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Travel Express

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Mirów, Wola

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Travel Express Sp. z o.o. | Wilcza Street 50/52 | 00-679 Warsaw | Poland | tel. +48 22 453 53 53 | fax +48 453 53 01

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The fast and modern Express InterCity Premium trains, which started operation on 14 December 2014, are a new category of comfort and quality on Polish rail tracks. In this way, they begin a new chapter in the modernization of the Polish transport sector, and create a better travel standard in Poland – tailored to the needs and financial abilities of various groups of passengers.

These services are operated by Pendolino trains, reaching speeds up to 200 km/h on Polish tracks. They connect the large metropolitan areas of Warsaw, Gdańsk, Wrocław, Katowice, and Krakow. You can expect all the facilities of a modern high-speed train, including reclining seats, plenty of legroom, WiFi access, and an onboard bistro.

These premium trains are the fastest on the Polish network, so seat reservations and a supplement are mandatory . Read more about that on this page .

EIP trains run on the important North-South axis in Poland. It connects Warsaw with Gdánsk, the Baltic Sea in the North, and three major cities in the South: Krakow, Katowice, and Wrocław.

EIP trains connect with many other trains in Poland, such as the regional trains or IC trains which can continue your journey to the smaller towns and villages across the countryside.

EIP routes:

• Warsaw – Krakow 
• Warsaw – Malbork – Gdańsk – Gdynia 
• Warsaw – Sosnowiec – Katowice – Gliwice 
• Warsaw – Sosnowiec – Katowice – Tychy – Bielsko-Biała  
• Warsaw – Częstochowa – Opole – Wrocław 
• Gdynia – Gdańsk – Malbork – Warszawa – Krakow – Tarnów – Rzeszów 
• Krakow – Warszawa – Gdańsk – Gdynia – Koszalin – Kołobrzeg

Reservations & supplements

Reservations and  supplements  are  mandatory  on EIP trains. We recommend you make your reservations as far in advance as possible.

How to book reservations for the EIP

Eurail reservation self-service system

Administration costs when booking through Eurail self-service

• € 2,- p.p.per train
• Additional € 9,- per order (for paper tickets)

With railway carriers

• PKP Intercity (Polish railways) : Domestic trains 

Other platforms

• Polrail : Domestic and international trains    

Locally at the train station in Poland

Seat reservations for the EIP cost 43 PLN (approx €10) per seat at Polish train stations, same as via the website of  PKP Intercity (Polish railways) . This includes the cost of the supplement.

Find information about official selling points  here .

By calling the Deutsche Bahn booking centre on +49 1806 996 633 (open 24/7).

How to buy a supplement for the EIP

Cost of the supplement

• PLN 43 (approx €10) – A seat reservation is included in these costs.

There are four ways to purchase the supplement and reservation for the EIP, so take a look at the options below to decide what's best for you.

Buy your reservation from our seat reservations tool

Good news! You can easily order your reservation from our reservations tool and pay the additional €10 fee for the supplement.

Buy your supplement and reservation online via PKP Intercity

Buy the supplement via  PKP Intercity  for 43 PLN (approx €10) together with a free seat reservation.

Buy your supplement and reservation in Poland

Buy the supplement  locally  for 43 PLN (approx €10) together with a free seat reservation.

Did you buy your reservation abroad?

No problem! You can still buy the supplement locally for 43 PLN (approx €10) at one of the train stations in Poland, or in the train after boarding.

Good to know

Information about selling points for these tickets can be found  here  (information in Polish).

Facilities and services

• Air conditioning
• Disabled facilities
• Newspapers/magazines
• Power sockets
• Restaurant/bistro
• Waiter service
• WiFi internet

Operated by:

Facilities may differ per train and route. When using timetables and railway maps, you will notice that the local spelling of city names is often used. This spelling differs from the common English names. For example, Warsaw is usually written as Warszawa.

Change of currency

You cannot change the currency once you have a Pass in your cart. Remove the Pass, and then change the currency on the website header.

Riding the Berlin-Warszawa Express Train (EC 40 to 48)

Ec 40 to 48 berlin - warsaw, flyctory.com pros.

• Good seating
• Nice restaurant car

Flyctory.com Cons

• Too long travel time
• No WiFi onboard
• Language issues in the train

Yes, I do like flying – but I am also a fan of rail travels. Just to find out how traveling in a train for that distance would be like, I took my return trip from Krakow to home / Dusseldorf airport in several Polish and German trains. This review is about the second section of my trip, the EC 48, which used to be called Berlin-Warszawa Express , I took the trip from Poland’s capital Warsaw to Berlin in late August 2021, after I tested the EIP high-speed train the day before. From Berlin, I headed on using an ordinary ICE train. My review is based on a first class ticket experience.

Berlin-Warszawa Express (EC40 to 48) – The Connection

I did this trip in summer 2021. There are typically five connections in any direction. From Warsaw there are three in the morning (roughly at 4:00, 6:00 and 8:00 hrs, one around noon and one in the afternoon (about 16:00 hrs) with a six hour traveling time. From Berlin, there are trains short before 6:00 and 10:00 in the morning and then trains around 14:00, 16:00 and 18:00 hrs. At the time of writing, the traveling time from Berlin to Warsaw is slightly shorter.

EC48 – The Schedule of My Trip

Below is the schedule of my trip, as of 30th August 2021. The train had some ten minutes delay in Warsaw Centralna station, but was already some ten minutes ahead of schedule in Kutno. Berlin Ostbahnhof (Berlin East Station) is typically a stop of the train as well – due to construction work in the station, the train did just pass the place.

