# Poland (PL) **Capital:** Warsaw **Currency:** Polish Zloty (PLN) (PLN) **Population:** 37,490,000 — Older stored figure; source year not documented. **Area:** 312,696 km² > Poland is one of the most important transit and manufacturing countries in Central and Eastern Europe and the gateway between Western and Eastern Europe as well as between the EU and Asia. As an EU member it belongs to the EU customs union; imports and exports are handled through the national PUESC platform of the National Revenue Administration (KAS). The Baltic ports of Gdansk, Gdynia and Szczecin-Swinoujscie connect Poland to global container flows, with Gdansk now ranking among the EU's largest container ports. A dense motorway network (A1, A2, A4) and the New Silk Road rail corridors via Malaszewicze make the country the central hub for overland traffic between China and Western Europe. Katowice and Warsaw Chopin carry air freight, while the e-commerce sector is growing particularly fast. Poland (PL) is a large country in Central Europe and a central transit and manufacturing hub between Western and Eastern Europe. It borders Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania and Russia (Kaliningrad) as well as the Baltic Sea. As an EU and NATO member, Poland belongs to the EU customs union and single market but keeps its own currency, the zloty (PLN). Its export-oriented economy is driven by automotive and machinery manufacturing, furniture, electronics, chemicals, agriculture and a very strong e-commerce sector. Freight relies on the Baltic ports of Gdansk, Gdynia and Szczecin-Swinoujscie, a dense motorway and rail network (A1, A2, A4), the cargo airports of Warsaw Chopin and Katowice, and the New Silk Road rail corridors via Malaszewicze on the Belarus border. This makes Poland one of the key nodes of European supply chains - while also being shaped by its geopolitically volatile eastern frontier. **Top Import Partners:** DE, CN, IT, NL, FR **Top Export Partners:** DE, CZ, GB, FR, IT **Top Import Goods:** Machinery, Vehicles, Crude oil, Electronics, Chemicals **Top Export Goods:** Vehicles, Machinery, Furniture, Electronics, Food **Key Airports:** - [Gdańsk Lech Wałęsa Airport (GDN)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/gdansk-lech-wałesa-airport-gdn) - [Kraków John Paul II International Airport (KRK)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/krakow-john-paul-ii-international-airport-krk) - [Warsaw Chopin Airport (WAW)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/warsaw-chopin-airport-waw) - [Bydgoszcz Ignacy Jan Paderewski Airport (BZG)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/bydgoszcz-ignacy-jan-paderewski-airport-bzg) - [Cewice Naval Air Base](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/cewice-naval-air-base-airport-30914) - [Copernicus Wrocław Airport (WRO)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/copernicus-wrocław-airport-wro) - [Deblin Military Air Base](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/deblin-military-air-base-airport-9302) - [Katowice Wojciech Korfanty International Airport (KTW)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/katowice-wojciech-korfanty-international-airport-ktw) - [Leźnica Wielka Air Base](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/leznica-wielka-air-base-airport-18694) - [Lublin Airport (LUZ)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/lublin-airport-luz) **Key Seaports:** - [Gdansk (PL GDN)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/gdansk-port-pl-gdn) - [Gdynia (PL GDY)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/gdynia-port-pl-gdy) - [Port Polnochny](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/port-polnochny-port-3023) - [Szczecin (PL SZZ)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/szczecin-port-pl-szz) - [Nowy Port (PL NWA)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/nowy-port-pl-nwa) - [Police (PL PLC)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/police-port-pl-plc) - [Swinoujscie (PL SWI)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/swinoujscie-port-pl-swi) - [Ustka (PL UST)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/ustka-port-pl-ust) - [Darlowo (PL DAR)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/darlowo-port-pl-dar) - [Kolobrzeg (PL