel time between the cities will supposedly be reduced to 90 minutes.

The Deutschland-Ticket is only valid on the German side here. In the trains or rail replacements buses you get a border crossing ticket from Grambow to Szczecin for €2.50 or from Tantow/Angermünde to Szczecin for €3.60 from the ticket inspector or bus driver

Valid German tickets from and to Szczecin including the entire public transport system in Szczecin are (prices as of Feb 2024): • Brandenburg-Berlin-Ticket (day-ticket for 5 people for €33) • Brandenburg-Berlin-Ticket Nacht (night ticket for 5 people for €25 valid 18:00-7:00) • Berlin-Stettin-Ticket (€14.70 one-way, €29.60 day-ticket) • Mecklenburg-Vorpommern-Ticket (day ticket for 1-5 persons for €23-44)

A cheap way is the Brandenburg-Berlin-Ticket, which is valid from 09:00 (from 0:00 on the weekend and on bank holidays) until 03:00 on the following day. It's for travel on all local and regional German trains and on local public transport systems in all cities and towns in Berlin, Brandenburg and Szczecin. The €33 divided by 5 persons, one person can travel for about €6.60 (€5 if using the night ticket). The groups often form spontaneously before departure or on the train.

You even can get from or to the Danish border via Schleswig-Holstein-Ticket, valid in the regional trains of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein until Padborg or Tonder (DK) with a surcharge of €2.50 for the ride from the Polish border to Szczecin.

By car
You can reach Szczecin by car from major Polish cities, including Warsaw, Poznań, Gdańsk, Wrocław, and also from Berlin. Thanks to its location close to the border and direct link with the German motorway system, Szczecin has the best road connection with Western Europe of all Polish cities.

The main route to Szczecin from Berlin is the E28 (German: A11, Polish: A6). The journey takes about 2 hours, depending on traffic. Note that the German A11 motorway is undergoing continuous improvements, resulting in some disturbances in certain sections.

Travelling by car to and from other parts of Poland can be troublesome – the traffic is pretty heavy, the distances are large and there is a general shortage of motorways. It also takes quite some time – for example, the trip to Gdańsk (350 km) usually takes 4–5 hours, and to Warsaw (520 km along national road no. 10) you need at least 6–7 hours, even if you don't follow the speed limits too strictly.

You can also reach Szczecin from Sweden (Ystad) and Denmark (Copenhagen) using the ferry connections to and from Świnoujście. From there, the journey takes about 1½ hours, although this road gets completely jammed on summer weekends. To avoid traffic jams in high season, follow the yellow "tourist route" ("Trasa turystyczna") signs. These will take you along B-roads, bypassing the most crowded section of national road no. 3.

By bus
Many international and domestic connections (see Poland).

There are multiple stops for long-distance buses in Szczecin:

There are also dozens of minibus operators driving to and from Berlin

By boat
Szczecin is on the banks of the Odra (German: Oder) and Regalica (branch of the Odra) rivers and Lake Dąbie, near the Szczecin Lagoon. There are some marinas, most of them in the northern districts and on the shores of Lake Dąbie.

Since the discontinuation of the hydrofoil service from and to Świnoujście in 2015, the only way of reaching Szczecin by boat is using your own vessel.

Get around
Szczecin is split in two parts (Lewobrzeże and Prawobrzeże) named after their location on banks of Oder (Lewobrzeże = left bank) and Regalica (Prawobrzeże = right bank) rivers. The port is in between. City centre and most of attractions are situated in Lewobrzeże.

Public transport
Szczecin has extensive public transport network covered by trams and buses. See the maps (dziennej = by day, nocnej = by night, tramwajowej = trams) and schedules. You can also install the timetables on your mobile phone: for J2ME compatible phones and Symbian: MPK Mobile, for Android and Windows Phone: Transportoid.