You can buy tickets for the train at Polish Rail PKP as well as at German Deutsche Bahn. At least the German peer offers some really nice ticket offers. My first class ticket from Warszawa to Berlin and then heading on to Dusseldorf in a first class ICE high speed rail train was about 60 Euro, including a 25% Bahn.card discount.

Berlin-Warszawa Express (EC40 to 48) – The Rolling Stock

There used to be specially branded Berlin-Warszawa Express rail wagons for this trip in the early beginning of the connection. Nowadays, PKP Intercity, the Polish national rail company, is using their normal Intercity cars. Like at the EIP Express InterCity Premium high speed rail train, there is only one first class car, followed by the restaurant car and the second class.

The first class cabin came with a classic 1-2 seat configuration. Compared to the EIP and many German trains, for example, there were significantly more table seats of two / four, with one / two seats each side facing each other. The table could be folded up, but only completely so that in the folded state, there were two halves of the table in vertical position, facing each other. Power socket are located at each seat, but there is no WiFi (I found a hotspot, but I couldn’t connect – and that was the same for the other passengers around my table.

Due to the many tables in the wagon, there was plenty of space for suitcases between two back-to-back seats. You also had overhead areas for light luggage.

Berlin-Warszawa Express (EC40 to 48) – Service

On the Polish part of your trip, you got a snack (which was a cereal bar) and some water or coffee. The service was a bit of chaotic, also because the rail staff did neither write down the drink orders nor which passenger spoke Polish or English. I was a bit pissed that in an international train, the announcements were majorly done in Polish only on the Polish side (some were in English as well) – but I have to say that after Frankfurt (Oder), they changed to German and English, which was not better in that perspective. Deutsche Bahn and their partners do much better at the connections from Frankfurt and Cologne to Brussels and Amsterdam, where they partially operate with announcements in four languages (English, German, Dutch, French). The service quality and attitude was nice, though.

I also tried out the Polish restaurant car. For some seven Euro, I got some freshly cooked (in a pan! Not warming up dishes like in German cars) chicken with rice and salad, which was really nice. The waitress of the restaurant even brought the food in a take-away box to my seat so that I did not have to wait. Excellent service.

Berlin-Warszawa Express (EC40 to 48) – My Trip

Below are some impressions from the trip. In general, there are quite some longer stops, so that the train easily catches up delays.

Berlin-Warszawa Express (EC40 to 48) – My View

The train ride from Warsaw to Berlin was definitely a nice experience. If you are a business traveler, you may fancy the very early connection and the afternoon/evening one. It is obvious to say that – with better tracks and rolling stock – you should at least easily be able to cut down the travel time by half, which would make this connection very attractive compared to air travel. No WiFi was bothering – and they should work on the situation that on both sides of the border, train crew is speaking German, Polish and English.

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SIMPLE SMART TRAVEL

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Travel express dmc poland.

• Polish Travel Agency fouden in 1994 with over 20 years of expenence!
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• Travel Express has built two strong brands: Travel Express DMC Poland and FCm Travel Express

Incoming service groups Classic tours

• Classic tours
• Theme tours (eg. Chopin and his heritage)
• Special interest tours (eg. culinary tour, fortifications, Polish narrow-gauge railways)
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• We offer selection of best venues in whole Poland, accommodation in the best properties at special discount rates, welcome greetings & receptions, gala dinners & private shows in unique surroundings, pre & post conferences, spouses programs, local tours, transportation by de luxe couches, limousines, special trains & private flights, traditional & high equipment
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Travel Express Sp. z o.o. | ul. Wilcza 50/52 | 00-679 Warszawa | Poland | tel. +48 22 453 53 53 | fax +48 453 53 01

Related Content

• At A Glance

First Class

Second class, reservations (& using rail passes):.

EC (Berlin - Warszawa Express)

At a glance, travel pass supplement, rail pass reservation fees.

1st and 2nd class = €4

Reservations

Seat reservations are mandatory on this train, so will automatically included when booking tickets, but rail pass users must reserve prior to boarding.

Time of Day

This train is solely used on daytime departures.

Food services available

This train conveys a restaurant car at which both 1st and 2nd class travellers can take a seat at a table and order from a menu including hot meal options.

Bar (sandwiches, snacks, salads)

The train has a bar car with a counter at which hot and cold drinks, snacks, salads, sandwiches and confectionary etc can be ordered. These items can then be consumed in the bar car or taken back to your seat.

Accessibility

Accessing the train

Wheelchair Spaces

Dedicated spaces for wheelchairs are available on this train.

Train Specification

Attributes of the train

Has a Conductor

A conductor will be present on board the train, their role includes making announcements and responding to passenger queries.

Which country these trains operate in.

This train operates on routes within Germany

This train operates on routes within Poland

Travel Passes

A complimentary WiFi portal is available throughout this train.

Welcome drinks:

Complimentary drinks and snacks will be served, choices will include coffee, orange juice and prosecco.

EC (Berlin - Warszawa Express) Travel Guide

Polish national rail operator PKP has plans to use its very smart ‘Pendolino’ trains, which it uses for its prestigious EIP services, on this route.

However, for the time being these Berlin-Warszawa Express trains have something of a split personality - and that’s because a mix of coaches are used for these trains.

Seats will automatically be assigned when booking tickets for journeys by these trains.

Using rail passes

Rail pass users will need to have made reservations prior to boarding, but avoid booking reservations last minute at the station, particularly if you will be travelling on a Friday or Sunday - seats can sell out in advance.

They can be purchased online or at the station, in Berlin hbf, or at any hauptbahnhof, main station in German - where they can be purchased without booking fees at a Reisezentrum ticket desk.

The older coaches are looking tired and as a result toilets, light switches, power-sockets and Wi-Fi can be out-of-order. If your 1st class seat is in one of these older coaches, you’ll wonder why you are paying a premium, compared to those travelling 2nd class in one of the more modern coaches.

Though a minor benefit of being 1st class is the complimentary drink and snacks for the Polish part of the journey. (Though they pale in comparison to the complimentary light meals served on the top tier Polish EIP trains).

Also the free Wi-Fi is seemingly a lot more reliable in Germany.

So not the smartest of European train services, and they can also be very crowded - particularly in both directions between Warszawa and Poznan.

Something else to be aware of is that the coach, in which the restaurant car is located is divided, a third of the space is used for seats at which meals aren’t served. If possible avoid these seats if you want a quiet trip, you won’t be particularly shielded from the chatter in the restaurant seats.

Also the patrons of the restaurant car will be walking passed these seats to access the toilet - and those that haven’t lucked out on finding a seat in the restaurant car, also tend to sit on the floor or stand in this part of the coach.

These trains convey a restaurant car, which also doubles up as bar/bistro car.

Whether you will be travelling First or Second Class you can go to this car and purchase hot/drinks, snacks and sandwiches etc and then either stand at the bar to consume them or take the items back to your seat.

The restaurant car:

Because the reservable seats can sell out in advance on these trains, many travellers head to the restaurant car as soon as they board. A lively atmosphere results from the need to constantly order drinks and snacks, in order to retain a seat at the tables.

If you can speak Polish and enjoy a card game then your journey will fly by, but otherwise don’t rely on having a meal during your trip on the busier departures, because table seats may not be available - though the meals in the restaurant car are reasonably priced. If you do want to have a meal head to the restaurant as soon as you have claimed your seat(s).

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• Krakow travel

The Ultimate Guide on Getting from Warsaw to Krakow

• January 27, 2022
• In Krakow travel
• Updated: February 23, 2022

Warsaw is the capital and the biggest city in Poland. Many travellers land at Poland’s busiest airport, Warsaw Chopin, before making their way down south to enjoy the historical city of Krakow. There are many different options for travelling between these two cities, but what is the best way?

Warsaw is located in central Poland, almost 300km north of Krakow. With plenty of options for travelling between the two on the menu, we will help you decide what mode of transport is best. Yep, this ultimate guide on getting from Warsaw to Krakow will run through all the ins and outs of trains, buses, cars, and even planes…

This article may contain affiliate links to hotels, services, and other extras that will earn us something if you click through and book. It’s what helps us keep offering great info on Krakow, so thanks for that!

What’s in this guide on how to travel from Warsaw to Krakow

Warsaw to krakow by a high-speed train, warsaw to krakow by a normal train, warsaw to krakow by bus, warsaw to krakow by plane, warsaw to krakow by car, where to stay in warsaw.

Time: 2h20m

Cost: 49PLN – 150PLN

Comfort: 5/5

Since 2014 fast and comfortable trains, Pendolino, have been introduced to Polish railways. These trains have massively reduced the travelling times from Warsaw to Krakow, making it the quickest and easiest way to travel between Poland’s two largest cities overland. It takes less than 2.5 hours to get from the capital to Krakow by Express Intercity Premium’s Pendolino trains. They are over an hour faster than any other road transport.

The train starts in Gdansk by the Polish seaside and stops at three stations in Warsaw. Those are Warszawa Wschodnia (Warsaw east), Warszawa Centralna (the main train station) and Warszawa Zachodnia (Warsaw west). Pendolino then goes directly into Krakow’s main train station, which is centrally located, right by the old town. Most people will catch the train from Warsaw’s main train station, which has the most central location in the city. The train has the lengthiest stop there so everyone can get on the train without a problem.

Pendolino trains are relatively new as trains go with good levels of comfort. You will need to get a reserved seat, so you don’t need to worry about finding the best seat. There are tables by some seats and trays on the others. There are also electricity plugs, and Wi-Fi is available, so it’s not a problem if you need to work. It’s best to book the seats around the tables if you want the most space or if you’re coming as a group of up to four.

When it comes to buying tickets, it’s best to do it online in advance . The tickets go on sale exactly 30 days before the departure, and the cheapest rates sell out quickly. You can pay as little as 49 PLN if you manage to secure the early bird deal but won’t pay more than 150 PLN for the second class. Make sure to book trains marked as EIP to purchase the high-speed lines. You can also buy the tickets at the counter at all train stations, but that’s also best done in advance to secure the best price and seats.

Time: 2h37m – 3h50m

Cost: From 37.40PLN up to 150PLN

Comfort: 4/5

There are plenty of direct trains from Warsaw to Krakow other than the high-speed rail. Although these take a bit longer, most of them are still quicker than buses and cars. The fastest one is Express Intercity, which only takes around 15-20 minutes longer than the high-speed Pendolino. The carriages, though, are slightly older with different seating arrangements. Those are six to eight seats in each compartment. Similar to EIP trains, these will cost anywhere between 49 PLN and 150 PLN depending on available deals. The sale of these starts 30 days before departure, and it’s worth booking your tickets as soon as you can. They will be marked as EIC online.

Other trains from Warsaw to Krakow are the slower Intercity and TLK, which can take anywhere from 2h47m to 3h50m. Although they are not as quick as the express trains, the tickets will usually be cheaper. They can cost as little as 37.40 PLN, but you will need to get the tickets in advance if you want to secure the best deals. These are also slightly less comfortable since the trains are usually older than the express ones. These are not the most laptop-friendly either since most of them don’t have Wi-Fi, plugs or tray tables.

All trains travelling from Warsaw to Krakow stop at three stations in the capital, but most people start their journey at the main train station (Warszawa Centralna). You can buy your tickets there, but if you want to get the best seats and rates, it’s better to do it online in advance. You can’t buy tickets for any Polish intercity trains earlier than 30 days before departure, though.

Time: 4h25m+

Cost: From 20PLN

Comfort: 2/5

Although this is neither the quickest nor the most comfortable way to get from Warsaw to Krakow, buses are usually the cheapest. You can find tickets for as low as 20 PLN if you book in advance. Buses usually take at least 4h25m, but that is not set in stone. Some buses are scheduled to take a little longer anyway, but the usual cause of delays is traffic.

Despite being the two largest cities in Poland, there is no motorway between Warsaw and Krakow. The expressway that connects these two metropolises is far from perfect, with large parts being one lane. It often gets congested, so 4.25 h can often be more like 6 h. That said, if you choose your times wisely and avoid the rush hours, you should get to Krakow at the scheduled time without having to pay much for your ticket.

There are a couple of bus companies running from Warsaw to Krakow, but the most popular is Flixbus. Other ones include NEOBUS and PKS Polonus, but those go less frequently than the European green coaches known as Flixbus. You will need to book your tickets online, and doing it in advance should save you a bit of cash. Most buses go from Warsaw West bus station with a couple of daily connections going from Warsaw Mlociny and two of the capital’s airports.

Cost: from 142 PLN

Technically, the quickest way to get from Warsaw to Krakow is by plane since the flight only takes around 55 minutes. That said, if you count the time you spend on getting to and waiting at the airports, you may find that the trains can actually take less time. But if we’re only counting the time of travel, then yes, flying is the quickest option.

The only carrier offering direct flights from Warsaw to Krakow is the Polish national airline LOT. There are seven flights daily, going around every 2-3 hours during the daytime. Due to the length of this journey, the planes on this route are small, with no possibility of booking premium or business class, so the only available seats are those in the economy. We still rated the comfort as 5, though, since this is such a short flight.

The flights to Krakow only depart from Warsaw’s main international airport, Warsaw Chopin in Okęcie. The airport can easily be reached by public transport or taxis from most parts of the city.

When it comes to buying the tickets, we strongly advise you to do so online in advance. The morning flights tend to be cheaper than the evening ones, with prices starting at around 142 PLN per person. You can book your tickets via LOT’s official website .

Time: 3h30m+

You can always drive from Warsaw to Krakow if you have a vehicle, but we should warn you that it’s not the quickest way. Despite being the two largest cities in Poland, there is currently no motorway connecting these two metropolises. The fastest road is the expressway S7, which is around 290 km long. It will take you at least 3.5 hours without the traffic that can often be more like 5-6h in the rush hours.

The quality of the road, though, is far from perfect, with large sections being only one lane. The S7 often gets congested so if you’re pushed for time, opt for a train or flight. There are two alternative routes. Both are longer but sometimes quicker. The combination of S8 and A1 roads that go via Czestochowa and Katowice is around 370 km long. Some sections of it are dual-carriage motorways. This way should take about 4h25m. The third option is taking a slower DW728 road before joining S7 by Kielce.

• H15 Boutique Hotel ($$$) – A beautiful five-star hotel in the heart of Warsaw. It’s located in a beautiful, historic building which once was a soviet embassy.
• Mamaison Hotel Le Regina Warsaw ($$$) – A luxury hotel with a spa situated in the middle of Warsaw’s beautiful old town. It’s quite pricy but well worth it.
• Hotel Indigo Warsaw Nowy Świat, an IHG Hotel ($$) – A stylish boutique hotel in a fantastic, central location. The hotel offers free bike rentals, the best way to explore Poland’s vibrant capital

Warsaw to Krakow – the conclusion

There are many ways to travel from Warsaw to Krakow, but not all of them are the most convenient. We think that trains are the best option to travel on this route, especially if you go on the high-speed Pendolino train that takes less than 2.5 hours. It’s best to avoid the roads if you are pushed for time. That said, buses are usually the cheapest mode of transport on this route. It’s also possible to fly with Poland’s national carrier, but this option is usually pricier than going overland.

How much does the train from Warsaw to Kraków cost?

The prices start at 37.40 PLN and can go up to 150 PLN in the standard second class. The cost of the ticket will depend on the type of train and the time of booking. You can buy the tickets up to 30 days in advance when you can secure the early-bird deals. The express trains are also more expensive than the Intercity and TLK trains.

Is it cheaper to fly into Warsaw or Kraków?

You will usually find cheaper tickets to Warsaw’s secondary airport, Warsaw Modlin. That said, it is not a rule, and you can often find cheaper flights into Krakow. The cost of getting from the airport to the city is also less in Krakow than in Modlin, so you should consider that when planning your trip.

How do I get from Warsaw airport to Kraków?

There are two airports in Warsaw, Warsaw Chopin Airport known as Okęcie and Warsaw Modlin. You will usually have to travel to central Warsaw to catch a train or a bus to Krakow, which is easier done from the better-connected Chopin Airport. There are also a couple of direct bus connections from both airports with Flixbus. The quickest option, though, is to fly from Okęcie with Polish national carrier LOT.

