Why trains in Poland are often easier than flying

If you are planning a trip to Poland, you may be surprised by how little you actually need to fly.

Poland is a large country, but its major cities are well connected by rail. Warsaw, Krakow, Gdansk, Wroclaw, Poznan and Katowice are linked by frequent long-distance trains, including modern high-speed services on some of the country's most popular routes.

For an overseas visitor, travelling by train can also be considerably simpler than it first appears. You arrive at a railway station in the city, find your train, take your seat and enjoy the journey. There is no airport transfer, no security queue and no need to arrive hours before departure.

For many journeys within Poland, the train simply makes more sense.

The railway station is usually where you want to be

One of the biggest advantages of travelling by train in Poland is the location of the stations.

Major railway stations are generally close to the centre of the city they serve. Krakow Glowny is next to the historic centre. Warszawa Centralna is in the heart of Warsaw, surrounded by hotels, shops and public transport. Gdansk Glowny is within walking distance of the Old Town, while Wroclaw Glowny is only a short journey from the historic centre.

This makes a noticeable difference when compared with air travel.

An airport may be many kilometres outside the city, meaning that a relatively short flight can involve considerably more travel before and after the flight itself. With a train, you can often go from one city centre directly to another.

That is particularly useful when travelling around Poland, where many of the country's most interesting destinations can be visited without renting a car.

Poland's trains are comfortable

Travellers who have never used Polish trains sometimes have an outdated image of railway travel.

The modern Polish long-distance network is rather different.

The fastest PKP Intercity services are operated by EIP Pendolino trains, which connect major destinations including Warsaw, Krakow, Katowice, Wroclaw and the Tri-City. These trains are fully air-conditioned and offer reserved seating, power outlets and Wi-Fi, with catering available on board.

Other InterCity services also provide comfortable long-distance travel, with first- and second-class seating and reservations included with the ticket.

For a visitor who wants to see several parts of Poland during one holiday, this means that travelling between cities does not have to be an inconvenience. The train becomes part of the trip rather than something to be endured between destinations.

You can see a lot of Poland without changing hotels every day

Another advantage of travelling by train is the flexibility it gives you when planning an itinerary.

Warsaw and Krakow are an obvious combination for a first visit, but it is easy to go further. From Warsaw, you can continue towards Gdansk, Poznan, Wroclaw or Lublin. Krakow provides convenient connections towards Katowice and destinations further south, while cities such as Torun and Bydgoszcz can be combined into a northern Poland itinerary.

International connections also make it possible to continue beyond Poland by train. Berlin, Prague and Vienna can all be incorporated into a wider Central European journey.

This is one of the reasons Poland works particularly well as part of a European rail holiday. You do not necessarily have to plan the country as a separate trip requiring domestic flights. Several destinations can be connected naturally by rail.

What about flying?

There are certainly journeys where flying makes sense. Poland is a large country, and an aircraft will always cover a long distance faster than a train.

But the difference between flying time and total journey time can be less obvious than it appears.

A flight involves getting to the airport, arriving in advance, checking in and going through security before the aircraft even leaves. Once you arrive, you still need to get from the airport to the city centre.

With a train, you can usually arrive at the station shortly before departure, take your reserved seat and remain in the city centre when you arrive.

For a traveller spending a week or two exploring Poland, that simplicity can be more valuable than saving an hour in the air.

Why this matters if you are visiting Poland for the first time

The Polish railway system can look complicated from the outside. There are different train categories, several operators, international connections and reservations to consider. Timetables and ticketing can also be unfamiliar if you have never travelled by train in Poland before.

This is where having someone familiar with the system can make the difference between simply buying a ticket and actually planning an efficient journey.

Polrail Service has been helping international travellers arrange rail journeys in Poland and across Europe for decades. Based in Bydgoszcz, our team works with travellers who may be planning anything from a straightforward Warsaw–Krakow journey to a much more complicated itinerary involving several countries and multiple train reservations. You can book your tickets here.

The aim is not simply to find a train. It is to help make the whole journey work.

Seeing Poland from the train window

There is also something to be said for travelling by rail simply because it lets you see more of the country.

Between the major cities, the landscape changes gradually: urban areas give way to farmland, forests, smaller towns and villages. You can read, have a coffee, talk to your travelling companion or simply watch Poland pass by outside the window.

You arrive without having spent the journey concentrating on the road or navigating an unfamiliar airport.