Tickets are randomly checked by plain clothed inspectors; fines are severe and can be a major hassle. Tickets are available at all newspaper stands and you can buy them from the driver after 18:00. If you have an account in Polish bank you can also use your mobile phone. Rush hours are 07:00-08:00 and 16:00-17:00, night hours are between 23:00 and 05:00. Tickets for express buses are twice as expensive. You can change between lines freely as long you stay within time limit (the exception is changing from "normal" bus or tram to express bus). Remember to stamp your ticket immediately after you board the tram/bus.

Prices (June 2024): 15 minutes 2.00 zł, 30 minutes 3.00 zł, 1 hour 4.00 zł, 2 hours 5.00 zł, 24 hours 12 zł, 5 days 35 zł. A family weekend ticket, for 14 zł, is valid on weekends for one or two adults with at least one child up to 16 years old. There are also tickets valid for 10 days, a month and a quarter.

Brandenburg-Berlin, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Schleswig-Holstein, Schönes Wochenende and Brandenburg-Berlin Nacht tickets issued by Deutsche Bahn are valid for public transport operated by ZDiTM (trams and buses) in Szczecin. Monthly/quarterly tickets issued by ZDiTM are valid for DB trains within the city (Szczecin Główny-Szczecin Gumieńce).

Lines:
 * 0 - tourist tram line
 * 1-11 - trams
 * 50, 100 - tourist bus lines
 * 51-244 - buses
 * A, B, C - express buses
 * 521-536 - night buses
 * 7xx - free buses (to and from shopping malls)
 * 8xx - replacement buses for trams
 * Tourist lines (vintage trams and buses) operate in July and August on Saturdays and Sundays. The fare costs 3.50 zł for adults and 2.50 zł for children (paid to the driver). Line numbers: 0 (tram), 50 and 100 (buses).

Railway
If you want to go to or from the city centre (station name: Szczecin Główny) to districts of Dąbie, Gumieńce, Podjuchy, Zdroje, Zdunowo or Załom (or nearby suburban towns of Goleniów, Gryfino or Stargard), the fastest way might be the train. Check times with PKP; you have to buy separate ticket (6 zł, one way, no matter how many stops), the exception are trains operated by DB (see above).

By foot
City centre can be covered by foot (depending on your fitness, etc.). Look for the red line on the pavements - so called "red walk" which connects nearly all the attractions within the centre. This is by far the best way to discover the centre on foot, as all attractions are marked by a number (there are about 40) on the pavement, so you won't miss one. At each of them there is a sign explaining some details about the sight.

The red line starts and ends at the train station. When you exit through the main entrance, turn left on the sidewalk and look for it, some of the paint may have already vanished. Close to the start is also a map showing the route and the attractions. You can get a similar map that also includes the red line at the tourist information center.

By car
Streets in Szczecin are (compared to other Polish cities) easy to navigate and not congested.

Parking within the centre during business hours (08:00 - 17:00, from Monday to Friday - after 17:00 and on weekends it is free) is paid; the pay depends on the zone and parking time. You can buy tickets from vending machines. Most of malls have free parking, and no one will check if you visited the mall or just used free parking opportunity.

Drunk driving is a serious criminal offence (up to 3 years in prison) and the police have no mercy for drunk drivers. Many of the "zero tolerance for drunk drivers" programs ongoing in Poland have started in Szczecin.

By bicycle
There is network of bicycle paths connecting the city center with the suburbs. You can take your bike on public transport for free (outside rush hours). If you want to see Szczecin from the bicycle but don't have one you can rent it using the Bike S Szczecin system, which is a system of city bikes available for everyone to rent. They have several hire and drop off stations over the center of the city. If you happen to be present in Szczecin on any last Friday of the month, feel free to join the Critical Mass - the start point is Plac Lotników square, 18:00.

By taxi
Hail a taxi from the street or stand only in emergency or if very tired or drunk as it is much cheaper to call for one: ask locals for numbers or see taxi advertisements, they are nearly everywhere. When you call, ask the operator when the taxi will arrive and then look for car plastered with number of company you called.

There is taxi "mafia" operating from stands near railway station, popular clubs, hotels etc. Avoid these rip-offs, they are very expensive.

