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How to travel by train from

London to warsaw, krakow.

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It's easy to travel from the UK to Poland by train.  Travel from London to Berlin by Eurostar & high-speed train on day 1, stay overnight, then take an air-conditioned express from Berlin to Warsaw, Krakow or Gdansk on day 2.  London-Brussels from £78 return, Brussels-Warsaw or Brussels-Krakow from €46.90 each way.  The train journey from London to Poland is safe and comfortable, with a chance to see Berlin on the way.  This page explains all you need to know.

Train times, fares & tickets

International trains to/from Poland

Other useful information, useful country information, london to warsaw & poznan, which route to choose.

Option 1, lunchtime Eurostar to Brussels, European Sleeper to Berlin, EuroCity train to Warsaw - the most time-effective option, runs 3 times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays.

Option 2, lunchtime Eurostar to Brussels, Nightjet sleeper to Berlin, EuroCity train to Warsaw - also time-effective, runs 3 times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays.  Due to become daily from October 2024.  Some sleepers have private toilet & shower.

Option 3, evening Eurostar to Brussels, overnight stop, daytime trains to Warsaw - if you prefer daytime trains and hotel to sleepers, options 3 or 4 are the options for you.  Runs outward daily except Saturdays, inwards daily except Sundays.  Convenient evening departure.

Option 4, morning Eurostar & onward trains to Berlin, overnight stop, EuroCity train to Warsaw - same as option 3, but with the overnight stop in Berlin.  Not as time-effective, but no early starts or late arrivals and a chance to stop off in Berlin.  Daily departures.

Option 5, the ferry alternative .  Travel from London or Cambridge to Amsterdam overnight by train & ferry with a comfortable private en suite cabin on the Harwich-Hoek van Holland ferry, then take onward trains to Berlin.  Stay overnight, then take a train to Warsaw.  Daily departures.

Option 6, another ferry alternative .  Travel from London to Hoek van Holland using the Harwich-Hoek day crossing, then take the 3-times-a-week European Sleeper from Rotterdam to Berlin (Mon, Wed, Fri) and an onward train to Warsaw.  Often cheaper than using Eurostar.

Option 7, by ferry from Newcastle or Hull .  Sail from Hull to Rotterdam or Newcastle to Amsterdam for onward trains on to Poland.

Which option is cheapest?  You have to go online and see, because each option involves several tickets and the price of each ticket varies like an air fare.  However, at short notice, the ferry options are usually cheaper than Eurostar.

Can you go out one way, back another?   Yes!  Almost all European train fares are priced as one-way, so you can book one-way out on one route and one-way back on another.  Eurostar is the exception where a return fare is cheaper than two one-ways, so book London-Paris or London-Brussels as a round trip if you can.

Can you stop off?   Of course!  Simply book trains either side of the stopover on whatever dates you want.  Each part of these journeys is ticketed separately in any case (for example, the Eurostar, the sleeper train and the onward train), so it's no problem to stop off on the way at any of the key interchange points.

What if you're not starting from London?   See this advice about starting your journey from elsewhere in the UK .

Option 1 , London to Warsaw using the European Sleeper

This is the fastest, most time-effective journey, using the thrice-weekly Brussels-Berlin European Sleeper which launched on 26 May 2023.  London to Warsaw in under 24 hours!

London ► Warsaw on Monday, Wednesday, Friday

Day 1, travel from London to Brussels by Eurostar , leaving London St Pancras at 13:01, arriving Brussels Midi at 16:06.

Eurostar has two cafe-bars, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

Day 1, travel from Brussels to Berlin by European Sleeper , leaving Brussels Midi 19:22 on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays arriving Berlin Hbf 06:18.  In winter from 7 November 2023 to 24 March 2024 it won't usually run on Wednesdays, see the European Sleeper page .

Day 2, travel from Berlin to Warsaw by EuroCity train , leaving Berlin Hbf at 09:52, arriving Poznan at 12:36 and Warsaw Centralna at 15:14.

This EuroCity train is a comfortable air-conditioned Polish train with restaurant car serving drinks, snacks and full meals.  Treat yourself to an inexpensive lunch and a beer or two, I recommend the excellent Zurek soup and Kotlet Schabowy.  More about this EuroCity train .

Warsaw ► London on Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday

Day 1, travel from Warsaw to Berlin by EuroCity train , leaving Warsaw Centralna at 12:45 or Poznan at 15:20, arriving Berlin Hbf 18:06.

This EuroCity train is a comfortable air-conditioned Polish train with restaurant car serving drinks, snacks and full meals.  Treat yourself to an inexpensive lunch and a beer or two!  More about the EuroCity train Wawel .

Have dinner in Berlin, there are plenty of eateries at Berlin Hbf .  The bar of the Steigenberger Hotel across the forecourt makes an excellent VIP waiting room, it offers both drinks and food.  You've time for an evening stroll to the Reichstag and Brandenburg Gate , just 17 minutes walk from the station.

Day 1, travel from Berlin to Brussels by European Sleeper , leaving Berlin Hbf 22:56 on Tuesdays, Thursdays & Sundays arriving Brussels Midi 09:27.  In winter from 7 November 2023 to 24 March 2024 it won't usually run on Thursdays, see the European Sleeper page .

How much does it cost ?

London to Brussels by Eurostar starts at £52 one-way or £78 return in standard class, £97 one-way, £140 return standard premier (1st class).

Brussels to Berlin by European Sleeper starts at €49 in a seat, €79 with a couchette in 6-berth, €99 with a bed in 5-berth, €109 with a bed in 3-bed sleeper, €129 with a bed in 2-bed sleeper, €159 with a bed in single-bed sleeper.

Berlin to Warsaw starts at €27.90 in 2nd class or €37.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

How to buy tickets

Step 1, first book the Brussels-Berlin sleeper at www.europeansleeper.eu .

Booking opens up to 6 months ahead although this can vary.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.

Step 2, now book the London-Brussels Eurostar at www.eurostar.com .

Booking opens up to 11 months ahead , but I'd wait until the sleeper can be booked.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.

Step 3, book the Berlin-Warsaw train at the German Railways website int.bahn.de .

Booking opens 60 days ahead , you can book the other trains and leave this until later if necessary.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.  I recommend registering when prompted, so you can log on at any time and check or reprint tickets.

Using an Interrail pass

Alternatively, you can travel from anywhere in the UK to anywhere in Poland using an Interrail pass.  It usually costs more than advance-purchase tickets booked a few months in advance, but if fares are expensive or you need flexibility, see how to use an Interrail from the UK to Poland .

What's the journey like?

1. London to Brussels by Eurostar

Eurostar trains link London & Brussels in just 2 hours, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph).  There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi.  Standard Premier and Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00).  There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train.  More about Eurostar & check-in procedure .  St Pancras station guide .  Brussels Midi station guide & short cut for changing trains in Brussels .

2. Brussels to Berlin by European Sleeper

Launched by two sleeper-loving entrepreneurs in May 2023, the European Sleeper has a sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, newer couchette cars with 5-berth compartments and older cars with 6-berth compartments, and ordinary seats.  A light breakfast is included in the fare in sleepers & couchettes. Light snacks and drinks can be ordered from the attendant, but there's no restaurant so bring a picnic and bottle of wine!  More about European Sleeper .  Berlin Hbf station guide .

Brussels to Berlin by European Sleeper , seen here at Amsterdam Centraal.  This is a 5-berth couchette car, the stainless steel sleeping-car is next along.

3. Berlin to Warsaw by EuroCity train

These comfortable air-conditioned trains have a restaurant car, treat yourself to lunch.  More about these EuroCity trains .  Warsaw Centralna station guide .

Back to top

Option 2 , London to Warsaw using the Brussels-Berlin Nightjet

Similar in time & convenience to option 1, but using the new Brussels-Berlin Nightjet sleeper train which starts running 3 days a week from 10 December 2023.  The Nightjet has some sleepers with en suite toilet & shower, and is due to become daily from autumn 2024.

London ► Warsaw Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays

This comfortable Austrian Nightjet sleeper train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There's a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers.  The train has a couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and an ordinary seats car.  See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video .

There's no restaurant car, but in sleepers or couchettes you can order drinks, snacks and hot dishes from a room service menu, served in your compartment.  The sleeper & couchette fares include a light breakfast with tea or coffee, served in your compartment.

Warsaw ► London Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays

There's no restaurant car, but in sleepers or couchettes you can order drinks, snacks and hot dishes from a room service menu, served in your compartment.  The sleeper & couchette fares include a light breakfast with tea or coffee.

How much does it cost?

Fares vary like air fares, book early for the cheapest prices.  On Nightjet & EuroCity, return fares are twice the one-way fare.

On the sleeper train, berths are sold individually, so one ticket means one bed, the other beds in your compartment will be sold to other passengers.  For sole occupancy, simply book 1 ticket in a 1-berth sleeper or 2 tickets in a 2-berth sleeper or 4 tickets in a 4-berth couchette and so on.

Using www.thetrainline.com allows you to book all your tickets in one place, in €, £ or $, international cards no problem, small booking fee.  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, less than this when the mid-December timetable change intervenes .  Child under 6?  See here .

Tip:   After booking you can use the Manage booking facility at www.eurostar.com to choose an exact seat from a seating plan, see tips on choosing a seat on Eurostar .

Step 3, book the Berlin-Warsaw train either using www.thetrainline.com again (to keep all your bookings together ion one place, small booking fee) or using the German Railways website int.bahn.de (no fee).

Booking opens 60 days ahead , you can book the other trains and leave this until later if necessary.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.  If using int.bahn.de I recommend registering when prompted, so you can log on at any time and check or reprint tickets.

2. Brussels to Berlin by Nightjet   See the Nightjet guide

Option 3, London to Warsaw with overnight stop in Brussels

If you prefer daytime trains and hotels to sleepers, choose this option or option 4.  Leave London after the end of the working day (ideal if you're travelling from the west country, north of England, Wales or Scotland), stay overnight in Brussels, then enjoy a chill-out trip across Europe from Belgium to Poland next day - with free WiFi and dinner and some beers in a Polish restaurant car to look forward to.  What's not to like?

This option runs from London to Warsaw daily except Saturdays, from Warsaw to London daily except Sundays.

London ► Warsaw

Warsaw ► london.

Step 1, book London to Brussels at www.eurostar.com .

Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, sometimes more.  Fares are dynamic like air fares, so book early for the cheapest prices and avoid busy days such as Fridays or Sunday afternoons.  More about when booking opens .

If returning, be sure to book this as a round trip, as Eurostar return fares are significantly cheaper than two one-ways. 

You print your own ticket, or you can load the Eurostar ticket into the Eurostar app, and show the DB tickets on your laptop or phone.

Step 2, book Brussels to Warsaw at the German Railways website int.bahn.de .

This gets you a Brussels to Warsaw through ticket.  A return is simply two one-ways, and you may find it easier to book Brussels to Warsaw one-way first, then Warsaw to Brussels one-way.

Booking for journeys into Poland opens 60 days ahead.  You may want to book the Eurostar first and book Brussels-Poland later.  More about when booking opens .

Tip:   If you want to stop off in Berlin, simply click Stopovers and enter your desired length of stay, say 2 hours if you want a quick look at the Reichstag & Brandenburg Gate before taking the later Berlin-Warsaw train, though you can stop off for longer if you like, up to 48h.  If you want longer connections between trains, use the Adjust transfer time feature .

You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.  I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in and check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.

Option 4, London to Warsaw with overnight stop in Berlin.

The same route and same daytime trains as option 3, but with the overnight stop in Berlin.  That means it's not quite as time-effective, but it breaks up the trip nicely and there are no early starts or late arrivals.  There's also the chance to stop off in Berlin!  Departures are daily.

Day 1, travel from London to Berlin using any of the options shown on the London to Germany page .  For example:

Leave London St Pancras at 09:01 by Eurostar , change at Brussels Midi & Cologne Hbf onto high-speed ICE trains arriving Berlin Hbf 19:02.

Leave London St Pancras at 11:04 by Eurostar , change at Brussels Midi & Cologne Hbf onto high-speed ICE trains arriving Berlin Hbf 21:02.

Eurostar has a cafe-bar, ICE trains have a restaurant car, all these trains have power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

Stay overnight in Berlin.   Top choice here is the InterCity Hotel Berlin Hbf (my favourite), only 200m from Berlin Hbf 's main entrance, relatively inexpensive with great reviews, or if you're in the money, the excellent 5-star Steigenberger Hotel just outside the station.  If you're on a budget, the cheaper 3-star Motel One Berlin-Hbf is behind the station or use www.hostelworld.com .  Of course, if you really want to push the boat out, the famous Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin is next to the Brandenburg Gate just 17 minutes walk away.

Day 2, travel from Berlin to Warsaw by EuroCity train , leaving Berlin Hbf at 09:52 and arriving Poznan 12:36 & Warsaw Centralna 15:14.  

The Berlin-Warsaw EuroCity trains are comfortable & air-conditioned with trolley refreshment service and a restaurant car serving drinks, snacks and meals.  Treat yourself to lunch and a beer in the restaurant.

On Mondays-Saturdays there's an earlier EuroCity train if you prefer, leaving Berlin Hbf 05:51, arriving Poznan 08:36 & Warsaw Centralna 11:14.

Why not spend some time in Berlin?   It's just a 17 minute stroll from Berlin Hbf past the Reichstag building to the Brandenburg Gate .  There are later trains to Warsaw, right up to a 17:52 departure daily except Saturdays, arriving Warsaw Centralna at 23.16, see the timetable here .  You can check times for your date of travel at int.bahn.de .

Day 1, travel from Warsaw to Berlin on any suitable EuroCity train , see the timetable here .

For example, you can leave Warsaw Centralna at 12:45 & Poznan at 15:20 arriving Berlin Hbf at 18:06.

Or daily except Saturdays there's a later EuroCity train leaving Warsaw Centralna at 16:45 & Poznan at 19:20 arriving Berlin Hbf 22:06.

The Warsaw-Berlin EuroCity trains are comfortable & air-conditioned with restaurant car serving drinks, snacks and meals.  Treat yourself to an inexpensive meal and a beer or two.

Day 2, travel from Berlin to London using any service shown on the London to Germany page .  For example:

Leave Berlin Hbf at 06:56, change at Cologne Hbf & Brussels Midi , arriving London St Pancras at 15:57.

Leave Berlin Hbf at 08:56, change at Cologne Hbf & Brussels Midi , arriving London St Pancras at 17:47 (18:57 weekends).

Leave Berlin Hbf at 10:57, change at Cologne Hbf & Brussels Midi , arriving London St Pancras at 19:47.

Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com . 

This allows you to book all your tickets together in one place.  Anyone from any country can use www.raileurope.com , in plain English, international credit cards accepted and fares shown in multiple currencies.  There's a small booking fee.  Who are Rail Europe ?

First book your ticket from London to Berlin.  If you're returning, book London to Berlin as a round trip because Eurostar return fares are significantly cheaper than two one-ways.  Add this to your basket.  Then book from Berlin to Poland one-way for the following day, add to basket, and (if returning) book from Poland to Berlin one way for the day prior to your Berlin-London journey, add this to your basket and check out.

You print your own ticket, or you can load the Eurostar ticket into the Eurostar app, and show the DB ticket on your laptop or phone.

When does booking open?

Booking for Eurostar opens up to 6 months ahead, sometimes more.  Onward trains to Germany open up to 6 months ahead, often less when the mid-December timetable change intervenes.  However, booking for trains between Berlin & Poland only opens 60 days ahead.  I recommend waiting until your trains are open for booking at least as far as Berlin before committing to a non-refundable Eurostar ticket.  More about when booking opens .

Booking tips

Fares are dynamic like air fares, so book early for the cheapest prices and avoid busy days such as Fridays or Sunday afternoons.

Is it a through ticket?

No, as there are no through tickets from London to Berlin or Poland any more, DB's Sparpreis London fares were discontinued in March 2020 .  But www.raileurope.com will seamlessly sell you a Eurostar ticket from London to Brussels plus an onward German Railways ticket from Brussels to Berlin, then it'll sell you a separate ticket from Berlin to Warsaw for the following day.

