Car Rental in Szczecin

Why rent a car in Szczecin?

Although it has long been flying under the radar of most international travelers, Szczecin is one of the nicest cities in Poland. A historic port city on the Oder River near the Baltic coast, Szczecin is home to beautiful architecture and interesting museums while protected nature areas and long beautiful beaches can be found in its surroundings. After seeing Szczecin and its surroundings, you can explore the rest of Poland’s coast or even pop over the border for a visit to Germany. 

Top ways to enter Szczecin

• Szczecin Airport: Also known as Szczecin–Goleniów-Solidarity after the Polish civil resistance movement of the 1980s, this airport handled nearly 600,000 travelers in 2018. Served by nine different airlines, the airport hosts domestic flights as well as flights to and from the United Kingdom, Denmark, Norway, and other European countries. Located 46km (29 miles) north of Szczecin, the airport can be reached in about 50 minutes.
• Poznan Airport: Also known as Ławica Henryk Wieniawski Airport, it served more than 2.4 million travelers in 2018. The airport is served by around 15 different airlines with most of the flights provided by the charter airline Enter Air and low-cost carriers Ryanair and Wizz Air. Located 265km (165 miles) southeast of Szczecin, the airport can be reached in about 2 hours and 30 minutes.
• Gdańsk Lech Wałęsa Airport: Named after the former Polish president, Gdansk Airport is expected to serve five million travelers in 2019 for the first time in its history. The airport provides connections with many European countries as well as some destinations in North Africa and West Asia. Located 340km (211 miles) northeast of Szczecin, the airport can be reached in about 4 hours and 40 minutes.
• Berlin Tegel Airport: Also known as Otto Lilienthal Airport, the largest airport serving the German capital handled 22 million travelers in 2018. The airport offers flights to and from destinations in Europe as well as in Africa, the Middle East, East Asia, and the Americas. Located just 175km (109 miles) southwest of Szczecin, the airport can be reached in about two hours. You’ll have to cross an international border to go from Germany to Poland (or vice versa), so ask your rental car provider in advance if they permit it. Another option is to fly to Berlin, take public transport to Szczecin and pick up a rental car after arriving there. 
• Berlin Schoenefeld Airport: The smallest of the two Berlin airport, Schoenefeld served more than 12 million travelers in 2018. The airport is served by around 20 different airlines and is a hub for low-cost carriers Ryanair, easyJet, and Wizz Air. Located 188km (117 miles) southwest of Szczecin, it can be reached in about 2 hours and 10 minutes. Like with Tegel, ask your rental car provider in advance if they permit you crossing the border.
• By rail: If arriving in Szczecin by train, you can pick up your rental car at the Szczecin Główny railway station.

City facts

• Szczecin has an oceanic climate with humid subcontinental influences. The average high temperature is 24°C  (75°F) in July, the warmest month, and 3°C  (37°F) in January, the coldest. July is also the most humid month while February is the driest. Szczecin experiences a significant amount of snowfall every year. 
• Szczecin is located on both banks of the Oder, the third-longest river in Poland. Oder’s mouth is at the nearby Szczecin Lagoon. Szczecin is also bordered by Lake Dąbie and is about 20km (12 miles) from the Baltic Sea. Szczecin Port is the second-busiest in Poland in terms of cargo handled per year and among the ten busiest on the Baltic Sea.

