Travel advice for Czech, Poland and Slovakia please
 

Hi folks,

I believe this is my first post on a great site. By way of introduction I'm new around these parts, although I have been following some of the threads for a while developing a sense of envy! I've now got a land rover and a wish to travel on and off road in Europe before spreading my wings to North Africa!

As a starter I'm thinking of spreading my wings to Eastern Europe next summer and wondered if any of you fine travelled folks have any advice (good and bad) for a trip down through the Czech Republic, then Poland (The High Tatra's are high on the shopping list) and returning to UK via Slovakia and the Southern side of the Czech Republic.

I'm working through the Lonely planet books and Michelin maps of the area.

Any thoughts?

Your input is most welcome.

Regards

Alex

There aren't any roads going through the High Tatras (it's only a very small land area), but the climbing/hiking there is ace.

Welcome to the Site Alex

I cannot comment on the off roading in any of the countries although in Poland and Slovakia some of the smaller side roads did have that off road feel ( lots of holes and loose gravel) down to 15/20 mph on some.

Finding somewhere to stay in all 3 countries is not a problem, plenty of pensions and campsites. On some of the sites they have small cabins which cost little more than using your own tent. I used one in Adrspach-Teplice park in the North East of the Czech republic last year which worked out at £14 for 4 nights. The Park itself is worth a visit once you get away from the crowds around either entrance.

In Zakopane I paid £12 a night for a room in a pension. Zakopane is a very busy place however it does allow easy access to the Polish side of the Tatras. You pay a small entrance fee to get into the park. Trails are well marked.

The high Tatry in Slovakia are also easily accessible with well marked trails. Stayed 1k outside of Stary Smokovec. From there able to climb Slavkovsky stit quite easily.

Although as I mentioned above I found some of the side roads in Poland and Slovakia a bit on the rough side ( well they were for my Sprint St) getting around is not a problem. I am sure somebody will confirm it with you but I think you need to pay if you use the Motorways in Slovakia. I used it once on the way to Bratislava however as on the bike did not pay. Whether that was right or not I dont know.

If you check in the 'Europe' travel section you will find much more info on the above countries. Just takes a bit of time.

Good luck with the planning

Kev

Really no problem in any country, but Poland roads are not good at all, in Slovakia all the highways are free ( I cross it this year ), we were sleeping in hostels all the way " Hostelling International ", take care of speed limit in Poland.

Hi Alex,
it's a good idea to visit these countries. Landscapes are marvellous...
On the other hand in Poland we have bad roads (good for 4x4 buahahaha).
When you look at the distance between cities and you think it's for ex. 2h driving in fact it will take around 3h upto 4h coz of traffic jams and bad roads.
High Tatras are only for walking trips. If you want to try some off-road go to the East to region we call "Bieszczady". Much lower hills but less crowded and more easy to go offroad. Also beautiful places are there.
You might have problem to communicate in english in smaller towns :(.

good luck,

Piotr

Poland
 

Me and my good pal Mark rode down through Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and then through Poland and Czech Republic. Didn't do Slovakia. I also went back to Poland last month with my wife. All I can say is that the locals in Poland always made sure that our bikes were safely locked away either in a compound or in a garage. They didn't say as much but I suspect that there is a problem with vehicles going missing. In Kaunas (Lithuania) we passed a huge place (I am talking field upon field) full of cars with foreign plates - all being auctioned off - who's to say how they got there ?

When we travelled everything was really cheap but my trip last month highlighted the fact that prices have risen quite a bit although they are still a little cheaper than other areas of europe. In Poland you will encounter quite a few delays because the road infrastructure is being rebuilt with Eurocash and there are road works almost everywhere.

All that being said - we really enjoyed our visit to these countries - everyone was very welcoming and I would recommend it.

Living in SK
 

I live between Dublin and Senica in Slovakia I am also on the Slovak Irish Trade assoc and have travelled here may a time on the bike from Ireland, I drive daily here and my outlaws live in the czech republic so feel free to ask any questions and I can provide you with the information as best I can. Curently I am i Slovakia awaiting the birth of my daughter. So yes its a great little country if you are driving a Rover keep away from main dealers unles you realy need to the Land Rover dealer in Brno is a TOTAL WANKER.
I was in Poland four years ago on my Fjr and it was like riding a Kango Hammer, roads were really bad, I rode from Presov in Slovakia to Posnan on the highway but but I hear they are getting better.
To get a good feel for slovakia you could enter from Dukla, it was the site of the russian invasion during ww2 great stuff to see old tanks planes etc.
I would enter Czech at Decin to Pague to Ostrava and then into Poland you can skirt the Tatra's krakow is a must as is Berkanau, then head for Dukla and the dukla pass into slovakia, then Presov to poprad look out for Spitski Hrad you can nip in and out of the Tatra's at poprad then to Martin, dont bother with Zilina head south at Martin Via Banska Bystrica.
By the way fuel here is not cheap 1.36-1.40 euro per/L and avoid Irish Pubs ;-)
If you like Bikes, Baba Hill outside Bratislava is like a mini T.T especialy at weekends .
By the way excuse my spelling mistakes
Noelf

Slovakia High ways are NOT free
 

When you drive on the high way in Sk or CZ you need a Highway sticker or Mark, they do not always check these but the fines are about double of the yearly charge of a sticker, a seven day sticker is about a tenner as for the austrians the are anal about, if you get nailed for speeding in SK or CZ the fine is nornally about 1000 Crowns. Slovak Cops now have Bmw R1200's and the feckers can ride them too when I came here first they did not even have a push bike, highway cars range from Audi S4 to Scoda felica, but noramly S4 or 330 Beemer they are black and un marked as well as marked units, they have 0 personalilty

Motorway Vignettes are applcable to cars in Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia and Switzerland. In Czech Republic and Slovakia this requirement does not extend to motorcycles. Check each Government's web site for the rules for driving in each country.