Train from Warsaw to Berlin - DAY or NIGHT?
Feb 28th, 2006, 07:15 PM
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Train from Warsaw to Berlin - DAY or NIGHT?
In June we will be in Eastern Europe. We are planning 3 nights in Warsaw and 3 nights in Berlin. Are we dividing our time to our best advantage? How are the train connections? Has anyone taken a night trail between these two cities? We are SENIOR CITIZENS 68 and 73. Would an overnight train (in private compartment) be too hard on us. Thanks. This trip is Very Ambituous, We begin with 3 nights in Budapest, 1 in Eger Hungary, 4 in Prague, 1 in Zakopane, Poland, 3 in Krakow, 3 in Warsaw, and 3 in Berlin. Whew! Are we nuts or will we have a good time. We have travelled independently by car in Europe 7 times but never by train. Also we are skipping Awschitz. Saw Dacua in Germany and don't need the "downer". Are going to Zakopane instead. Any suggestions or improvements? I've been working on this since October and need to step back now and get some opinions. THANKS. Nannibray
Feb 28th, 2006, 09:21 PM
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Nannibray,
There are 5 direct Warsaw-Berlin trains a day, one of them is a night train but it is not worth it - it takes almost 8 hours while the day trains take 5.5 hours. You should be fine and especially if you get the first class you will be comfortable, too. How you divide your time depends on your priorities and what want to see in Warsaw and in Berlin. Where are you staying in Zakopane? I highly recommend Hotel Belvedere, although it is pricy, it is a beautiful place, with perfect location, service and ambience. Do not stay in Kasprowy, as it lacks any style, is far away from everything and is basically a huge (although comfortable) remnant of Communism - this is where you will see all the American and Australian tour buses though. Litwor is a classy place but since it is on the main street it can be loud. You could investigate some small pension or B&B if you have time for that though - it may be worth the savings and the authentic experience. Are you going to Zakopane by train? How? If you are coming from Krakow, please take a bus, it takes much less time and is more comfortable. You are going to have a great time! Enjoy your trip!
Yolanta
There are 5 direct Warsaw-Berlin trains a day, one of them is a night train but it is not worth it - it takes almost 8 hours while the day trains take 5.5 hours. You should be fine and especially if you get the first class you will be comfortable, too. How you divide your time depends on your priorities and what want to see in Warsaw and in Berlin. Where are you staying in Zakopane? I highly recommend Hotel Belvedere, although it is pricy, it is a beautiful place, with perfect location, service and ambience. Do not stay in Kasprowy, as it lacks any style, is far away from everything and is basically a huge (although comfortable) remnant of Communism - this is where you will see all the American and Australian tour buses though. Litwor is a classy place but since it is on the main street it can be loud. You could investigate some small pension or B&B if you have time for that though - it may be worth the savings and the authentic experience. Are you going to Zakopane by train? How? If you are coming from Krakow, please take a bus, it takes much less time and is more comfortable. You are going to have a great time! Enjoy your trip!
Yolanta
Mar 1st, 2006, 12:39 AM
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We begin with 3 nights in Budapest, 1 in Eger Hungary, 4 in Prague, 1 in Zakopane, Poland, 3 in Krakow, 3 in Warsaw, and 3 in Berlin.
Taking a sleeper cuts a night s hotel bill, and saves long hours seated in trains. You could use one from Eger to Prague thus: Eger by taxi to Fuzesabony, leave at 1743, restaurant car train, Budapest Keleti 1907 to 1955, Prague Smichov 0624. Prague Smichov is on the city metro system, and if you use it you avoid the pickpockets, in gangs of three, who infest Prague main station, Hlavni station. Or you can stay on board until Zdice at 0704, breakfast in the station buffet, leave at 0758, and reach Prague Hlavni at 0845.
Another night option is Prague Hlavni 2134, Poprad Tatry 0633, walk round the corner from the railway station to the bus station, and by bus two hours from Poprad Tatry to Zakopane.