Top sights and activities

• Waly Chrobrego. A long promenade stretching along the Oder, Waly Chrobrego offers some of the nicest views of the city. The street is lined with cafes and galleries and also houses the Museum of Sea which is dedicated to the maritime history of Szczecin and also hosts an interesting collection of African art.
• Ducal Castle. The large castle that used to be the home of the Pomeranian Dukes is perhaps the most beautiful building in Szczecin. Built in the 14th and 15th centuries, the castle suffered heavily during the Second World War but has since been rebuilt to mirror its former glory. 
• Szczecin Cathedral. Also known by its full name, the Cathedral Basilica of St. James the Apostle, Szczecin Cathedral is the largest church in all of northwestern Poland. The first stone of this gothic church was laid in 1187 and its 110 m (360 ft) tall spire continues to dominate the city skyline. The church continues to fulfil its original mission and is open to visitors and worshippers alike.
• Szczecin Maritime Museum. Situated in a beautiful building on the aforementioned promenade, this museum explores Szczecin’s strong historical ties to the nearby Baltic Sea. Things on display include vessels, navigational devices, and port cranes – some have been historically preserved while others are replicas created for the museum’s collection. Visit the Maritime Museum’s official website to learn more.
• The National Museum. A network of cultural institutions, the National Museum includes the aforementioned Maritime Museum which doubles as its main building, but also several other places of interest across Szczecin. These include the Museum of Regional Traditions, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Dialogue Center which frequently hosts various events, and even the Narrow Gauge Railway exhibition in the town of Gryfice, about an hour’s drive northeast of Szczecin.

Traffic and parking

• Poland drives on the right hand side of the road.
• Unless specifically indicated otherwise, the speed limits in Poland 140km/h (87 mph) on motorways, 120km/h (75 mph) on expressways with a dual carriageway, 100km/h (62.2 mph) on expressways with a single carriageway, 90km/h (56 mph) on all other urban roads, 60km/h (37.2 mph) in urban and built-up areas at night, 50km/h (31 mph) in urban and built-up areas during the day, and 20km/h (12.4 mph) in residential areas.
• It is illegal to use a mobile phone while driving.
• The legal alcohol limit is 0.02% for both experienced and novice drivers. Exceeding the limit can lead to large fines and a license ban. Exceeding the limit of 0.05% is a criminal offense and can lead to up to 2 years imprisonment. 
• While the general quality of roads in Poland has improved immensely during the last 2 decades, some rural roads, especially in the northernmost, southernmost, and easternmost parts of the country can still be in rather bad shape. It is a good idea to set out your route in advance and look up the roads you’ll be driving. 
• Proof of insurance and the car’s documentation needs to be in the car whenever you’re driving.
• When driving, you need to have your passport or ID card with you at all times.
• The emergency number in Poland, like elsewhere in the EU, is 112.

Toll roads

There are a number of toll roads in Poland. Some roads use an open toll system while others use a closed toll system. In an open toll system, payment is made upon entering the toll road. In a closed toll system, drivers are given a printed ticket which states their time and entrance point; the toll is then calculated and paid when exiting the road.

Payment can be made either in cash or by credit card. If you choose to pay in cash, you can pay in three currencies: Euros, Polish zloty (PLN), or United States dollars (USD). Keep in mind that even if you pay in one of the two foreign currencies, you might be given the change in zloty. As of October 2019, 1 EUR = 4.28 PLN.

See the Polish toll road map here. Learn more about toll roads in Poland the toll fees for specific roads on the official Polish toll road website.

