TL;DR — RACE WEEKEND GAME PLAN
- 1.Stay within the Poznań Główny and MTP cluster. A 6 to 10 minute walk removes the entire transport problem on race morning.
- 2.Validate a single 18 zł ZTM 24-hour ticket after 20:00 on Friday. Under Weekend 24 h it covers you until midnight Sunday.
- 3.From the airport, take bus 159 to Poznań Główny — 23 to 30 minutes for 7 zł. Skip the taxi unless you land late.
- 4.Do your race-weekend food shop on Saturday. Sunday 22 November is a non-trading Sunday and the supermarkets and Avenida will be shut.
- 5.Check the pavilion number on your ticket. Pavilion 5 and Pavilion 7A share an address but sit 460 m apart.
- 6.Shakeout on the Wartostrada or Lake Malta for flat asphalt. Skip Cytadela parkrun if you race Saturday — 09:00 clash and real hills.
- 7.Registration opens 90 minutes before your division's first wave. Bring photo ID, and you can only check in on the day you race.
- 8.Warm up properly. The walk from your hotel is not a warm-up, however short it was.
- 9.Book a massage before you travel. SPORT REGENERACJA and Massage 4 you both open Sundays, which most physios here do not.
- 10.Pack a full dry change including socks and a hat. Late waves finish in the dark at around 2 to 5°C.
- 11.Lap count for 2026 is TBA. Do not fix a pacing plan until the technical briefing.
QUICK TAKE — IS THIS A GOOD DESTINATION?
VERDICT: YES
HYROX Poznań runs Friday 20 to Sunday 22 November 2026 at the Poznań International Fair (MTP), a large exhibition complex roughly 200 m from Poznań Główny, the main railway station. It suits everyone and first-timers especially: the single biggest race-morning variable at most events, getting there, is close to solved. Cost level is low by Western European standards — a 45-minute transit ticket is 7 zł and a 24-hour city pass is 18 zł. Travel friction is very low if you fly or train into Poznań directly, moderate if you connect via Warsaw or Berlin.
⚠️ Caveat: Two things to plan around. First, Sunday 22 November 2026 is a non-trading Sunday in Poland: large supermarkets, discounters and the Avenida mall must close, and Google's listed Sunday hours will mislead you. Buy race-day food on Saturday. Second, MTP is a multi-hall site and HYROX has not published which pavilion is in use for 2026 — Pavilion 5 and Pavilion 7A both carry the Głogowska 14 address but sit about 460 m apart, so check the pavilion number on your ticket rather than aiming for 'MTP' on your maps app.
You can stay within a 10-minute walk of the venue, walk to check-in, and walk back. There is no transfer to get wrong and no river, bridge or metro line to fail you.
Cool indoor conditions in a cold month, near-zero travel fatigue on race morning, and a flat city that makes the shakeout easy. The mark against it is field size: 2026 is a three-day event, which points to a bigger entry than the 6,366 athletes who raced the two-day 2025 edition, and bigger fields mean more roxzone traffic.
FAST COURSE?
Depends. MTP halls are large and flat, which usually favours a clean run leg. Lap count and layout are listed as TBA for 2026, so treat this as unconfirmed until HYROX publishes.
CITY VIBE — WHAT ATHLETES NEED TO KNOW
MTP is a large exhibition complex immediately west of Poznań Główny, wrapped around Głogowska and Roosevelta streets, with multiple numbered pavilions spread over roughly half a kilometre. Walkability is excellent: the station, the Avenida shopping centre, a supermarket, a pharmacy and several hotels are all within a 10-minute walk of the main entrance. What is open early is thinner — Biedronka at Dworcowa 2, inside the station complex, opens at 06:00 and is 2 to 3 minutes from the venue entrance, while Avenida does not open until 09:00, which is too late for an 08:00 division. One local quirk: Poznań's Christmas market, Betlejem Poznańskie, has in recent years run a zone on the MTP grounds themselves alongside Plac Wolności and Stary Rynek, so if 2026 follows the same pattern expect extra foot traffic on the same site.
