Szczecin is split in two parts Lewobrzeże and Prawobrzeże named after their location on banks of Oder Lewobrzeże = left bank and Regalica Prawobrzeże = right bank rivers. The port is situated in between. City centre and most of attractions are situated in Lewobrzeże.
By taxi
Hail taxi cab from the street or stand only in emergency or if very tired/drunk! It is much cheaper to call for one - ask locals for numbers or see taxi advertisements, they are nearly everywhere. When you call, ask the operator when the taxi will arrive and then look for car plastered with number of company you called.
There is taxi "mafia" operating from stands near railway station, popular clubs, hotels etc. - avoid these rip-offs, they are VERY expensive!
Taxi fare within the centre shouldn't cost you more than about 12-15 zÅ. Fare from left side of the river Lewobrzeże to the right side Prawobrzeże or the other way is about 40-50 zÅ. Fares during the night are slightly more expensive.
All officially registered taxis have meters, the driver should turn them on just after you enter.
Payment: have cash ready, only the minority of taxi drivers have necessary equipment for payments with debit or credit cards. Ask if in doubt.
Some of taxi companies operating in the city:
Auto Taxi: +48 91 4535555
City Taxi: +48 91 4335335
Express Taxi: +48 91 4261038
Euro Taxi: +48 91 4343434
Gold Taxi: +48 91 8122222
Granada Taxi: +48 91 4554554
Szczecin Taxi: +48 91 4835835
By bike
There is network of bicycle paths connecting the city center with the suburbs. You can take your bike on public transport for free outside rush hours.If you want to see Szczecin from the bicycle but don't have one you can rent it:
Bicyklownia (http://www.bicyklownia.pl/), ul. Wielkopolska 15, tel. +48784152358. near City Park
Biker (http://www.biker.szczecin.pl/), ul. ÅwiÄtego Ducha 2a, tel. +48506667400 Center
Centrum Wynajmu i Turystyki (http://www.centrumwynajmu...), ul. Kolumba 1/6m, tel. +48914340006 (near Szczecin GÅówny railway station]
If you happen to be present in Szczecin on any last friday of the month, feel free to join the Critical Mass - the start point is Plac Lotników square, 6:00 pm.
By public transport
Szczecin has extensive public transport network covered by trams and buses. See the maps (http://www.zditm.szczecin...) dziennej = by day, nocnej = by night, tramwajowej = trams and schedules (http://www.zditm.szczecin...). You can also install the timetables on your mobile phone: for J2ME compatible phones and Symbian: MPK Mobile (http://www.mmpk.info/), Microbus (http://www.microbus.szcze...), for Android and Windows Phone: Transportoid (http://transportoid.com/).
By car
Streets in Szczecin are compared to other Polish cities easy to navigate and not congested.
However: parking within the centre during business hours 8:00 - 17:00, from Monday to Friday - after 17:00 and on weekends it is free is paid; the pay depends on the zone and parking time. You can buy tickets from vending machines. Most of malls have free parking, and no one will check if you visited the mall or just used free parking opportunity.
DUI is serious criminal offense up to 3 years in prison and the police have no mercy for drunk drivers - many of "zero tolerance for drunk drivers" programs ongoing in Poland have started in Szczecin.
Because of major renovation works in the city centre and Niebuszewo district held this year expect detours and/or traffic jams, especially during rush hours. If you stay in the city consider leaving your car on parking and using public transport.
On foot
City center can be covered by foot depending on your fitness, etc. Look for the red line on the pavements - so called "red walk" which connects nearly all the attractions within the centre. This is by far the best way to discover the centre on foot, as all attractions are marked by a number there are about 40 on the pavement, so you won't miss one. At each of them there is a sign explaining some details about the sight. The red line starts and ends at the train station. When you exit through the main entrance, turn left on the sidewalk and look for it, some of the paint may have already vanished. Close to the start is also a map showing the route and the attractions. You can get a similar map that also includes the red line at the tourist information center.