Getting Around
How do I travel between cities in Poland?
Quick answer
Fast, comfortable intercity trains (PKP Intercity) link the major cities, with Warsaw to Krakow in about 2.5 hours. Long-distance buses such as FlixBus are cheaper and reach smaller towns. Book train tickets in advance for the best prices.
Trains are the fastest, most comfortable way between the big cities, and long-distance buses fill in the smaller towns. For a first trip built around Krakow, Warsaw and Gdansk, the train does almost everything you need.
Intercity trains
PKP Intercity runs the fast network. The premium EIP (Pendolino) and EIC services link the main cities: Warsaw to Krakow takes about two hours twenty, Warsaw to Gdansk around three. Book ahead through the intercity.pl site or the koleo app, where advance Promo and Super Promo fares are much cheaper than buying on the day. Seats are reserved on fast trains.
Approximate rail times
| Route | Fastest train |
|---|---|
| Warsaw to Krakow | about 2h 20m |
| Warsaw to Gdansk | about 3h |
| Warsaw to Wroclaw | about 3h 40m |
| Krakow to Wroclaw | about 2h 50m |
Buses and regional trains
FlixBus is the main long-distance coach operator and is often cheaper than the train, reaching towns the fast lines miss. Regional trains (POLREGIO and the local Koleje companies) are slower but useful for shorter hops and day trips. For the full picture, see our guide to getting around Poland.
Sources
- Express InterCity Premium and fares , PKP Intercity
- FlixBus Poland network , FlixBus
More on Getting Around
Trains are faster and more comfortable between big cities; buses are cheaper and reach places trains miss. For Warsaw, Krakow, Gdansk and Wroclaw, take the train.
Read the full answerTrams, buses and the Warsaw metro are frequent and cheap. Buy tickets from machines, kiosks or apps like Jakdojade, and validate them on board. Most tickets are time-based, valid across any line for a set number of minutes, though single-ride and day passes are sold too.
Read the full answerA car is unnecessary in cities but useful for the mountains, the Masurian lakes and remote castles. Roads are good, most motorways are free for cars, dipped headlights must stay on day and night, and the drink-drive limit is very low, so do not drink at all before driving.
Read the full answerOnly on a few private motorway sections. Since July 2023 state-run motorways are free for cars, while the A1 (Gdansk to Torun), part of the A2, and the A4 (Katowice to Krakow) still charge cars at a toll barrier by cash or card. The e-TOLL app applies mainly to vehicles over 3.5 tonnes.
Read the full answer