KOL)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/kolobrzeg-port-pl-kol) ## Customs & Import **Import VAT:** Import VAT (VAT/PTU): standard rate 23 percent, reduced rates 8 and 5 percent, 0 percent for certain goods. Assessed on customs value plus duty plus incidental costs. Collected by the KAS. **Customs complexity:** medium **Customs system:** EU Customs Code (UCC). National e-customs platform PUESC with AIS/IMPORT for import declarations, ICS2 for security data. Poland has been part of the EU customs union with the common external tariff (TARIC) since 1.5.2004. **Customs authority:** [Krajowa Administracja Skarbowa (KAS) - National Revenue Administration](https://www.gov.pl/web/kas) ## Logistics & Risk **Logistics role:** Transit and production country, e-commerce and Baltic port hub **Economic area:** EU (single market and customs union) **Logistics risk:** low to medium **Dangerous goods relevance:** medium to high **Pharma/cold chain:** medium to high ## FAQ ### Which customs system does Poland use for imports and exports? Poland processes customs declarations through the national e-customs platform PUESC of the Krajowa Administracja Skarbowa (KAS). Imports run via AIS/IMPORT, exports via AES, dispatch and transit via NCTS. As an EU member, the EU Customs Code (UCC) applies. ### What is the import VAT rate in Poland? The standard rate is 23 percent. In addition, there are reduced rates of 8 and 5 percent and a 0 percent rate for certain goods. Import VAT is calculated on customs value plus duty plus incidental costs and collected by the KAS. ### Which seaports are the most important in Poland? The largest ports are Gdansk (Danzig) with the DCT deep-water container terminal, Gdynia, and the twin port Szczecin-Swinoujscie (Stettin-Swinemünde) with an LNG terminal. Gdansk is now among the largest container ports in the EU. ### Which airports are relevant for air freight in Poland? The most important cargo airports are Warsaw Chopin (WAW) and Katowice/Pyrzowice (KTW), the latter an express and e-commerce hub for DHL, UPS and FedEx. Breslau, Krakow and Warsaw-Modlin also contribute freight volumes. ### How does the border with Belarus affect logistics? Since September 2025, the eastern border has repeatedly been affected by closures, most recently in January 2026. This significantly disrupts China-Europe rail freight via Malaszewicze/Brest; a large share still runs via the Kukuryki crossing. Lead times should be planned with allowance for delays. ### Is Poland part of the EU customs union and the euro area? Poland has been an EU member since 1 May 2004 and is part of the EU customs union and the single market. However, it is not part of the eurozone and continues to use the Polish zloty (PLN) as its national currency. ### Which transport corridors connect Poland with Europe? Poland lies on the North Sea-Baltic Corridor and the Amber Corridor (TEN-T). The A2 (west-east) and A4 (Germany-Ukraine) motorways, as well as Rail Baltica and the Via Carpatia, connect the country with Western, Southern and Eastern Europe. ## Sources & Last Verified - [https://www.gov.pl/web/kas](https://www.gov.pl/web/kas) - [https://puesc.gov.pl](https://puesc.gov.pl) - [https://stat.gov.pl](https://stat.gov.pl) - [https://www.gov.pl/web/national-revenue-administration/about-us](https://www.gov.pl/web/national-revenue-administration/about-us) - [https://puesc.gov.pl/en/uslugi/taryfa-celna](https://puesc.gov.pl/en/uslugi/taryfa-celna) - [https://stat.gov.pl/en/topics/population/population/demographic-situation-in-poland-up-to-2024](https://stat.gov.pl/en/topics/population/population/demographic-situation-in-poland-up-to-2024) - [https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/poland-import-tariff](https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/poland-import-tariff) - [https://www.gov.pl/web/mswia-en/poland-has-closed-its-border-with-belarus](https://www.gov.pl/web/mswia-en/poland-has-closed-its-border-with-belarus) *Last verified: 2026-07-18* --- *Freight Academy — Country Profile: [https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/pl](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/pl)* *Markdown mirror: [https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/country/en/pl](https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/country/en/pl)*