TYPICAL WEEKEND COSTS
Language: Polish, with widely spoken English in hotels, restaurants and at the station. Currency: the złoty (zł, PLN), not the euro. Card and contactless are accepted almost everywhere including transit ticket machines, but carry a small amount of cash for market stalls and older bakeries. Tipping is around 10% in restaurants for good service and is not obligatory; rounding up is common for taxis. The single best ticketing trick: ZTM runs a 'Weekend 24 h' promotion, so a 24-hour ticket validated between 20:00 Friday and 24:00 Saturday stays valid until 24:00 Sunday — one 18 zł ticket validated on Friday evening covers the whole race weekend.
BEST BASE NEIGHBOURHOODS
Poznań Główny and MTP (Głogowska, Roosevelta, Bukowska)
Best for: The shortest race-morning walk and the easiest arrival. Functional rather than pretty.
Stare Miasto (Old Town, around Stary Rynek)
Best for: Post-race food and the Christmas market. About 25 to 30 minutes on foot from the venue.
Łazarz (south of MTP along Głogowska)
Best for: Value and a quieter night, still walkable to the venue.
Jeżyce (north-west, around Zwierzyniecka)
Best for: Cafés and a calmer base, with tram links back to the station.
VENUE & LOCATION ANALYSIS
Poznań International Fair (MTP)
Głogowska 14, 60-734 Poznań
MTP is a large exhibition complex immediately west of Poznań Główny, holding multiple numbered pavilions spread over roughly half a kilometre — so 'at MTP' is not a precise location. Pavilion 5 and Pavilion 7A both carry the Głogowska 14 address but sit about 460 m apart. Once HYROX confirms the hall, check the pavilion number on your ticket. On-site registration opens 90 minutes before the first start wave of your division, so 06:30 for an 08:00 division. Bring photo ID: checking in on behalf of someone else is not permitted, and during race weekend you can only check in on the day you compete. Queues form at the athlete check-in desk in the first 30 minutes after it opens, and at bag drop immediately before the early waves. If you want the hall entrance before your official check-in window, HYROX directs you to the Spectators Desk with your ticket and ID.
NEAREST STATIONS
- Poznań Główny — About 200 m to the MTP main entrance, roughly a 2 to 3 minute walk. All long-distance trains stop here
- Poznań Główny tram and bus stop — ZTM trams and buses across all zones, including bus 159 from the airport
- Poznań Ławica (POZ) airport — About 7 km west. Bus 159 to Poznań Główny in 23 to 30 minutes
- Night bus 222 — Roughly hourly overnight, covering a similar route to the 159
WALKABILITY
Excellent. The main railway station is 200 m away, the mall and supermarket are inside 5 minutes, and four hotel picks sit between 6 and 29 minutes on foot. Flat throughout.
The station, the Avenida shopping centre, a supermarket, a pharmacy and several hotels are all within a 10-minute walk of the main entrance. Biedronka at Dworcowa 2, inside the station complex, opens at 06:00 and is the reliable pre-dawn option. Avenida does not open until 09:00 and closes entirely on non-trading Sundays.
🏃 RACE MORNING PLAN
On-site registration opens 90 minutes before the first start wave of your division. For an 08:00 division that means check-in from 06:30. If you are staying within the station cluster, leaving your room 90 minutes before your own start wave is comfortable and 105 minutes is generous. Bring photo ID — you cannot check in for someone else, and only on the day you compete. Buy breakfast at Biedronka (Dworcowa 2, opens 06:00) if your hotel does not serve early. Do a full warm-up regardless of how easy the logistics were: a 200 m stroll from the station does nothing for you.
TRANSPORT LINKS
BEST AIRPORT: POZNAŃ ŁAWICA (POZ)
About 7 km west of the centre and feeding directly into the station area, which is the venue area. Bus 159 runs to the Poznań Główny stop in roughly 23 to 30 minutes, every 15 to 20 minutes including weekends, for 7 zł.
