Convert RON to PLN Romanian leu ↔ Polish zloty Free Online Secure
Type an amount in Romanian leu and read it in Polish zloty at once. The page uses the European Central Bank's reference rate, and tells you which day that rate is from.
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Common amounts — Convert RON to PLN (Romanian leu ↔ Polish zloty)
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The last thirty days
Where these codes and rates come from
The three letters in EUR, USD or JPY are not an abbreviation someone invented for a website: they are ISO 4217, a standard in which the first two letters are the country's own code and the third is usually the initial of the currency. The figures on this page come from the European Central Bank, which publishes one set of reference rates each working day, around 16:00 Central European time, agreed between the central banks of the Eurosystem. They are a daily snapshot meant for statistics and accounting, not a live trading feed — which is exactly why they are the same number for everyone, rather than whatever one bank happened to quote at one moment.
Where you meet an exchange rate
You meet an exchange rate four or five times a year without thinking about it: booking a trip, paying an invoice issued abroad, buying from a foreign shop, reading a salary offer in another currency, or checking what a card charge really cost. In all of these the reference rate is the honest middle, and the price you actually pay sits a little to one side of it. Knowing the middle is what lets you see how wide that margin is.
Questions people ask
Is this the rate my bank will give me?
No, and no page can promise one. This is the European Central Bank's reference rate: the midpoint published once a day for statistics. A bank, a card scheme or an exchange office adds its own margin on top — usually between half a percent and three percent, sometimes more at an airport counter. Use this figure to judge the offer you are given, not to predict it.
How often does the figure change, and what happens at weekends?
The European Central Bank publishes once each working day, in the afternoon, Central European time. There is no publication on Saturdays, Sundays or TARGET holidays, so on those days the page shows the last working day's rate and says which day it belongs to. The chart alongside is one year of the same daily series.
Is the answer exact?
Where both units are defined in terms of one another by whole numbers, yes — the page says so above the figure, and the only rounding is in how many digits are shown. Where the ratio has no finite decimal, the page shows twelve significant digits and says the relation is approximate rather than pretending otherwise.
Does anything I type leave my device?
No. The arithmetic runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded and there is no server to upload it to. Load the page once and it keeps working with the network switched off.
Seven episodes from the Polish–Romanian story, and the two currencies that run through them
Poland and Romania share no border today, yet their histories are bound together in surprising ways. In September 1939 the Polish government crossed into Romania as the country fell, and Romanian ports and railways carried soldiers, civilians and national treasures to safety. After 1990 both countries rebuilt their economies, joined NATO and the European Union and kept their own currencies. Today Poles holiday in the Carpathians, Romanians study in Kraków, and trucks carry goods along the roads between. For all of them, a simple question comes up: how many Polish zloty is a Romanian leu worth? This page answers it. It takes the European Central Bank's reference rates, in which the leu and the zloty are each quoted against the euro, combines them into a leu-to-zloty rate, shows the result with the date and keeps your amount in your browser. The text below tells seven episodes from the shared story, and each is a reason to Convert RON to PLN and to understand what the figure means.
Using the converter
Enter lei, read zloty
Even a small amount deserves the check: Convert RON to PLN, read the date and keep the result with the receipt.
Type an amount in lei and the page returns the equivalent in Polish zloty, with the date of the rate beneath the result. At weekends it uses Friday's figure and says so. A table of round amounts and a line chart of the last thirty days complete the page. For zloty into lei, use Convert PLN to RON.
Why a mid-market figure
The rate shown is the middle of the market, set once a working day, and it includes no margin. Banks, exchange offices and apps charge somewhere between a fraction of a per cent and several per cent more. When you Convert RON to PLN here, you obtain a ruler against which to judge those offers. Under one per cent is excellent, up to three per cent is normal in banks, and above four calls for a second opinion.