Seat reservations

About those tight 20-minute connections at Brussels Midi

The slick 20-minute connection in Brussels between Eurostar and an onward ICE , sometimes less than this, is usually a recognised connection which lots of people make.  It's not usually a problem, especially if you use the Brussels Midi short cut between platforms .

Even though the system sells you separate tickets either side of Brussels, you are protected by the Railteam Promise/HOTNAT so if there's a delay and you miss the connection you will be allowed to travel on later onwards trains at no extra charge.

Connecting tickets from other UK towns & cities:   See the advice on special add-on tickets here .

Another way to buy tickets

This is more work as it involves two websites, but it can be slightly cheaper for two reasons:  First, you don't pay any booking fee.  Second, you can use the Stopover feature at int.bahn.de to book a Brussels to Poland through ticket with an overnight stop in Berlin, which is cheaper than buying separate Brussels to Berlin & Berlin to Warsaw tickets from Raileurope.

Obviously, do a dry run on both sites first to check availability & prices.  I'd also check that your outward Eurostar and ICE are indeed a recognised connection by checking that they appear together when you run a London to Cologne enquiry at int.bahn.de - read the paragraph in the previous section about the 20-minute connection in Brussels .

Step 1, book the Eurostar from London to Brussels (and back, if returning) at www.eurostar.com and print your own ticket, or load it into the Eurostar app to show on your phone.  Eurostar return fares are significantly less than two one-ways, so if you're coming back, make sure you book this as a round trip.  After booking you can use the Eurostar Manage Booking system to select an exact seat on Eurostar .

Step 2, book from Brussels to Warsaw at the German Railways website int.bahn.de , but first click Stopovers , enter Berlin Hbf with a length of stay of (say) 12 hours.  By all means adjust the departure time & length of stay to get the trains you want either side of Berlin.

This will get you a Brussels to Poland through ticket with an overnight stop in Berlin included, which is what you want.  With German Railways a return is simply two one-ways, so you may find it gives you more control to book Brussels to Poland one-way first, then Poland to Brussels one-way as a separate booking.

You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.  I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in and check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.  An advantage of booking direct with int.bahn.de is that you can select an exact seat on ICE trains from a seating plan.

Have your trip arranged as a package

Railbookers are a train travel specialist who can put together a UK-Poland trip for you as a package, including rail travel, hotels & transfers.  You'll find a range of suggested tours & holidays on their website which can be varied or customised to your requirements .  As you're booking a package, they'll take care of you if anything happens to one part of the itinerary such as a strike or delay.  One of their most popular trips is Ultimate Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest with train travel from the UK - it can be customised to include train travel back to the UK as well, just ask them.  Another top seller is their holiday to Berlin & Prague with travel to & from London by train.

Byway ( Byway.travel ) is a UK-based eco-holiday firm with a 5-star TrustPilot rating .  If you're nervous about booking train travel yourself, book a UK-Poland train trip through Byway as a package, including hotels and starting from any British station you like.  Byway includes package protection, a 100% Covid refund guarantee, free disruption and re-planning and on-demand WhatsApp support while you're away.  They can build a one-way or return trip to your requirements if you email them or use this contact form .  When you book, please say you heard about them from Seat 61.

Escorted tours:   If you'd like to travel with a convivial group of travellers escorted by a professional tour guide, the operators to check are Great Rail Journeys ( www.greatrail.com , in the UK call 01904 527 120) and Rail Discoveries , www.raildiscoveries.com , 01904 730 727.  Both have various escorted tours from the UK to Prague by train, with departures on a variety of dates.

How to buy tickets by phone

2. Brussels to Cologne by ICE3

Germany's superb ICEs have a bistro-restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  In 1st class, bistro orders are taken at your seat.  50 minutes after leaving Brussels the ICE calls at Liège, where you can admire the impressive station designed by celebrity architect Santiago Calatrava.  As you approach Cologne Hbf you'll see the twin towers of Cologne Cathedral on the right, next to the station.  More about ICE3 trains .  Brussels Midi station guide .  Cologne Hbf station guide .

3. Cologne to Berlin by ICE2

ICE2 trains have a restaurant car, bar car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. In 1st class, bistro orders are taken at your seat.  Immediately after leaving Cologne Hbf , the train crosses the Hohenzollern bridge over the Rhine.  It passes through the industrial Ruhr via Wuppertal & Hamm.  After leaving Hannover, the train passes non-stop through Wolfsburg - look out for the original Volkswagen factory on the left, built in 1938.  The train then travels at up to 280 km/h (174 mph) on the high-speed line to Berlin Hbf , where it arrives at the low-level platforms.  More about ICE2 trains .  Cologne Hbf station guide .  Berlin Hbf station guide .

4. Berlin to Warsaw by EuroCity train

These comfortable air-conditioned trains have a restaurant car.  See the Berlin-Warsaw EuroCity page for more photos, tips & information .

London to Krakow & Katowice

Option 1, lunchtime Eurostar to Brussels, European Sleeper to Berlin, EuroCity train to Krakow - the most time-effective option, runs 3 times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays.

Option 2, lunchtime Eurostar to Brussels, Nightjet sleeper to Berlin, EuroCity train to Krakow - also time-effective, runs 3 times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays, due to become daily from October 2024.  Some sleepers have private toilet & shower.

Option 3, evening Eurostar to Brussels, overnight stop, daytime trains to Krakow - if you prefer daytime trains and hotel to sleepers, options 3 or 4 are the options for you.  Daily departures, with a convenient evening departure.

Option 4, morning Eurostar to Brussels & onward trains to Berlin, overnight stop, EuroCity train to Krakow - the same as option 3, but with the overnight stop in Berlin.  Not as time-effective, but no early starts or late arrivals, a chance to stop off in Berlin.  Daily departures.

Option 5, the ferry alternative .  Evening departure from London or Cambridge on the overnight rail & sail service to Amsterdam, sleeping in a cosy private cabin with toilet, shower & satellite TV on the Harwich-Hoek van Holland ferry.  Onward train to Berlin, stay overnight, onward train to Poland.

Option 6, another ferry alternative .  E arly morning departure from London using the daytime rail & sail service to Hoek van Holland & Rotterdam , then take the 3-times-a-week European Sleeper from Rotterdam to Berlin (Mon, Wed, Fri) and an onward train to Krakow.

Option 7, by ferry from Newcastle or Hull .  Sail overnight from Hull to Rotterdam or Newcastle to Amsterdam then take onward trains to Poland.

Option 1 , London to Krakow using the European Sleeper

This is the fastest, most time-effective journey, using the new thrice-weekly Brussels-Berlin European Sleeper which launched on 26 May 2023.  London to Krakow in a little over 24 hours!

London ► Krakow on Monday, Wednesday, Friday

Day 2, travel from Berlin to Krakow by EuroCity train Wawel , leaving Berlin Hbf at 10:52 arriving Katowice 17:15 & Krakow Glowny 18:07.

The EuroCity train Wawel is a comfortable air-conditioned Polish train with restaurant car serving drinks, snacks and full meals.  Treat yourself to an inexpensive meal and a beer or two in the restaurant, I recommend the excellent Zurek soup and Kotlet Schabowy.   More about the EuroCity train Wawel .

Krakow ► London on Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday

Day 1, travel from Krakow to Berlin by EuroCity train Wawel , leaving Krakow Glowny at 10:00 or Katowice at 10:53 & arriving Berlin Hbf 17:06.

The EuroCity train Wawel is a comfortable air-conditioned Polish train with restaurant car serving drinks, snacks and full meals.  Treat yourself to an inexpensive meal and a beer or two in the restaurant!  More about the EuroCity train Wawel .

Have dinner in Berlin, there are plenty of eateries at Berlin Hbf .  The bar of the Steigenberger Hotel just outside the station makes an excellent VIP waiting room, it offers both drinks and food.  You've time for an evening stroll past the Reichstag building to the Brandenburg gate , just 17 minutes walk from the station.

Berlin to Krakow starts at €27.90 in 2nd class or €37.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Step 3, finally, book the Berlin-Krakow train at the German Railways website int.bahn.de .

Eurostar trains link London & Brussels in just 2 hours, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph).  There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi.  Standard Premier and Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00).  There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train.  More about Eurostar including check-in procedure .  St Pancras station guide .  Brussels Midi station guide & short cut for changing trains in Brussels .

Launched by two sleeper-loving entrepreneurs in May 2023, the European Sleeper has a sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, newer couchette cars with 5-berth compartments, older couchette cars with 6-berth compartments & ordinary seats.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes. Light snacks and drinks can be ordered from the attendant, but there's no restaurant so bring a picnic and bottle of wine!  More about European Sleeper .  Berlin Hbf station guide .

3. Berlin to Krakow by EuroCity train Wawel

This comfortable air-conditioned train has a restaurant car, treat yourself to lunch and a beer or two.  More about these EuroCity trains .  Krakow Glowny station guide .

Option 2 , London to Krakow using the Brussels-Berlin Nightjet

London ► krakow tuesdays, thursdays, saturdays, krakow ► london mondays, wednesdays, fridays.

Step 3, book the Berlin-Krakow train either using www.thetrainline.com again (which keeps all your bookings together in one place, small booking fee) or using the German Railways website int.bahn.de (no fee).

Option 3, London to Krakow with overnight stop in Brussels

If you prefer daytime trains and hotels to sleepers, choose either this option or option 4.  Leave London after the end of the working day (ideal if you're travelling from the west country, north of England, Wales or Scotland), stay overnight in Brussels, then enjoy a chill-out trip across Europe from Belgium to Poland next day - with free WiFi and dinner and some beers in a Polish restaurant car to look forward to.  What's not to like?

London ► Krakow

Day 2, travel from Berlin to Krakow by EuroCity train , leaving Berlin Hbf 16:52, arriving Wroclaw 20:56, Katowice 23:05 & Krakow Glowny 23:54.

The EuroCity train Oder is a new train that starts running from 10 December 2023.  It's a comfortable air-conditioned Polish train with a restaurant car serving drinks, snacks & meals.  Treat yourself to an inexpensive dinner with a beer or two, I recommend the excellent Zurek soup & Kotlet Schabowy.  More about this EuroCity train .

Krakow ► London

Day 1, travel from Krakow to Berlin by EuroCity train Oder , leaving Krakow Glowny at 04:11, arriving Berlin Hbf 11:06.

This is a new EuroCity train that starts running from 10 December 2023.  It's a comfortable air-conditioned Polish train with a restaurant car serving drinks, snacks and meals.  It's an early start, but the Polish restaurant car does a great cooked breakfast.  More about this EuroCity train .

Step 1, book from London to Brussels at www.eurostar.com .  You print your own ticket or can show it in the Eurostar app on your phone.

Eurostar trains link London & Brussels in just 2 hours, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph).  There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi.  Standard Premier and Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00).  There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train.  More about Eurostar & check-in procedure .  St Pancras station guide .   Brussels Midi station guide .

4. Berlin to Krakow by EuroCity train Oder

This comfortable air-conditioned train has a restaurant car.  See the Berlin-Poland EuroCity page for more photos, tips & information .

Option 4 , London to Krakow with overnight stop in Berlin

Day 2, travel from Berlin to Krakow by EuroCity train Wawel , leaving Berlin Hbf at 10:52 & arriving Wroclaw 15:05, Katowice 17:15 & Krakow Glowny 18:07.

The EuroCity train Wawel is a comfortable air-conditioned Polish train with restaurant car serving drinks, snacks and full meals.  Treat yourself to an inexpensive meal and a beer or two in the restaurant,  I recommend the excellent Zurek soup and Kotlet Schabowy.

Day 1, travel from Krakow to Berlin by EuroCity train Wawel , leaving Krakow Glowny 10:00, Katowice 10:53 or Wroclaw 12:56, arriving Berlin Hbf 17:06.

EuroCity train Wawel is a comfortable air-conditioned Polish train with restaurant car serving drinks, snacks & inexpensive meals.

Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com .  This allows you to book all your tickets together in one place.

Anyone from any country can use www.raileurope.com , in plain English, international credit cards accepted and fares shown in multiple currencies. There's a small booking fee.

First book your ticket from London to Berlin.  If you're returning, book London to Berlin as a round trip because Eurostar return fares are significantly cheaper than two one-ways.  Add this to your basket.  Then book from Berlin to Krakow one-way for the following day, add to basket, and (if returning) book from Krakow to Berlin one way for the day prior to your Berlin-London journey, add this to your basket and check out.

Booking for Eurostar opens up to 6 months ahead, sometimes more.  Onward trains to Germany open up to 6 months ahead, often less when the mid-December timetable change intervenes. Booking for trains between Berlin & Poland only opens 60 days ahead.  I recommend waiting until your trains are open for booking at least as far as Berlin before committing to a non-refundable Eurostar ticket.  More about when booking opens .

No, as there are no through tickets from London to Berlin or Poland any more, DB's Sparpreis London fares were discontinued in March 2020 .  But www.raileurope.com will seamlessly sell you a Eurostar ticket from London to Brussels plus an onward German Railways ticket from Brussels to Berlin, then it'll sell you a separate ticket from Berlin to Krakow for the following day.

About the 20-minute connections (sometimes less) between Eurostar & ICEs at Brussels Midi

The slick 20-minute connection in Brussels between Eurostar and an onward ICE, sometimes less than this, is usually a recognised connection which lots of people make.  It's not usually a problem, especially if you use the Brussels Midi short cut between platforms .

How to buy a connecting ticket from other UK towns & cities :  See the advice on special add-on tickets here .

This is a bit more work as it involves two websites, but you don't pay any booking fee.

Step 2, book from Brussels to Berlin at the German Railways website int.bahn.de ,

A return is simply two one-ways, so it makes no difference to the price whether you book a round trip or book one way at a time.

Step 3, still on int.bahn.de , now book from Berlin to Krakow for the following day and print your own ticket.  You can adjust the connection time in Warsaw using the Adjust transfer time feature , or programme in a longer stopover (up to 48 hours) using the Stopover feature.

4. Berlin to Krakow by EuroCity train Wawel

London to Oswiecim ( Auschwitz )

If you are visiting the museum at Oswiecim, better known by its infamous Germanic name, Auschwitz, you travel to Krakow as shown above then take a local train.  Regular local trains link Krakow Glowny with Oswiecim every hour or two, see int.bahn.de" to check train times. 

Once in Oswiecim, there are two camps to visit:

Auschwitz I was an ex-Polish army barracks in the town itself about 20 minutes walk from the station -turn right outside the station then veer left.

Auschwitz-Birkenau II was a purpose-built concentration camp a little way out of town, about 25 minutes walk from the station (turn right, then turn right again at the first major road bridge across the railway).  There are also regular buses between Krakow and Oswiecim, see www.busy-krk.pl/en/how-to-get-to-auschwitz.php .

London to Łódź

Łódź is pronounced 'wooch' or 'woodge' and it's one of Poland's largest cities.  It's easy to reach by train, I show two good options below but you can also travel by ferry via Hoek van Holland , or by ferry from Hull or Newcastle .

Option 1, using the European Sleeper

This is the fastest, most time-effective journey, using the new thrice-weekly Brussels-Berlin European Sleeper launched on 26 May 2023.  London to Łódź in under 24h!

London ► Łódź

Day 1, travel from London to Brussels by Eurostar , leaving London St Pancras at 15:04, arriving Brussels Midi at 18:05.

Łódź ► London

Have dinner in Berlin, there are plenty of eateries at the station.  The bar of the Steigenberger Hotel across the forecourt makes an excellent VIP waiting room, it offers both drinks and food.

Berlin to Łódź starts at €27.90, check times & buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de .

Step 3, finally, book the Berlin-Łódź train at the German Railways website int.bahn.de .

Booking opens 60 days months ahead , you can book the other trains and leave this until later if necessary.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.  I recommend registering when prompted, so you can log on at any time and check or reprint tickets.

