Warsaw Airport Guide

Warsaw Chopin Airport will be how most visitors arrive at the city. Here is our step-by-step guide to arriving at (and departing from) the airport and getting everything you need to set up a great stay in Poland.

Warsaw Chopin Airport

Warsaw Airport Introduction

Most foreign travellers to Warsaw will arrive at Warsaw Chopin Airport (WAW). It is located just over 10km from the city centre, a 30-minute train ride away. However, some low-cost airlines (principally Ryanair) will arrive at Warsaw Modlin (WMI), roughly 42km away. See our page on How To Get To Warsaw for more information.

Check Warsaw Hotel Availability

Destination

Check-in date

Tue 15 Oct 2024

Check-out date

Wed 16 Oct 2024

Warsaw Chopin is a modern, comfortable, and easy-to-navigate airport. Two previous terminals were fused into one, now known simply as Terminal A, with Arrivals and Departures on separate floors within the same extended building. There are two arrivals gates – Arrivals 1 and Arrivals 2 – and the two big departure halls are divided into five smaller zones, labelled A-E. However, movement between them is easy, and the airport has a logical layout, free of clutter.

The airport is well-designed for a quick flow of passengers in and out of the building. The train station is on the lower floor, about five minutes away from the two Arrival gates, and you can theoretically reach the city centre within an hour of clearing customs.

Transport options to the city centre and what to expect when you get there are covered in Getting From Warsaw Airport To Warsaw City Centre. If you’re flying home, see our guide for getting to Warsaw Airport from the city centre.

Warsaw Chopin Airport Departure Zones A and B

Warsaw Chopin has most of the facilities you need – with some important caveats. There are ATMs, places to eat or pick up snacks, you can charge your phone or use the free WiFi, and buy tickets for onward transport. There’s also a pharmacy if you need to pick up something for a headache. You could even take a shower in one of the executive lounges.

By all means, spend a bit of time at the airport to freshen up and get your bearings, and maybe have a snack and some coffee. However, for sorting out cash or buying a SIM card, we advise getting away from the airport and using the Złote Tarasy shopping mall in the centre of Warsaw. You can pay for any transport with a debit / credit card or contactless payments.

This guide will take you step by step through what to expect on arrival at Warsaw Chopin Airport, which facilities are available, and how to navigate your way around.

Landing at Warsaw Chopin Airport

Arriving At Warsaw Chopin

Due to the efficient layout of Warsaw Chopin, the planes dock at the terminal and there is just a few minute’s walk to Border Control. Walkways are mostly ramps and flat surfaces, which appears good for accessibility.

Once you enter the terminal, clear signage in both Polish and English tells you where to go and where the toilets are. As with many modern airports, Arrivals and Departures are merged together airside. As such, you want to follow the signs for baggage and the exit, rather than Schengen and Non-Schengen departure gates. In this picture, for example, you follow the orange signs and turn left:

Warsaw Chopin Airport Border Control signage

If in doubt, just go where everyone else goes!

You’ll soon arrive at Border Control. Use whichever lane matches your passport. Note, too, the PRM lane for passengers with disabilities. The waiting area is clean and modern, and passports are processed without fuss. I was checked and cleared within minutes.

Warsaw Chopin Airport Border Control

Once you’ve passed Border Control, continue to follow the orange signs to Baggage Claim. You’ll enter a big hall with eight carousels. If you don’t have any bags to pick up, you can just follow the ‘Exit to town signs’.

Otherwise, there are a number of information boards to tell you which your bag will arrive on. Again, due to the plane’s proximity to the terminal, the luggage usually turns up quickly.

Warsaw Chopin Airport Baggage Claim

The hall has plenty of seats, so you can sort out your bags before leaving. There are toilets, places to change money, and the odd vending machine, as well as trolleys and a lost luggage counter.

Note: There are actually two Arrivals gates. Exit 1 is next to baggage carousel 7 and Exit 2 is next to baggage carousel 3. This doesn’t really matter much as you can reach both gates easily landside, but it’s worth noting if you have arranged to meet someone at either gate. Arrivals exit 1 is also closer to the trains, buses, and coaches.

Exit through Customs and, assuming you have nothing to declare, the entire process could be done within 20 minutes. If you plan to get straight out of the airport and on your way into central Warsaw, skip to our airport transportion page. Otherwise, read on to find out more about airport facilities.

