First Days in Tricity

Public transport

SKM

The easiest way to travel within Tricity is SKM – the metropolitan train. The main advantage of SKM is that its stops (platforms) are located in the center of every district, the stops are easy to recognize and it is the fastest way to move between all the three cities: Gdańsk, Sopot,Gdynia and also other cities like: Rumia, Reda, Wejherowo).

The trains run every 7 minutes, after rush hours every 15 minutes, every 30 minutes during the late evenings and every hour or two during the night.

The price of the ticket depends on the distance. They can be bought in ticket machines on the platforms or in a ticket offices.

Before you get the Gdańsk University of Technology student card you can buy student tickets (51% of a normal price) only if you have an ISIC card.

After you get a Polish student card, you will need only that to buy student tickets.

Prices:
Gdańsk Wrzeszcz – Sopot
student ticket 1,76 zł / normal ticket 3,60 zł

Gdańsk Główny – Gdańsk Wrzeszcz
student ticket 1,27 zł / normal ticket 2,60 zł

Gdańsk Wrzeszcz – Gdynia Główna
student ticket 2,25 zł / normal ticket 4,60 zł

Timetable  http://www.skm.pkp.pl/  
(ze stacji – from the station, do stacji – to the station, godzina - time)

ZTM Gdańsk and ZKM Gdynia – buses and trams 

It is important to remember that there are various transport companies in Gdańsk and Gdynia. Sopot does not have its own transport company, it uses the service of Gdańsk's and Gdynia's companies. Usually you can easily distinguish the companies, the ZTM Gdańsk buses are red and white and the ZKM Gdynia buses are blue and white. The tickets of ZTM Gdańsk are not valid in ZKM Gdynia and vice versa!

In all the buses and trams you can buy a half price ticket with the ISIC card or a Polish student card. The tickets are sold in newspaper kiosks and by bus and tram drivers. On bigger stops you will also find the ticket machines.

Prices:

ZTM Gdańsk
one hour tickets:
normal lines:
half price 1,80 zł / normal price 3,60 zł (with this ticket you can use as many buses or trams as you wish)

night lines:
half price 2,30 zł / normal price 4,60 zł

one ride tickets:
normal lines:
half price 1,50zł / normal price 3,00 zł

night lines:
half price 2,00 zł / normal price 4,00 zł

ZKM Gdynia
one hour tickets:
normal lines:
half price 1,80zł / normal price 3,60 zł

special/ night lines (for example S line):
half price 2,30 zł / normal price 4,60 zł

one ride tickets:
normal lines:
half price 1,50 zł / normal price  3,00 zł

special lines/ night (for example S line):
half price 2,00 zł / normal price 4,00 zł

24-hour tickes
all the lines
half price  6,00 zł / normal price 12 zł

24-hour tickets are valid in Gdańsk and Sopot (ZTM) or Gdynia and Sopot (ZKM).

If you are interested in monthly pass ask your mentor for more information.

Life in Poland

Language, basic things to say

Polish is a Slavic language. All of the Slavic languages are difficult because of the complexity of the grammar.  You will also notice a huge number of consonants. On the good side, Polish is completely phonetic, and once you’ve learnt the sound combinations, you have no bigger problems with the pronunciation.

Useful polish words and expressions:

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Medicines

Sometimes you get sick, but not that much to visit the doctor. Here you have the basic medicines, which might become useful in autumn and spring.

Pain-killers: Apap, Ibuprom
A sore throat: Cholinex, Neo -Angin, Strepsils,
A runny nose: Acatar, Sudafed (if it's alergic)
An allergy: Zyrtec, Claritine, Allertec
A cold or a flu: Polopiryna S, Gripex, Coldrex, Fervex
A diarrhea: Stoperan, Węgiel

Prices:

We have prepared a list of the prices of basic products to let you know what to expect.

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Alcohol and tobacco:

They are legal and sold to people over 18 years old. Since November, 2010, it is forbidden to smoke in pubs, restaurant and clubs, unless there is a special smoker zone. It is strictly forbidden to drink alcohol in the street. A fine for drinking alcohol in a public place is 100zł.

It is also forbidden to smoke and drink alcohol on the beaches in Gdynia and Gdańsk. You can get a fine of 100zł for drinking and a fine of 500zł for smoking!

The situation is different in Sopot. You can smoke legally 24/7 and drink legally between 9 a.m. And 18 p.m.

However it is basically possible to be fined for smoking you should know what says the law. Furthermore, most of the people drink on the beach, but you should remember that it is very easy to get a fine for drinking.

It is also forbidden to make bonfires at the beach.