Option 2, using the Brussels-Berlin Nightjet

Using www.thetrainline.com allows you to book all your tickets in one place, in €, £ or $, international cards no problem, small booking fee.  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, but less than this when the mid-June or mid-December timetable changes intervene .

Step 3, book the train from Berlin to Łódź either using www.thetrainline.com again (to keep all your bookings together ion one place, small booking fee) or using the German Railways website int.bahn.de (no fee).  Westbound, I recommend setting transfer time to at least 45 minutes.

Option 3, with overnight stop in Berlin

Step 2, buy tickets From Berlin to Łódź at the German Railways website int.bahn.de .

London to Wroclaw

Wroclaw, the former German provincial city of Breslau, is easy to reach by train.  I show three good options below but you can also travel by ferry via Hoek van Holland , or by ferry from Hull or Newcastle .

This is the fastest, most time-effective journey, using the new 3-times-a-week Brussels-Berlin European Sleeper which launched on 26 May 2023.  London to Wroclaw in under 24 hours!

Hotel tip:   In Wroclaw, I recommend the excellent Hotel Altus Palace , a 9-minute 700m walk from the station ( see walking map ), a 10-minute walk from the old town's main square, it has both a restaurant and spa.

London ► Wroclaw

Day 2, travel from Berlin to Wroclaw by EuroCity train Wawel , leaving Berlin Hbf at 10:52 arriving Wroclaw Glowny at 15:05.

Wroclaw ► London

Day 1, travel from Wroclaw to Berlin by EuroCity train Wawel , leaving Wroclaw Glowny at 12:56 and arriving Berlin Hbf 17:06.

Berlin to Wroclaw starts at €27.90 in 2nd class or €37.90 in 1st class.

Step 3, finally, book the Berlin-Wroclaw train at the German Railways website int.bahn.de .

3. Berlin to Wroclaw by EuroCity train

This comfortable air-conditioned train has a restaurant car, treat yourself to lunch.  More about these EuroCity trains .

Step 3, book the train from Berlin to Wroclaw either using www.thetrainline.com again (to keep all your bookings together ion one place, small booking fee) or using the German Railways website int.bahn.de (no fee).

Option 3, by daytime trains with overnight stop in Berlin

Day 1, travel from London to Berlin using any of the options shown on the London to Germany page .

Fares start at €27.90, check times & buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de .

Alternatively, spend the day exploring Berlin, then take the direct train leaving Berlin Hbf at 18:52 arriving Wroclaw Glowny at 22:53.  This train consists of EuroCity seating cars attached to the night express to Vienna & Budapest.

Option 3, by daytime trains with overnight stop in Dresden

Day 1, travel from London to Dresden by Eurostar and connecting trains, for times, fares & how to buy tickets see the London to Dresden section on the Germany page .

Stay overnight in Dresden .  Find hotel near the station in Dresden .

Day 2, travel from Dresden to Wroclaw Glowny (= main station) by local train.  There are several a day, journey time 3h55, look up times at int.bahn.de .  No reservation is necessary or possible, just buy a ticket at the station and hop on.  The fare is likely to be around €35.

Day 1, travel from Wroclaw to Dresden on one of several daily local trains, journey 3h55.  Look up times at int.bahn.de .  No reservation is necessary or possible, just buy a ticket at the station and hop on.  Fare likely to be around €35.

Day 2, travel from Dresden to London by ICE trains and Eurostar, for times, fares & how to buy tickets see the London to Dresden section on the Germany page .

London to Szczecin, Gdansk & Gdynia

This is the fastest, most time-effective journey, using the new thrice-weekly Brussels-Berlin European Sleeper launched on 26 May 2023.

London ► Szczecin, Gdansk, Gdynia

Gdynia, gdansk, szczecin ► london.

Berlin to Gdansk or Gdynia starts at €27.90 in 2nd class or €37.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Step 3, finally, book the train from Berlin to Gdansk or Gdynia at the German Railways website int.bahn.de .

Step 3, book the train from Berlin to Gydnia or Gdansk either using www.thetrainline.com again (to keep all your bookings together ion one place, small booking fee) or using the German Railways website int.bahn.de (no fee).

Step 2, buy tickets from Berlin to Gdansk or Gdynia at the German Railways website int.bahn.de .

Booking opens 60 days ahead .  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.

London to Zakopane

London to poland via harwich - hoek van holland.

The ferry alternative!  If Eurostar is expensive, especially at short notice, the ferry can be cheaper.  If you live in East Anglia, the ferry can be more convenient, there's even a direct train from Cambridge to Harwich which connects with the night boat.  If you want to avoid the Channel Tunnel or if there are strikes in France, this is also the route for you.  Or you may simply prefer a leisurely cruise across the North Sea in a cosy private cabin with toilet, shower & satellite TV, after an excellent dinner in the ship's restaurant.  The route via Harwich & Hoek of Holland is one of those shown in dark blue on the route map above .  There are two departures a day, the day boat and the night boat.

Using the night boat

London, cambridge, harwich ► warsaw, krakow.

Day 2, travel from Amsterdam to Berlin by Intercity train , leaving Amsterdam Centraal at 11:59 & arriving Berlin Hbf at 17:51.

Or spend some time exploring Amsterdam and take a later train, the 15:59 from Amsterdam arrives in Berlin at 21:51  Left luggage lockers are available at Amsterdam Centraal .  The Intercity train has power sockets at all seats, refreshments available.

Day 3 for Warsaw , take a EuroCity train from Berlin to Warsaw, see the timetable here .

The first one leaves Berlin Hbf at 05:52 Mondays-Saturdays arriving Warsaw Centralna at 11:14, or have a leisurely breakfast and take the daily 09:52 arriving at 15:14.  A restaurant car is available, treat yourself to lunch and a beer or two.

Day 3 for Krakow & Wroclaw , travel from Berlin to Wroclaw & Krakow by EuroCity train Wawel .

This leaves Berlin Hbf at 10:52 & arriving Wroclaw 15:05, Katowice 17:15 & Krakow Glowny 18:07.

The EuroCity train Wawel is a comfortable air-conditioned Polish train with restaurant car serving drinks, snacks and full meals.  Treat yourself to an inexpensive meal and a beer or two in the restaurant car!

Krakow, Warsaw ► Harwich, Cambridge, London

Day 1 from Krakow & Wroclaw:   Travel from Krakow to Berlin by EuroCity train Wawel , leaving Krakow Glowny at 10:00, Katowice 10:53 or Wroclaw 12:56 arriving Berlin Hbf at 17:06.  EuroCity train Wawel is a comfortable air-conditioned Polish train with restaurant car serving drinks, snacks & meals.

Day 2, travel from Amsterdam to London overnight by Stena Line Rail & Sail .

You take the 18:35 train from Amsterdam Centraal to Schiedam Centrum and change onto the frequent metro train to Hoek van Holland Haven.  At Hoek, the metro station is right next to the ferry terminal.  Check in at the Stena Line desk, walk onto the ferry & sail overnight to Harwich.

The ferry sails at 22:00 and arrives at Harwich International at 06:30 next morning, UK time.

Day 3, Take a train from Harwich to London Liverpool Street arriving around 08:56, or from Harwich to Cambridge arriving 09:41 (10:39 on Sundays).  See the Stena Line Rail & Sail page for full details .

Schiedam Centrum to Warsaw by train starts at  €37.90 each way in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Step 1, book from London or any Greater Anglia station to Hoek van Holland at www.stenaline.co.uk/rail-and-sail/to-holland .

This is a special Stena Line Rail & Sail ticket, see the Stena Line Rail & Sail page for more tips & information on how to buy one.

You buy the metro ticket from Hoek van Holland to Schiedam or Rotterdam at the metro station using the ticket machines or simply by touching in & out with any contactless bank card.

Step 2, book your trains from Schiedam Centrum to Warsaw or Krakow & back at the German Railways website int.bahn.de like this:

To get a through ticket from Schiedam Centrum to Warsaw or Krakow with a robust connection in Amsterdam and an overnight stop in Berlin, enter Schiedam Centrum to Warsaw Centralna or Krakow Glowny, click Stopovers , enter Amsterdam Centraal as a first stopover with a stay of 1 hour, then enter Berlin Hbf as a second stopover with a stay of (say) 14 hours.

Adjust the length of stay and departure time as necessary to get the trains you want between Schiedam, Amsterdam & Berlin and (the following morning) Berlin & Poland.

Incidentally, even train-specific Sparpreis or Super Sparpreis tickets are good for any train on the Schiedam-Amsterdam part of this journey, so when you get to Schiedam you can take the next available train to Amsterdam, you don't have to wait for the one specified on your ticket.

Tip:   Booking into Poland only opens 60 days ahead .  By all means book Schiedam to Berlin first as this opens up to 6 months ahead , then book Berlin-Poland separately, when booking opens.

Step 1, London to Amsterdam by train & ferry

A train takes you from London's Liverpool Street station directly to the ferry terminal at Harwich.  You walk off the train, into the terminal, get your boarding card & cabin key at the Stena Line check-in desk and walk straight onto the overnight ferry to Hoek van Holland.  The superferry Stena Britannica is the largest ferry of its kind in the world.  Have a late dinner in the restaurant, retire to bed in a private cabin with en suite toilet & shower and satellite TV.  At Hoek van Holland, you walk off the ship, through passport control and straight onto the station for the frequent metro train to Schiedam & Rotterdam.  Change at Schiedam Centrum for a Dutch Railways (NS) train to Amsterdam Centraal .  The journey from London to Holland is explained in detail on the Stena Line Rail & Sail page .  See the video .

The Stena Britannica at boarding at Harwich, a floating hotel with private cabins, restaurant, bar, lounges, shop & kennels.

Above left, a standard outside cabin.  Larger photo .   360º photo .  Above right, the Stena Plus lounge with complimentary red & white wine, tea, coffee & snacks.

Above left, the bar on 9 deck. Above right, a Captain's Class cabin with complimentary minibar, toilet & shower.

Step 2, Amsterdam to Berlin by Intercity train

You then take a comfortable Intercity train from Amsterdam Centraal to Berlin Hbf .  See the Amsterdam to Berlin InterCity page for photos, tips, and what to see along the way .

Step 3, Berlin to Warsaw or Krakow by EuroCity train

Using the day boat

It's an early start from London, but Stena Line's Harwich to Hoek van Holland daytime crossing connects nicely with the 3-times-a-week European Sleeper from Rotterdam to Berlin, with easy onward connections to Poland, making this a good option if the days and times suit you.

London & Harwich ► Warsaw, Krakow

Step 1, travel from London to Harwich by train.

You leave London Liverpool Street at 06:00 Mondays-Fridays, 06:36 Saturdays or 06:44 Sundays, check train times at www.nationalrail.co.uk .

At Harwich, the station is right next to the ferry terminal.  You walk off the train and into the terminal, check in at the Stena Line desk and walk onto Stena Line's luxurious superferry to Hoek van Holland.

Step 2, cruise from Harwich to Hoek van Holland with Stena Line.

On Mondays-Saturdays the ferry sails at 09:00 arriving 17:15.  On Sundays she sails at 09:00 arriving at 18:00.

The superferry Stena Hollandica has bars, self-service restaurant, lounges, a premium Stena Plus Lounge, cinema & children's play area.  There's free WiFi in the lounges, restaurants & bars on 9 deck.  A private cabin is optional (but half price) on the day crossing, all cabins come with toilet & shower & satellite TV.  Deluxe Comfort class & Captains class cabins are also available, also half price.

Step 3, hop on the metro from Hoek van Holland to Rotterdam.

On arrival at Hoek van Holland, walk off the ferry into the terminal and go through passport control.  Walk out of the terminal to the adjacent metro station and hop on the metro from Hoek van Holland Haven to Eendrachtsplein in downtown Rotterdam, the metro leaves every 20-30 minutes, journey time 33 minutes, see metro network map .  Buy a ticket using the ticket machines or simply touch in and out with any contactless bank card.

From Eendrachtsplein it's an 850m 11-minute stroll to Rotterdam Centraal , see walking map , or you can change onto metro line D or E and go 2 stops to Rotterdam Centraal .

You've time for dinner in Rotterdam, try Kaapse Maria ( www.kaapsebrouwers.nl ) for craft beer and good pub food, half way between Eendrachtsplein & Rotterdam Centraal, see location map .  Check opening hours, it's open Monday & Friday but closed Wednesdays.  Alternatively, Le Nord ( lenord.nl ), La Cazuela & Dunya are all good bistros 5 minutes walk north of the station, see walking map .

Step 4, travel from Rotterdam to Berlin overnight by European Sleeper .

The European Sleeper leaves Rotterdam Centraal at 21:22 on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays, arriving Berlin Hbf at 06:18 next morning.

In winter from 7 November 2023 to 24 March 2024 it won't usually run on Wednesdays, see the European Sleeper page .

The train has 5 & 6 berth couchettes & a sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes.  More about the European Sleeper .

Step 5, travel from Berlin to Poland by EuroCity train .

A EuroCity train leaves Berlin Hbf at 09:52 and arrives Warsaw Centralna at 15:14.

A EuroCity train leaves Berlin Hbf at 10:52 and arrives Wroclaw Glowny 15:05 & Krakow Glowny 18:07.

A EuroCity train leaves Berlin Hbf at 12:52, arriving Gdansk Glowny 18:30 & Gdynia Glowna 18:56.

These EuroCity trains are comfortable air-conditioned Polish trains with a restaurant car serving drinks, snacks and full meals.  Treat yourself to an inexpensive meal and a beer or two!

Warsaw, Krakow ► Harwich & London

Step 1, travel from Poland to Berlin by EuroCity train .

A EuroCity train leaves Gdynia Glowna at 09:00 or Gdansk Glowny at 09:26 and arriving Berlin Hbf at 15:06.

A EuroCity train leaves Krakow Glowny at 10:00 and Wroclaw Glowny at 12:56, arriving Berlin Hbf 17:06.

A EuroCity train leaves Warsaw Centralna at 12:45 and arrives Berlin Hbf  at 18:06.

Step 2, travel from Berlin to Rotterdam overnight by European Sleeper .

The European Sleeper leaves Berlin Hbf at 22:56 on Tuesdays, Thursdays & Sundays, arriving Rotterdam Centraal at 07:27 next morning.

In winter from 7 November 2023 to 24 March 2024 it won't usually run on Thursdays, see the European Sleeper page .

Step 3, hop on the metro from Rotterdam to Hoek van Holland.

Walk from Rotterdam Centraal to Eendrachtsplein metro station, 850m, 11 minutes, see walking map .  Take the metro to Hoek van Holland Haven, it runs every 20-30 minutes, journey time around 33 minutes, see metro network map .  Buy a ticket using the ticket machines or simply touch in and out with any contactless bank card.  The ferry terminal is right next to Hoek van Holland Haven metro station.  Walk into the terminal and check in at the Stena Line desk.  You'll need to leave downtown Rotterdam around 12:00 Monday-Friday or 11:30 Sundays, allowing for travel time and ferry check-in.

Step 4, cruise from Hoek van Holland to Harwich with Stena Line.

The ferry sails at 14:15 Monday-Saturday or 13:45 on Sundays, arriving Harwich at 19:45.

The superferry Stena Britannica has bars, self-service restaurant, lounges, a premium Stena Plus Lounge, cinema & children's play area.  There's free WiFi in the lounges, restaurants & bars on 9 deck.  A private cabin is optional (but half price) on the day crossing, all cabins come with toilet & shower & satellite TV.  Deluxe Comfort class & Captains class cabins are also available, also half price.

Step 5, travel from Harwich to London by train.

Step 2, book the sleeper train from Rotterdam to Berlin at www.europeansleeper.eu .

Booking opens 60 days ahead , by all means book the other tickets and leave this until later.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.  I recommend registering when prompted, so you can log on at any time and check or reprint tickets.

