Warsaw in Spring: March, April and May Trip Prep

At a glance: March is still chilly, and it warms up toward May

Spring in Warsaw changes a lot from month to month. By the normals, March has daytime highs of 7°C and night-time lows of -1°C, so you still need winter clothes; April reaches highs of 15°C and May 20°C.

The Polish Tourism Organisation names May-June and September-October as the best times, when it is still warm and there are fewer tourists. Of the three spring months, May is the one inside that window, and from late May the summer begins, at around 20-25°C.

This post covers March-May weather and clothing, places to enjoy in spring, a short plan timed to the days of the week, and transport, budget and a checklist. For first-timers, getting in from the airport and using tickets are explained in detail in the first-trip post linked below.

• Full Warsaw travel guide →
• Incheon → Warsaw flights →
• Warsaw for first-timers: the Old Town and how to get around →

March, April and May normals

Here are the 1991–2020 normals for the Warszawa station (12375) from IMGW-PIB (Institute of Meteorology and Water Management – National Research Institute), rounded and set side by side.

From March to May, daytime highs climb from 7°C to 20°C. Night-time lows in March are still below zero, and May's precipitation of 56 mm is about twice March's 29 mm.

• March — high 7°C · low -1°C · precipitation 29 mm
• April — high 15°C · low 4°C · precipitation 35 mm
• May — high 20°C · low 9°C · precipitation 56 mm

What to wear, month by month

In March the average low is -1°C, so nights can drop below freezing. Bring a winter coat with gloves, a hat and a scarf.

April has highs of 15°C and lows of 4°C, a big gap between day and night. Wear several thin layers and add a warm outer layer.

May reaches about 20°C by day but drops to 9°C at night. Wear light clothes in the daytime and bring a jacket for an evening walk on the Vistula Boulevards. All three months have some precipitation, so pack a small umbrella too.

• March: winter coat, gloves, hat, scarf
• April: several thin layers plus a warm outer layer
• May: light clothes plus a jacket for the evening
• Every month: shoes you can walk in all day, a small umbrella, a payment card (ticket machines on SKM trains, buses and trams take cards only)

Where to go in spring: parks, palace gardens and the river

As it warms up, it is easier to spend more time outdoors. The gardens of Royal Łazienki Park are open daily 6 a.m.-9 p.m., free, with squirrels and peacocks. A combined ticket for four buildings including the Palace on the Isle and the Old Orangery is PLN 60, and the buildings are free on Fridays (individual visits only).

Wilanów Palace is the Baroque palace called the 'Polish Versailles'. A palace ticket (park included) is about PLN 60-70, and the palace and gardens are free on Thursdays (palace tickets limited).

From late May it is summer. On summer Sundays, Chopin concerts are held at the Chopin monument in Łazienki Park, and the Multimedia Fountain Park near Powiśle stages water, light and sound shows after sunset on summer weekends (Friday-Saturday). Check the official information before you go for start dates, times and spring opening hours.

A spring 2-night, 3-day plan timed to the week

Keep the route of the guide's 2-night, 3-day plan and in spring just set the order by free-entry days and temperature. Put Day 1 on a Wednesday for free entry to the Royal Castle, and avoid Tuesday for Day 2, when the Warsaw Rising Museum is closed. In chilly March, Day 2 with its indoor museums suits the coldest day.

With 3 nights, split Day 3 into two days to visit Wilanów on a Thursday and Łazienki on a Friday. With time left over, walk Praga on the east bank of the Vistula: from metro line 2's Dworzec Wileński station you see an Orthodox cathedral built in 1867-1869, and Ząbkowska Street is lined with places to eat.

• Day 1: SKM train or bus 175 into the city and check in → Castle Square and the Royal Castle (free on Wednesdays) → Old Town Market Square, the Barbican and the old walls → St. John's Archcathedral → an evening walk on the Vistula Boulevards
• Day 2: Warsaw Rising Museum in the morning (closed Tuesdays) → POLIN Museum and the Ghetto Heroes Monument in the afternoon → the 30th-floor viewing terrace (114 m) of the Palace of Culture and Science around sunset
• Day 3: Bus 180 along the Royal Route from Krakowskie Przedmieście → Łazienki Park and the Palace on the Isle (buildings free on Fridays) → Wilanów Palace and gardens (free on Thursdays) → head to the airport

Getting around in spring, and holidays

From the airport station, take SKM S2/S3 or KM RL trains, or bus 175, into the city. The airport and the center are both in zone 1; according to SKM, the airport-Central Station trip takes more than 20 minutes, so a 20-minute ticket is not enough. Use a zone 1 75-minute ticket (PLN 4.40).

Bus 180 passes most of the top sights along the Royal Route to Wilanów, and the whole route takes about 60-70 minutes. According to the Warsaw Tourism Office, the metro runs until midnight on weekdays and until 3 a.m. at weekends. Validate paper tickets as soon as you board. Riding without a valid ticket risks a PLN 266 fine.

Check holidays in advance too. Most Sundays in Poland are non-trading days when shops close, and shops plus some museums and attractions close on public holidays. Check official info around Easter, as it can get busy. Żurek, a sour soup made with rye sourdough, is also a traditional part of Easter breakfast.

Even when the weather turns warm, drinking alcohol in public places (parks, squares, streets) outside designated areas is prohibited. The Fryderyk Chopin Museum is closed until 31 December 2026 (Warsaw Tourism Office, checked October 2026). Check the official information before you go to see whether it is open in spring.

Budget and a checklist before you go

The guide splits the budget like this. Transport is a 75-minute ticket at PLN 4.40, a 24-hour ticket at PLN 15 and a 3-day ticket at PLN 36 (zone 1), and walking the Old Town and using free-entry days (Royal Castle on Wednesdays; Wilanów, the Rising Museum and POLIN on Thursdays; Łazienki buildings on Fridays) keeps admission costs down. Adding paid sights: the Łazienki four-building ticket is PLN 60 and Wilanów Palace about PLN 60-70.

Accommodation is most of the budget, so compare prices for your dates on booking sites. If your stay includes a weekend, there is also a zones 1+2 weekend ticket (Friday 7 p.m. to Monday 8 a.m.) for PLN 24. The currency is the złoty (PLN); change money at registered exchange points.

• Entry rules depend on your nationality. Check official information before you travel.
• A winter coat for March; layers and an evening jacket for April-May
• Spring opening hours for the castle, museums and palaces, plus dates around Easter, public holidays and non-trading Sundays
• A payment card (ticket machines on SKM trains, buses and trams take cards only)
• Emergency 112 (Polish and English), police 997, ambulance 999, fire 998, Warsaw city contact centre 19115
• Check your government's current travel advice for Poland before you go

• Full Warsaw travel guide →
• Warsaw for first-timers: the Old Town and how to get around →
• Where to travel in April →
• Where to travel in May →

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