Poznań Ławica (POZ)
Bus 159 from the terminal to Poznań Główny in 23 to 30 minutes, every 15 to 20 minutes including weekends. A 45-minute ticket is 7 zł — buy at the machine by the bus stop outside Arrivals, card or cash, then validate on board. Taxi or rideshare is roughly 15 minutes to the centre, with the tourist board putting the average fare at about 30 zł and fares typically around 30% higher at night, on Sundays and on public holidays.
Time to venue: 15-40 min
Poznań Główny (arriving by train) (RAIL)
The best-case scenario for a HYROX weekend. All trains into Poznań stop at Poznań Główny, so for most European athletes the train drops you effectively at the door — you step off the platform and you are already at the venue.
Time to venue: 2-3 min walk
Getting to Poznań International Fair (MTP)
PUBLIC TRANSPORT TIPS
- Trams and buses are run by ZTM Poznań. Single tickets are time-based and valid across all zones: 5 zł for 15 minutes, 7 zł for 45 minutes, 9 zł for 90 minutes.
- A 24-hour zone A ticket is 18 zł and a 7-day zone A ticket is 59 zł.
- The 'Weekend 24 h' promotion: a 24-hour ticket validated between 20:00 Friday and 24:00 Saturday stays valid until 24:00 Sunday. For a Friday-to-Sunday race weekend, one 18 zł ticket validated on Friday evening covers you all weekend.
- The 'Rodzina 24 h' promotion: two 24-hour tickets validated at the same time cover two adults and up to three children under 18. Combined with the weekend rule, two tickets validated Friday evening cover a family until Sunday midnight.
- Buy at machines and validate on board. Card and contactless work at ticket machines.
- You will barely need transit for the venue itself — Poznań Główny is 200 m away. The tickets matter for the airport, Lake Malta, Termy Maltańskie and the Old Town.
🚕 Taxi / FREE NOW
Ranks sit next to the Main Hall, by the West Station exit, and at the Wolne Tory entrance. Surge risk is real when several thousand athletes and spectators leave the venue at once, particularly after the late Friday and Saturday waves that finish after 20:00. Walking to the station and taking a tram will usually beat waiting.
🚗 Driving
MTP has paid on-site parking, and reviewers report both a high hourly rate and slow exits when gates are restricted during large events. Given the venue is beside the main station, driving is the weakest option here.
WHERE TO STAY
Sheraton Poznan Hotel
Near venuePLN PLN PLN to PLN PLN PLN PLN
Best for: The shortest possible race-morning walk without giving up hotel facilities
Bukowska 3/9. Pool and sauna on site, full breakfast service, rated 4.5 across more than 2,800 reviews. Honest tradeoff: guests report no separate priority queue at check-in and a lobby that backs up during busy periods, which is exactly what a HYROX weekend will produce. Reviewers also note the pool is small and has occasionally been out of service. It is a strong four-star rather than a true five.
ibis Poznań Centrum
BudgetPLN to PLN PLN
Best for: Keeping the trip cheap without ending up somewhere unreliable
Pl. Władysława Andersa 1. Fitness centre on site, two parking options, rated 4.6 across more than 2,100 reviews, which is unusually strong for the tier. Honest tradeoff: it sits between two busy roads and guests flag traffic noise, which matters the night before you race — ask for a room away from the road side. The 15-minute walk is fine in daylight and less appealing at 05:45 in November rain.
Hotel Mercure Poznań Centrum
Mid-rangePLN PLN to PLN PLN PLN
Best for: The best balance of price, distance and recovery facilities
Franklina Roosevelta 20. Sauna on site, rated 4.6 across more than 4,500 reviews, and guests specifically call out the location for both MTP and the station. Honest tradeoff: recurring complaints about a shortage of power sockets by the bed in standard rooms, and no water provided in-room, only corridor water stations. Minor, but bring a multi-plug and a bottle.
PLN PLN PLN PLN
Best for: The post-race weekend, if celebrating properly matters more than the walk
Stawna 12. Rated 4.7 across more than 3,000 reviews, 24-hour reception, and staff who have handled 04:30 checkouts with breakfast to go, which is genuinely useful for an early wave. Honest tradeoff: it is the furthest of these four from the venue and you will want transport on race morning rather than the walk. Guests also note there is no real view — you are paying for design, service and Old Town position.