1. London to Rotterdam by train & ferry

A train takes you from London Liverpool Street station directly to the ferry terminal at Harwich International.  You walk off the train and into the terminal, get your boarding card at the Stena Line check-in desk and walk straight onto the ferry to Hoek van Holland.  The superferry Stena Hollandica is the largest ferry of its kind in the world.  There's a self-service restaurant, two bars, lounges, a premium Stena Plus Lounge, cinema & children's play area.  There's free WiFi in the public areas on 9 deck.  At Hoek van Holland, you walk off the ship, through passport control and out of the terminal to the adjacent metro station for the frequent metro train to Rotterdam.  See the Stena Line Rail & Sail page for full details, photos & travel tips .

The Stena Hollandica at Hoek van Holland, a floating hotel with restaurant, bars, lounges, shop, cabins & kennels.

Above left, the bar on 9 deck.  Above right, the Stena Plus lounge with complimentary red & white wine, tea, coffee, soft drinks & snacks.

Above left, a Captain's Class cabin with complimentary minibar, toilet & shower.  Above right, fresh sea air aft on 9 deck.

2. Rotterdam to Berlin by European Sleeper

Above, the European Sleeper calls at Amsterdam Centraal.  This is a 5-berth couchette car, next to it is the stainless-steel sleeping-car.

3. Berlin to Warsaw or Krakow by EuroCity train

Scotland & the North to Poland

If you live in the North of England or Scotland, the fastest option is to take a train up to London and travel from London to Poland using Eurostar as described above .  If you choose this option, see this advice on buying cheap connecting train tickets to London .  But there are some useful ferry alternatives which allow you to by-pass London, and spend a day in Amsterdam on the way.  DFDS Seaways run an excellent daily overnight cruise ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam, and P&O Ferries run a daily overnight cruise ferry from Hull to Rotterdam.  So take the overnight ferry to Holland, head onwards by train to Berlin, and after an evening and night in the German capital, hop on a morning train to Poland!

Scotland & North ► Warsaw, Krakow

Day 1, take a train to either Hull or Newcastle, whichever is most convenient for where you live.

In Hull, transfer to P&O ferry terminal and sail overnight from Hull to Rotterdam by P&O ferry, with bus/train connection to Amsterdam Centraal.  The ferry has bars, restaurants & cosy en suite cabins.  For details of schedule, fares & tickets, see the Hull-Rotterdam page .

In Newcastle, transfer to the DFDS ferry terminal at North Shields and sail overnight from Newcastle to Amsterdam by DFDS Seaways ferry.  The ferry has bars, restaurants & cosy en suite cabins.  For details of schedule, fares & tickets see the Newcastle-Amsterdam page .

Day 2, spend the rest of the day in Amsterdam, all the sights are an easy walk from Amsterdam Centraal .  Left luggage lockers are available .

Day 2, travel from Amsterdam to Berlin by Intercity train , leaving Amsterdam Centraal at 13:59 & arriving Berlin Hbf at 19:51.

Or take an earlier train and enjoy an evening in Berlin, the 11:59 arrives 17:51, with time for an evening stroll past the Reichstag building to the Brandenburg gate , just 17 minutes walk from the station.  The Intercity train has power sockets at all seats, refreshments available.

The first one leaves Berlin Hbf at 05:51 Mondays-Saturdays arriving Warsaw Centralna at 11:14, or have a leisurely breakfast and take the daily 09:52 arriving at 15:14.  A restaurant car is available, treat yourself to lunch and a beer or two.

Day 3 for Krakow , travel from Berlin to Krakow by EuroCity train Wawel .

You leave Berlin Hbf at 10:52 & arriving Wroclaw 15:05, Katowice 17:15 & Krakow Glowny 18:07.

The EuroCity train Wawel is a comfortable air-conditioned Polish train with a restaurant car serving drinks, snacks and full meals.  Treat yourself to an inexpensive meal and a beer or two in the restaurant car!

Krakow, Warsaw ► Scotland & North

Day 1 from Krakow:   Travel from Krakow to Berlin by EuroCity train Wawel , leaving Krakow Glowny at 10:00 or Katowice 10:53, arriving Berlin Hbf at 17:06.  EuroCity train Wawel is a comfortable air-conditioned Polish train with a restaurant car serving drinks, snacks & meals.

Day 2, travel overnight by ferry from Rotterdam to Hull with P&O Ferries or from IJmuiden (near Amsterdam) to Newcastle with DFDS Seaways, whichever is most convenient for you.  Next morning (day 4) transfer to the station and take a train home.

For details of timetables, fares & how to buy tickets from Amsterdam to the UK via these ferry routes, see the Hull-Rotterdam page or the Newcastle-Amsterdam page .

Fares & how to buy tickets

Step 1, check the ferry times and buy your ferry ticket at www.dfds.com (Newcastle-Amsterdam) or www.poferries.com (Hull-Rotterdam). 

Step 2, check train fares and buy a train ticket from your local station to Hull or Newcastle online as shown on the UK page or using www.nationalrail.co.uk .

Step 3, Amsterdam to Warsaw by train starts at  €37.90 each way in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.  Book this at int.bahn.de as follows:

To get Amsterdam to Warsaw or Krakow with an overnight stop in Berlin, enter Amsterdam Centraal to Warsaw or Krakow, click Stopovers and enter Berlin Hbf with a length of stay of (say) 14 hours.  Adjust the length of stay and departure time as necessary to get the trains you want between Amsterdam & Berlin and (the following morning) Berlin & Poland.

If can't get your head around this, just use int.bahn.de to book Amsterdam-Berlin as one ticket and then Berlin-Poland as another ticket next day, although that usually costs a bit more.

Step 1, Newcastle to Amsterdam (DFDS) or Hull to Rotterdam (P&O) by overnight cruise ferry

Both ferries have private en suite cabins, restaurants, bars, cinema, a floating hotel.  If travelling with DFDS from Newcastle, a transfer bus takes you from IJmuiden ferry terminal to Amsterdam Centraal station next morning.  If travelling with P&O from Hull, a transfer bus takes you from Rotterdam Europoort ferry terminal to Rotterdam Centraal , from where frequent Dutch trains run to Utrecht.

You then take a comfortable Intercity train from Amsterdam Centraal to Berlin Hbf .  More about Amsterdam to Berlin trains and what to see on the way .

Step 3, Berlin to Warsaw by EuroCity train

These comfortable air-conditioned trains have a restaurant car.  More about Berlin-Warsaw EuroCity trains .

Pass or point to point?

Let's be clear, a pass will not save money over the cheapest point-to-point advance-purchase fares you might see if you book a few months ahead.  But when point-to-point fares are expensive (for example, at short notice) OR you want flexibility, for example the ability to change your mind, re-route or reschedule as necessary, a pass might be what you need.

If flexibility is what you want, buy the pass.  If it's about saving money, you'll have to check point-to-point prices and do the maths.

It's worth doing the maths if you are under 28, if you have kids (kids get a free pass when accompanying an adult but still need to pay reservation fees) or if you live a long way from London (as a pass covers you from your home station to London). Passes are available in 1st & 2nd class.

How to use a pass for a trip to Poland

Step 1, buy a 4-days in 1-month Interrail pass from www.raileurope.com (click Rail passes and select Europe ) or www.interrail.eu for €283 adult, €212 youth or €255 senior.  You load the pass into the Railplanner app on your phone.  See pass prices on the Interrail page .

A 4-day pass is enough to get from most places in mainland Britain to almost anywhere in Poland & back again.  You might need a longer period pass for a journey from Kyle of Lochalsh to Zakopane and back!

A 4-day pass gives you unlimited train travel on any 4 dates you choose in an overall 1 month period.  The first travel day can be any date you select in the 11 months after buying the pass, the overall 1 month period starts from that date.  Learn about how Interrail passes work here .

Step 2, make a Eurostar passholder reservation from London to Brussels & back for €30 each way.  See prices & how to make Eurostar passholder reservations online .  Tip:  Eurostar passholder availability is limited, so check availability before buying a pass .

Step 3, make reservations from Brussels to Berlin, if required.

Reservations are usually optional on daytime ICE trains, you can sit in any unreserved seat and show your pass when asked.  But reserving seats is a good idea, this costs around €5 each way at int.bahn.de enter Brussels to Berlin and click the Book seat only link under the red search button.

Passholder reservations for the European Sleeper can be made at www.europeansleeper.eu , see prices & how to make reservations .

Couchette or sleeper reservation on the Brussels-Berlin Nightjet sleeper can be made at www.oebb.at following the instructions here, method 1 .  Prices can be found on the Interrail reservations page .

Step 4, reservations are compulsory on the EuroCity trains between Berlin & Poland, see prices here .  Passholder reservations can only be made using the official Interrail reservations service .  Remember that booking for train to Poland only opens 60 days ahead.

How to buy train tickets in Poland

It's not difficult to buy train tickets for domestic journeys within Poland online or at the station ticket office.  It can help to write down what you want, in case staff don't speak extensive English.  UK agencies such as DB's English-speaking phone line on 00 49 (0)30 311 68 29 04 (open 08:30-17:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday & Sunday) can usually get you reservations on international trains starting in Poland.  However, if they have problems, or if you want to see if buying locally would be cheaper, try contacting the following agency in Poland:

Buy Polish domestic tickets at www.intercity.pl

You can book Polish inter-city train tickets (but not international ones except to Berlin) online at the Polish Railways InterCity website, www.intercity.pl .  At www.intercity.pl the English button is top right, and you'll need to use the Polish spellings of Krakow and Warszawa.  You pay online with a credit card and print out your own ticket.  Many seat61 correspondents have reported success buying self-print tickets for Polish trains this way, using UK and Dutch credit cards.

Or use Polish train ticketing agency www.polrail.com

Polish train ticketing agency www.polrail.com comes highly recommended if you want to arrange train tickets within Poland in advance, or book international train tickets starting in Poland, for example, from Warsaw to Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Moscow, Kyiv, Lviv or Vilnius, or from Krakow to Prague, Budapest or Vienna, etc..  You should arrange tickets between 10 & 60 days before travel (Polish train reservations open 60 days before departure, but 10 days is necessary for the agency to buy and send tickets). Tickets can be couriered to your home address in any country, or they can arrange ticket collection within Poland, for example, at your hotel.  If you use their services, feedback is always welcome!

Check any Polish train time at rozklad.sitkol.pl

A recommended journey planner for all Polish trains, including local ones (for example, those linking Krakow with Oswiecim (Auschwitz) see rozklad.sitkol.pl/bin/query.exe/en .

Definitely take a good guidebook.  For the independent traveller, I think this means one of two guidebooks, either the Lonely Planet or the Rough Guide.  Both series are excellent.  You can buy an in-depth guide for Poland or a guide covering all the countries in Eastern Europe.

Click the images to buy online at Amazon.co.uk

European rail timetable & maps.

Rail Map Europe is the map I recommend, covering all of Europe from Portugal in the west to Moscow & Istanbul in the east, Finland in the north to Sicily & Athens in the south.  Scenic routes & high-speed lines are highlighted.  See an extract from the map .  Buy online at www.europeanrailtimetable.eu (shipping worldwide) or at www.amazon.co.uk (UK addresses).

Hotels in Poland

In warsaw:  polonia palace & hotel bristol.

The Polonia Palace Hotel is a top choice for Warsaw, just across the road from Warsaw Centralna station and from the Palace of Culture skyscraper, 25 minutes walk from Warsaw's old town.  Opened in 1913, it was one of the few hotels to emerge unscathed from WW2, and has been used by many famous people including General (later President) Eisenhower and General de Gaulle.  It provides very high quality rooms at what by western standards is a budget price.   I thoroughly enjoyed my own stay there, in a room with a great view of the Palace of Culture, and so handy for the station.  Check prices & book .

Warsaw's most prestigious and historic luxury hotel is the Hotel Bristol , opened in 1901 right next to the old town.  It also survived the bombing of the old town in WW2, being used as the German HQ.  Hotel Bristol is 27 minutes walk from Warsaw Centralna , but only 8 minutes walk from Warsaw old town square.  Check prices & book

In Gdansk:  Craft Beer Hotel

The Craft Beer Hotel is located in the city centre, next to the railway station and 200m from the old town hall.  It's a historic building which - as the name suggests - includes a craft beer brewery.  Look no further!

Backpacker hostels: www.hostelworld.com

www.hostelworld.com :  If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels.  Hostelworld offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in Paris and most other European cities at rock-bottom prices.

Tours & holidays by train

Railbookers, railbookers.co.uk.

Railbookers are a train travel specialist who can put together a tour or holiday for you as a package, including rail travel, hotels & transfers.  On their website you'll find a range of suggested tours & holidays which can be varied or customised to your own requirements.  And as you're booking a package, they'll take care of you if anything happens to one part of the itinerary such as a strike or delay.  They get very positive reviews.  For example, they suggest a 6 night trip from London to Krakow, Warsaw & Berlin.

Travel insurance & other tips

Always take out travel insurance.

You should take out travel insurance with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover from a reliable insurer.  It should cover trip cancellation and loss of cash & belongings up to a reasonable limit.  These days, check you're covered for covid-19-related issues, and use an insurer whose cover isn't invalidated by well-meant but excessive Foreign Office travel advice against non-essential travel. An annual policy is usually cheapest even for just 2 or 3 trips a year, I have an annual policy with Staysure.co.uk myself.  Don't expect travel insurance to bail you out of every missed connection, see the advice on missed connections here .  Here are some suggested insurers, I get a little commission if you buy through these links, feedback always welcome.

Get an eSIM with mobile data package

Don't rely on WiFi, download an eSIM with a European mobile data package and stay connected.  Most newer mobile phones can download a virtual SIM including iPhone 11 & later, see device compatibility list .  There's no need to buy a physical SIM card!  Maya.net is a reliable eSIM data retailer with a 4.5 out of 5 Trustpilot rating and a range of packages including unlimited data .

Get a Curve card for foreign travel

Most banks give you a poor exchange rate then add a foreign transaction fee on top.  A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, £500 per month as I write this.  The money you spend on your Curve card goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards.  And you can get a Curve card for free.

How it works:   1. Download the Curve app for iPhone or Android .  2. Enter your details & they'll send you a Curve MasterCard - they send to the UK and most European addresses.  3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app, you can link up to two cards with the free version of Curve, I link my normal debit card and my normal credit card.  4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, exactly like a normal MasterCard. Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance in your own currency onto whichever debit or credit card is currently selected in the Curve app.  You can even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within 14 days of the transaction.

I have a Curve Blue card myself, it means I can buy a coffee on a foreign station on a card without being stung by fees and lousy exchange rates, just by tapping the Curve card on their card reader.  The money goes through Curve to my normal debit card and is taken directly from my account (in fact I have the Curve card set up as payment card on Apple Pay on my iPhone, so can double-click my phone, let it do Face ID then tap the reader with the phone - even easier than getting a card out).  I get a little commission if you sign up to Curve, but I recommend it here because I think it's great.  See details, download the app and get a Curve card , they'll give you £5 cashback through that link.

Get a VPN for safe browsing.  Why you need a VPN

When travelling you may use free public WiFi which is often insecure.  A VPN encrypts your connection so it's always secure, even on unsecured WiFi.  It also means you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geoblocking which a surprising number of websites apply.  See VPNs & why you need one explained .  ExpressVPN is a best buy with a 4.7 out of 5 Trustpilot ranking which I use myself - I've signed up as an ExpressVPN affiliate, and if you go with expressvpn.com using this link you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription.  I also get some commission to help support this site.

Carry an Anker powerbank

Tickets, reservations, hotel bookings and Interrail or Eurail passes are often now held on your mobile phone.  You daren't let it run out of power, and you can't always rely on the phone's internal battery or on being near a power outlet.  I always carry an Anker powerbank which can recharge my phone several times over.  Buy from Amazon.co.uk or Buy from Amazon.com .

Touring cities?  Use hill walking shoes!

One of the best things I've done is swap my normal shoes for hill-walking shoes, in my case from Scarpa.  They're intended for hiking across the Pennines not wandering around Florence, but the support and cushioning for hiking works equally well when you're on your feet all day exploring foreign cities.  My feet used to give out first and limit my day, now the rest of me gives up before they do!