Warsaw Chopin Airport Arrivals Gate 2

Regardless of which exit you emerge through, you’ll find yourself in a long, almost L-shaped corridor on the ground floor of the airport. Despite a bit of ebb and flow, these areas rarely get crowded, and it’s easy to get your bearings.

At both, you’ll see a clearly-marked exit in front of you leading to taxi and Uber ranks. Again, look for the orange signage.

Notice the coloured strips on the floor, each of these leads to a different form of transport, with indicators of how far you need to walk to reach them. See Getting From Warsaw Airport To Warsaw City Centre for full details.

Warsaw Chopin Airport transport signage

Along the length of the corridor, you’ll find ticket machines for public transport, as well as ATMs, an information desk, and some currency exchange booths. There are places to eat and convenience stores. We’ll return to all these below. There are plenty of toilets and places to sit. Everything is nicely spaced out and easy to navigate.

If you’ve hired someone to pick you up, make sure you are clear where they’ll be waiting. This is likely to be one of three places: Arrivals gate 1, Arrivals gate 2, or the Meeting Point, which is close to Arrivals 2. It only takes a few minutes to walk between each of them:

• If you exit through Arrivals 1 and need to get to the Meeting Point or Arrivals 2, just turn left and follow the corridor round.
• If you exit through Arrivals 2 and need to get to the Meeting Point or Arrivals 1, just turn right and follow the corridor round.
• The Meeting Point is next to the Subway restaurant.

Facilities For Arrivals To Warsaw Airport

The layout of Warsaw Chopin Airport is spacious and logical, with ease of use taking precedent over more commercial considerations. The ground floor is exclusively for Arrivals with Departures on the first floor. There is also a small mezzanine and Observation Deck. The airport train station is underground and reached from the Arrivals floor.

You can move freely between the different parts of the airport, which is pretty much open plan. The entire landside area can be covered in ten minutes. The signage is clear and it is difficult to lose your bearings.

Although there are additional services on the first floor, you’ll probably find everything you need in the Arrivals area, and there’s no need to stray upstairs until it’s time to fly home again.

Warsaw Chopin Airport Information desk

Getting Information

There are two information desks on the Arrivals floor: directly opposite Arrivals 1 and to the right of Arrivals 2, next to the currency exchange and Meeting Point. Strictly speaking, however, these are for airport-related matters and don’t offer tourist information, such as finding somewhere to stay.

The counters are supposed to be open during flight times, although one of them was closed last time I went through the airport. There should at least be a telephone on the desk you can use to get information 24 hours a day.

There is also an information counter upstairs in the A-B Departures Zone and the airport offers free WiFi, as well as a free phone service. See ‘Phones, WiFi And SIMs’ below for details.

Money

Although Poland is part of the European Union, their currency is the złoty and not the Euro.

While it’s useful to always keep a bit of currency on hand, you won’t actually need cash for most transactions in Warsaw. You may find the odd shop or tourist attraction that doesn’t accept a card payment but the majority of places accept payments with debit or credit card, or some form of contactless payment, including public transport. Similarly, most of the public toilets in the city are free, though a handful require a small coin payment – so it’s worth carrying some loose change for emergencies.

A loose rule of thumb is to have about 300zł (about 65€) with you as backup. You can buy this before you leave for Poland or withdraw from an ATM once you arrive. It’s enough to cover many situations but not a devastating amount to lose, and there are plenty of ATMs in Warsaw if you ever need some extra cash. Also consider storing a second means of payment somewhere safe at your accommodation in case something happens to your wallet while you’re out.

Clarify how your bank handles currency conversion before you travel and whether they charge for overseas use. Also ask if they partner with any Polish banks for better rates. Ultimately, it may pay to open a separate account with a bank designed around the financial needs of travellers. For example, my Starling account is effectively free to use abroad and brings some essential security features that make using a card much safer overseas. Real-time notifications warn me of fraud or theft, and help me keep track of how much I’m spending, in both local and domestic currencies. It’s very reassuring to know exactly how much I’ve spent in sterling after I’ve paid for something. With cash I’d have to make the mental conversation. Best of all, I can lock my cards instantly if I lose them.

Warsaw Chopin Airport Currency Exchange

Changing Money

If you’re travelling in from another country with a bundle of cash, you may still need to convert some currency. Pretty much the first thing you see when you come through Arrivals is a currency exchange, known in Poland as a Kantor.