Fares within the centre shouldn't be more than about 12-15 zł. Fare from left side of the river (Lewobrzeże) to the right side (Prawobrzeże) or the other way is about 40-50 zł. Fares during the night are slightly more expensive. All officially registered taxis have meters, the driver should turn them on just after you enter. For payment have cash ready, only the minority of taxi drivers have necessary equipment for payments with debit or credit cards. Ask if in doubt.

Some of taxi companies operating in the city:
 * Auto Taxi: +48 91 4535555
 * City Taxi: +48 91 4335335
 * Express Taxi: +48 91 4261038
 * Euro Taxi: +48 91 4343434
 * Gold Taxi: +48 91 8122222
 * Granada Taxi: +48 91 4554554
 * Szczecin Taxi: +48 91 4835835

See

 * Parisienne Sub-Urb: many historistic and art nouveau boulevards in Prussian pseudo-Parisienne style around Plac Grunwaldzki, Jagiellońska and Wielkopolska streets.
 * Parisienne Sub-Urb: many historistic and art nouveau boulevards in Prussian pseudo-Parisienne style around Plac Grunwaldzki, Jagiellońska and Wielkopolska streets.
 * Parisienne Sub-Urb: many historistic and art nouveau boulevards in Prussian pseudo-Parisienne style around Plac Grunwaldzki, Jagiellońska and Wielkopolska streets.
 * Parisienne Sub-Urb: many historistic and art nouveau boulevards in Prussian pseudo-Parisienne style around Plac Grunwaldzki, Jagiellońska and Wielkopolska streets.
 * Parisienne Sub-Urb: many historistic and art nouveau boulevards in Prussian pseudo-Parisienne style around Plac Grunwaldzki, Jagiellońska and Wielkopolska streets.
 * Parisienne Sub-Urb: many historistic and art nouveau boulevards in Prussian pseudo-Parisienne style around Plac Grunwaldzki, Jagiellońska and Wielkopolska streets.
 * Parisienne Sub-Urb: many historistic and art nouveau boulevards in Prussian pseudo-Parisienne style around Plac Grunwaldzki, Jagiellońska and Wielkopolska streets.
 * Parisienne Sub-Urb: many historistic and art nouveau boulevards in Prussian pseudo-Parisienne style around Plac Grunwaldzki, Jagiellońska and Wielkopolska streets.
 * Parisienne Sub-Urb: many historistic and art nouveau boulevards in Prussian pseudo-Parisienne style around Plac Grunwaldzki, Jagiellońska and Wielkopolska streets.
 * Parisienne Sub-Urb: many historistic and art nouveau boulevards in Prussian pseudo-Parisienne style around Plac Grunwaldzki, Jagiellońska and Wielkopolska streets.
 * Parisienne Sub-Urb: many historistic and art nouveau boulevards in Prussian pseudo-Parisienne style around Plac Grunwaldzki, Jagiellońska and Wielkopolska streets.
 * Parisienne Sub-Urb: many historistic and art nouveau boulevards in Prussian pseudo-Parisienne style around Plac Grunwaldzki, Jagiellońska and Wielkopolska streets.
 * Parisienne Sub-Urb: many historistic and art nouveau boulevards in Prussian pseudo-Parisienne style around Plac Grunwaldzki, Jagiellońska and Wielkopolska streets.
 * Parisienne Sub-Urb: many historistic and art nouveau boulevards in Prussian pseudo-Parisienne style around Plac Grunwaldzki, Jagiellońska and Wielkopolska streets.
 * Parisienne Sub-Urb: many historistic and art nouveau boulevards in Prussian pseudo-Parisienne style around Plac Grunwaldzki, Jagiellońska and Wielkopolska streets.

