Rent an electric scooter in Poland? Here’s how it works
In Poland, an e-scooter is called an e-hulajnoga. For several years now, tourists have been able to use this means of transport in several Polish cities. Using an app, you unlock one of the share scooters that can be found on the streets.
How do you make use of this yourself and what rules apply? We list it.
The rules for using an e-scooter in Poland
As a driver of an electric scooter, you follow the same traffic rules and road signs as cyclists. These are the most important things to bear in mind:
- The minimum age to ride an electric scooter is 10 years;
- There is no driving licence requirement;
- Wearing a helmet is not compulsory, but recommended by the Polish authorities;
- You have to ride on the cycle track, if present, otherwise on the road;
- You must not drive on public roads where the speed limit exceeds 30 km/h;
- You are not allowed to ride an electric scooter on the pavement;
- It is forbidden to ride two people on one e-scooter;
- Parking an e-scooter is only allowed on a pavement at least 1.5 metres wide and the vehicle may only be parked parallel to the pavement;
- Using a phone while driving is prohibited;
- It is not allowed to ride an electric scooter with alcohol in your blood. The maximum permitted blood alcohol level is 0.2 promille.
As a tourist, how do you use an e-scooter in Poland?
In many Polish cities (such as Cracow and Warsaw), you can easily use an electric share scooter. You do this via a mobile app:
Which shared-scooter providers operate in Poland?
Each city or municipality has its own agreements with shared-scooter providers. The largest providers in Poland are:
| City | Providers |
| Gdansk | Bolt, Tier |
| Kalisz | Bolt |
| Kołobrzeg | Tier |
| Koszalin | Bolt |
| Krakow | Bolt, Lime, Tier |
| Lublin | Bolt |
| Poznan | Bolt, Lime |
| Warsaw | Bolt, Dott, Lime, Tier |
| Władysławowo | Tier |
| Wroclaw | Bolt, Lime |
| Zabrze | Bolt |
What are the costs?
Each provider charges a starting rate and a rate per minute. These charges may vary from one provider to another.
You pay an average of £0.86 to unlock an e-scooter. After that, you pay £0.13 per minute to use it. So for a 15-minute ride, you pay £2.80.
Tip: take advantage of free rides
Most providers offer so-called ‘referral codes’. A referral code is a personal code you can find in the app. You share this code with someone else who also wants to use an e-scooter.
Are you going out with several people? Then benefit from a free ride in the following way:
