German drivers flood Polish petrol stations as Iran war hits home

Thousands of German drivers have begun crossing into neighbouring Poland to refuel at lower prices as the war involving Iran pushes fuel costs sharply higher. The surge in so-called “fuel tourism” is now causing shortages and long lines at several petrol stations in Polish towns near the border.

In the northwestern Polish city of Świnoujście, which lies on the border with Germany, several fuel stations ran out of petrol last weekend as demand spiked, according to Polish media reports.

Drivers from both countries were reportedly “buying fuel in large quantities,” with some German motorists saving up to €20 per tank because prices in Poland are about two złoty (roughly €0.47) cheaper per liter than in Germany.

Świnoujście’s mayor, Joanna Agatowska, called on local fuel stations to closely monitor sales and limit purchases by German drivers. She also instructed border and customs authorities to enforce regulations allowing only one canister of fuel per person to be taken across the border.

A similar situation has been reported in other villages near the German border. In Żytowań, the local petrol station temporarily ran out of fuel earlier this week. Media reports said long lines of German cars had stretched “up to 600 meters” in the morning before supplies were depleted.

The surge in cross-border fuel purchases has sparked debate in German-Polish border regions. German newspapers warned that strict limits on fuel sales to Germans could send “a sensitive signal” in areas such as the island of Usedom, where cross-border travel is a routine part of everyday life.

Some papers argued that consumers on both sides of the border are simply seeking the best prices and that rising fuel costs should be addressed “at the political level” rather than through restrictions on cross-border movement.

By Nazrin Sadigova