Episode one: September 1939 and the Romanian Bridgehead
A refuge on the south-eastern border
When the Soviet Union entered eastern Poland on 17 September 1939, the Polish president, government and commander-in-chief crossed into Romania, along with tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians. The area around the border was known as the Romanian Bridgehead, a corridor that Polish planners had hoped to hold. Romania, under pressure from Germany, interned many of the arrivals, but local people and officials helped thousands to leave, often by train to Constanța and by ship to France and Britain.
The gold that travelled
The Polish gold reserve, taken out of the country by train, passed through Romania on its way to the West. The story is remembered in both countries as an example of cooperation in dark times. Whatever the details, it reminds us that the money of one country has crossed the other's borders before, in ways that no conversion page can capture. Today a traveller crosses on a bus and pays a few lei or zloty, and the cost of the journey is the least of the matter.
Remembering through places
The river crossing near Zaleszczyki, on the Polish side, and the town of Cernăuți, now in Ukraine, are tied to those days, and Polish churches and schools in parts of Romania preserve the connection to this day.
Episode two: the Polish community in Bukovina
Poles in the Carpathian foothills
In northern Romania, around Suceava and Gura Humorului, there is a small Polish community whose roots go back to the nineteenth century, when Poles settled in the region as miners, foresters and farmers. The community has Polish-language schools, a cultural union and churches where services are held in Polish. Their presence makes Bukovina an unexpected meeting point for the two nations.
Visiting Suceava and the monasteries
For a monastery tour that includes lunch and a guide, Convert RON to PLN for each item and add a tip.
Suceava and the nearby painted monasteries are popular with Polish tourists, who come by car through Slovakia and Hungary or via Ukraine. Entry to Voroneț Monastery costs about 15 lei, a meal at a guesthouse 40 to 60 lei, and a night in a double room 200 to 350. A Polish visitor who wants to know the price in zloty will Convert RON to PLN for each, and find that Romania is good value.
Episode three: two accessions, one direction
2004 and 2007
Poland joined the European Union in 2004, Romania in 2007. Both had been in NATO for a few years before that, Poland from 1999 and Romania from 2004. Accession brought funds for roads, railways and farms, free movement of workers, and a flood of foreign investment. It also introduced rules on state aid, competition and public procurement that changed how business was done.
Neither country uses the euro
A traveller with two pockets, one of lei and one of zloty, should Convert RON to PLN before moving any money between them.
Both countries are obliged to adopt the euro eventually, but neither has set a date. Poland has kept the zloty, arguing that a flexible exchange rate helped it ride out the 2008 crisis better than some euro members. Romania has kept the leu, with a managed float against the euro. As a result, a Pole travelling in Romania, or the reverse, needs local currency. Convert RON to PLN to understand how far your zloty goes.
Episode four: the Bucharest Nine
A format for the eastern flank
In 2015, the presidents of Romania and Poland launched the Bucharest Nine, a group of countries on NATO's eastern flank that meet regularly to coordinate security policy. The two countries host allied troops and air-defence systems, and they cooperate on energy and transport projects. The format has made contacts between officials, military staff and experts more frequent.
Business behind the politics
A purchasing manager comparing two suppliers will Convert RON to PLN for each quote and compare the totals after transport.
Trade between Poland and Romania has grown rapidly, driven by cars, machinery, furniture and food. Polish companies are active in Romanian retail, construction and food production, and Romanian firms export components and software. Contracts are often in euros, but local costs are in lei or zloty. Companies hedge the risk with forward contracts or by matching revenues and costs in each currency.
Episode five: tourists and students
Romanians in Kraków and Warsaw
Parents planning a student's budget should Convert RON to PLN for rent, food and transport, and review it each semester.
Polish universities attract Romanian students, especially in medicine, pharmacy and engineering, with programmes taught in English. Fees are paid in euros or zloty, and a monthly budget is between 2,500 and 4,500 zloty in a large city. A student who wants to know what that means in lei must Convert RON to PLN in the other direction, using the reverse page. Kraków, with its medieval centre and student life, is particularly popular.