There are a number of these currency exchange booths dotted around the airport, including airside, and you’ll find at least one open from 5am until the last plane of the day. There is also an ATM that offers currency exchange, next to the information desk at Arrivals gate 2.

You’ll almost certainly get less for your money at airports, with the exchange rate likely to be about 8.3% below the market. All the same, there’s no harm comparing their rates with an online converter like XE. Remember to check against their buying price rather than what they’re selling the currency for, and factor in any commission before agreeing a transaction.

If you feel like you’re getting a raw deal, there are plenty of Kantors in the centre of Warsaw itself. So you can shop around and find a price you’re comfortable with.

Withdrawing Money

There are also a handful of ATMs dotted around the terminal. I would avoid those branded Planet Cash or Euronet, as they charge a service fee and an exchange rate about 10% above market rate. The best advice is to always use an ATM at the branch of a bank.

You can pay for all forms of transportation with contactless or a card, and all airport shops. So, it’s better to wait until you get into the centre of Warsaw to withdraw cash. If you really need some immediate currency, you may just have to take a one-off hit.

ATMs work exactly as they do at home and all I’ve used in Poland offer a choice of languages. Check what you’re agreeing to before you click any buttons and cancel the transaction if you’re unsure of anything. If asked to choose which currency to base the exchange rate on, always go with the Polish złoty rather than that of your home country. As with the airport, you should also avoid using Planet Cash or Euronet ATMs around Warsaw.

Warsaw Chopin Airport 1Minute SmaczneGo

Food And Drink

There are plenty of places to get a snack or something to drink at the airport. We’ve listed those on the Arrivals floor below, but you can also find a couple of landside restaurants in Departures, if you want something more substantial (listed below) and most of the other convenience stores also sell basic snacks and drinks:

• 1Minute: General purpose convenience store with drinks and bakery counter. Open 24 hours.
• 1Minute SmaczneGo: Hot dogs, pizzas, and hot Polish snacks to go, although there is a small seating area. Open 0400-2200.
• Costa Coffee: Hot and cold drinks, as well as sandwiches and cakes, with plenty of seating. Arrivals, level 0, exit 2 – 0600-2300.
• McCafé: Beverages and basic snacks, with seating area. Open 0700-2200.
• McDonald’s: Burgers, fries, and drinks, with seating inside. Open 0500-2200.
• Starter: Convenience store with hot and cold drinks, and a fresh bakery counter. Takeaway with a small seating area. Open 24 hours.
• Subway: Submarine sandwiches, with seating upstairs. Open 0430-0000.

There are also a couple of places to get food and drink close to the train station platform:

• So! Coffee: Hot and cold drinks and pastries, with a small seating area. Open 0700-1500.
• Starter: Convenience store with fresh hot dog counter and drinks, takeaway only. Open 0800-1600.

Warsaw Chopin Airport Relay store

Phones, WiFi And SIMs

Any visiting EU citizen should be able to use their existing mobile contract in Poland exactly as they would at home, with no extra charges. This means calls and data are available to you the minute you step off the plane. Make sure you check your provider’s fair usage policy before you leave and that overseas use is activated on your phone.

Similarly, if you’re travelling and bought a SIM in another EU country, it will usually be valid in Poland too.

Finally, your mobile provider may extend your existing contract abroad for a nominal daily fee. My provider, for example, allows me to use my phone abroad for £2 per day, now the UK has left the European Union.

But what if none of these categories apply to you? Though SIMs are available in the airport’s Relay store, Warsaw Chopin has no dedicated mobile phone outlets and we recommend you wait until you get into town to deal with this. See Where To Get A SIM Card in Warsaw for more information.

If you need to get online, Warsaw Chopin offers free and unlimited WiFi. Just connect to the “Chopin-Airport” network and follow the instructions on screen. You don’t need to register any details. You’ll need to log in again after two hours but can reconnect as many times as you like.

Despite the rumoured 3000 power points and 20 USB stations, I could only find limited outlets for recharging around the airport and no USB charging stations at all. Instead, there are some two-pin power sockets in the wall close to seating areas. They are not easy to find and competition to use them can be fierce! LOT planes have USB sockets on every seat, so you can charge your devices before you land if you are flying with them. Otherwise, I strongly advise you to bring a backup battery to Warsaw and make sure it’s fully topped up when you arrive.