🏨 Looking to book? Compare prices on your preferred booking platform.
WHERE TO EAT
💡 Smart move: Very little opens early near the venue. Spar Ballsbridge on Merrion Road is 24 hours and about 13 minutes on foot — that is your 06:00 breakfast. Mister Magpie at 06:30 on weekdays is the earliest real coffee. If you finish a 20:30 wave, every local kitchen is shut, so sort a supermarket backup before you race.
il Padrino, Wojskowa
Athlete PickThe most dependable pasta option within reach, about 17 minutes on foot, open 11:00 to 22:00 every day including Sunday, rated 4.6 across more than 2,000 reviews. Closer in, La Pasta Fresca inside Avenida is about 5 minutes away but closes on Sundays. Tapasta on Kwiatowa is about 22 minutes and does not open until 13:00 on weekdays.
Wiejskie Jadło, Stary Rynek
Athlete PickLarge Polish plates, open daily to 22:00 and later on Fridays and Saturdays, about 25 minutes on foot. Pierogi, żurek, and a golonka if you have earned it. The Old Town restaurants around Stary Rynek are the obvious post-race base for a group.
Stragan Kawiarnia, Ratajczaka
Athlete PickOpens 08:00 daily, about 17 minutes on foot. Mówish Mash on Zwierzyniecka opens 09:00 and closes Mondays, about 13 minutes. For anything earlier than 08:00, which covers every 08:00 division, your options are hotel breakfast or the station.
Biedronka, Dworcowa 2
Athlete PickIn the station complex, the closest at roughly 2 to 3 minutes, opens at 06:00. Netto on Gąsiorowskich is about 9 minutes and also opens at 06:00. Żabka on Głogowska 28 is about 8 minutes and lists 24-hour weekday opening. Sunday 22 November is a non-trading Sunday, so buy race-day food on Saturday — the station shops and Żabka are the fallback.
THINGS TO DO
Stary Rynek and the Town Hall goats
Pre-RaceThe Old Market Square is about 25 to 30 minutes on foot or a short tram ride, a flat, easy wander with the mechanical goats butting heads at midday. Keep it to a couple of hours on your feet, not a full sightseeing day.
Park Wilsona
Pre-RaceAbout 11 minutes on foot and open from 05:00. Green space without committing to a day out, and the right size for a 20-minute shakeout with strides rather than a 5 km loop.
Betlejem Poznańskie Christmas market
Post-RaceIf the pattern holds for 2026, Plac Wolności and Stary Rynek will both have market zones with food stalls, mulled wine, a Ferris wheel and an ice rink, and there has also been a zone on the MTP site itself. Unconfirmed for 2026 — check betlejempoznanskie.pl for dates.
Avenida and Stary Browar for spectators
Any TimeAvenida is attached to the station and about 5 minutes from the venue, useful for warmth, food and toilets, though it closes on the non-trading Sunday. Stary Browar, a former brewery converted into a shopping and arts complex, is about 20 minutes on foot.
RACE STRATEGY
VENUE
MTP pavilions are large, flat exhibition halls. HYROX has not published the 2026 Poznań layout, and lap count is listed as TBA on the official event page, so do not build a pacing plan around an assumed lap distance. Confirm at the technical briefing.
COURSE FLOW
Large flat halls usually favour a clean run leg, but turn count is the variable that decides whether a lap is fast or slow. Until the layout is published, build your plan around effort rather than pace.
RUN SURFACE
Hard exhibition-hall floors, typically concrete with temporary covering. Expect a firm, fast, unforgiving surface. If your calves or shins historically complain on hard floors, bring cushioned shoes rather than the thinnest racing pair you own.
HEAT
Large exhibition halls in November are heated and then filled with several thousand people. The pattern at indoor winter races is a hall that feels cold on arrival and warm by mid-race, which catches out anyone who overdresses on the start line. Dress for the hall, not for the walk in.