Asia K (the surname is long, unspellable, and very Polish!) is a Krakow native. She lived and worked in the city her whole life before heading off to travel the world. Today, she comes to Krakow as a regular visitor, which is just what's needed to put together expert guides for fly-in visitors and weekend breakers. She's an avid hiker (hello Tatra Mountains) and loves craft beer (mmm Kazimierz)

hello, i’m from india. I’m planning to move to warsaw next year for career opportunity. While my husband’s company is in warsaw, my company is in krakow. Do you have any suggestion related to commute?

High-speed Express InterCity Premium trains – they go like 200km/h and do Krakow-Warsaw in just over 2 hours. That’s the fastest way becuase there’s extra faff at the airport when flying.

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Warsaw To Krakow Train

• $​57 Lowest Cost
• 292 km Distance
• 2h 39min Travel Time

​ Warszawa Centralna Train Station

​ Kraków Główny Train Station

• Tip On your way from Warsaw to Krakow, add to your list of activities Wawel Royal Castle visiting, the central Krakow marketplace - The Cloth Hall, ​as well as admire St. Mary's Basilica, and many other exciting experiences according to your preferences!

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Discover more destinations in europe, krakow to warsaw train, vienna to krakow train, warsaw to vienna train, krakow to prague train.

My 18-Hour Train Ride From Warsaw To Kyiv

My train ride from Warsaw to Kyiv was l-o-n-g and stifling hot, but all things considered a very comfortable journey between the Polish and Ukrainian capital cities onboard D 68, The Kyiv Express.

Train Review: D 68 – The Kyiv Express (Warsaw – Kyiv) – Three-Bed Sleeper Compartment

I arrived at Warszawa   Wschodnia   (Warsaw East station) at 5:00 pm, 45 minutes ahead of my departure to Kyiv. My train did not display on the departure board, so I briefly panicked, thinking I was at the wrong station. But a station attendant who spoke English directed me toward track three.

With no idea what to expect onboard the train, I spent the next 30 minutes in the departure hall charging my phone and laptop. I came prepared with a portable charger, but with an 18-hour journey ahead of me, I wanted to be as close to fully charged as possible before even leaving the station.

At 5:25 pm I proceeded to track three, where the train still had not arrived. At 5:33 pm, the train pulled up into the station, with blue and yellow passenger carriages that did not look all that different on the outside than the Metro cars in Kyiv.

Train attendants stepped off of each car and queues formed to board the train. Passports were checked and train tickets compared to a printed manifest. My train attendant in car three did not speak a word of English, but after looking at my US passport and ticket, waved me onboard.

Onboard, I found a narrow hallway with compartments on the left side. Each compartment in this carriage offered triple accommodations, with three seats as well as tri-level beds that folded down.

My roommates arrived: a mother and daughter returning to Ukraine. The daughter spoke English and asked if I would mind taking the top bunk. No problem.

I was elated to see that my room had a pair of 220-volt power outlets, which kept my devices charged during the journey.

We pulled out of Warsaw West roughly on schedule and began our journey east. The window in our compartment was damaged (it had tape over it) and dirty, so I do not have a lot of pictures from the journey itself. In fact, I was not sure how photography would be received at all, so I held off.

For the first four hours of the journey, all three of us sat up. I got a lot of work done (no wi-fi, but I was able to tether off my phone, which had a strong mobile signal) while they watched movies or played games on their tablets.

People smoked in the hallway and that cigarette smoke wafted into our room.

Around 9:30 pm, the train attendant showed up to make our beds for the evening. The top bunk (my bed) was already down, but she pulled the other two beds down from the wall.

We were provided a sealed bag with sheets and a towel, while a pillow and comforter was sitting in the storage area of the compartment (and my guess, not washed between journeys).

I used this time to change into more comfortable clothing (athletic attire). Our carriage had two bathrooms, including one with a shower. The shower was absolutely filthy and the toilet could barely flush (it just gurgled).

In case you were wondering, there was no service onboard. I thought each carriage would have a large hot water tank that you could use to make coffee or tea, but I did not even see that. There certainly was no dining car or anything like that.

I came well-prepared with nuts, beef jerky, fruit, and water…but I ended up fasting. After all that food in the Swiss Alpine Lounge , I was not hungry at all.

Minutes later, we reached Dorohusk-Osada near the Polish-Ukranian border. While I expected to have to step off the train at the Polish border, uniformed Polish officials boarded the train, stopping at each compartment to stamp us out of Poland.

We continued our journey just over the border and pulled into a garage in Rymachi (Volyn Oblast), where a change of gauge would take place (tracks in Ukraine are wider, requiring the wheels to be moved further apart). For the next four hours , we did not move. I am not sure why this took so long, but during this time the train attendant collected our passports.

I was expecting some sort of interrogation, but around 2:00 am, Ukrainian border officials in camouflage fatigue knocked on our door and without a word, handed us back our passports.

Finally, around 3:00 am local time we took off again for Kyiv (we also lost an hour crossing the border due to the time zone change), I had already been asleep for a few hours while waiting and quickly fell asleep again.

The cabin was stifling hot (nearly 30ºC according to the thermometer in the hall) and the windows did not crack open, but thankfully I was able to not just sleep, but sleep for the next seven hours without interruption.

When I awoke, we were just outside Kyiv. Finally, at 12:07 pm we pulled into Kyiv-Pasazhyrsky. I bid farewell to my roommates and we lined up to step off the train.