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A Guide to Poland’s Rail Network – Map, Routes and Train Tickets

• PLACES & TRAVEL

If you’re planning to explore Poland by train, you might find the whole process a bit overwhelming. With multiple carriers, numerous promotions, and countless timetable pages, it’s easy to get lost. But don’t worry! I’ve gathered all the essential information you need to navigate Poland’s train network like a pro.

Navigating Poland’s Train Timetable

Let me say that train timetables in Poland, similar to most European countries, change yearly – usually in December. Throughout the year, some adjustments are announced, and due to track works, trains on specific routes may change their running times multiple times. I know it can be a bit confusing for travelers, but I’ve got your back.

You may also like to read this article: Exploring Poland Through Its Rivers: Why River Cruises Are a Must

Where to Check Train Timetables

I think the best place to check the train timetable in Poland is the Passenger’s Portal website, managed by PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe. You can also find station timetables in poster form on the site.

↳ PRO TIP: Do you like traveling? Then before you buy any ticket or book an attraction, check if it's available in this worldwide Viator Database . You may save a lot of money and time. No need to thank me :)

Other websites to check train schedules and buy tickets:

• rozklad.pkp.pl – PKP’s official timetable website
• beta.bilkom.pl – timetable by PKP Informatyka
• rozklad.sitkol.pl – an older connection search engine, popular among railway enthusiasts
• koleo.pl – the most popular railway ticket sales intermediary in Poland

I am convinced that these websites provide reliable information, but it’s worth double-checking connections with transfers. Sometimes, search engines show connections with at least 5 minutes to change, but in reality it may not be enough. You can tweak the search engine settings or search for individual episodes separately.

A Word on Regional Train Schedules

The websites called bocznica.eu (a Polish copy of a Czech site), publish lists of fast and regional trains. However, I don’t recommend relying on them because of frequent changes. If you want regional train schedules, PKP Intercity provides listings of the trains it operates. Check them out at www.intercity.pl .

Handling Replacement Bus Services

Replacement bus services can be a traveler’s nightmare. Line closures can be planned or unplanned, with planned closures usually showing up when searching for connections. PKP Intercity provides relevant information on its website: www.intercity.pl . Replacement bus services from other carriers should appear in search engines as an icon or message.

Dealing with Train Delays

If you experience a train delay, regardless of the reason, notify the train manager . The second train might not always wait, and there could be problems on PKP Intercity trains.

For instance, I once traveled from Katowice to Warsaw, where I was supposed to change trains to Białystok. Due to a 50-minute delay, I missed my connection by 2 minutes. I eventually boarded the next train, but the train manager didn’t want to recognize my ticket because I had a seat reservation for the earlier train.

There was no note from the previous conductor, and my explanations about the missed connection were of no use. The train manger had to spend 15 minutes verifying everything before allowing me to stay on the train.

I believe it’s important to know that you’re entitled to compensation for delays of more than 60 minutes on long-distance trains caused by the carrier. Detailed regulations and procedures are available on the Office of Rail Transport’s website .

You can submit a complaint through a special form on the PKP Intercity website. However, be aware that responses from PKP Intercity can sometimes be disrespectful and arrogant . In such cases, it’s best to notify the Office of Rail Transport.

Know Your Rights for Compensation

Train delays longer than 60 minutes may entitle passengers to compensation, regardless of the train type. Different rules apply for compensation from EU regulation and Polish national provisions.

EU Regulation Compensation : According to the European Parliament and Council Regulation (EC) No. 1371/2007, the minimum compensation for train delays is:

• 25% of a single ticket price for delays between 60 and 119 minutes
• 50% of a single ticket price for delays of 120 minutes or more

This compensation applies to domestic long-distance trains (Express Intercity Premium, Express InterCity, InterCity, Moje Linie Kolejowe, interREGIO) and international journeys between EU countries. Urban, suburban, and regional trains in Poland are exempt. The minimum threshold for compensation is 4,00 EUR.

Polish National Provisions : Passengers of all train categories can file a complaint for train delays and seek compensation based on general provisions of the Civil Code and the Act – Transport Law. So, as you can see, here it is much worse. Why? Because compensation depends on the proven loss resulting from your train delay. Carriers may be exempt from liability if the delay was due to extraordinary events beyond their control, and you get nothing.

Passengers can file a complaint to the carrier, go to court after exhausting the complaint procedure, or submit a complaint to the Office of Rail Transport. However, good information is that compensation from EU regulation does not exclude seeking compensation based on Polish national provisions.

Railway Carriers in Poland

Now let’s talk about the companies in the railroad business. Poland has over a dozen carriers operating scheduled passenger trains. Here is a list of some of the most notable carriers:

• PKP Intercity – Offers long-distance domestic and international connections, including fast trains, Intercity, EIC, and EIP. PKP Intercity trains typically stop only at major railway stations. Website: www.intercity.pl
• Polregio – Once the largest regional carrier, Polregio has been losing importance due to the expansion of local government carriers. They operate REGIO, interREGIO, and commercial SuperREGIO trains. Website: www.polregio.pl
• Koleje Mazowieckie – A local government carrier serving regional connections in the Mazowieckie Voivodeship. Operates seasonal commercial trains to the sea during non-pandemic times. Website: www.mazowieckie.com.pl
• Koleje Dolnośląskie – A local government carrier providing regional connections in the Dolnośląskie Voivodship and some aditional connections with neighboring voivodeships. Website: www.kolejedolnoslaskie.pl
• Koleje Wielkopolskie – A local government carrier serving regional connections in the Wielkopolskie Voivodeship. Website: Koleje-Wielkopolskie.com.pl
• Koleje Śląskie – A local government carrier operating regional connections in the Śląskie Voivodship and select interconnections with neighboring voivodeships. Website: Kolejeslaskie.com
• Łódzka Kolej Aglomeracyjna – A local government carrier serving regional connections in the Łódź Voivodeship. Also runs ŁKA Sprinter fast trains from Łódź to Warsaw. Website: lka.lodzkie.pl
• Koleje Małopolskie – A local government carrier operating trains on select railway lines in the Małopolskie Voivodeship. Runs several seasonal fast trains within the region on summer weekends. Website: malopolskiekoleje.pl
• Arriva RP – A carrier from the Arriva group (part of Deutsche Bahn) supporting connections in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship. Operates several commercial trains to the Baltic sea during the holidays. Website: arriva.pl
• Szybka Kolej Miejska (SKM) – Tri-City – A carrier from the PKP group, operating passenger trains in the Tri-City agglomeration, Pomeranian Metropolitan Railway lines, and passenger trains from Gdańsk Śródmieście to Lębork. Website: www.skm.pkp.pl
• Fast City Rail in Warsaw – A carrier servicing select rail connections in the Warsaw agglomeration area. Website: www.skm.warszawa.pl
• Warszawska Kolej Dojazdowa – A unique cross between a train and a tram, operating on the route Warszawa Centralna WKD – Grodzisk Mazowiecki Radońska. Website: www.wkd.com.pl
• SKPL Group – A carrier operating the Pleszew Miasto – Pleszew Wąskotorowy (Kowalew) connection, which was once a narrow-gauge connection but is now a standard-gauge connection. Until December 2019, it operated Rzeszów – Zagórz/Łupków trains on behalf of PKP Intercity. A few years ago, SKPL Group trains could be found on lines that are normally closed for passenger traffic during the holidays: Kętrzyn – Węgorzewo and Lipusz – Bytów. They also operate on several routes in Lower Silesia (as Koleje Dolnośląskie). Website: shortlines.pl
• We can also include Leo Express in this list. This carrier operates weekend trains from Kraków to Praga.

The variety of railway carriers in Poland provides passengers with numerous options for regional and long-distance travel.

Train Categories You Will Find in Poland

Polish train timetables feature several types of trains:

Passenger Trains (REGIO)

These trains stop at all passenger stations and are predominantly operated by Przewozy Regionalne. They may be referred to as REGIO trains and are also used by other carriers. Passenger trains can be found with the following abbreviations:

• R – REGIO train by Przewozy Regionalne
• KM – Koleje Mazowieckie train
• KMŁ – Koleje Małopolskie
• KŚ train – Koleje Śląskie
• KD – Koleje Dolnośląskie train
• KW – Koleje Wielkopolskie train
• ŁKA – train of Łódzka Kolej Aglomeracyjna
• AR – train of Arriva RP

Fast trains operated by Przewozy Regionalne, primarily serving students during weekends.

TLK (Twoje Linie Kolejowe)

Fast trains operated by PKP Intercity, composed of older, non-modernized wagons. Some TLK trains feature air-conditioned cars with sockets and closed-circuit toilets.

IC (Intercity)

Fast trains operated by PKP Intercity, with modernized wagons or electric multiple units. These trains have air-conditioned first and second-class cars, often with a bar or restaurant.

EIC (Express Intercity)

Comfortable trains running between major cities, with modernized or new, air-conditioned first and second-class cars. Passengers receive a small snack, and management compartments are available on some trains.

EIP (Express Intercity Premium)

The highest and most expensive category of trains, served by ED250 vehicles, also known as „Polish Pendolino”. EIP trains have first and second-class cars, a restaurant car, and a Quiet Zone.

International night trains going to Eastern European countries, composed of older, non-modernized wagons.

EN (Euronight)

International night trains going to Western and Central European countries.

Berlin-Vienna night train traveling through Poland, operated by Austrian Railways, with air-conditioned seated cars, couchette cars, and sleeping cars.

Sleeping Cars and Couchettes

Some PKP Intercity night trains have couchette cars and sleeping cars. Couchette cars have six-person compartments, while sleeping cars have separate compartments for men and women. Bedding, mineral water, and small refreshments are provided in sleeping cars. Traveling in a sleeping car or couchette car allows for a more comfortable journey, especially for overnight trips.

Polish Railway Stations

Let me say that Polish railway stations have come a long way in the past decade. Many of them have been renovated, and I think they now look pretty good compared to other European stations. They have also become more accessible for people with disabilities, and some even have additional amenities like showers. However, there are still quite a few smaller city stations that need a facelift.

The Three Main Trends in Station Modernization

I am convinced that there are three primary approaches to modernization of Polish railway stations. The first one involves restoring historic buildings to their former glory, which includes conservation work. Examples of such stations include Bielsko-Biała Główna , Gdynia Główny , and Wrocław Główny .

The second trend is to incorporate railway stations into shopping malls . If you need some retail therapy or a quick bite, these stations have got you covered. They usually sit right next to a huge shopping mall or have one nearby. However, I believe these stations often lack a classic waiting room for travelers. A great example of this type of station is the railway station in Katowice .

The last trend, known as „system stations”, features small booths built according to a single design for the entire country. These stations are divided into two parts: one houses a ticket office and a security counter, while the other has a toilet, waiting room, possibly a retail and service point, and a vending machine with snacks.

Who Manages the Stations and What’s Changed?

Most railway stations are managed by PKP, but more and more buildings are being taken over by local governments. They have successfully modernized the stations, which now also serve as libraries, offices, and other institutions. A notable example is the renovation of Goczałkowice-Zdrój station by the local government.

More and more stations are becoming accessible to people with disabilities, with the installation of lifts and signs for the blind. Toilets at train stations are increasingly free of charge, but at some larger facilities, fees can range from PLN 2 to PLN 4. At the most important railway stations, you can find a family room equipped with a changing table and a shower.

Security guards work at most stations, from smaller ones with retired guards to larger ones with professional security companies. Taking photos at stations is generally not a problem, but some people are still unaware that the ban on photography has been lifted.

The most important stations are open 24 hours a day, but smaller ones often close in the afternoon. If you want a safe place to wait for a train at night, consider stations like Warszawa Centralna, Warszawa Zachodnia, Kraków Główny, Przemyśl Główny, Gdynia Główna, and Wrocław Główny.

Traditional luggage storage facilities are becoming scarce at most stations, replaced by luggage boxes available in various sizes. However, it’s worth mentioning that not all stations have ticket machines for every carrier, leading to long queues at ticket offices despite the „one queue system”.

Map of Train Connections in Poland

Here is the map of railroad and main cities. In order to use this map, use the link in the image description

Safety on Polish Trains

I published a blog post about Safety on Trains . I know you may be scared after reading this article, but things get improving. Nevertheless, you must remain vigilant against pickpocketing and gangs of thieves who target sleeping passengers. Pickpockets are active on crowded trains, while gangs typically operate on night trains.

So What Has Improved?

I am sure that safety on trains has gotten better. Selected PKP Intercity night trains are now patrolled by security companies along their entire route, whereas in the past, there were gaps in security coverage between certain stations. Additionally, more and more storage areas are monitored , making it easier for the police to track down thieves.

Unfortunately, it is impossible to eliminate all risks , so it is essential to follow basic safety rules while traveling. Always be aware of your surroundings because you never know who you might encounter.

The situation at stations has improved, but some still struggle with issues like homeless people, beggars, and individuals with mental health challenges . Be particularly cautious of pickpockets at these stations.

In night trains, thefts have been reported mainly on the following sections:

• Various sections in the Śląskie Voivodeship
• Section Głogów – Zielona Góra
• Section Kielce – Radom
• Section Tczew – Bydgoszcz

Tourist Trains in Poland

I can bet you didn’t know that, but aside from the regularly scheduled trains operated by the carriers mentioned in the article, there are also tourist trains in Poland run by Turkol and the Nowy Sącz Association of Railway Enthusiasts as part of the „Małopolskie Szlaki Turystyki Kolejowej” project.

These tourist trains typically run on railway lines closed for passenger traffic , and usually consist of a steam or diesel locomotive with retro carriages. In cooperation with local tourist organizations, the organizers develop accompanying programs for these trips.

Tourist trains follow a fixed schedule and require mandatory seat reservations . In 90% of cases, tickets must be bought well in advance through the tour operator’s website. Despite the relatively high prices, tickets sell out quickly.

Tourist trips are organized by the following entities:

• TurKol organizes tourist train trips mainly in the Wielkopolskie Voivodship and neighboring regions. They also offer multi-day trips to various regions, but these are correspondingly more expensive. Website: www.turkol.pl
• Małopolskie Trails of Railway Tourism is a project implemented by the Nowy Sącz Association of Railway Enthusiasts, the Railway Open Air Museum in Chabówka, and PKP Cargo. The project offers journeys in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship, mainly on the picturesque railway lines Nowy Sącz – Muszyna, Tarnów – Żabno, and Tarnów – Tuchów. From 2022 onwards, due to the construction of the Podłęże – Piekiełko line, the Nowy Sącz – Chabówka trains will no longer operate. Website: Kolejegalicyjskie.pl

Occasionally, international tourist trains catering to wealthy travelers pass through Poland, such as the Courier Classic or the Venice Simplon Orient Express.

Holiday Trains

During the holiday season, several interesting additional trains are launched to popular tourist destinations, often on railway lines where trains do not run during the off-season. These trains supplement long-distance connections from the north to the south of Poland and vice versa.

Examples include:

• Koszalin – Mielno : A rail bus providing easy access to the popular seaside resort .
• Chełm – Włodawa : A holiday connection that has been operating for several years. Unfortunately, the station in Włodawa is far from the city center, making it less attractive to tourists.
• Białystok – Waliły : Trains on this route run from May until the end of summer. Local governments and Przewozy Regionalne promote this connection as an opportunity to go mushroom picking by train.

In addition to reactivations, there are also two connections that garnered interest but were discontinued by the SKPL Group: Kętrzyn – Węgorzewo and Bytów – Lipusz. The potential of the Koleja Nadzalewowa from Elbląg to Frombork remains untapped.

The Most Beautiful Railway Lines

Poland is home to several railway lines that can be considered among the most beautiful in Central Europe , if not beyond. Unfortunately, two of them are currently closed for passenger trains, and only special trains run on one.