ELEVATION
No published information on ramps or level changes within the hall for 2026, and Poznań itself is flat. Treat it as a level course until the briefing says otherwise.
⚠️ WHERE PEOPLE BLOW UP
The usual pattern applies, but the most common Poznań-specific error will be treating the short walk from the hotel as a warm-up. It is not. A 200 m stroll from the station does nothing for you, and the low race-morning stress here tempts people into arriving underprepared. With 2026 running three days and a likely bigger field than 2025, also expect competition for equipment at the sled and wall ball stations during peak waves — plan a patient first run rather than fighting for space.
COURSE HISTORY
15,159
Athletes in 2025 — one of the biggest races on the calendar
TBC
Laps to run — unpublished for 2026
5 days
Wed 11 to Sun 15 November 2026
Depends. Flat halls and cool November conditions point fast, but lap count and layout are TBA for 2026 and a bigger three-day field means more roxzone traffic.
Three days of racing, Friday 20 to Sunday 22 November 2026. Registration opens 90 minutes before the first start of your division, and check-in is only possible on the day you compete with photo ID. Friday waves finish around 20:25, Saturday around 20:30 and Sunday around 19:30, so check your wave before booking a flight home.
Source: HYROX Poznań event page and HYRESULT Poznań 2025, verified 25 August 2026. Laps to run listed as TBA; pavilion unconfirmed.
RECOVERY SPOTS
ICE BATHS / COLD PLUNGE
TERMY MALTAŃSKIE, TERMALNA
A large thermal and sauna complex about 5.5 km east, open 08:00 to 23:00 daily. Get the all-day sauna pass rather than the pool ticket, and bring your own flip-flops. Cold plunge and cold showers are the practical cold-exposure route here.
📍 ~5.5 km east, tram
Best use: The day after you race, not the night before.
WELLNESS POOL & SPA, PL. ANDERSA
Pool and sauna about 15 minutes on foot, open 06:00 to 22:00 daily. The closest wellness option to the venue and the only one open early enough for a pre-breakfast session.
📍 ~15 minutes on foot
Best use: A short contrast session the evening after you race, without a tram trip.
NO DEDICATED ICE-BATH STUDIO
No dedicated ice-bath studio near the venue has been verified, and HYROX has not published on-site recovery provision for this event. If you want cold exposure, use a cold plunge or cold shower at a sauna complex, or a cold bath in your hotel room.
📍 —
Best use: Set expectations before you travel rather than hunting for one on the day.
SAUNAS & SPAS
TERMY MALTAŃSKIE
Large thermal and sauna complex on Termalna, 08:00 to 23:00 daily, about 5.5 km east.
Best use: Half a day after racing. All-day sauna pass, own flip-flops.
WELLNESS POOL & SPA
Pool and sauna at Pl. Andersa, 06:00 to 22:00 daily, about 15 minutes on foot.
Best use: The walkable option, and the only one open at 06:00.
PHYSIOS NEAR VENUE
REHA-HELP, Szamarzewskiego
About 15 minutes on foot, rated 4.9. Closed at weekends, so only useful Thursday or Monday.
SPORT REGENERACJA, Powstańców Wielkopolskich
Sports massage and regeneration, 09:00 to 21:30 seven days, about 13 minutes. English-speaking service reported.
Massage 4 you, Zeylanda
About 8 minutes, open daily including Sunday and open late. The closest hands-on option to the venue.
WEATHER STRATEGY
MID-NOVEMBER CONDITIONS
Poznań in November averages daytime highs around 7 to 8°C and overnight lows around 1 to 2°C, with roughly 8.8 hours of daylight and 14 to 16 rain days across the month. Assume cold, grey and damp. Sunrise is around 07:11 and sunset around 16:01.