It was a nippy afternoon, but the sky was clear and blue.

My first stop was for a flat white in the station.

All things considered, the train ride was remarkably smooth and a superb way to travel between capitals. I was fortunate to score a last-minute ticket and thankful to arrive in Kyiv very well-rested.

There is nothing luxurious about this train. No service. Filthy restrooms. Smoking onboard. But it was a special journey and one that I hope to take back to Warsaw.

Next: stepping into the city

About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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38 comments.

I’m glad you made it to the (East!) train station and your journey went smoothly! I should have warned you to try to get a cabin in the middle of the wagon to avoid the smokers because they usually smoke in the space between the cars so the middle cabins go first. I’d have asked the conductor to tell the smokers to go there. This train looks pretty new compared to the one I usually take from Przemysl-Odessa including a flush toilet and shower. The old fashioned train we take has the toilet flush out onto the tracks. It’s a pity they don’t have a diner wagon anymore. They cancelled that about a decade ago for budget reasons but I have fond memories of enjoying some delicious, affordable food in it. When I first went to Odessa 25 years ago, the train had a (get this) COAL fired heater and stove!!! I’m shocked that you didn’t get tea service which, to Poles and Ukrainians, is a blasphemy to have to live without.

It helps (mostly) to travel with my wife in Ukraine because she will bark in such a scary manner that most move out of her way so if there are smokers, I ask her to yell at them and they shoo.

I’ll show her the pictures.

That filthy bathroom, the 30C cabin and the cigarette smoke were the 3 strikes for me. I guess you cannot wait to check in at your hotel.

It’s hard to believe that cigarette smoke was the norm during the 1980’s and I couldn’t stand it. We miss those days when people wore suits and you got a full meal in economy class but they came at a cost. If you were lucky, you got an “inflight movie” and some old magazines such as “Boy’s life”, “Highlights”, and “Time.”

Have fun explaining the Ukraine visa stamp to US immigration when you return.

Have you heard of Global Entry? You don’t interact with any immigration officer anymore. Also, when the president of the US goes there, I don’t see any reason why Matthew would have any problems explaining his trip.

You reckon they will even notice??

How to say you’ve never been to Ukraine without saying you’ve never been to Ukraine. As a candidate for EU and NATO membership, Ukraine is a country of surprises. The first one is how modern much of it is, and how large its major cities are. I was in Ukraine three months before the invasion and traveled from there to a couple of EU countries before returning home in the U.S. No one blinked an eye about the Ukrainian passport stamps. I am returning next month. No visa is required for US citizens.

Ukraine is a democracy that has worried hard and is fighting to retain its hard won civil rights and freedoms. They don’t need ill-informed people making ignorant comments like yours.

Giving your train a solid B+, considering the circumstances of the last year. I’ve done a few Amtrak cross country rides and as much as I enjoy and support Amtrak, the train cars look so much worse! ( no war excuse ) I might find the stranger sleeper arrangement odd, but no more awkward than a long haul economy plane ride. You’re doing great!

What was the one way last minute train fare (USD)?

Hi Mathew, where did you purchase this train ticket? I can’t find it anywhere

I bought it at the ticket counter in Warsaw. Showed sold out online every day.

This is journey is utterly fascinating! I get oddly excited about each new post. Such an adventure in a part of the world that I know little about except for the war coverage. What fantastic posts!

You got it wrong. You did not arrived or leaved from Warszawa Zachodnia(West) but from Warsaw Wschodnia(East) as written in your ticket and in your photo.

But look at the station name – second picture of this story. I took a picture of it. It must stop at both places.

My dear I don’t know what got you so confused. It looks like you’re trolling everyone who speaks Polish/Ukrainian and got a google maps access.

Your train departed from Warszawa Wschodnia / Warsaw Eastern Station. Your ticket’s got Warszawa Wschodnia on it. You picture of a station building clearly shows Warszawa Wschodnia. It makes perfect sense the train heading East leaves from Eastern train station.

Wschodnia – means Eastern (wschodnia literally means where the sun rises – the same in Polish and Ukrainian).

At no point you in your journey (so far) you had anything to do with Warszawa Zachodnia, which means Western (zachodnia literally means where the sun sets).

You’re right — I am the confused one, though it was not deliberate. I was reading Wschodnia as Zachodnia when clearly (and literally) it means the opposite.

I’ve edited the post in an attempt to remove the confusion.

Obviously I’m nitpicking here, but just want to clarify: the gauge change takes so long because entire bogies get swapped out at the border facility. The train cars are designed for this – they are rolled onto a gauntlet track that features both standard (1435) and the wider, ex-Soviet gauge (1520 mm). Bogies are disconnected from the car chassis, rolled away and a new set is rolled in and fitted to the car.

Variable gauge technologies do exist (Spain, notably), but they’re not used on these sleeper cars because of the complexity and maintenance requirements. It’s easier to just swap out entire parts of the train.

I was a little concerned yesterday when your ticket clearly showed Warsaw East, but luckily you ended up at the right station after all. Safe travels, Matthew!

Very helpful explanation! Thank you.

Oh my, was I really at the wrong station? Wish I could speak Polish…

Yes, you were. In the first photo from the taxi you can clearly see in the screen that you’re heading towards Warszawa Wschodnia (Eastern Station)

Ah, I thought Wschodnia was west. So Wschodnia is east. Got it.

What holds the car up while the wheels are missing?

So interesting to read, and helpful in understanding what life is like over there. Thank you so much for these posts!