Poles in Romania
The Polish holiday market in Romania has grown, with visitors to Transylvanian towns, the Danube Delta and the Black Sea resorts. Polish tourists are attracted by lower prices and the variety of landscapes. A week on the coast at Mamaia costs a Polish family considerably less than a comparable week in Croatia.
Language and signs
Polish and Romanian are not closely related, so signs and menus can be hard to read, but a few words are shared through Latin and Slavic roots. Many young people in both countries speak English, which makes travel easier.
Episode six: roads, rails and the distance between
Getting from one to the other
There is no direct land border between the two countries, so the journey passes through Hungary and Slovakia or through Ukraine. By car, Bucharest to Warsaw is about 1,500 kilometres, and Convert km to mi turns that into roughly 930 miles. Direct flights connect Bucharest and Warsaw in two hours. Buses and trains take far longer.
Costs of the road
Add up fuel, tolls and meals, then Convert RON to PLN for the Romanian part of the journey, and use the euro for Slovakia.
Tolls apply in Hungary and Slovakia and are paid through electronic vignettes, priced in euros or the local currency. Fuel is sold by the litre, and prices differ by country. A family doing the trip by car should budget for fuel, tolls, a night on the way and meals. Convert RON to PLN for the final destination, and use the euro for the stops on the way.
Episode seven: money matters today
Prices on either side
The best way to compare a lunch in Warsaw with one in Bucharest is to Convert RON to PLN for the Romanian bill.
Prices for everyday goods are broadly similar in the two countries, with Poland slightly higher in many categories. A coffee in Warsaw costs 12 to 18 zloty, a lunch menu 30 to 50, a main course in a restaurant 40 to 80. In Bucharest, a coffee costs 10 to 18 lei, a lunch menu 35 to 55 and a main course 40 to 80. The numbers are close, but the currencies differ, so a conversion helps.
Cards, cash and payments
Cards are widely accepted in both countries. Poland has a popular mobile payment system called Blik, while Romania has fast bank transfers between accounts. Cash is useful at small shops, markets and for tips of about ten per cent. Withdraw from cash machines in bank branches and decline conversion offers.
Sending money between the two
For a monthly transfer, Convert RON to PLN on a fixed day and compare the amount received with the figure here.
Transfers between lei and zloty are usually made through the euro, with a conversion at each end. Direct services exist, but the margin is often similar. Compare quotes against the reference rate on this page. Over a year of monthly payments, a difference of one per cent adds up to a few days of wages.
A week by car from Kraków to the Danube Delta
Day one: Kraków to Košice
A Polish family sets out from Kraków and crosses the Tatra foothills into Slovakia, where the road runs through the Spiš region with its castles and wooden churches. Košice, the second city of Slovakia, makes a pleasant first night. Slovakia uses the euro, so the family needs euros for the vignette, fuel and dinner. A motorway vignette costs a few euros for a week, and petrol is sold by the litre. They pay by card, choosing euros when the terminal asks.
Day two: Košice to Cluj-Napoca
Prices in Romania are modest, and a quick Convert RON to PLN for the day's spending proves it.
The border with Hungary and then with Romania takes most of the day, with a stop in Debrecen for lunch. In Hungary, they pay for the motorway with an electronic vignette bought online, with the registration number, in forint. After crossing at Borș, the family enters Romania, buys the road-user vignette, the rovinieta, online and changes a small sum into lei. They are now in a country where cards are accepted widely, but small purchases are in cash. Convert RON to PLN for the first dinner in Cluj, to see how the prices compare with Kraków.
The Romanian vignette
Foreign vehicles must have a valid rovinieta to use national roads, bought online from the official site or at petrol stations near the border. The fee depends on the vehicle category and the duration, and it is charged in lei. Cameras check number plates, and fines for driving without one are heavy. Keep the confirmation on your phone.