- Standard indoor race kit — the hall is the warm part, so dress for the hall and not for the walk in
- A warm layer and a waterproof shell for the walk to and from the venue
- A full change of dry clothes in your bag, including socks and a hat
- Cushioned shoes if hard exhibition-hall floors historically bother your calves or shins
- A head torch and reflective layers for any shakeout before 07:11 or after 16:01
💧 Hydration
Cold weather blunts thirst but the hall will be warm and you will still lose fluid. Drink to a plan, not to thirst — especially for a late wave after a full day of eating.
🏟️ Indoor vs Outdoor
Outdoors: 7 to 8°C, damp, dark before 07:11 and after 16:01. Indoors: a heated exhibition hall filled with several thousand people, which feels cold on arrival and warm by mid-race. You will be cold before and after, not during.
SHAKEOUT RUN ROUTES
WARTOSTRADA, THE WARTA RIVERSIDE PATH
Asphalt, almost entirely flat, and running along both banks for close to 14 km in total, so you can turn round wherever 5 km lands. Access is east of the venue via the Old Town side. Flat and predictable is exactly what you want the day before you race. Best marked alternative: Lake Malta, an asphalt loop of about 5.4 to 5.6 km, flat, about 5.2 km east of the venue so take a tram, with toilets and cafés around the lake though winter hours vary. Closest green space: Park Wilsona, about 11 minutes on foot and open from 05:00 — too small for a 5 km loop but fine for a 20-minute shakeout with strides.
🏃 Parkrun
parkrun Poznań runs every Saturday at 09:00 in Park Cytadela — free, 5 km, on asphalt park paths, one-off registration and your barcode required. Two warnings: Cytadela sits on Wzgórze Winiarskie and has real gradient, so it is not a flat shakeout, and the 09:00 Saturday start clashes with the Saturday HYROX MEN waves that begin at 08:00. It works for Sunday racers, not Saturday ones. The park is about 3.4 km from Poznań Główny, roughly a 20-minute walk.
🏟️ Track Access
No athletics track near the venue has been verified as open to visiting athletes. If you want a structured session, use one of the gyms below rather than planning around track access.
November sunrise in Poznań is around 07:11 and sunset around 16:01, so an early or late shakeout will be in the dark — take a head torch and reflective layers. All three routes are well-used public paths, but treat public toilets as unreliable in winter and go before you leave.
GYMS NEAR VENUE
FUNCTIONAL / STRENGTH
CITYFIT POZNAŃ GALERIA PESTKA
Listed as a HYROX Training Club and open 24 hours, about 4.9 km north of the venue and tram-accessible. The closest thing to a HYROX-specific facility in the city — classes book out fast, so check availability before relying on it.
XTREME FITNESS POZNAŃ STARY BROWAR
About 16 minutes on foot, rated 4.8, with English-speaking staff and short-stay passes. One reviewer reports a weekly pass at 99 zł.
COMMERCIAL GYMS
Just GYM Poznań Andersa
About 17 minutes on foot and open 24 hours — the answer for an odd-hours session.
Calypso Fitness, Półwiejska
Day pass and a sauna, about 22 minutes on foot. One reviewer reports a day pass at 39 zł.
HOTEL GYMS WORTH USING
Sheraton Poznan Hotel
Pool and sauna on site, 6 minutes from the venue. The pool is small and has occasionally been out of service.
ibis Poznań Centrum
Fitness centre on site at the budget end, about 15 minutes on foot.
Hotel Mercure Poznań Centrum
Sauna on site, 9 minutes from the venue — the best recovery-per-złoty of the picks.
Confirm drop-in policy and pricing directly. Reported prices (99 zł weekly at Xtreme, 39 zł day pass at Calypso) come from reviewers rather than published rate cards, and weekend hours are consistently shorter than weekdays.
ESSENTIALS — RACE WEEKEND OPS
SUPERMARKETS
Biedronka
Dworcowa 2, station complex
About 2 to 3 minutes. Opens 06:00. The pre-dawn answer.
Netto
Gąsiorowskich
About 9 minutes. Also opens 06:00. Closed on the non-trading Sunday.
Żabka
Głogowska 28
About 8 minutes, lists 24-hour weekday opening. Trades normally on non-trading Sundays as an owner-operated shop.