Warsaw Chopin Airport yellow phone

You can also make free calls to Polish landlines and mobile numbers from one of the yellow public phones in various locations around the airport. Handy if you need to contact your hotel because you’re running late or if you need to verify where to meet an airport pickup.

You’ll find these in the baggage claim area and tucked under the escalator, opposite Glamour, close to the Meeting Point and Arrivals 2.

You can also get airport information by hitting the A button on the phone.

Warsaw Chopin Airport pharmacy

Other Facilities

Warsaw Chopin might be a relatively modest airport compared to some of the European behemoths, but it has most of the essentials you need. There are plenty of modern, clean toilets and there are play areas for children.

The airport is also very accessible, with mostly wide, flat areas and plenty of lifts between floors. See the official website for more details.

In addition to the food and drink outlets above, there are a number of shops available to new arrivals. You’ll find more retail in Departures (listed below).

• 1Minute: General purpose convenience store with books and press, SIM cards and electronics, vapes and cigarettes, souvenirs, and toys. Open 24 hours.
• Glamour: Perfume and cosmetics. Open 0700-2100.
• Relay: General purpose convenience store with books and press, SIM cards and electronics, fresh flowers, souvenirs, and toys. Open 0600-2100.
• Pharmacy: General purpose chemist, with cosmetics and toiletries. Open 0800-2000.
• Starter: Convenience store with some books (in Polish), toys, souvenirs, and stationery. Open 24 hours.

If you need a quick puff, there are smoking zones directly outside the Terminal building on both floors.

Can you spot the lockers in the top-left of this image?

If you need them, there are also some paid left luggage lockers outside the airport, close to the Arrivals 2 gate. They are a bit tricky to find, as they are sat on a traffic island in the middle of several roads. Walk to the very back of the taxi queue and use the pedestrian crossing. Look hard and you’ll see the lockers behind the pillars to your left. They have instructions in English and accept card payments. Prices are around 22zł for 24 hours.

Warsaw Chopin Airport bus and train stations

Getting To Warsaw City Centre

There are a number of quick and simple options for travelling into Warsaw itself, including train, bus, and various taxi and private hire options. See our guide Getting From Warsaw Airport To Warsaw City Centre for full details.

Warsaw Chopin Airport Departures

Departing From Warsaw Airport

If you’re leaving Warsaw by plane, you will probably fly from Chopin Airport (WAW), rather than Warsaw Modlin (WMI).

Landside, Warsaw Airport can get a bit congested around certain check-in counters, but Departures as a whole is reasonably spacious, and security is reasonably fast. Airside is actually calmer, with a wide boulevard of different places to eat and sit. as well as plenty of options for shopping. You can also upgrade to one of the available lounges.

Arrival at Warsaw Chopin is determined by your means of transport. Any kind of car or bus will normally drop you off outside one of the entrances to Departures on the upper level, whereas the train station will bring you in on the lower ground floor, and coaches arrive at the bus station on the ground floor. There are four car parks, designed for different lengths of stay.

For a detailed description of transport to Warsaw Chopin, see Getting From Warsaw City Centre to Warsaw Airport.

Warsaw Chopin Airport Departures Zone A

All departures are completely contained within the first floor of the airport building, with two main halls joined by a small corridor of shops, restaurants, and check-in desks. The two halls are subdivided into five zones, with A and B in the left-hand hall, and C, D, and E in the larger, right-hand hall.

Although there are different entrances for each of these zones, it doesn’t really matter how you enter the airport, as all areas are connected and easily reached, with clear signage in both Polish and English. Just look for the orange signs to the Terminal and then Departures.

These two halls are both very simply organised, with seating to the front, near the main entrances, blocks of check-in / baggage drop off desks in the middle, and a main security gate at the very back. There are also some shops and food outlets around the peripheries. Additionally, there is a mezzanine and an observation deck, which we’ll come back to. There’s little reason to visit the Arrivals area on the ground floor, although you may find some shops or places to get food that you prefer down there (listed above).

Warsaw Chopin Information and departure screen

Once you’re in one of the Departures halls, simply look at one of the information screens dotted around the terminal to find out which zone and which check-in / baggage drop desks you need, and other essential flight details.

Once you’ve checked in, you’re free to relax in one of the airport’s landside facilities or pass directly through Security – see below.

Passageway between Warsaw Airport Departure halls

Landside Facilities At Warsaw Airport

The landside of Warsaw Chopin is fairly easy to navigate, as you only need to worry about two main halls linked by a passageway. There are shops and places to eat in each of these areas, as well as lots of seating and toilets.