Some of these stunning lines include:

• Reda – Hel Railway Line : Built on a spit, this 62.8 km-long line offers breathtaking views of the Puck Bay and the sea. The most beautiful section of the line begins just after Puck. During the off-season, railbuses run on the Gdynia – Władysławowo and Gdynia – Hel lines. In the high season, additional fast trains from PKP Intercity are available. Trains can get crowded during the season, stopping at popular holiday destinations.
• Kłodzko Główny – Wałbrzych Główny Railway Line : A picturesque 52 km-long line in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. The tracks run alongside hills and rivers, and the train passes through two long tunnels – Tunel pod Sajdak and Tunel pod Mały Wołowiec, the longest tunnel in Poland . Between Jedlina-Zdrój and Wałbrzych stations, the train crosses a viaduct offering a panorama of Wałbrzych. Koleje Dolnośląskie railbuses currently operate on this route.
• Tarnów – Muszyna – Leluchów Railway Line : A 145.48 km-long line running along the Poprad River for much of its route. With hills, river valleys, and the train occasionally running next to the road, this line offers stunning scenery . Some trains are served by old EN57 trains with opening windows, allowing for beautiful photos. Many interesting towns are located along the way, including Nowy Sącz and Stary Sącz, creating a unique atmosphere.
• Chabówka – Nowy Sącz Railway Line : A mountain railway line in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship, running through the Beskid Wyspowy. On the roughly 77 km-long route, the train crosses 74 bridges, with the longest one spanning over 300 meters and rising over the Dunajec just before Nowy Sącz Miasto station. Despite the mountainous terrain, no tunnels were built on the route, but 206 water culverts were constructed under the tracks . Currently, special trains run on the route only a few times a year, and tickets sell out quickly. In the future, plans include renovating the line and connecting it with the planned new Podłęże – Piekiełko line.
• Bóbr Valley Railway : A scenic railway line in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship, connecting Jelenia Góra and Lwówek Śląski. The most picturesque section is 33 km long, but the line actually extends to Ławszowa, totaling 77 km in length. On the Jelenia Góra – Lwówek Śląski section, the train travels through three tunnels and crosses four bridges and viaducts. Despite its landscape values, the line has deteriorated over the years, with trains’ speed dropping to 10 km/h. Trains have not operated on this line for several years, but there are talks of possibly reactivating passenger transport in the future.
• Kolej Nadzalewowa : A closed railway line connecting Elbląg with Braniewo (48 km). Some sections are located along the banks of the Vistula Lagoon, with popular towns like Tolkmicko and Frombork situated along the line. Despite its potential, the line fell into disrepair, and attempts to create a trolley railway on part of the route were unsuccessful. Due to the costs, it is unlikely that the line will be renovated in the near future.
• Zagórz – Krościenko Railway Line : Although passenger trains have not run on this line for years, it is said to be one of the most beautiful in Poland. Unfortunately, the opportunity to experience this line has yet to present itself.
• Tarnów – Krynica – Zdrój Railway Line : This railway line runs through the picturesque landscapes of Lesser Poland and offers stunning views of the surrounding hills and valleys. The line connects Tarnów with the popular spa town of Krynica-Zdrój, making it a popular choice for those seeking relaxation and rejuvenation. Along the way, passengers can enjoy the charming atmosphere of small towns and villages, each with its unique charm.

Funicular Railways in Poland

Poland is home to four funicular railways , with three situated in the south and one in Gdynia. These unique transportation systems offer scenic views and convenient access to popular destinations.

Funicular Railway to Góra Żar : Completed in late 2003, this 1,300-meter-long funicular railway connects passengers to Góra Żar. The 5.5-minute journey provides picturesque views from both the cable car and the mountaintop, making it popular among gliding and paragliding enthusiasts. The railway can transport 1,200 passengers per hour and accommodates bicycles and ski equipment.

Check more on the website: www.pkl.pl/gora-zar/gora-zar.html

Funicular Railway to Gubałówka : Built in 1938 and modernized in 2001, this 1,307-meter-long cable car takes passengers from Zakopane to Gubałówka . The 3.5-minute journey features a passing loop at the midway point and can transport 2,000 passengers per hour.

Funicular Railway to Góra Parkowa : As Poland’s first funicular railway, this 1937 construction in Krynica-Zdrój connects the promenade with Góra Parkowa. The 642-meter route has a 148-meter elevation change and includes a passing loop. The railway carries 500 passengers per hour, with each carriage holding 50 people. The journey takes approximately 3 minutes, and the railway operates daily from 10:00 to 19:00.

Funicular Railway to Kamienna Góra : Inaugurated in 2005, this Gdynia-based funicular railway transports passengers from Plac Grunwaldzki to Kamienna Góra. The 96-meter route takes just 2 minutes to complete, providing quick access to this popular destination.

Funicular railways in Poland not only offer unique travel experiences but also grant convenient access to various attractions. Their scenic routes and historic significance make them must-see attractions for visitors and locals alike.

References:

• https://portalpasazera.pl/
• https://utk.gov.pl/
• http://mapa.plk-sa.pl/
• https://www.bazakolejowa.pl/index.php
• https://siskom.waw.pl/kp-kolej-polska.htm

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How to travel around Poland by train

Oct 23, 2015 • 5 min read

Forget the car – with a rail network that radiates to all parts of Poland from its biggest cities, a much better way to experience the country  is by train.

Whether departing from shiny new stations or crumbling old ones, along busy main lines or sleepy branch lines, aboard brand new trains or communist-era carriages, Polish train travel is never dull. Here are some key features of Poland's complex and sometimes confusing rail network, and our tips to help you navigate it.

Polish rail operators

Poland's sprawling rail system was welded together from separate 19th-century networks developed under the German, Austro-Hungarian and Russian Empires. Some of the resulting quirks are still evident: denser coverage and more frequent rail services in the west than in the east, and regional train stations with a diverse architectural heritage. Other aspects were inherited from the post-war communist era, or arrived via redevelopment in the 21st century.

Long-distance intercity train journeys are operated by the national rail company PKP . Shorter trips are handled by the relevant rail company of each Polish region. For example, if you take a trip to the countryside around Warsaw you might be hosted by Koleje Mazowieckie ( mazowieckie.com.pl ), while from Poznań to Gniezno you’re likely aboard a train belonging to Koleje Wielkopolskie ( koleje-wielkopolskie.com.pl ).

You don’t need to worry about this division very much. At most stations, ticketing is unified, but at some larger stations, separate ticket booths are designated for long-distance and regional trains.

Train schedules

Some larger train stations have airport-style departure boards but the rest – right down to the smallest trackside halt – will at least have posters listing departures and arrivals. The key to these is colour. Yellow posters list departures; white posters list arrivals. Each includes the numbers and names of trains, intermediate stops, and on-board facilities.

Faster trains with fewer stops are listed in red ink, while a stopping-all-stations train (known as a pociąg osobowy in Polish) calls at more obscure locations, and is listed in black ink.

Train timetables are available in English on PKP's website ( rozklad-pkp.pl/en) .

Buying tickets

For many years, you bought a ticket the same way at every station: by speaking broken Polish through a ticket window.

This is still the only way to buy tickets at smaller stations (and, surprisingly, at some of the larger ones too) so, b efore joining the ticket queue, either a) brush up your Polish; b) write down the rail journey you want to make, including times and locations, and present this to the ticket agent; or c) both of the above. Good terms to know for long-distance trains are pierwsza klasa (first class) and druga klasa (second class).

Many of the country's larger stations have recently installed ticket vending machines which provide instructions in English, which makes the process simpler.

Finding your platform

Finding the right platform is not always as easy as it seems. In Poland, both sides of the platform are given the same number – so there might be two trains departing from Platform 2 at the same time. Some stations now indicate the track number as well as the platform number, but these can be erratically distributed in non-numerical order across the station.

This platform confusion is the single most stress-inducing aspect of Polish train travel, but don’t despair – there are ways to ensure you’re in the right place. If you’re lucky, the station will be big enough to have digital signage on each platform, informing you of the destination of the next train.

A better bet is to look at the side of the train. Either it’ll be a newer model with a digital destination sign, or it’ll be an older version with a metal plate listing the stops. If you’re still uncertain, ask a fellow passenger where the train is heading.

Rolling stock

Polish trains are somewhat like Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates – you never know what you’ll get until it arrives.

On the shorter regional routes, EU funds have helped to introduce sleek modern commuter trains, usually a single vehicle with sealed windows. Alternatively you might find yourself in one of the older short-distance trains with worn red vinyl seats, wood veneer, and stiff but openable windows. It’s a similar picture on long-distance journeys: the priciest ticket class, Express InterCity, applies to fast 21st-century trains with open-plan seating.

Far more atmospheric, however, are the older long-distance carriages divided into compartments: eight green-upholstered seats in second class, and six red seats in first class. Score a first-class window seat with its handy little table and a view of the passing countryside, and enjoy the comfy nostalgia.

Scenic stations

Polish stations are a fascinating jumble of old and new. Arguably the most attractive is Wroclaw Główny. Built in 1857 by the Kingdom of Prussia, its fanciful turrets and glamorous interiors have recently been restored.

At the other end of the timescale are stations such as Poznań Główny. Opened for the 2012 Euro football championships co-hosted by Poland, it’s a gleaming glass and steel structure; and, in contemporary style, connected to a large shopping mall.

Chronologically between these two is Warszawa Centralna. Constructed in the mid-1970s, it was intended by the then regime to act as a showcase of communist-era transport. From the outside it looks like a chunky insect-like spaceship; its interiors include a lofty ticket hall, a maze-like shopping concourse, and subterranean platforms.

Poland's most memorable train journeys

On many Polish rail routes, you won’t see much but green fields and the back streets of towns. But there are definitely some trains worth catching for the view.

Jelenia Gora to Szklarska Poręba:  Travel up into the Sudetes mountains , from the Silesian city of Jelenia Gora to Szklarska Poręba, a pretty holiday town that’s a base for hiking and snow sports.

Gdynia to Hel:  From the Baltic port of Gdynia, this train journey takes you along the narrow Hel Peninsula to Hel itself, a popular seaside town with good windsurfing.

Poznań to Wolsztyn:  One for the true trainspotter, this journey from Poznań  takes you to the home of a working steam train depot at  Wolsztyn . Not only can you visit the Wolsztyn Roundhouse ( parowozowniawolsztyn.pl ), it’s possible to drive a steam train on courses offered by the Wolsztyn Experience .

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Grab your Eurail Pass and hop aboard for a spectacular East European rail travel adventure. From Warsaw to Wrocław, from Kraków to Toruń, the people and sights of Poland are unforgettable. Get a taste of the famous hospitality and affordability of this east European treasure, using the convenient and accessible Polish rail service.

Trains types in Poland

There is a great choice of domestic and international trains in Poland. You can get times for all Polish trains in the  Eurail timetable .

• Domestic Trains
• International trains
• Night trains
• Private railway

Intercity trains in Poland

The majority of passenger trains in Poland are operated by  PKP Intercity , the Polish State Railways.

Express InterCity Premium (EIP)

• Gdánsk-Warsaw-Krakow/Katowice/Wroclaw
• Speeds up to 200km/h
• Reservation with a supplement is mandatory (costs are 43 PLN / 10 EUR)
• Additional supplement is required
• Popular trains, worth reserving your seat well in advance

Express InterCity (EIC)

• Operates on important domestic routes
• Speeds up to 160km/h
• Most luxurious and modern Intercity rolling stock
• Seat reservations are recommended

Intercity (IC) and Twoje Linie Kolejowe (TLK)

• Link major cities in Poland 
• Includes day- and overnight services 
• A list of IC and TLK connections can be found here . 
• These trains are marked with [R] in the timetable. 
• In other IC and TLK trains (seating cars), a seat reservation is recommended.

Regional trains in Poland

POLREGIO (Przewozy Regionalne)

• Local trains stopping at all stations along their routes.
• 2nd class only.

No reservation required.

Operates on the route Łódź to Warsaw, stopping at medium and major stations along the way.

interREGIO (IR)

2nd class only.

Koleje Dolnośląskie (Os)

English: Lower Silesian Railways.

Regional trains operating in southwestern Poland.

No reservation required. 

Please note : the  Kulturzug , the direct train between Wroclaw (Breslaw) and Berlin, is not included.

PKP Szybka Kolej Miejska w Trójmieście Sp. z o.o.

Alternative name: SKM w Trójmiescie.

Regional trains operating in Poland's Tricity area (Gdańsk – Sopot – Gdynia – Rumia – Reda – Wejherowo – Lębork).

International trains in Poland

EuroCity (EC) and Intercity (IC)

• International trains on major routes connecting Poland to cities in neighboring countries.
• An advance reservation is required.
• Warsaw – Poznan – Berlin
• Warsaw – Katowice – Ostrava – Prague
• Gdánsk – Bydgoszcz – Poznan – Berlin
• (Przemysl –) Krakow – Katowice – Wroclaw – Berlin
• Przemysl – Krakow – Katowice – Ostrava – Prague
• Przemysl – Krakow – Katowice – Vienna – Graz
• (Wroclaw –) Katowice – Vienna
• Krakow – Bohumin – Vienna
• Warsaw – Katowice - Vienna
• Terespol – Warsaw – Katowice – Bratislava – Budapest
• Krakow – Warsaw – Mockava – Kaunas – Vilnius

The international service Krakow – Vilnius is split in Mockava: 

• A Polish train runs Krakow – Warsaw – Mockava
• A Lithuanian train runs Mockava – Kaunas – Vilnius

Seat reservations can currently only be booked online for the Polish section of the train until the border station Trakiszki.

Intercity Krakow – Warsaw – Kaunas – Vilnius

• Passengers change trains in Mockava, at the Lithuanian-Polish border.
• A Polish train runs Krakow – Warsaw – Mockava.
• A Lithuanian train runs Mockava – Kaunas – Vilnius.
• Trains run daily.
• For the section between Krakow/Warsaw and the Polish border station Trakiszki, reservations can be bought online in the Interrail reservation system and via  PKP Intercity .
• For the section between Mockava and Kaunas/Vilnius, a free interrail supplement is needed. This supplement can be acquired on the train.

Regional international connections

• International trains on regional routes connecting Poland to cities in neighboring countries, such as Germany, Czech Republic, and Slovakia.
• An advance reservation is not possible.

Leo Express

• Serves several Polish cities twice a week
• Krakow – Katowice – Ostrava – Prague
• Seat reservation is required, but for free

RegioJet Bus

• RegioJet, based in the Czech Republic, runs a connection bus service from Krakow and Katowice to Ostrava (Czech Republic) with a guaranteed change to RegioJet trains in direction to Olomouc and Prague and also to Košice and Tatra mountains in Slovakia.
• The RegioJet bus is included in the Interrail Global Pass.
• Reservations are required (€3 for a seat for 1st and 2nd Class Pass holders) and can be made  online .

Domestic night trains in Poland

• Domestic overnight trains.
• Links major cities in Poland.
• You need to reserve sleeping accommodation or a seat on this train in advance.
• Warsaw – Szczecin – Swinoujscie
• Warsaw – Wroclaw – Jelenia Gora
• Swinoujscie – Szczecin – Krakow – Przemysl
• Kolobrzeg – Gdynia – Gdansk – Krakow
• Gdynia – Gdansk – Warsaw – Zakopane
• Szczecin – Poznan – Zakopane (summer only)
• Hel – Gdynia – Gdansk – Krakow (summer only)

International night trains in Poland

Euro Night (EN)

• International overnight trains.
• Links Poland with Germany, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Austria.
• Warsaw – Krakow – Katowice – Bratislava – Budapest  
• Warsaw – Krakow – Katowice – Vienna – Linz – Munich
• Warsaw – Krakow – Katowice – Ostrava – Prague
• Berlin – Dresden – Prague – Vienna – Graz
• Berlin – Dresden – Prague – Bratislava – Budapest
• International overnight trains. 
• Links Poland with the Czech Republic. 
• You need to reserve sleeping accommodation or a seat on this train in advance. 
• Przemysl – Krakow – Katowice – Prague

Private train companies in Poland

Operating in mid-northern Poland.