Day three: Cluj to Sibiu and the Transfăgărășan
From Cluj, the road runs south through Alba Iulia, with its star-shaped fortress, to Sibiu, one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Europe. The next morning, the family climbs the Transfăgărășan, a mountain road that rises to over 2,000 metres, usually open from late June or July to October. A cable car ride at the top costs a few dozen lei. They stay at a guesthouse in a mountain village, where half board costs about 200 lei per person. At the top, the temperature is ten degrees lower than in the valley, and Convert °C to °F helps a visitor read it either way.
Day four: Bucharest
The capital offers the Palace of the Parliament, the Old Town with its lively bars, parks and museums. A hotel room costs from 250 to 500 lei a night. Public transport uses a contactless card or ticket machines, and a day pass costs about 15 lei. Dinner in the old centre, with local dishes such as sarmale and mămăligă, is priced at 60 to 120 lei a head. Convert RON to PLN again for the total and compare with a weekend in Warsaw.
Day five and six: the Danube Delta
A boat trip is priced per person, so Convert RON to PLN for the family total, not for one ticket.
From Bucharest, the road runs east to Tulcea, the gateway to the Danube Delta. This UNESCO site is a maze of channels, reed beds and lakes, home to pelicans, herons and hundreds of other bird species. Boat trips are the only way to see it. A day trip by motorboat costs 150 to 300 lei per person, a night in a floating guesthouse 250 to 500. Fish soup, a Delta speciality, is a must. The mosquitoes can be fierce in summer, so bring repellent.
Day seven: back to the road
The return trip, via Brașov and the Carpathians, takes two days. The family can rest at a spa or tour Bran Castle, whose ticket costs around 60 lei. The total distance for the full loop is about 3,000 kilometres, and Convert km to mi gives just under 1,900 miles. Petrol, tolls and food for the whole trip may be 4,000 to 6,000 zloty for a family of four, depending on style.
Cards, cash and cash machines on the route
Slovakia, Hungary and Romania in one trip
On this route, three currencies are in play: the euro in Slovakia, the forint in Hungary and the leu in Romania. Cards work in all three, but small expenses such as parking, toilets and roadside stalls are often cash-only. Withdraw small sums from cash machines inside bank branches, and decline any offer to convert into zloty. Keep a card in your pocket and another in the luggage.
Keeping a log
Every evening, note the day's spending in the local currency and in zloty. A simple notebook works. After a few days, you will see which categories cost the most and can adjust your plans. A family that keeps a log often discovers that food and fuel are lower than expected, while souvenirs and tickets are higher.
If your card is lost
Know the number to call your bank to block it and where to order a replacement. Many banks offer emergency cash abroad. A second card, stored separately, saves the trip. Take photos of the cards' numbers or use your bank's app, which can block a card in seconds.
Related conversions
Currencies of the neighbours
For the euro, Convert RON to EUR. For Hungary, which lies between, Convert RON to HUF. For the Czech Republic, Convert RON to CZK. For zloty in euros, Convert EUR to PLN.
Time and temperature
Romania is one hour ahead of Poland all year. Convert EET to CET confirms the gap. Winters in both countries are cold, and Convert °C to °F helps readers who think in Fahrenheit.
Mistakes to avoid
The terminal's offer
If a card machine in Poland offers to charge you in lei, say no. Pay in zloty and let your bank convert.
Confusing the Slavic and Latin words for money
The zloty means "golden", and the leu means "lion". Neither has any connection with the other, and neither is related to the euro. Check the codes PLN and RON before you compare prices.
An old rate
A rate from last month can be a percentage point or more away from today's. The date beside the result protects you.
The border you do not have
The page downloads only the table of daily reference rates. The amount you type never leaves your device, and no account is needed. Between two countries with no shared frontier but a long common story, the habit is the same: Convert RON to PLN, read the date, compare any offer against the figure and keep a note.