Do

 * Football: Pogoń Szczecin play in Ekstraklasa, Poland's top tier. Their home ground Floriana Krygiera Municipal Stadium (capacity 21,163) is 2 km northwest of city centre.
 * See the panorama of Szczecin - from the cafe on top of Pazim building, just by Galaxy shopping center (admission free), from St. Jacob's Cathedral tower (paid admission) or from one of the towers of Pomeranian Dukes Castle.
 * Take a trip through Szczecin's waterways and port - many boats go from the river bank near Wały Chrobrego.
 * Kayak through the city and lower Oder valley.You can borrow one at Kąpielisko Dziewoklicz (ul. Autostrada Poznańska, public transport - bus No. 61, stop "Dziewoklicz") or any of the neighbouring towns situated by the Oder river - look for wypożyczalnia kajaków (kayak rentals) or kajaki (kayaks).
 * See dancing fountain near Teatr Pleciuga (ul. Wielkopolska). It might not be the most impressive fountain show in the world but it's nice eyecandy and it's free. The show lasts 30 minutes and starts every summer day at 21:30.
 * See dancing fountain near Teatr Pleciuga (ul. Wielkopolska). It might not be the most impressive fountain show in the world but it's nice eyecandy and it's free. The show lasts 30 minutes and starts every summer day at 21:30.

Events

 * Juwenalia 16–20 May
 * Baltic Rock Meeting 25 May - 3 June
 * Dni Morza / Days of the Sea June
 * Boogie Brain Festival October

Learn

 * Maritime University of Szczecin
 * University of Szczecin
 * West Pomeranian University of Technology
 * Pomeranian Medical University
 * Academy of Arts
 * West Pomeranian Business School

Work
English teachers and IT developers/engineers are in high demand.

Buy
Szczecin has many shopping malls:
 * Auchan - in Ustowo. Don't consider it if you don't have a car as the place is pedestrian unfriendly.
 * Carrefour - near Media Markt (mall with electronics) in Pomorzany district. Open 08:00-21:00.
 * CH Ster - near Castorama (big shop for DIY builders) in Gumience district, nearest mall from the German border. Open 08:00-21:00.
 * CH Turzyn - another mall in the center. Open 08:00-21:00.
 * Kaskada - the newest and the biggest shopping mall in Szczecin, best brands and spacious foodcourt. Open 09:00-21:00.
 * Galaxy shopping mall. Many outlets of major brands. In the center, near Kaskada. Open 08:00-21:00.
 * Outlet Park Szczecin - in Prawobrzeże. Connected by 2 bus lines and 5 other a short walk away. Open 10:00-21:00.
 * Outlet Park Szczecin - in Prawobrzeże. Connected by 2 bus lines and 5 other a short walk away. Open 10:00-21:00.
 * Outlet Park Szczecin - in Prawobrzeże. Connected by 2 bus lines and 5 other a short walk away. Open 10:00-21:00.

Eat
You will easily find fast food such as hamburgers, hot dogs, kebabs, pizza, etc., but for unique Szczecin snack try paszteciki (plural, singular is pasztecik), which are type of deep fried cake with meat or cheese and mushrooms filling. They taste best hot and combined with a cup of barszcz czerwony (red beetroot soup).

Budget

 * Turysta Milk Bar, Obrońców Stalingradu 6a (open 07:30-18:30)
 * Zacisze Bar, Asnyka 19 (Niebuszewo district)
 * Akademia Kulinarna, Mickiewicza 45 (open 09:00-17:00)

Mid-range

 * Amar, Śląska 9 (open Monday-Friday 11:00-19:00, Saturday & Sunday 12:00-17:00) Vegan & vegetarian. If you are on limited budget, order their "danie dnia" (dish of a day) and/or "zupa dnia" (soup of a day) which are always very affordable.
 * Camarillo, Mściwoja 8 - fusion
 * Green Way, Krzywoustego 16 (open Monday-Friday 10:00-21:00, weekends 11:00-19:00) - vegetarian
 * Green Way, Krzywoustego 16 (open Monday-Friday 10:00-21:00, weekends 11:00-19:00) - vegetarian

Splurge

 * Chief, Rayskiego 16 - all kinds of sea food
 * Ładoga, Jana z Kolna - Russian
 * Sake, Piastów 1 - Japanese
 * Columbus - On Waly Chrobrego by Marine Academy
 * Colorado - on Waly Chrobrego by Polski Theatre
 * Karczma Polska - Lotnikow Square
 * Colorado - on Waly Chrobrego by Polski Theatre
 * Karczma Polska - Lotnikow Square

Drink
The majority of pubs and bars can be found in the old town (Stary Rynek) or around ul. Bogusława in the middle town area. Expect to pay between 6 zł and 8 zł for a large beer and around 6 zł for a 50-ml shot of vodka.