You can't board these trains with a rail pass.

SKM and WKD

Commuter railways operating in the Warsaw region.

Popular Connections

• Domestic routes
• International routes

Here are approximate train times between Poland's most popular cities:

Modern, air-conditioned international trains link Poland to popular cities in the following European countries:

Reservations

How can i make reservations for trains in poland, eurail reservation self-service system.

• TLK, IC, EC, EIC, Nightjet, Euro Night

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 
• ČD (Czech railways) : Domestic and international trains
• ÖBB (Austrian railways) : Domestic and international trains
• Leo Express : Domestic and international trains (only Leo Express) 
• RegioJet : International trains (only RegioJet)

Other platforms

• Polrail : Domestic and international trains    

An explanation of how each booking platform works can be found here: How do I book my reservations

Locally at the train station in Poland

Seat reservations made at Polish train stations cost 1 Zloty per seat, same as via the website of PKP Intercity (Polish railways) . EIP trains still require an extra supplement.

Find information about official selling points here .

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

Good to know

• EIP – a seat reservation (43,00 PLN) is mandatory (this includes the supplement cost)
• EIC – a seat reservation (1,00 PLN) is recommended
• You can find the list of these connections  here .
• These trains are marked with [R] in the timetable.
• POLREGIO, PKP SKM and Koleje Dolnośląskie – seat reservations are not available.
• On the  PKP Intercity website  detailed information on the rules for booking seats in Poland can be found.

Get your Pass for Poland

Poland pass.

Use your whole vacation to discover Poland by rail.

Standard prices from  $  64

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Be free to explore Poland and up to 32 other Eurail countries.

Standard prices from  $  233

Tips and tricks for Poland

Bus travel to germany or czech republic.

If your Eurail pass is valid in Poland and Germany or Czech Republic, you can travel for free on the following routes (pay reservation fee only):

• Krakow – Wroclaw – Berlin (Germany)
• Krakow – Katowice – Ostrava (Czech Republic)

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Quick facts

Capital: Warsaw (local spelling:  Warszawa )

Population: 38.2 million

Language: Polish

Currency: Polish Zloty (PLN)

Dialing code: +48

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Suggested Day Trips in Poland

Learn about Warsaw's turbulent past as you walk through the Old Town, an outstanding restoration project, and discover the elegant architecture of the Royal Route.

A guided visit to the most notorious concentration camp of the Second World War, where over a million jews were murdered. The tour includes pick-up from your hotel in Krakow.

The historic city of Łódź (pronounced Woodge) is only 75 minutes from Warsaw, making it the perfect place for a day trip. Łódź had a booming textile industry in the 19th century, but fell into decline after WWII. Now it's an up and coming destination with elegant boulevards, a modern vibe and some great shopping.

This guided tour takes you to the remarkable UNESCO World Heritage-listed salt mines at Wielickza, featuring huge underground halls and sculptures crafted from salt.

Poland Trains

Start your fantastic and stunning adventure through polish vastness by train! Choose the most popular destinations, book train tickets, and find all needed information for your next train trip in one place. Explore Europe today!

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Are you planning to dive into a new journey? Choose the most popular train destinations in Poland and Europe online. Enjoy your everlasting railway adventure today!

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You're welcome to choose from the best high-speed trains of Poland! Enjoy the opportunity to select the train type according to your wishes, and book tickets in a few clicks!

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Explore Poland by Train

​HOW DO I BOOK TRAIN TICKETS IN POLAND?

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​DOES POLAND HAVE FAST TRAINS?

DO POLISH TRAINS HAVE WI-FI?

ARE TRAINS IN POLAND SAFE?

Poland's trains are very safe and comfortable. The train is considered the safest land transport and has the highest speed.

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Poland by train

Welcome to the guide on how to save money, time and confusion when travelling in Poland by train.

Poland has invested heavily over the past decade to modernise its trains and stations, which now frequently compare to some of the best in Europe.

Though this on-going investment is leading to a large number of works being carried out on the railway lines; which seems to impact in particular on Saturday departures.

If you would like help with planning a train journey within or to/from Poland or want to add some Polish destinations to a European train travel itinerary, take a look at ShowMeTheJourney's new Concierge Service .

There is one aspect of Polish train travel that can be particularly confusing to overseas visitors and that is to do with how the platforms (perons) AND tracks are numbered at the large stations in Poland.

If you think of the platform in a station, as an island between the railway lines/tracks, with trains departing from both sides of the island; in Poland these ‘islands' are named ' Perons '. Or in other words these ‘islands’ are the platforms, while each side of the platform, which the trains depart from and arrive at, are the tors (tracks) In Poland the ‘perons’/platforms have their own numbers, but OTHER additional numbers are used for the tors (tracks).

However, on the electronic departure screens on station concourses and in the entrances, only the 'Peron' numbers are shown. The core idea is that you make your way to the peron and THEN when you are on the peron/patform, there are other info screens which tell you which specific 'tor' your train will be leaving from. Each numbered tor/track also has its own dedicated departure indicator.

Or you can use the yellow departure 'Odjazdy' sheets, as these list both the peron (platform) numbers AND the track numbers. To avoid confusion (ahem) roman numerals are used for the ‘peron’ numbers on these departure sheets* and numerical numbers are used for the tracks.

So, for EXAMPLE, when arriving at Krakow Glowny station to take a train to Warszawa – the ‘peron’ number on the electronic departure board may be 5, but the departure sheets will show this ‘peron’ number as ‘V’, with the track number written as 10 beneath it. So you would follow the signs to ‘peron’ 5 and then when on ‘peron’ 5, you would locate the electronic indicator for tor 10; and this is where the train to Warszawa will be departing from.

Don’t let that put you off as trains can be an easy and comparatively cheap means of exploring Poland.

*At some stations the yellow Odjazdy sheets are paper posters, but some major stations have electronic versions - you can use buttons to scroll through the departures.

'Glowny' is often used for station names in cities other than Warszawa/Warsaw. The English translation of 'Glowny is 'main station'.

Warszawa has three stations used by long distance trains; Warszawa Centralna lives up to its name with a city centre location.

However, trains from the south and west call first at Warszawa Zachodnia station before going on to Warszawa Centralna and then they call at, or terminate at Warszawa Wschodnia station.

Similarly trains heading to the capital from the north and east, first call at Wschodnia station, before going on to call at Centralna and then Zachodnia station.

On the peron/platforms, the indicators which show the details of the trains that depart from each specific track, will also show the details of arriving trains. So if you see an unexpected destination on these indicators, it's usually because a train, which will be using the same track from which your train will be departing, has yet to arrive.

Also if you will be taking an EIP or EIC train from a station at which it commences its journey, when you arrive on the platform/peron it can be obvious that the train you will be taking will already be at a track. However, don't board the train until its departure details appear on the track indicator - if you board too soon, the conductor can politely ask you to leave the train.

Good to know about the trains:

State managed company PKP InterCity operates all of the express trains in Poland, while most of the regional and local train services in Poland are operated by Polregio .

Other companies operate some local train networks. Most of the local/commuter trains to/from Warszawa are operated by Koleje Mazowieckie or SKM - the trains to/from Chopin Airport are operated by SKM.

PKP InterCity groups its trains into four categories of service

* When booking tickets for journeys within Poland on the international EC trains , PKP InterCity categorises these services as EIC services.

EIP trains are fastest, followed by the EIC trains, while the IC and TLK trains are slower; though the journey time difference between the EIC services and the fastest IC services can be marginal. IC trains are generally faster than TLK services, but not on all routes.

A bonus of travelling 1st class on the EIP and EIC services are the complimentary snacks and drinks; complimentary light meals are served in 1st class on the rather fabulous EIP trains.

However, Polish express trains are comparatively infrequent, so look up train times on the PKP InterCity website before heading to a station, even if you will be purchasing last minute at a ticket desk.

Note that PKP InterCity only operates the long distance and mid-distance express trains. Most of the regional and local train services in Poland are operated by Polregio .

On these popular routes:

• Warzawa - Lodz
• Poznan - Wroclaw
• Poznan - Szczecin
• Poznan - Torun
• Krakow - Zakopane
• Krakow - Katowice
• Gdansk - Sopron - Gdynia

you will have a choice between taking Polregio or PKP InterCity services.

In theory the longer distance Polregio services will be the 'Inter-Regio' branded services, while the shorter distance services, including the local trains, are 'Regio' services, but this can be a tad inconsistent.

Notes on the ticketing:

How tickets are sold online for journeys within Poland depends on the trains you will be taking; PKP for the express trains and Polregio for the regional trains, but international journeys can be booked with Polrail .

PKP InterCity's website now has an English language version and it sells tickets for the four types of express train services which it operates. It places tickets on sale 30 days ahead and the further ahead you book, the cheaper the prices will be

When booking on the PKP InterCity website, the only choice of tickets is 1st or 2nd class, it will automatically offer the cheapest possible price available for each departure.

On many routes there is a choice between different PKP InterCity services and when that is the case, the EIP and EIC services are always the most expensive option. TLK services were introduced to provide a low-cost travel option, so when there is a choice of PKP InterCity services available, the TLK services are always cheaper than the EIP or EIC services. Though the prices of the IC and TLK services can be more similar.

PKP InterCity trains leaving at different times of the day can also be cheaper, so it's worthwhile being flexible re: arrival and departure times. The demand for a particular departure can have a greater influence on price than journey times.

Tickets purchased on PKP InterCity for journeys within Poland, can be refunded right up until the travel date with no charges.

Tickets for the regional and local trains managed by Polregio can be booked on its website, but they're not discounted online, so will cost the same price if you buy at the station.

Because Polregio doesn't sell tickets for PKP InterCity services and vice-versa, PKP InterCity does not sell tickets for the Polregio trains - when both services operate on a route, it's best to compare prices on each of their respective websites.

Child Tickets for Train journeys within Poland:

The ages of all travellers, including infants, can be entered when booking and as long as appropriate seats are available, there will be no charge for the places occupied by those aged three and under.

If tickets for a family group are booked on PKP, look out for the option to book 'Family Tickets'; there is a symbol/icon that needs to be ticked named 'Family Ticket' (ignore the button marked 'Big Family'.) The offer is valid provided that 2 to 5 persons, including at least one child under 16/aged 15 and under, will be travelling together. Clicking the Family Icon reduced the total cost for the entire party by 30%.

Child Tickets for Train journeys to/from Poland:

For journeys by EC train between Poland and Berlin - book Europa Spezial tickets on DB and children and grandchildren aged 14 and under travel for free when accompanied by a parent or grandparent Tickets for all other international day and night trains can be booked at major stations in Poland and the terms for child tickets will vary according to the countries you will be travelling to. Apologies but our efforts to provide more precise info than this have proved to be in vain.

PKP charges a flat rate of PLN 9.10 = approximately €2 for bike tickets, irrespective of the distance you will be travelling. These tickets can be purchased online when booking your travel tickets.

You can only purchase 2nd class tickets if you travel with a bike on the EIC and EIP trains, the dedicated bike storage areas are in the part of the train which has 2nd class seats – the booking system should allocate you a seat reservation in the coach in which the bike storage is located.

The trains used for the IC and TLK services tend not to have dedicated bike storage, so you should board by the first or last doors on a train and stow your bike by these doors, though the conductor will guide you as to what you need to do.

If you already have a travel ticket and will be taking a bike on board an EIC, IC or TLK service, you can opt to purchase a ticket from the train conductor. Though you must notify the conductor immediately before or after boarding, but buying a bike ticket from the conductor costs an additional PLN 10.

For journeys by the EIP trains, if you haven’t booked a bike ticket online with your travel ticket, you must make an advance purchase at a ticket counter.

On the Polregio trains:

On the regional and local trains operated by Polregio , bikes can either be stored in bike racks or luggage areas, which are marked by signage on the exterior of the trains. If no storage space is available, you can board into the first and last doors of the train.

Polregio sells two types of flat rate bike tickets, the more expensive of which prioritises that space will be available. So it’s worth checking at the station whether dedicated bike storage will be available on the train you want to take - and if it is you can de-stress a journey by paying slightly more for this ticket. The other type of ticket costs PLN 7.

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Great Rail Journeys, Ltd -- Anyone used this tour group? - Scotland Forum

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Great Rail Journeys, Ltd -- Anyone used this tour group?

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We always vacation independently, but wanted to try out a rail tour to get a feel for the country (we did a great 3 week drive around Wales last summer!) -- so we're a bit nervous! :-)

I've used them several times in the past - in Europe - various Italian tours, France, Spain, even Italy to Greece with a ferry link. They are well organised, not particularly cheap but fully inclusive (even gratuities etc) and most meals are included plus a number of inclusive tours, but they also allow time for people to do their own thing in locations visited. Our main reason for using them has been to avoid the manic hassle of airports, to travel at a leisurely pace with time to talk to other group members and to view the passing scenery They have their own departure section for Eurostar, although that obviously isn't of interest for a Scottish trip

Fellow travellers on the Europe trips have generally been 45 -70 age range, willing to pay a bit more to get higher quality than the average package trip. Groups have been relatively small maybe 20 - 25, so allows good intermixing and a friendly atmosphere.

Hope this helps.

PS. This is my quick summary - I am not a paid representative of GRJ !

Looking at the intinery, it looks like they use normal ScotRail service train, the Jacobite, and quite a bit of travel via Coach.

If you want everything done for you including accommodation and meals, then fine.

Thank you, that ears my anxiety a bit. Thanks also for the age range: we are traveling with our 11 and 14 year old as well.

Glad it helped - I can only remember a couple of trips where there were teenagers, but that may be because of the expense - longish European trips can add up substantially for a family. However, we always travel in term time, so that may explain their absence.

One other point - we've always found they have excellent tour guides and they are in contact with head office for dealing with any eventualities. For instance on a Spain & Morocco trip, bad weather meant the ferry back to Spain was held up, but we were immediately booked into a hotel and travelled the next day

Jenny T with all respect,the post is nearly 10 months old

Maybe a Private message via Trip advisor may get a quicker response

Hi, thinking of going on a tour to Italy with Great Rail Journeys. A little put off as they say there could be as many as 50 people on the trip!!! Any recent reviews for this company...was the size of the group of any concern? Thanks.

yes- we recently (feb 2020)did Tracks of the deep south in the USA. the tour was very good although 2 coaches totally 75 people made booking in at Hotels a nightmare even the 2 tour guides were under pressure. I might add that we have been due a refund of £22 pp for part of the tour that did not run. we have been waiting a month for the refund and still not arrived. after contacting GRJ by phone they realised they hadn't actioned the refund and said it would be done and monies on Credit cards would be 3 working days, that was 10 working days ago. don't expect good customer service!

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Six of Europe’s best slow, scenic rail journeys

The views are better from a slow train, says our rail expert, who recommends six leisurely routes across some of Europe’s most captivating landscapes

F ew pleasures compete with relaxing on a comfortable train and watching the landscape slip by beyond the window. Here are six of my favourite routes, ranging from under four to over nine hours, so easily completed in a day. Interrail passes are valid on all these journeys, although a small supplement (€1.50 to €4) is payable by passholders on the French, Polish and Spanish routes.

Cologne to Basel

Departs 10.53 from Cologne (daily) Journey time 4h 43m (318 miles) Fare Discount from €29.90, full €135 Buy Deutsche Bahn

Rail travellers heading south from the German Rhineland to the Alps are spoilt for choice. Most opt for high-speed trains on new-build lines that defy the warp and weft of the land. But it’s more interesting to take the traditional route south, following the classic Rhine gorge railway upstream from Koblenz.

Of the trains running south from Cologne (pictured above) which follow this line, my top choice is the mid-morning EC9 as this Swiss train to Basel and Zürich is the only one of the day to include a Swiss panorama carriage. It’s first-class only (upgrades from €10 on promo tickets) and includes an excellent but pricey Swiss restaurant car. Sit back and enjoy the ride as the train cruises up the Rhine, with views of the Black Forest and over the river into France’s Alsace region.

