Thematic in Warsaw
Warsaw Airport to City Centre: Chopin and Modlin Explained
Warsaw has two airports, and they are completely different journeys: one sits inside the city network, the other is 40 km away.
By ViewPoland Editorial
4 min read
Updated September 2026
The short answer
From Chopin Airport, take SKM trains S2 or S3, the Koleje Mazowieckie RL train or bus 175, with a 75-minute ticket. A 20-minute ticket is not enough to reach Warszawa Centralna. Modlin Airport lies 40 km north of the centre and is reached by Koleje Mazowieckie trains to Modlin station or by shuttle bus.
The first thing to check is which airport is on your booking. Chopin Airport is Warsaw's main airport and is part of the city's own transport network. Modlin is a separate airport well outside the city that Warsaw's city transport does not serve at all.
How do you get from Warsaw Chopin Airport to the city centre by train?
Three rail lines reach the airport, and WTP lists a 75-minute ticket for each. SKM line S2 runs to Sulejówek Miłosna via Warszawa Zachodnia, Warszawa Śródmieście and Warszawa Wschodnia. SKM line S3 runs to Radzymin, Wieliszew or Legionowo Piaski via Warszawa Zachodnia, Warszawa Centralna and Warszawa Wschodnia. The Koleje Mazowieckie RL line runs to Modlin via Warszawa Zachodnia, Warszawa Centralna, Warszawa Wschodnia and Legionowo.
For Warszawa Centralna, take S3 or RL; S2 serves Warszawa Śródmieście instead. Journey times depend on the line and the station you are heading for, so check the current timetable on the day. What does not change is the ticket rule below, which is easy to get wrong.
Which ticket do you need for the train from Chopin Airport?
Not a 20-minute one. SKM Warszawa states plainly that the journey between Chopin Airport and Warszawa Centralna takes longer than 20 minutes, so that ticket will expire on the way. A 75-minute ticket for zone 1 costs 4.40 PLN on WTP's price list, and a 24-hour ticket for zone 1 costs 15 PLN, which covers the rest of your day as well.
The operators also accept each other's tickets on parts of these routes. On the Koleje Mazowieckie RL line between Chopin Airport and Warszawa Płudy, all city transport tickets are valid, including the 20, 75 and 90-minute ones. On line S2 between the airport and Warszawa Wschodnia, and on line S3 between the airport and Warszawa Płudy, Koleje Mazowieckie tickets valid for those stretches are honoured. The wider ticket system is explained in getting around Warsaw.
Where do the buses stop at Warsaw Chopin Airport?
On the lower level. Bus 175 runs to the city centre, including to Warszawa Centralna station, and WTP lists a 75-minute ticket for it. WTP gives the departure stops for leaving the airport as Lotnisko Chopina Przyloty 02, on the lower, arrivals level of the terminal, and Terminal Autokarowy 02. It also states that boarding buses on the upper level, beside the departures hall, in order to leave the airport is not allowed. Buses arriving at the airport use the upper-level stop Lotnisko Chopina Odloty 01.
If you are staying near a particular part of the city, a bus can drop you closer than the train. Where to stay in Warsaw helps you work out which area you are heading for. Landing late? Is Warsaw safe covers the city at night.
How far is Modlin Airport from Warsaw?
About 40 km. WTP gives the location of Warsaw-Modlin Mazovia Airport as 40 km north of the centre of Warsaw. That distance is the reason to allow noticeably more time for a Modlin flight than for one from Chopin.
How do you get from Modlin Airport to Warsaw?
By train or shuttle bus, but not by city transport. WTP states that it does not serve Modlin Airport, and that access is provided by Koleje Mazowieckie trains to Modlin station or by direct shuttle buses. It refers passengers to the airport's own website for the details, which is where to check the current connections before you land.
What if Warsaw is only your first stop?
Then the airport run is only the first leg. Intercity trains link Warsaw with Kraków, and how to buy train tickets in Poland explains how to book them without paying the on-board surcharge. Travelling between cities in Poland compares the options. If you would rather go door to door from the airport with luggage, YourKrakow runs transfers from Warsaw to Krakow.
Sources
WTP, airports for the routes of S2, S3 and RL, bus 175, the recommended ticket, the Chopin bus stops, the Modlin distance and its access. SKM Warszawa, FAQ for ticket acceptance on the airport stretch and the 20-minute ticket. WTP, ticket prices for the fares. Warsaw Chopin Airport for current airport information.
Written by ViewPoland Editorial for ViewPoland, an independent English-language guide to Poland. Published 27 September 2026. Last updated 27 September 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, from Chopin Airport. SKM lines S2 and S3 and the Koleje Mazowieckie RL line serve the airport station; S3 and RL go via Warszawa Centralna, and S2 via Warszawa Srodmiescie. Modlin Airport is reached by Koleje Mazowieckie trains to Modlin station or by shuttle bus.
No. SKM Warszawa states that the journey takes longer than 20 minutes. Buy a 75-minute or longer ticket.
For leaving the airport, at Lotnisko Chopina Przyloty 02 on the lower arrivals level or at Terminal Autokarowy 02. Boarding a bus on the upper departures level to leave the airport is not allowed.
No. WTP does not serve Modlin. Use Koleje Mazowieckie trains to Modlin station or the direct shuttle buses.
About 40 km north of the centre, according to WTP, so allow more time than for Chopin Airport.
WTP lists a 75-minute ticket for the airport trains and bus 175, at 4.40 PLN for zone 1. If you will ride again the same day, a 24-hour ticket for zone 1 at 15 PLN covers the airport journey and your later rides.