Zone AB, to the left of the building, has an upper mezzanine, with a restaurant, some car hire outlets, and a post office, as well as more seating and a view over that particular hall.

There is a similar upper level above Security in Zone CDE, with a bank, but it’s very unlikely you’ll need to use it. There is also a children’s play area close to Security in Zone CDE.

The hallway linking these two main halls have a number of shops and places to eat as well.

For once, there’s actually very little incentive to wait landside, as the facilities are pretty good past Security. It’s also quite comfortable. I would personally transfer across as soon as I’d finished checking in.

If, however, you are still waiting for your desk to be called, read on for details about what’s available landside.

Getting Information

We’ve already mentioned the information screens that dot the terminal. There is also an information desk directly inside the Zone AB hall.

All over-the-air announcements are multi-lingual and fairly easy to hear.

Misa restaurant Warsaw Chopin Airport

Landside Food And Drink

In addition to the following, there are a number of other places for food in Arrivals on the lower floor. These are listed above.

You should be able to see somewhere from wherever you are in Departures, but it’s worth a quick wander about. The Polish restaurant Misa is on the upper mezzanine, whilst most of the others are clustered in the connecting hallway between the two Departures halls, and the whole right-hand wall of Zone CDE is dedicated to cafes.

• 1Minute SmaczneGo: Hot dogs, pizzas, and hot Polish snacks to go, although there is a small seating area. Open 0400-2200.
• Costa Coffee Fly Dining: The Costa chain’s airport brand, with plenty of seating and views over the CDE Zone. Open 24 hours.
• Farsz Bar: Pierogi-based takeaway menu with limited seating. Open 0400-2100.
• Illy: Coffee shop with a selection of snacks. Open 0600-2000.
• Johnny Rockets: Large sit-down restaurant with burgers and fries. Open 0400-2230.
• Misa: Large, sit-down restaurant with Polish food on the upper mezzanine. Open 0700-1700.
• So! Coffee: Hot and cold drinks and pastries, with a small seating area. Open 0400-2230.

Money

If you have a limited amount of Polish currency left, there are plenty of ways to spend it at the airport, especially once you’ve cleared Security. Although there are currency exchange desks dotted around the terminal – airside, as well as in the main Departures halls, I’d recommend changing larger quantities at a city Kantor before reaching the airport, as you’re bound to get a better rate. However, there’s little point taking złoty out of the country, so you might as well change them here if you weren’t able to do so earlier.

There are also a number of ATMs dotted around the terminal, but I’d avoid using them and it’s unlikely you’d need to withdraw cash at this point anyway.

Other Landside Facilities

Although Warsaw Chopin is supposed to have over 3000 charging points, I can’t say I found many. There are 2-pin wall sockets close to the main seating areas, but all of these were in use last time I passed through the airport.

There is, however, plenty of seating, which is functional rather than luxurious. You would be better to set up camp in one of the restaurants or cafes. Or, better yet, airside.

Warsaw Chopin offers free and unlimited WiFi. Just connect to the “Chopin-Airport” network and follow the instructions on screen. You don’t need to register any details. You’ll need to log in again after two hours but can reconnect as many times as you like.

There is a play area near Security in Zone CDE and 19 baby care rooms in the terminal, equipped with changing table, sink, and baby feeding chair. You’ll also find a pharmacy on the lower level, near Arrivals gate 2.

There’s a fun (and free) observation deck open between 0600-2200. Entry is near the stairs to the train station. Leave the terminal and turn right. Follow the signs to the ground floor and round to the side of the building. The deck has a cafe and gift shop, both of which are open 0900-1700.

If you’ve forgotten to send postcards, you can do so at the post office on the mezzanine above Zone AB. Opening hours are Mon-Fri 0800-2000.

There’s a chapel to the left of Zone CDE – as well as another past Security. This is usually open from 0500-2300 and accessed. See the Chaplaincy website for full details of services.

Virgin store Warsaw Chopin Airport

In addition to the food and drink outlets above, there are a number of shops available landside:

• Aelia Beauty Natural: Cosmetics, skin care, and perfumes. Open 0600-2200.
• Relay: General purpose convenience store with books and press, SIM cards and electronics, souvenirs, and toys. Open 0500-2000.
• Starter: Convenience store with some books (in Polish), toys, souvenirs, and stationery. Open 0400-2000.
• Virgin: Newspapers, books, sweets, and magazines. Open 0500-2000.
• Zoom: Convenience and general purpose store, with some souvenirs and international press. Open 0400-2100.