Tracks are narrower in Poland and whole Europe, not in Ukraine as you wrote.

Without a doubt, one of the most fascinating trip reports that a points blogger has ever contributed. Way to step it up, Matthew. As well reporting in such a way that is balanced and not full of hyperbole. You set a new bar as to blogging.

Why do the cars have German words on them “Schlafwagen”, are they old cars that have been put out of service by DB or DR?

It‘s also written in French and Italian. („wagon lits“ and „vagone letto“) But I am wondering why the reservation only shows the German word „ Reservierung“.

Don’t you need a visa to visit Ukraine, especially during wartime?

You have the track sizes backwards. The gauge change entering Ukraine is to switch from standard gauge (1,435 mm) Polish tracks to broad gauge (1,520 mm) Ukrainian tracks. Tracks throughout the former Soviet Union are typically wider than much of Western Europe, including Poland. (Spain and Portugal are an exception, with the primary conventional rail network having 1,668 mm Iberian gauge tracks.)

Can you share your train journey back from Kyiv? We are having trouble finding direct trains from Kyiv to Warsaw! Any help will be appreciated.

My dilemma here–

https://liveandletsfly.com/bus-or-train-kyiv-warsaw/

I ended up taking the bus. Big mistake. Go to Moldova.

Just to let you know, the windows well might be damaged as well, but they’re shutting them close without an opportunity to open on purpose and put the tape over them in case the train is hit by the artillery etc so the glass doesn’t shatter everywhere and there’s less damage ( Don’t know the efficacy of such actions but that’s the reasoning behind it and you see plenty of taped over windows in Ukraine since Feb24 2022)

Oh, I am so glad I found this rewiev! I will take the same train Warszawa-Kyiv in August. I have only travelled with the train Chelm-Kyiv before. As I am travelling with my daugther I am intresserad in the breths – is there any gunwales on the breths? Or maybe I only have to hope we will have the two lower breths.

There was a rail on the top berth. Safe travels!

Really really helpful post. Thx.

super helpful, many thanks for sharing.

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National Express coaches to Glastonbury Festival 2024 - full list of new departure locations to Worthy Farm event

N ational Express is set to ramp up its travel services for Glastonbury Festival-goers with the addition of 34 new departure locations. The official coach travel partner for the event, National Express has announced an expansion to its Glastonbury service to address increasing demand.

Festival-goers can now journey to Worthy Farm from 109 locations. An estimated passenger increase of more than 20% compared to 2023 is expected by the company. Furthermore, a fleet of double-decker electric buses will be deployed to provide a frequent shuttle service between Bristol Bus Station and Worthy Farm, reports Bristol Live .

With zero tailpipe emissions and each bus capable of covering up to 173 miles on full charge, it benefits the environment by saving approximately 348kg of carbon emissions per cycle compared to diesel buses, the operator said.

Commercial director at National Express, John Boughton, said: "Demand for affordable and reliable public transport has never been greater, and that includes travel to the summer's hottest festivals and events. We have over 25 years' experience operating special services direct to Glastonbury Festival and with our extensive nationwide network of modern coaches, we're able to step up and put on additional routes to help even more people choose us as the savvy way to travel to the festival. It's also good for the environment as the least carbon-intensive public transport option."

The list of new departure points, as shared with Bristol Live, is as follows:

• Manchester Airport
• Bristol Temple Meads
• Stoke on Trent
• Kingston upon Thames

National Express states that return tickets start from £31.50, with some availability remaining in certain locations. The company plans to establish a temporary coach station within 100 metres of the festival gates, where passengers will disembark, ready to set up their tents. Tickets come with a luggage allowance of 20kg for the hold, plus one piece of soft hand luggage.

Delta bullish on 2024 demand, Amex partnership; less so on the Paris Olympics

Delta Air Lines is forecasting another busy summer travel season, buoyed by a sustained demand for leisure travel — not to mention a far more robust business travel sector that's been slow to improve in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

The company reported its first-quarter 2024 earnings Wednesday, revealing it made $37 million — a modest profit, though that's not unexpected during the winter months.

During a conference call, executives at the Atlanta-based carrier shed some light on Delta's plans for this year and beyond.

The plans include a renewed focus on its longtime hubs, and a lot of anticipation for overseas travel — but a less-than-bullish view of perhaps the summer's biggest global event.

Want more airline-specific news? Sign up for TPG's free biweekly Aviation newsletter .

Travel demand remains strong

As the calendar shifted to 2024, travel industry watchers wondered if the "revenge travel" craze witnessed ever since 2022 might finally begin to subside — or if the packed airport terminals and tourist hot spots seen the last two summers might be here to stay.

It appears to be the latter, at least as far as Delta is concerned.

During the first three-plus months of 2024, Delta has recorded its 11 highest sales days ever, CEO Ed Bastian noted during a conference call with analysts Wednesday.

Business travel finally rebounding?

Part of those surging sales, no doubt, are thanks to what Delta is characterizing as a "meaningful" step forward for business travel.

Ever since pandemic-related restrictions were lifted, travel's resurgence has been led by leisure travel and, more recently, "group" travel (think travelers headed to conferences). Classic, last-minute, one- or two-day business trips have consistently lagged behind pre-pandemic levels, though.

And the travel landscape's recovery across the U.S. has been uneven, as hospitality analytics firm CoStar noted in a February report . In 2023, the study showed, per-room hotel revenue surged over 2019 levels in some popular conference destinations like Las Vegas, Phoenix, Tampa and San Diego ... but lagged far behind in the likes of San Francisco, Minneapolis, Philadelphia and Los Angeles.