Ideas for day trips

• Police. Although this little Polish town has no special connection with law enforcement (its name is pronounced po-li-tse), there are other attractions that make it a worthwhile day-trip destination. Police’s cute old town borders a long marina. History lovers are also impressed by the city’s gothic chapel and the ruins of an Augustinian monastery. Located just 15km (9 miles) north of Szczecin, Police can be reached in about 25 minutes.
• Międzyodrze. Another pretty place with a name whose pronunciation is a challenge for foreigners, Międzyodrze is a picturesque wetland area between the Oder and Regalice Rivers. Go on a long hike through the Lower Oder Landscape Park, enjoy the unique scenery, and try to spot one of the bird or wild mammal species that are native to the area. Międzyodrze is just 10-15km (6 - 9 miles) wide but more than 100km (62 miles) long. The landscape park is 25km (16 miles) south of Szczecin and can be reached in 40 minutes.
• Kołobrzeg. A tranquil coastal town with miles of beautiful sandy beaches, Kołobrzeg is the region’s number one holiday destination. If you’re visiting during the summer months, there’s plenty of opportunities to do water sports, visit a beach bar, or simply enjoy the sun and sea. But the city shouldn’t be overlooked in winter, either - its attractions include a lighthouse, a basilica, and a modern art museum. Located 145km (90 miles) northeast of Szczecin, Kołobrzeg is 2 hours and 15 minutes away. If you’re short on time, the smaller town of Kamien Pomorski, also on the coast, is 87km (54 miles) north and takes 1 hours and 20 minutes to reach.
• Emerald Lake. One of the nicest nature getaways in the area, the Emerald Lake is just a 15-minute drive southeast of the city center. Known for its distinctly green waters, as well as the forested hills and the hiking trails that surround it, the place has all the ingredients for a relaxing day outdoors.
• Koszalin. Located on the way from Szczecin to Gdansk, Koszalin is smaller than either and doesn’t get the same number of tourists, but can be a surprisingly fun place to explore. While most visitors will understandably be attracted by the nearby resorts on the Baltic Sea, the city itself has been inhabited since prehistory and boasts many notable sites and landmarks of various ages. The drive east of Szczecin takes about 90 minutes.

Most popular cars

The most popular rental car in Szczecin is the Skoda Octavia, although many travelers also go for the Opel Corsa and the Toyota Corolla. The most popular rental car types are economy, intermediate, and compact.

Further destinations

• Wolin. Located on the Baltic Sea, Szczecin and the surrounding West Pomeranian Region is closer to Sweden and Denmark than to much of the rest of Poland. Unsurprisingly, there’s a lot of Viking history in the area, and there’s no better place to explore this heritage than the island of Wolin. Home to many old Norse settlements and cultural centers hosting interesting exhibitions and artefacts, the island is even the home of an annual Slavic-Viking festival. Located 80km (50 miles) north of Szczecin, Wolin can be reached in about 1 hour and 15 minutes. The island is connected to the mainland via a number of bridges and can be reached with a rental car.
• Germany. Szczecin is right on the border with Germany and there’s plenty to explore on the other side. Small resort towns like Herignsdorf and Stralsund are as picturesque as they come, the hanseatic city of Rostock is a history lover’s dream, and even Berlin, the eclectic and stylish capital of Germany, is just a two hours drive away. To go from Poland to Germany, you’ll have to cross an international border, so ask your rental car provider in advance if they permit it.
• Tricity. The three Polish coastal cities of Gdansk, Gdynia, and Sopot are on the eastern end of the Polish Baltic coast. Collectively known as Tricity, the area has something for every traveler including beautiful architecture like the Artus Court and the Gdansk town hall, the wooden pier of Molo, forest spas, and beautiful seaside. Gdansk is 360km (223 miles) from Szczecin and can be reached in about five hours. You can also take the longer road that goes right along the coast and visit interesting places like Koszalin, Ustka, and Słowiński National Park (in this case, it makes sense to break up the trip into two or three days).
• Poznan. A historically influential market town, Poznan has reinvented itself as one of Poland’s most famous urban destinations. Whether you stick to the more touristy parts around its large Market Square or explore the underground culture hotspots away from the spotlight, you’re likely to have a trip to remember. The drive from Szczecin takes about three hours.

Car rental prices in Szczecin

• Medium cars - from PLN 124 per day
• Station wagons - from PLN 130 per day
• Small cars - from PLN 90 per day
• SUVs - from PLN 103 per day
• Large cars - from PLN 155 per day
• Premium cars - from PLN 579 per day
• Vans - from PLN 150 per day

Money-saving and other tips

Get a cheap rental car in Szczecin by following these simple tips:

• Compare the rates of different rental car providers
• Book your rental car well in advance
• Plan your route before you go
• Know your fuel and mileage requirements
• Visit during the month when the rental prices are the cheapest. According to our data, visiting Szczecin is the cheapest in February when renting a car is about 50% cheaper than the yearly average.