Local beer, local vodka

 * Bosman beer is made by local brewery. There are variants with red (czerwony) and green (zielony) label, both are lager. You can buy it at most of general stores and some pubs.
 * Taverna pub has its own microbrewery making lager and porter type beers.
 * Starka is a seasoned vodka made by Polmos Szczecin distillery. There are variants which are 10, 18, 25 and 50 years old. You can buy them at Polmos store (corner of Jagiellońska and Bohaterów Warszawy streets); as you can guess, Starka is rather expensive (especially the 50-year-old one) and only available in limited amounts. You can also tour the factory, which is quite interesting, tasting Starka is included with the tour (email them for booking and information).
 * Starka is a seasoned vodka made by Polmos Szczecin distillery. There are variants which are 10, 18, 25 and 50 years old. You can buy them at Polmos store (corner of Jagiellońska and Bohaterów Warszawy streets); as you can guess, Starka is rather expensive (especially the 50-year-old one) and only available in limited amounts. You can also tour the factory, which is quite interesting, tasting Starka is included with the tour (email them for booking and information).

Connect
As of Aug 2022, the city and its approach roads have 4G from Orange, Play and T-Mobile, and 5G from Plus. You might also pick up the German carriers. Wifi is widely available in public places.

Stay safe
Szczecin used to be infamous in Poland for its organized crime, but these days are long gone; nearly all the gangsters are dead or in prison. Now it is a very safe city. However, you should stay away from some of its "bad" suburbs, like Gocław, especially after dark.

Be careful when crossing streets as jaywalking is a crime in Poland and the police often lie in wait for tourists crossing streets when the pedestrian crossing is on red. If stopped, claim that your money and passport are in your hotel, and you may get away with it.

Consulates

 * Cyprus, ul. Śląska 7, +48 91 4330766
 * Czech Republic, ul. Monte Cassino 27, +48 91 4237980
 * Denmark, ul. Piłsudskiego 1a, +48 91 4330930
 * Estonia, ul. Kurza Stopka 5/cd, +48 91 8123827
 * France, ul. Skłodowskiej-Curie 4, +48 91 4761546
 * Germany, ul. Chodkiewicza 2a, +48 91 4850657
 * Kazakhstan, ul. Grodzka 14/14, +48 91 3264011
 * Mexico, ul. Energetyków 3/4, +48 91 4624371
 * Norway, ul. Niepodległości 17, +48 91 8121430
 * Slovakia, ul. Skłodowskiej-Curie 4, +48 91 4890661
 * Sweden, ul. Skłodowskiej-Curie 4, +48 91 4862673
 * United Kingdom, ul. Starego Wiarusa 32, +48 91 4870302

Go next
On the mainland:
 * Police and its Jasienica district. Monuments from the Middle Ages, small marina in the Old Town on the Łarpia (Oder) River and World War II ruins of Hydrierwerke synthetic petroleum factory. Szczecin shares its public transport with Police and borders the town. You can go to Police by taking a public bus.
 * Kamień Pomorski &mdash; sea resort and medieval town
 * Kołobrzeg &mdash; sea resort and medieval town
 * Trzęsacz &mdash; for Gothic church ruins
 * Stargard Szczeciński &mdash; medieval town with a cathedral over a hundred metres high
 * Świdwie &mdash; for the birds reservation
 * Międzyodrze (Lower Oder valley) &mdash; picturesque marsh area full of wildlife
 * Nowe Warpno &mdash; quiet medieval town
 * Trzebież &mdash; resort with big marina

On the Wolin island:
 * Woliński National Park
 * Game reserve of wisents
 * 93-metres high Gosan cliff
 * Kawcza Góra Mountain
 * sea resort and port Świnoujście
 * sea resort Dziwnów
 * sea resort Międzyzdroje
 * ancient town of Wolin (town)