Poland by Train: PKP Routes & Eastern European Rail

• - Warsaw → Krakow (EIP): 2h20, trains every hour
• - Warsaw → Gdansk: 2h50–3h20
• - Warsaw → Wroclaw: 3h45
• - Warsaw → Poznan: 2h40
• - Krakow → Wroclaw: 3h15
• - Krakow → Gdansk: 5h30
• - Warsaw → Berlin: 6h (EC train via Frankfurt/Oder)
• - Warsaw → Vienna: 8h (direct EuroCity)

All EIP trains have a mandatory seat reservation (included in PKP ticket price; with Eurail/Interrail it's an additional €5–10).

Krakow — Poland's cultural capital and the most visited city in the country. The Rynek Główny (main square), Wawel Castle, the Jewish Kazimierz district, and — a mandatory but sobering day trip — Auschwitz-Birkenau (1.5h by bus, pre-book online). 3 nights.

Warsaw — Rebuilt entirely from rubble after WWII, then rebuilt again to look pre-war. The Old Town (a UNESCO reconstruction), the Warsaw Rising Museum, and a modern skyline that tells the whole 20th-century story. 2 nights.

Gdansk — Baltic port city with a stunning Dutch-influenced Long Street (Długa). The European Solidarity Centre (birthplace of the Solidarity movement) is one of the best museums in Europe. 2 nights.

Wroclaw — Market Square with over 300 garden dwarves (gnomes) hidden around the city. Vibrant student life, excellent food, and easy access to the Czech border. 1–2 nights.

Book ahead: PKP tickets go on sale 30 days before departure. Book on koleo.pl or the PKP Intercity app — prices are very low booked early.

Currency: Poland uses the złoty (PLN), not the euro. Budget stretches significantly further here than in Western Europe.

Day trip from Krakow: Zakopane (mountain resort in the Tatras, 2h by bus) and Auschwitz (1.5h) are both essential. Wieliczka Salt Mine (30 min by train) is an unusual but worthwhile detour.

Night train from Krakow or Warsaw: EuroNight trains connect Warsaw and Krakow to Vienna and other Central European cities — a good option for crossing into Austria.