PHARMACIES
Super-Pharm Apteka
Inside Avenida
About 4 minutes, 09:00 to 21:00 weekdays. Closed when Avenida closes on the non-trading Sunday.
Apteka Dr.Max
Głogowska 120
Lists 24-hour opening, about 31 minutes on foot or a short tram ride. Some reviewers report it closed at night, so call before travelling.
SPORTS SHOPS
Decathlon, Serbska 7
About 5.4 km north-east, open to 21:00. The general kit option.
Natural Born Runners, Sokoła
Specialist running shop about 3.2 km north with English-speaking fitting staff. Closes Saturdays at 15:00 and all day Sunday.
Supplements
No dedicated supplement retailer near the venue has been verified. Basic protein and electrolyte products are stocked by the larger supermarkets and by Super-Pharm.
🆘 "OH NO" KIT CHECKLIST
VENUE DAY TIMELINE
SPECTATOR GUIDE
BEST VIEWING ZONES
- HYROX highlights the Thunderdome as the spectator viewpoint for watching racers through the day, alongside a HYROX Entertainment Zone with partner activations
- Specific sightlines depend on the pavilion, which is unconfirmed for 2026 — check your ticket for the hall number
- Spectator tickets are sold separately through the official event page
- The Flex Add-On and Flex Lite options that cover athlete refunds and name changes are not available on spectator tickets
- Seating is limited at most HYROX events, so plan to stand
FAMILY LOGISTICS
- MTP is a purpose-built exhibition venue with indoor toilets, food courts and cafés inside the pavilions, and step-free access suitable for prams
- Indoor HYROX events are loud, with sustained music and commentary — bring ear defenders for young children
- Spectators are stationary for hours in a cold month: layers, plus a plan to rotate out to Avenida or the station to warm up
- Avenida closes on the non-trading Sunday 22 November, so the station is the Sunday warm-up option
- ZTM's Rodzina 24 h promotion covers two adults and up to three children under 18 on two 24-hour tickets validated together
📍 MEET-UP PLAN
Set your meeting point outside the pavilion rather than inside. Mobile signal in a packed exhibition hall is unreliable and the finish area will be crowded. The clearest fixed landmark is the station entrance, about 2 to 3 minutes from the venue. Agree a time as well as a place.
BUDGET CALCULATOR
| Line item | Budget | Mid | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flights (return) | 400 zł | 900 zł | 1,800 zł |
| Accommodation per night | 200 zł | 450 zł | 900 zł |
| Local transport per day | 0 zł, walk everything | 18 zł, 24-hour ticket | 80 zł with taxis |
| Food per day | 60 zł | 140 zł | 280 zł |
| Race extras | 0 zł | 150 zł | 500 zł |
| Recovery | 0 zł | 180 zł | 450 zł |
ESTIMATED TOTALS (excl. flights)
PACKING CHECKLIST
RACE KIT
- Race singlet and shorts
- Cushioned trainers for hard hall floors
- Socks you have raced in
- Grippy gloves if you use them
- Photo ID for check-in
- Watch, charged
WARM UP
- Warm layer and waterproof shell for the walk in
- Beanie and gloves
- Resistance band
- Foam roller or massage ball
- Skipping rope
RECOVERY
- Full change of dry clothes including socks and a hat
- Flip flops or slides for the sauna
- Compression wear
- Small towel
- Swimwear for Termy Maltańskie
- Reusable water bottle
NUTRITION
- Gels or chews
- Electrolyte tabs
- Pre-race breakfast you have actually trained on
- Recovery protein
- Saturday's shop for Sunday race food
TRAVEL ESSENTIALS
- Passport or national ID
- Travel insurance documents
- EHIC or GHIC if eligible
- European Type E/C plug adapter and a multi-plug
- Power bank
- Head torch and reflective layer for dark shakeouts
- Blister plasters, tape, anti-chafe, spare laces, basic pain relief
SAMPLE RACE WEEKEND ITINERARY
DAY 1: ARRIVAL & RECON
- Land at POZ, bus 159 to Poznań Główny for 7 zł, then walk to your hotel in the station cluster