Might 2024 be different?

"Since the start of the year, we've seen a sustained acceleration in business travel," Delta President Glen Hauenstein said Wednesday, noting ticket sales via corporate accounts rose 14% during January, February and March over that same period in 2023.

Leisure travel not fading, either

But it's not just business travelers giving Delta reason for optimism this year.

"Delta's core consumers are in a healthy position, and travel remains a top purchase priority," Bastian added on Wednesday's conference call.

More broadly, there are signs of another big year for air travel; the Transportation Security Administration recorded its 10th-busiest day ever at U.S. checkpoints leading into the recent Easter weekend, suggesting a continued demand for leisure travel like weekend getaways and vacations.

A big part of Delta's summer 2024 plans involves international flying.

In June, July and August, Delta's seats to Europe will be up 11% versus 2019, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium (though by a more modest 6% over last summer), reflecting the sustained interest in overseas trips.

This summer, Delta is also planning year-over-year seat growth of more than 20% to transpacific destinations in Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and Japan collectively, per Cirium.

"For many, many years, the Pacific was a drag on our earnings," Hauenstein told investors at an industry conference last month, noting transpacific travel is among the factors Delta leaders are "most excited about" this year.

Paris 2024 won't be a boon

When you combine big overseas plans with a sustained appetite for travel, Delta must be ecstatic about the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympic Games ... right?

After all, among the Big Three U.S. carriers, Delta has a bigger presence in Paris than American Airlines and United Airlines combined, with 2.3 million seats to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) scheduled for this summer, per Cirium.

Let's just say, the prospects are a little more lukewarm than you might expect.

"Generally, the Olympics are not good for airline revenues. And this year, I think, is no exception to that," Hauenstein said Wednesday, noting that business travel typically takes a back seat during the weeks surrounding the games.

"So I wouldn't say that's going to be a windfall," Hauenstein said. "It's actually going to be a bit of a head wind for us."

Despite that, Bastian was quick to say Delta is firmly behind the U.S. Olympians.

"We're very excited as a sponsor for Team USA," he said. "We'll get through it."

Delta's Amex partnership is as robust as ever

Delta made $1.7 billion through its partnership with American Express during the first quarter, executives said this week.

The company hopes to make a whopping $7.5 billion through its Amex tie-up in 2024, topping last year's equally eye-popping $6.8 billion.

Last month, Delta leaders reiterated a factoid that's both a common talking point and a staggering statistic: If you add up all the spending every Delta-Amex customer charges to their card, the total approaches 1% of the U.S. gross domestic product, the company says.

Delta also noted how the company has worked with Amex to expand the number of retail locations where the issuer's cards are accepted, sometimes a pesky hurdle bemoaned by Amex cardmembers.

Amex cards are accepted at an "all-time high" number of mechants domestically, Hauenstein said. And increasingly, Delta and Amex have focused on this in cities overseas — particularly where the airline flies its SkyMiles members.

"We worked with [Amex] on prioritizing those places that Americans like to go for vacations," Hauenstein added.

That could mean even more places abroad where you can swipe your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card when buying a souvenir, or earn 4 Membership Rewards points per dollar by charging your dinner out to your American Express® Gold Card .

Responding to industry safety concernsdel

The aviation industry has faced its share of negative attention in recent months, ever since the midair blowout of a door plug on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 jet in January.

The incident reignited a spotlight on quality control at Boeing, helping fuel a major leadership shake-up at the plane-maker.

Recently, United has also been at the center of attention amid a series of maintenance problems that prompted Federal Aviation Administration scrutiny (though a top aviation expert TPG spoke with questioned whether the series of incidents on United truly strayed from the routine).

Those events led United executives to pen letters both customers and staff reaffirming the carrier's commitment to safety.

Asked broadly about maintenance challenges elsewhere in the industry, and whether Delta has plans for any similar communications, Bastian said this:

"Safety is job one at all times, every single day. We don't send out special messages around safety. Every day is safety day around here."

For its part, Delta said it had already committed significant resources to maintenance over the last year, and noted Wednesday that maintenance-related flight cancellations were down significantly, year-over-year, in the first quarter.

Focusing back on its core cities

Over the last few years, Delta has grown at a breakneck pace at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), solidifying itself as a top player in the market after first announcing the city as a hub in 2019.

In 2024, Delta's domestic seats out of Boston will be up a striking 34% from 2019, Cirium data shows.

But it's come at the cost of restoring capacity to its longtime stalwart cities, Delta executives said Wednesday.

"Coming out of COVID, we had to allocate the resources we had available." Hauenstein told analysts. "And those resources went to our once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to take leading positions in places like Boston and Los Angeles, at the expense of rebuilding our core hubs."

To his point, 2024 domestic seats from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) are down more than 5% versus 2019 levels, Cirium shows. They're down by 13% at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW).

But that may improve in the near future.

"Our ability to now go back and put seats back into our core," Hauenstein explained, "is where we're focused for the rest of this year."

Among other steps, Delta hopes to continue improving its usage of regional jets. Amid a pilot shortage at regional airlines, Delta leaders estimate the airline's network currently has 50 to 100 parked or underutilized regional jets.

Related reading:

• Your complete guide to the Delta SkyMiles program
• Best Delta credit cards
• Delta Medallion status: What it is and how to earn it
• Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
• The best credit cards to reach elite status
• How to survive basic economy on Delta Air Lines