Security Warsaw Airport AB Zone

Going Through Security At Warsaw Airport

Once you have checked in and dropped your bags, it’s time to go through Security. There is a gate at the very back of each of the two big departure halls. It makes sense to use the one closest to where you checked in. But it doesn’t matter which you go through, as they just lead to different, connected parts of the airport airside. If you’re already checked in when you arrive at the airport, you might as well just use the first one you come to.

Passing through Security is straightforward and similar to most other airports. You’ll arrive at a cordoned-off area for queuing. Although this can get busy, things move quickly.

When you reach the front of the queue, you’ll be directed to put any bags and coats through the X-ray machine. The usual rules apply for separating out any liquids, and bringing quantities of no more than 100ml through in a clear bag. Also put any electronic items in a separate tray and remove everything from your pockets. Pay attention to the instructions on the screens as you’re queuing, as there may be subtle differences from what you’re used to.

The pre-security area is relatively compact and there’s not a lot of room to sort everything out. All the same, the process is reasonably smooth and you should be through in a few minutes.

Families with small children get priority and pushchairs are available in the transit area, right after security. These can be used free of charge. There is also provision for people with special needs, such as limited mobility. Ask a member of staff for assistance.

There are also two Fast Track crossing points for a speedier transit through security. See the Fast Track page on the official airport website for full details.

Warsaw Chopin Airport airside

Airside Facilities At Warsaw Airport

Airside is where Warsaw Chopin really comes into its own. You’ll emerge from one of two Security points in a long corridor lined with shops and restaurants, stretching the entire length of the terminal. There’s plenty of places to eat and lots of decent shopping options.

If you pass through any of these shops, you’ll find yourself in another parallel corridor where all the departure gates are. These also run the entire length of the terminal, with glass walls facing the runways. As such, the whole area feels really light and spacious. The left-hand side of the terminal is for flights within the Schengen area, whilst non-Schengen gates take up the right-hand side, beyond Border Control. These gates are all prefixed with N.

There are plenty of toilets and places to sit. The signage is very clear and screens keep you updated with flight information. There is very little ambient noise and it feels very relaxed. Again, though, I failed to find many power points or public water fountains, although there are showers dotted around the terminal and the free WiFi continues to work very well airside.

Airside Food And Drink

The following are available in the Schengen area of the terminal:

• 1Minute SmaczneGo: Hot dogs, pizzas, and hot Polish snacks to go. Open 24 hours.
• Bijanka: Polish-style restaurant with breakfasts, bigos, pierogi, and soups. Open 0500-2200.
• Costa Coffee: Hot and cold drinks, as well as sandwiches and cakes. Open 0500-2200.
• Costa Coffee Fresco: Fresh bakery and sandwich outlet from the Costa chain. Open 24 hours.
• The Flame: Restaurant and bar with general purpose menu of burgers, pasta, fish and chips, and steaks. Open 0400-2200.
• Gate One: Bar and restaurant with international menu, including vegan options. Open 0500-2200.
• Johnny Rockets: Large sit-down restaurant with burgers and fries. Open 0400-2200.
• McDonald’s: Burgers, fries, and drinks, as you’d expect. Open 0400-2300.
• Paul: French-style boulangerie with sandwiches and coffee. Open 0400-2200.
• Salad Story: Hearty bowls of healthy mezze, as well as wraps and soups. Open 0200-2200.
• So! Coffee: Hot and cold drinks and pastries. Open 0400-2200.

You will find these once you’ve passed Border Control in the non-Schengen area:

• 1Minute SmaczneGo: Hot dogs, pizzas, and hot Polish snacks to go. Open 0400-2200.
• Atmosphere: Restaurant with salads, soups, and other ‘handmade’ natural foods. Open 0500-2200.
• Costa Coffee: Hot and cold drinks, as well as sandwiches and cakes. Open 0700-1800.
• LOKAL +48: Airport bar with some snacks. Open 0400-2200.
• Misa Bar Mleczny: Traditional Polish food in a milk bar style environment. Open 2 hours before first flight / 1 hour after last flight.
• Paul: French-style boulangerie with sandwiches and coffee. Open 0400-2200.

Some of these are located on a quieter, lower level, near gates 1N-4N with the Executive Lounges.

