Poland--intercity train or bus?
 

I am a mature woman (60's) and am traveling alone to Poland (Krakow, Warsaw, Gdansk) with no Polish language skills. Please advise on the benefits of using either the trains or buses between the cities. Is safety an issue? Thanks for your help.

Safety is not much of an issue but language may be. Most if not all the ticket agents for the trains and busses are leftovers from the "old" socialists days and in most cases they only speak Polish.

If I were you I would have the hotel desk clerk, concierge or? write down the ticket request in Polish so you can just present it to the ticket agent. Makes life much easier.....

If all else fails, look behind you in the ticket queue as many of the young Poles do speak English and they will be happy to help you if needed.

Have a wonderful trip!

Busses are'safer' Day trains will pose no problems but may be crowded. Present a passport to authenticate your age and you can buy a card allowing half price train travel. First class then becomes less than a regular second class fare. Busses..search, Polski Express. In either case pack very lightly!

Adding to great advise from AAFrequentFlyer :-) definitly get simple info written on paper when getting tickets ;-) or ask someone in line to help you with ticket agent :-)

Bus maybe your better option ... Unfortunately – since
Trains are faster, more comfortable with options of sleepers when traveling cross country ie. Gdansk to Krakow…
So why bus?... just one reason – accessibility … where with rolling luggage you will not need to carry / lift that for any stairs … Bus driver takes luggage from you gives you a little number and puts your luggage into bus storage area …
As For trains … Only Warsaw Centralny is to some degree automated with escalators and lifts … Gdansk and Krakow both have old train stations where you will be facing some stairs to get in/out train platform to/from street level and then few to get into a train …

So depending on your luggage bus maybe you’re your better option …

Use any bus company (btw in Gdansk and Krakow Glowny – bus stations are right next to Train Stations) … Polski Express was good few years ago but for few years now it is having some problems … so definitely not top choice …

Thanks for the information. I am a little apprehensive about this trip with no Polish language skills. Perhaps the bus is a better choice. In the past I have found buses more confusing than trains. Thanks again AAFrequentFlyer,GSteed, and PeterB.

The buses are definitely more confusing over there. I recommend trains, and make reservations over there because they can be stuffed.

Ticket clerks are grumps. Wear a smile.

It's not so difficult to buy your ticket at the train station. I've done it by showing a piece of paper with all the necessary informations/requests written down in Polish.
But you can also buy your train ticket at Orbis, the largest travel agency in Poland (branches all over Poland). The list of their offices are:

Warsaw: Plac Konstytucji 4, and also at Ul Bracka (on the corner of Al Jerozolmskie, main street running from central train station)

Krakow: Rynek Glowny 41 (on the north side of main market square)

Gdansk: Ul Heweliusza 22 (in Hotel Mercure Hevelius)

you can see the train schedules and even book in advance on www.intercity.pl. It gives you alot of information about the train itself (eg., non-smoking, food served, etc.)

Klam: some dates and your basic plan as well as what will you need to carry would help in giving you more details on schedules etc...

Thanks for all the advice. I think I will use a travel agent, but perhaps, if feeling adventuous, I'll attempt to purchase at the station. I leave Krakow on Sunday, June 3, for Warsaw and leave Warsaw on Wednesday, June 6, for Gdansk. Flying out of Gdansk to Shannon on Sat., June 9, on Central Wings Airline. Hope it shows up. I hear it is not too reliable.

Klam, I'm traveling around Poland by train this fall, and it never occurred to me to take the bus. There's an express train between Warsaw and Krakow, 2+ hours, running every hour I think. On the websites the stops are listed, so I don't think it will be difficult to comprehend. The best thing you (and me) can do is carry the smallest luggage you can get away with so as not to have to constantly chase the bags around.

Will you please post a trip report when you return? Have a great time!

Looked up Bus and Trains for your dates ... and posting for you with some basic Polish ;-)

For Buses I've listed from and to cities since they will identify your bus...

For trains in Warsaw listed just Centralny since it has esculators and easier access where Warsaw Western Station is less access friendly for trains ... in other train stations we are talking about 40 stairs so it maybe no big deal with lighter luggage ...

Enjoy!