The night train between Warsaw and Berlin runs deliberately slowly, to give you a full night s sleep. A 5.5 hour trip would be something like midnight to 0530, whereas in fact you board the sleeper at Berlin Lichtenberg about 2115, leave at 2148, and reach Krakow main station at 0900. The conductor serves you coffee and a piece of cake, so you might a sandwich or pie the evening I go, to make a decent breakfast.
If you ask Google for Man in Seat 61 you will find good descriptions and pictures of sleepers. I can list agents if you ask me.
It is pleasant to take lunch on trains. One such runs from Budapest Kelketi at 1300 to Fuzesabony at 1422. It is true that there are trains from there to Eger, but a taxi costs little for the 15 kilometers, and goes right to your hotel door. Many I recommend the Senator House hotel, beautifully placed and managed, all a hotel should be. You may pay a little less if you book at the town tourist information office, across the square from the hotel, not direct with the hotel.
I am not sure Warsaw needs three days. Hitler had it torn down block by block, and the Comnunists rebuilt it on a Soviet pattern of flat rectangles. The Poles did, indeed, rebuild the old town, but only surfaces: all inside is styled after the Soviet fifties.
Ben Haines, London
[email protected]
Taking a sleeper cuts a night s hotel bill, and saves long hours seated in trains. You could use one from Eger to Prague thus: Eger by taxi to Fuzesabony, leave at 1743, restaurant car train, Budapest Keleti 1907 to 1955, Prague Smichov 0624. Prague Smichov is on the city metro system, and if you use it you avoid the pickpockets, in gangs of three, who infest Prague main station, Hlavni station. Or you can stay on board until Zdice at 0704, breakfast in the station buffet, leave at 0758, and reach Prague Hlavni at 0845.
Another night option is Prague Hlavni 2134, Poprad Tatry 0633, walk round the corner from the railway station to the bus station, and by bus two hours from Poprad Tatry to Zakopane.
The night train between Warsaw and Berlin runs deliberately slowly, to give you a full night s sleep. A 5.5 hour trip would be something like midnight to 0530, whereas in fact you board the sleeper at Berlin Lichtenberg about 2115, leave at 2148, and reach Krakow main station at 0900. The conductor serves you coffee and a piece of cake, so you might a sandwich or pie the evening I go, to make a decent breakfast.
If you ask Google for Man in Seat 61 you will find good descriptions and pictures of sleepers. I can list agents if you ask me.
It is pleasant to take lunch on trains. One such runs from Budapest Kelketi at 1300 to Fuzesabony at 1422. It is true that there are trains from there to Eger, but a taxi costs little for the 15 kilometers, and goes right to your hotel door. Many I recommend the Senator House hotel, beautifully placed and managed, all a hotel should be. You may pay a little less if you book at the town tourist information office, across the square from the hotel, not direct with the hotel.
I am not sure Warsaw needs three days. Hitler had it torn down block by block, and the Comnunists rebuilt it on a Soviet pattern of flat rectangles. The Poles did, indeed, rebuild the old town, but only surfaces: all inside is styled after the Soviet fifties.
Ben Haines, London
[email protected]
Mar 1st, 2006, 12:47 AM
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Ben is referring to www.seat61.com
Mar 1st, 2006, 08:52 AM
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Ben is giving some good advise - sleeper maybe a good option where you end a day in 1 city and wake up in another saving some $ on hotels and definitly some time in your tight schedule... He is also right about Warsaw - where I would even suggest skipping it and maybe spending more time in Krakow area where you can add Wieliczka to your trip (saltmaines next to Krakow) and maybe more days in Zakopane ... OR visit another City like Torun or Wroclaw ... so maybe Krakow to Torun then 1 day in Torun and 1 day in Poznan (which also has a nice old town section) - you should have some train connections from both Poznan and Wroclaw to Berlin ...