- Validate an 18 zł ZTM 24-hour ticket after 20:00 to trigger the Weekend 24 h extension
- Walk the route from your hotel to the venue in daylight and confirm your pavilion number
- Stock race-morning food at Biedronka, Dworcowa 2, in the station complex — it opens 06:00
- Carb dinner at il Padrino on Wojskowa, open to 22:00 daily including Sunday
DAY 2: RACE DAY
- Wake around 3 hours out, coffee and fluids, breakfast 2.5 to 3 hours before your start
- Leave to arrive 06:25 for an 08:00 wave. Photo ID in your pocket
- Check in from 06:30, bag drop by 06:50, walk the roxzone and note the sled and wall ball positions
- Full warm-up from 07:15. Dress for the hall, not the walk in
- Dry change immediately after the finish, then real food at the station or in the Old Town
DAY 3: RECOVERY & EXPLORE
- Easy shakeout on the Wartostrada or a flat lap of Lake Malta
- Termy Maltańskie for the all-day sauna pass — flip-flops in the bag
- Massage at SPORT REGENERACJA or Massage 4 you, both open Sunday, booked in advance
- Stary Rynek and the Town Hall goats at midday, plus the Christmas market if it is running
- Rogal świętomarciński, the St Martin's croissant, as the post-race reward
LOCAL RULES & EMERGENCY INFO
Tipping
Around 10% in restaurants for good service is normal in Poland and not obligatory. Rounding up is common for taxis.
Cash vs card
Card and contactless are accepted almost everywhere including transit ticket machines. Carry a small amount of złoty for market stalls and older bakeries. Poland uses the złoty (zł, PLN), not the euro.
Non-trading Sunday
Sunday 22 November 2026 is a non-trading Sunday. There are only eight trading Sundays in 2026 and none falls in November, so large supermarkets, discounters and shopping centres including Avenida must close. Google's listed Sunday hours do not account for the ban.
What stays open on Sunday
Shops at railway stations serving travellers, petrol stations, pharmacies, bakeries, restaurants and cafés, and owner-operated shops — which is why most Żabka branches trade normally.
Which pavilion
MTP is a multi-hall site and HYROX has not published the 2026 pavilion. Pavilion 5 and Pavilion 7A share the Głogowska 14 address but sit about 460 m apart. Navigate to your pavilion number, not to 'MTP'.
Check-in rules
On-site registration opens 90 minutes before the first start wave of your division. Bring photo ID, you cannot check in for anyone else, and you can only check in on the day you compete.
Christmas market
Betlejem Poznańskie has in recent years run a zone on the MTP grounds alongside Plac Wolności and Stary Rynek. In 2025 the MTP zone opened 15 November. If 2026 repeats, expect extra foot traffic on the venue site — check betlejempoznanskie.pl.
Plug type
Poland uses Type E/C plugs at 230 V. Bring a European adapter, and a multi-plug if you are at the Mercure.
EMERGENCY INFO
112
Emergency (EU)
999
Ambulance
998
Fire
997
Police
+48 608 599 999 / +48 800 200 300
Tourist helpline
Hospital: SOR Szpital Kliniczny at Grunwaldzka 55 is a 24-hour hospital emergency department about 2.2 km west of the venue, roughly 27 minutes on foot or a short tram ride. The University Clinical Hospital at Grunwaldzka 16/18 is closer at about 830 m but is a clinical hospital rather than a confirmed walk-in emergency department, so head to Grunwaldzka 55 in an emergency. EU and UK visitors should carry an EHIC or GHIC card — it does not replace travel insurance, particularly for competitive sport.
Pharmacy: Super-Pharm Apteka inside Avenida is about 4 minutes, 09:00 to 21:00 weekdays, and closes with the mall on the non-trading Sunday. Apteka Dr.Max at Głogowska 120 lists 24-hour opening about 31 minutes on foot, though some reviewers report it closed at night — call before travelling, and pack the 'oh no' kit.