Zurich to Graz

Departs 08.40 from Zurich (daily) Journey time 9hr 34min (451 miles) Fare Discount from €33.10, full €111.50 Buy Austrian Railways

Pressed for my favourite north-south route through the Alps, I’d opt for the Bernina Railway from St Moritz in the Engadin region of Switzerland to Tirano in Italy. But for longer Alpine journeys, look for east-west routes; my top choice is the daily Transalpin train from Zurich to the Austrian city of Graz .

There’s a mix of Austrian and Swiss carriages: an Austrian restaurant car where the apple strudel is every bit as good as you might expect and a first-class Swiss panorama carriage, so it’s worth paying the premium for a first-class ticket (from €20 extra on promo fares). The journey traverses Liechtenstein and follows the Arlberg railway east into the Austrian Tyrol. Beyond Innsbruck, the route runs on via Zell-am-See and Selzthal to the Austrian province of Styria.

Dublin to Tralee

Departs 08.30 from Dublin Heuston (direct train Sundays only) Journey time 3hr 52min (208 miles) Fare Discount from €26.99, full €33.99 Buy Irish Rail

Dublin’s Heuston station, a handsome building in Corinthian style, is most inviting on a quiet Sunday morning. I pick up coffee and breakfast as there’s no catering on the 8.30am to County Kerry. It’s the only train of the week from Dublin giving a lunchtime arrival in Killarney and Tralee in Ireland’s south-west. The Dublin station is named after Sean Heuston, the Irish republican hero executed by the British in May 1916 at Kilmainham Gaol , which is just to the left as our train sets off from Heuston station.

The journey to Tralee goes through some glorious landscapes. The railway tracks south-west, passing the Galtee Mountains to reach the dairy farming country of the Golden Vale. Beyond Mallow, we follow Blackwater Valley west. On the approach to Killarney is one of Ireland’s grandest vistas, with Mangerton mountain grading west into MacGillycuddy’s Reeks. After stopping at Killarney, the train makes a final spring to the coast, where the Tralee Casement has the distinction of being Europe’s most westerly railway station. Why Casement? The station is named after Roger Casement, an Irish nationalist hanged at Pentonville Prison in London in 1916.

Béziers to Clermont-Ferrand

Departs 09.33 from Béziers (daily) Journey time 6hr 28min (246 miles) Fare Discount from €20, full €58.60 Buy SNCF Connect

The Intercité Aubrac from Béziers to Clermont-Ferrand offers, quite simply, the finest six-hour train ride in France. Even the best rail journeys in the French Alps don’t match the Ligne des Causses that runs north from Béziers.

Despite the Intercité tag, the Aubrac has the feel of a regional service, making more than a score of stops at country stations along the way. The line cuts through the hills to reach the Tarn valley , skirting many gorges on spectacular viaducts. This former mainline route is electrified throughout and is mainly single-track. It’s remarkable it has survived. If you are tempted, don’t wait too long – the future of the route is far from assured.

The IC Aubrac offers an excellent range of onward connections from Clermont – continue to Vichy, Nevers or even to Paris (giving an evening arrival in the French capital). This is a much better way of travelling from the Occitanie region to Paris than just hopping on the high-speed TGV.

Warsaw to Mockava

Leaves: 07.35 from Warsaw (daily) Journey time 6hr 6min (228 miles) Fare €20 Buy Lithuanian Railways

Mockava is a wee place of no more than 100 souls, just over the Polish border. There wasn’t a direct train from Warsaw to Lithuania for a decade, so the launch last month of a once-daily intercity from the Polish capital to Mockava came as a surprise. The train is called the Hańcza, after a river and lake in north-east Poland.

It is a journey through wistfully beautiful landscapes, passing villages and towns that reflect the cultural mosaic of the Polish-Lithuanian borderlands: old Jewish shtetls, wooden churches which can be Roman Catholic, Greek-Catholic or Orthodox, and Baltic Tatar communities with small surviving Muslim minorities.

The bleak subterranean platforms at Warsaw’s Central station are the starting point. Progress is leisurely, averaging 37mph and with some long stops along the way – a full 30 minutes at Białystok. Rumours of an onboard catering trolley are unfounded, so that extended stop at Białystok is a godsend. Mockava is the end of the line for the Polish train, but across the platform a modern Lithuanian train is waiting for the onward hop to Kaunas and Vilnius.

Madrid to Seville

Departs 10.55 from Madrid (daily) Journey time 8hr 3min (403 miles) Fare €50.70 Buy Renfe

The fastest Spanish high-speed trains dash nonstop between these two cities in just 2½ hours. But there’s a fine alternative for slow travellers. A daily Media Distancia (MD) train takes a deeply rural, very pretty route to Seville. This daily regional service slips out of the underground suburban platforms at Madrid Atocha and tracks west through the Extremadura region, affording good views of the Tajo and Guadiana valleys before cutting south through the Sierra Morena to reach Seville.

I rate the final three hours of the trip as one of the finest Iberian train rides. For an overnight stop, opt for the walled city of Cáceres – a fine place for casual wandering – before continuing to Seville the following afternoon.

Nicky Gardner is an author and co-editor of Hidden Europe magazine

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All Aboard the Most Beautiful Rail Routes in Europe

Posted: November 21, 2023 | Last updated: November 22, 2023

Terrific trains

With so many countries to explore – each offering vastly different landscapes and scenery – Europe almost seems custom-built for train travel. So it’s little wonder that the continent is covered in a huge network of brilliant railways, most of which are affordable and easy to navigate. From routes along the alpine slopes of Switzerland to Italian coastal villages and dramatic Nordic fjords, here are our favorites. (Ticket prices are correct at the time of writing, but do check individual operators for the most up-to-date information.)

Trenino Verde, Sardinia, Italy

Translating to 'little green train', the Trenino Verde is a sublime – and surprisingly little-known – way to see the Sardinian countryside. This 130-year-old vintage railway has five different routes across the country, totaling 272 miles (438km) of track, which pass through a treasure trove of landscapes, including olive groves, quaint villages, glittering seas, craggy coastlines and steep peaks. 

West Highland Line, Scotland, UK

It’s little wonder that ScotRail's  West Highland Line is often dubbed Britain's most scenic train route, with rugged Highland landscapes, rolling hills and windswept moorlands galore. But the most picture-perfect (and famous) section of the rail line, which runs between the cities of Glasgow and Mallaig, is the part where the train crosses the Glenfinnan Viaduct. Recognize it? That’s because it’s the same bridge the Hogwarts Express crosses in the Harry Potter films.

For an even more authentic Harry Potter experience, you can travel across the famous viaduct on the Jacobite steam train , which is used in the films. The seasonal service typically runs between early April and late October each year, covering the 84-mile (135km) round trip between Fort William and Mallaig in leisurely style. It’s a little more expensive than the ScotRail line, with an adult return costing $61. The ScotRail service line starts at around $19 for an off-peak day return.

Belgrade, Serbia to Bar, Montenegro

There aren’t a whole lot of options for exploring the famously bus-heavy Balkans by rail, but this legendary 10-hour journey takes in some of the best scenery Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro have to offer. That includes this eye-wateringly high bridge, which teeters 656 feet (200m) above the Mala Rijeka viaduct (until 2001 it was the highest railway bridge in the world). But it’s one of just 435 bridges along the route – necessary to cross all the mountains and gorges. 

Beginning at the Serbian capital, the train rattles past wide, flat fields and distant mountains, before stopping at Užice in the country’s southwest. Next, it hurtles towards Podgorica in Montenegro, skimming along the shores of Lake Skadar before finishing up at the coastal town of Bar. There's a daytime departure and a night train too, and tickets are reported to cost just $21, although you can’t book online. 

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The Glacier Express, Switzerland

Connecting the mountain resorts of Zermatt and St Moritz, the Glacier Express is a brilliant way of seeing some of the most beautiful views in the Swiss Alps. The scenic route takes in sights including the Oberalp Pass, the highest point of the journey, and the Landwasser Viaduct (pictured) – a six-arch bridge which stands at 213 feet (65m) and plunges straight into a tunnel that leads through the mountain. 

The day-long trip covers 91 tunnels and 291 bridges, and offers the chance to take in alpine meadows, mountain lakes and chalets. You might expect such a stunning train ride to cost huge sums of money, but the journey will only set you back around $156 for a one-way, second-class ticket. Now the only decision is whether to travel in summer, when you’ll get to see the region covered in vibrant green trees and colorful wildflowers, or winter, when the alpine landscapes are blanketed in frost and snow. 

Barcelona to Montserrat, Spain

The storied mountaintop monastery of Montserrat is one of the most gorgeous parts of Catalonia – but did you know you can reach it by train? The ToT Montserrat is an ultra-scenic route which runs between Barcelona and the foothills of the peak, at which point you can choose between taking the cable car (Aeri) or the rack railway (Cremallera) up to the Montserrat Monastery. Whichever option you go for, you’ll be rewarded with sweeping vistas across the rugged valley.

A round-trip ticket, which includes either the Aeri or Cremallera option, costs $65 and takes around an hour and a half in total. If you want to go even higher, hitch a ride on the Saint Joan funicular (pictured) which is included in the price of your ticket and takes you from the monastery right up to the top of the mountain.

Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, UK to Italy

For a no-expense-spared, once-in-a-lifetime trip, look no further than this route between London and Verona. With an aim to evoke the romance and grandeur of old-school railway journeys, the stunning Art Deco  Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is a chance to see rolling Italian countryside and iconic European cities in style. The new European ‘Grand Tour’ routes also include stops in Rome and Florence, and stretches to Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands too, with options to add hotel stays.

There are six Grand Suites on the train and each one is uniquely decorated to reflect a different city (Vienna, Prague, Paris, Istanbul, Venice and Budapest). Expect plenty of period features, delicate light fixtures, polished cherrywood marquetry and marble en suite bathrooms. Michelin-starred food (including Brittany lobsters and salt marsh lamb from Mont St Michel) is served from three dining cars. As if all that wasn’t decadent enough, there’s also a 24-hour butler onboard.

Discover more of the world's most luxurious train journeys

Flåm Railway, Norway

Traveling between Myrdal and Flåm in western Norway, the Flåm Railway is among the most historic and beautiful journeys in Europe. The route was built between 1923 and 1940 to serve villages along the Sognefjord. In fact, it’s one of the steepest rail journeys on the planet, dropping 2,844 feet (867m) during its 12-mile (20km) route, with 20 tunnels traveling through the steep mountains. Along the way, you’ll get to see everything from waterfalls to mighty lakes and mountains.

Mariazell Railway, Austria

Captured here in the golden-tinged glory of early fall, Austria’s Mariazell Railway is a fine way to see the picturesque Pielach Valley. The journey begins at St Pölten, the capital of the Lower Austria region, snaking its way southwards through 21 tunnels and across 19 viaducts before arriving at Mariazell. The so-called ‘Stairway to Heaven’ is Austria’s longest narrow-gauge railway, covering a distance of around 56 miles (91km) in just over two hours.

There are three options for those wishing to experience the storied route. Either take the modern Himelstreppe (pictured), which departs daily and starts from just $19. Or book a ticket on the first-class panorama carriage, which runs April to October and over Christmas, boasting 360-degree views and a first-class catering service. Alternatively, for a historic experience check out the historic Ötscherbär adventure train, powered by a century-old electric locomotive, with themed journeys for families.

Rauma Line, Norway

Few places on Earth have as much dramatic scenery as Norway and the Rauma Line is a great way to experience it. The one hour and 40-minute journey begins in the village of  Dombås, taking in the historic towns and mountain farms of the Gudbrandsdalen valley before entering the steep and rugged Romsdalen valley. It then passes over the famous Kylling Bridge and cruises past Trollveggen mountain before arriving at its final destination, Åndalsnes.

If you’re ending your journey in Åndalsnes, there’s no shortage of things to do in the fjord town. Hop on the Romsdalen Gondola for more epic views across the valley, enjoy a bite to eat at the panoramic Eggen Restaurant or lace up your hiking boots and explore one of the region’s many walking trails. Tickets can be purchased from SJ NORD and start from around $20 each way.

Mountain Spirit, Wales, UK

 Dating back more than 150 years, North Wales’  Mountain Spirit  service was rejuvenated in 1982, following a three decade-long restoration. The nostalgic steam train journey begins in the charming village of Blaenau Ffestiniog, crossing over the Cob embankment and climbing up the valley past woodlands and fields, before stopping at pretty Tan-y-Bwlch. The scenic 13.5-mile (21.7km)  journey ends in Porthmadog, a port town and narrow-gauge railway hub.

Those who board the historic train will be rewarded with its gorgeous vintage interiors, complete with comfortable seats and huge windows for admiring the scenery. Tickets start at $93 for a return ticket for two adults, with a there-and-back journey taking around three hours. 

Marvel at incredible images that capture the history of train travel

La Rhune, France

You’d be hard-pressed to find a much more adorable train journey than this. Located in France’s captivating Basque Country, the Rhune Railway (or Le Petit Train de la Rhune) is a fabulous cog railway which takes passengers on a 35-minute ascent up to the 2,969-foot (905m) summit of its namesake mountain. The picture-perfect chestnut-wood carriages have been navigating this steep section of track since 1924.

Odontotos Rack Railway, Greece

Operating on the world’s narrowest gauge track – just a hair-raising two-and-a-half feet (0.75m) wide – southern Greece’s Odontotos Rack Railway is a stunning and historic way to experience the Peloponnese Gorge. Starting in the coastal town of Diakopto, it runs alongside the Vouraikos River, through rock-hewn tunnels and next to adrenalin-pumping sheer drops before arriving at the mountain town of Kalavrita. 

The leisurely one-hour journey covers a total distance of 14 miles (22.5km) but there are an impressive 49 bridges in total, plus six tunnels which have been carved directly into the rock. As well as being jaw-droppingly scenic and historic (the train has been in operation for over 120 years), Odontos Rack Railway is also a total bargain, costing just over $9.50 for a single or $19 for a return trip. 

Here are more stunning train journeys that don't cost a fortune

Inlandsbanan, Sweden

Slicing through Sweden from top to bottom, the Inlandsbanan should be top of all rail buffs’ wish lists. This epic 807-mile (1,200km) track stretches between Kristinehamn in the south and Gällivare in the north, passing from relatively flat green fields through alpine forests and the perennially snowy mountains of Lapland. Naturally, such a monumental journey takes a while to complete, with the typical itinerary taking nine days to cover the full route.

North York Moors Railway, England, UK

Whisking you back to the golden era of train travel, the 24-mile (39km), 1h 45min journey between Whitby and Pickering in the north of England promises to be a trip to remember. This steam-powered railway has been around since the 1830s and received a new lease of life in 1967, when a group of local volunteers took on the task of restoring it. 

For the ultimate luxury experience, hop aboard the Pullman dining carriage, where you can enjoy either a four-course dinner service or three-course lunch as the train ambles through the countryside. Unmissable attractions along the way include the 1930s-era Pickering station, Goathland, which served as Hogsmeade Station in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone , as well as the historic port of Whitby where the journey ends. The train runs from April to October every year and tickets on the dining car start at $84. 

The Brocken, Germany

Named after the 3,747-foot (1,142m) mountain which it traverses, central Germany’s Brocken Railway is all sweeping panoramas and serpentine bends. This 11-mile (19km) branch of track, connecting the mountain to the Harz railway, is still operated by historic steam locomotives, since this part of Germany was behind the Iron Curtain for decades and its trains were never modernized. But that’s good news for rail buffs, who come here to experience the decades-old carriages in all their glory.

The 50-minute ascent packs in plenty of mesmerizing views, across towering forests, vibrant green meadows and distant peaks, traveling at speeds of up to 25 miles per hour (40km/h). Inside, carriages have back-to-back seats with large windows for gazing out of – or you can head to one of the open-air viewing platforms for optimum vistas. The journey between Drei Annen Hohne and Brocken starts at $50 for an adult return. 

Now take a look at beautiful images of the world's train stations

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