View from Warsaw Airport airside waiting area

Other Airside Facilities

There are 2 children’s playgrounds in the Schengen transfer zone and 1 in the Non-Schengen transfer zone.

In addition to the food and drink outlets above, there are a number of shops available airside. The following are in the Schengen zone:

• Aelia Beauty Natural: Duty-free cosmetics and perfumes. Open 0400-2200.
• Aelia Duty Free: Perfumes, spirits, chocolates, and other luxuries. Open 0400-2300.
• Baltona Duty Free: See previous entry. Open 0400-2300.
• Le Connaisseur: Luxury tobacco and alcohol outlet. Open 0400-2200.
• Fashion Boutique Polish and international fashionwear. Open 0600-2100.
• The Fashion Gallery: Jewellery, watches, fashion, accessories, and perfumes. Open 0400-2200.
• The Fashion Place Accessories: Fashion accessories store. Open 0600-2200.
• Relay: General purpose convenience store with books and press, SIM cards and electronics, souvenirs, and toys. Open 0500-2100.
• Polana: Polish food and drink delicacies, including cheeses, honey, meats, and alcoholic drinks. Open 0500-2230.
• Spirit of Poland: As above. Open 0400-2300.
• Toys Store: Lego, Barbie, and other famous brands for children. Open 0600-2200.
• Victoria’s Secret: Famous lingerie chain. Open 0400-2200.
• The Warsaw Store: Warsaw-related souvenir store, with confectionary, local alcoholic brands, and craft items. Open 0500-2200.
• W.Kruk: Luxury jewellery and watch outlet. Open 0600-2200.
• Zoom: Convenience and general purpose store, with some souvenirs and international press. Open 0400-2300.

And these are through Border Control, in the non-Schengen zone:

• Baltona Duty Free Last Minute: Perfumes, spirits, chocolates, and other luxuries. Open 0400-2300.
• Drogeria: General purpose chemist, with cosmetics and toiletries. Open 0400-2200.
• Keraniss: Perfumes, spirits, chocolates, and other duty-free luxuries. Open 0600-2100.
• Fashion Boutique Polish and international fashionwear. Open 0500-last passenger.
• Zoom: Convenience and general purpose store, with some souvenirs. Open 0400-2200.

As with the places to eat, some of these are located on a quieter, lower level, near gates 1N-4N.

There are smoking cubicles scattered around the departure areas. These glass cubes are fairly easy to spot and can get quite full of people furiously puffing away before their flights.

If you find the departure areas too hectic, there are a number of Executive Lounges available to anyone for a fee. These are in both Schengen and Non-Schengen areas, and include drinks and snacks, newspapers, and showers, amongst other services. See the Executive Lounge page on the official airport website.

There are also some interesting new sleeping pods near Gate 2N / 3N in the non-Schengen zone. These little mattress capsules are big enough for the tallest person and come with an eye mask, earplugs, slippers, a pillow, and a blanket.

But, by and large, the departure areas for each gate are spacious, with plenty of seats. And, within the boundaries of the Schengen or non-Schengen zone, you are free to wander around in your section of the airport, rather than being stuck within the confines of a particular gate.

Once your flight is called and you’ve passed through boarding, you can walk down the tunnel and directly onto the docked plane. On a clear day, you can see the towers of the city centre below as your plane takes off.

Warsaw skyscrapers on take-off

Where Is This Place Located?

Find this location on the Warsaw Visit Google map:

• Open the Warsaw Visit map
• Click on a marker and it will give you the name of the landmark, with a brief description and links for more information and directions. You can pan, scroll, and zoom around the map, or use the + or – buttons in the bottom left of the map to zoom in and out
• You will see the list of places on the left hand side, sorted by category. Scroll down or use the map search (the magnifying glass icon) to find the place you want
• Click the name of the place in the list. Its location pin will be highlighted on the map.
• Each category is on a different layer, which can be switched on and off. So you can just see the Hotel or Restaurant pins, for example
• If you are using the map on your phone, open the map and then search for the name of the place. The map will then zoom in on its location

Map pins are color coded:

• YELLOW: Warsaw Sightseeing
• BLUE: Warsaw Hotels
• RED: Warsaw Places To Eat – Michelin restaurants are DARK RED
• ORANGE: Warsaw Nightlife
• PURPLE: Shopping In Warsaw
• GREEN: Warsaw Transportation