On Monday 2 November Poland’s energy minister announced new maximum fuel prices for Tuesday 3 November. A litre of 95-octane petrol can cost no more than PLN 6.45, 98-octane PLN 7.31 and diesel PLN 8.14. That is slightly less than on Monday, when the caps were PLN 6.48, PLN 7.32 and PLN 8.15.
The change is small – one to three grosze per litre. More important is how the mechanism works and what it means for people travelling between the UK and Poland.
How the price caps work
The energy minister publishes the caps in a daily notice for the following day. The next notice, with prices for Wednesday, is due on Tuesday. Stations may sell fuel for less, but not for more. Failure to apply the caps can lead to a fine of up to PLN 1 million.
This is the third round of the government’s “Ceny Paliwa Niżej” (Lower Fuel Prices) package. The first ran from late March to the end of June 2026, the second from 17 to 31 August. According to the government, the current package is to run until the end of 2026. The law also allows temporary cuts in VAT and excise duty on fuel.
Who pays
The package is to be funded by a new tax: 60% of fuel companies’ windfall profits from fuel sales between 1 March 2026 and 31 March 2027. The package is estimated to cost around PLN 5 billion. According to Energetyka24, the current round costs PLN 4.8 billion, against PLN 5.2 billion in expected tax revenue.
President Karol Nawrocki signed the windfall tax law but referred it to the Constitutional Tribunal for review after it came into force. The rules therefore apply now, and the Tribunal will examine them later. The government presents the scheme as protecting drivers from rising oil prices; by referring it to the Tribunal, the president is seeking a review of its constitutionality. The final word rests with the Tribunal.
What it means for Poles in the UK
Our view: for people driving to Poland by car or van – for Christmas or when moving home – the caps bring predictability. Diesel, however, is markedly more expensive than petrol.
The evidence: on Tuesday the diesel cap (PLN 8.14) is PLN 1.69 higher than the cap for 95-octane petrol (PLN 6.45). On a 60-litre tank that is a difference of around PLN 100. This affects most vans used by Poles to move belongings between the two countries.
Practical tips:
- Prices change every day. Check the current notice before you travel.
- The maximum price is an upper limit, not a set price. Many stations may be cheaper.
- If a station charges more than the cap, it can be reported – such breaches carry fines.
- The scheme is due to run until the end of the year. Anyone travelling in January 2027 should be prepared for the caps to have ended, unless the government extends the package.
For Polish transport and courier firms running between the UK and Poland, the caps make it easier to plan fuel costs on the Polish side. There is still uncertainty, though: a Tribunal ruling on the tax could affect how the package is funded.
Sources:
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