Hostel Helvetia

Kopernika, 36/40, Warsaw

Poland

Description

Five minutes to the best Warsaw clubs, ten minutes to the Old Town and fifteen – to the biggest communism monument – Palace of Culture & Science. No taxi, nor extra Polish lessons needed to get to the places you want to see. That’s why our guests say we have the best location in Warsaw. We are situated in a quiet street just next to Krakowskie Przedmiescie - part of The Royal Road - one of the most beautiful and representative areas of the city.

Hostel Helvetia is owned by experienced travellers so you may be sure there is no curfew, no lockout, no early check-out nor noisy schoolchildren at our place! However you will find here all the things desired by the backpackers:

- budget dorms
- big private rooms with or without bathrooms
- individual lockers in all rooms
- breakfast included into the price of double rooms
- a great number of clean showers and toilets
- towels to hire for those who forget about them
- hair-dryers and iron
- free bed linen
- free Internet
- free safe and luggage storage

We’ve dedicated Helvetia to travellers and to the city we are in love with. That’s why you can admire the exhibitions of Warsaw Historical Museum in corridors and the photographs of Warsaw from the 18th century till 2006 in the common room. We also named our hostel Helvetia by the hotel which was being built at the same address before the Second World War.

Once you are in the common room you can find here some books, CDs or DVDs (ask for Polish cult films with English subtitles). If you wish, we will show you the slides from our trips around Poland. We also tell you how to reach the most beautiful parts of our country.
Polish people think there is no better place to socialise than a kitchen. That’s also true in case of our hostel. Prepare your own meal here or get to know the secrets of other backpackers’cuisine

The reception is open 24 hrs a day. Our friendly and helpful staff speak English, Spanish, French, German, Russian and even Hebrew! Dont hesitate to ask them any question. Trip planning is our hobby, share your ideas - well advise you how to make them a reality. Just watch out the girls. They are real heartbreakers.

Forgotten something? Dont worry - you can buy films, batteries, toothbrushes, bicycle tubes, gas for camping stoves and much more in our shop.

Missing home? It’s hardly possible at Helvetia but still we offer cheap international telephone calls by Skype Out! Skype to Skype calls for free!

We can also burn your digital photos on a CD. Your camera cable is not necessary - we have reader for all memory card types!

You won’t find more Warsaw spirit anywhere else!

Direction

FROM THE CHOPIN AIRPORT

Take 175 bus. The first one leaves at 4.58am. The last one at 22.58pm.

It's better to buy a ticket at the newsagent's at the airport (2,80 PLN or 1,40 PLN for students). If a newsagent's is closed you can buy a ticket by a driver (even if they look like they don't know what you want, do insist).

When it's a weekday (from Mon to Fri):

Get off the bus at the 24th bus stop called: UNIWERSYTET, the next after Ordynacka stop.

When you leave the bus, turn back and go towards the Monument of Copernicus. Before you get it, turn left by KFC and go down Oboźna St. Turn right at the the third tiny junction into quiet Sewerynow Street. Walk down it. After several steps you will see the logo of Hostel Helvetia on your right .

(it's about 500 meters)

When it's weekend (Sat or Sun) or national holiday, get off at the 21st bus stop called: METRO ŚWIĘTOKRZYSKA 02.

Turn right into Świętokrzyska St and go down to the 4th traffic lights. Then turn left into Krakowskie Przedmieście St, go approx 50 meters. There will be the Monument of Copernicus and the KFC opposite to it. Turn right by KFC into Oboźna St. Go down it and turn right at the third tiny junction into quiet Sewerynow Street. Walk down it. After several steps you will see the logo of Hostel Helvetia on your right .

(it's about 1000 meters)

The taxi from the airport costs about 30-60 PLN depending on the traffic and taxi. Please read information about taxis in section below.

FROM CENTRAL RAILWAY STATION

You can take 175 bus (the stop is next to the Marriott Hotel). For details see above.

Or you can take 102 bus (the stop is right next to the station). It's better to take this line on the weekends as it stops closer to our hostel.

The first bus leaves at 5.00 am, the last one at 23.00pm.

Get off the bus at the NOWY ŚWIAT stop. Go down to the first traffic lights and turn left into Krakowskie Przedmieście St, go approx 50 meters. There will be the Monument of Copernicus and the KFC opposite to it. Turn right by KFC into Oboźna St. Go down it and turn right at the third tiny junction into quiet Sewerynow Street. Walk down it. After several steps you will see the logo of Hostel Helvetia on your right .

(it's about 600 meters)

Taxi from the Central Railway Station should not cost more than 15-30 PLN depending on traffic.

Taking a Taxi in Warsaw

As in every big city, there are a lot of taxis waiting for naive tourists, offering them services for prices as much as four times higher than average.

Please read the following:

Do not take 'no-name' taxis that have only word 'Taxi' in their logo! Take only these ones which have also the name of a company,

for example: Wawa Taxi, Halo Taxi, Sawa Taxi, MPT and so on.... Always check the fare - it must be placed on a sticker on one of the windows and

should not be higher than 3 PLN /km (average is 2,60 PLN).