NFZ sanatorium costs from 1 Oct 2026: PLN 10.60-32.60 a day
Short answer: From 1 October 2026 adults pay PLN 10.60 to 32.60 a day for board and lodging in an NFZ sanatorium, so PLN 222.60 to 684.60 for 21 days. Summer rates are higher.
What changed on 1 October 2026
A stay in an NFZ-funded spa sanatorium in Poland costs adult patients less in the autumn and winter months. From 1 October 2026 the daily part-payment for board and lodging is lower than the summer rate. According to GazetaPrawna (5 September 2026) and Rynek Zdrowia (10 October 2026), which quote NFZ figures, a single room with a full bathroom now costs PLN 32.60 a day, down from PLN 40.90 until the end of September.
The cut is seasonal. It is not a new discount and no application is needed. The amounts come from the Ministry of Health regulation on guaranteed spa treatment services. This article is general information.
Two seasons
Under the regulation, as described by GazetaPrawna, there are two billing seasons:
1 October to 30 April: autumn-winter, lower rates;
1 May to 30 September: summer, higher rates.
The rate depends on the room standard and on the dates of the stay. If a stay straddles two seasons, each day is charged at the rate of its season, according to GazetaPrawna and Pacjent.gov.pl.
Daily rates from 1 October 2026
GazetaPrawna lists these rates for adults in a spa sanatorium, per day:
PLN 32.60 for a single room with a full bathroom;
PLN 26.10 for a single room in a studio;
PLN 24.90 for a single room without a full bathroom;
PLN 19.50 for a double room with a full bathroom;
PLN 16.50 for a double room in a studio;
PLN 14.20 for a double room without a full bathroom;
PLN 12.50 for a multi-bed room with a full bathroom;
PLN 11.90 for a multi-bed room in a studio;
PLN 10.60 for a multi-bed room without a full bathroom.
Rynek Zdrowia lists the same figures where it overlaps, and gives the 21-day totals.
What 21 days costs
A standard adult sanatorium stay lasts 21 days. Multiplying the daily rate by 21 gives these totals, which match the figures given by GazetaPrawna and Rynek Zdrowia:
single room with a full bathroom: PLN 684.60, against PLN 858.90 at the summer rate, a saving of PLN 174.30;
single room in a studio: PLN 548.10, against PLN 785.40 (summer), a saving of PLN 237.30;
double room with a full bathroom: PLN 409.50;
double room without a full bathroom: PLN 298.20;
multi-bed room without a full bathroom: PLN 222.60.
Spa rehabilitation in a sanatorium lasts 28 days and is also part-paid, according to Pacjent.gov.pl, so a 28-day stay costs 28 times the daily rate. That multiplication is our calculation.
What you still pay for
The amount in the price list is only part of the cost. According to GazetaPrawna, citing NFZ, the Fund does not pay for:
travel to the sanatorium and back;
the part-payment for board and lodging;
food and lodging during outpatient treatment;
the stay of a carer;
extra charges in the spa town;
treatments not related to the purpose of the stay.
NFZ does pay for the treatments prescribed by the doctor as part of the spa programme.
Who does not pay the part-payment
According to GazetaPrawna, citing Pacjent.gov.pl, exemptions cover children and young people up to 18, or up to 26 if still studying, children with a severe disability without an age limit, and certain workers linked to asbestos products under separate rules.
A stay in a spa hospital (szpital uzdrowiskowy) is free for adults, while a sanatorium stay is part-paid, so check which form of treatment is on your referral.
Referral and waiting
A doctor who treats patients under NFZ issues the referral, and since 1 July 2023 it is issued electronically and available on the Internet Patient Account (IKP), according to Pacjent.gov.pl. When a date is set, the NFZ regional branch delivers the confirmed referral no later than 14 days before the treatment starts.
* Photos: the Baltic shore at Sopot and the station building in Kudowa-Zdrój, both public domain or CC0 via Wikimedia Commons. Both towns are spa towns.
Frequently asked questions
How much is an NFZ sanatorium stay from 1 October 2026?
From PLN 10.60 a day for a multi-bed room without a full bathroom up to PLN 32.60 for a single room with a full bathroom. For 21 days that is PLN 222.60 to PLN 684.60, according to GazetaPrawna.
Do I need to apply for the lower rate?
No. The lower rate applies to stays in the autumn-winter season, 1 October to 30 April, based on the dates and the room.
What if my stay starts in September?
The days in September are charged at the summer rate and the days from 1 October at the autumn-winter rate, according to GazetaPrawna.
Is a spa hospital stay free?
For adults, a 21-day stay in a spa hospital is free and a 21-day stay in a sanatorium is part-paid, according to Pacjent.gov.pl.