BUS
http://www.rozklady.com.pl/main.php?page=polo&ind=1
Krakow Glowny - Warszawa Dworzec Zachodni

depart/arrive
0:15 6:00 Zakopane to Warszawa Dw.Zachodni - thru Kielce, Krakow
0:15 6:00 Zakopane to Ciechanow - thru Krakow, Warszawa Dw.Zachodni
0:15 7:50 Zakopane to Bialystok - thru Krakow, Lodz
9:00 14:30 Krakow to Olsztyn - thru Mlawa, Nidzica
11:00 16:45 Zakopane to Warszawa Dw.Zachodni thru Kielce, Krakow
15:05 20:25 Zakopane to Mlawa thru Krakow, Warszawa Dw.Zachodni
16:15 22:00 Szczawnica to Warszawa Dw.Zachodni thru Krakow, Radom, Kielce
18:30 0:55 Krakow to Gizycko thru Warszawa Dw.Zachodni, Mragowo

Warszawa Dworzec Zachodni - to - Gdansk Glowny
depart/arrive
5:30 11:53 Warszawa Dw.Zachodni to Hel thru Mlawa, Gdansk
8:30 13:30 Warszawa Dw.Zachodni to Leba thru Gdansk
10:00 16:41 Warszawa Dw.Zachodni to Karwia thru Gdansk
10:45 17:38 Tarnobrzeg to Gdansk thru Radom, Warszawa Dw.Zachodni
13:35 19:40 Lodz - Gdansk thru Warszawa Dw.Zachodni, Elblag
14:30 21:59 Warszawa Dw.Zachodni to Gdansk thru Brodnica
15:20 20:45 Warszawa Dw.Zachodni to GDYNIA thru Gdansk
21:00 3:35 Kielce - Wladyslawowo thru Warszawa Dw.Zachodni, Gdansk
23:00 4:43 Warszawa Dw.Zachodni to Karwia thru Gdansk

Train (direct with no transfers - note arrival times - not all are express)
http://rozklad.pkp.pl/bin/query.exe/en?
Krakow Glowny (Cracow Main) - Warszawa Centralna (Warsaw Central)
depart/arrive
06:00 08:45 Krakow Glowny Warszawa Centralna
06:25 11:06 Krakow Glowny Warszawa Centralna
07:00 09:45 Krakow Glowny Warszawa Centralna
08:00 10:45 Krakow Glowny Warszawa Centralna
10:00 12:45 Krakow Glowny Warszawa Centralna
10:20 15:06 Krakow Glowny Warszawa Centralna
12:00 14:45 Krakow Glowny Warszawa Centralna
13:20 18:05 Krakow Glowny Warszawa Centralna
14:00 16:45 Krakow Glowny Warszawa Centralna
15:00 17:45 Krakow Glowny Warszawa Centralna
16:00 18:45 Krakow Glowny Warszawa Centralna
16:23 21:06 Krakow Glowny Warszawa Centralna
17:00 19:45 Krakow Glowny Warszawa Centralna
18:00 20:45 Krakow Glowny Warszawa Centralna
18:28 23:25 Krakow Glowny Warszawa Centralna
19:00 21:45 Krakow Glowny Warszawa Centralna
20:00 22:48 Krakow Glowny Warszawa Centralna
22:44 04:45 Krakow Glowny Warszawa Centralna
01:02 06:15 Krakow Glowny Warszawa Centralna


Warszawa Centralna - Gdansk Glowny
depart/arrive
04:50 09:39 Warszawa Centralna Gdansk Glowny
06:50 11:06 Warszawa Centralna Gdansk Glowny
08:50 13:09 Warszawa Centralna Gdansk Glowny
10:50 15:14 Warszawa Centralna Gdansk Glowny
11:50 16:28 Warszawa Centralna Gdansk Glowny
12:50 17:14 Warszawa Centralna Gdansk Glowny
14:50 19:20 Warszawa Centralna Gdansk Glowny
15:50 20:06 Warszawa Centralna Gdansk Glowny
16:50 20:53 Warszawa Centralna Gdansk Glowny
17:50 22:17 Warszawa Centralna Gdansk Glowny
18:50 23:09 Warszawa Centralna Gdansk Glowny
23:30 04:39 Warszawa Centralna Gdansk Glowny


And here is some Polish for you ;-)

1 train ticket(s) 1st class to Warsaw Central = 1 bilet(y) 1 klasa do Warszawa Centralna

Please write from which platform and track and what time is departure of my train. = Prosze napisac z jakiego Peronu i Toru i o ktorej godzinie jest odjazd mojego pociagu.

Direct connection = Bezposrednie polaczenie

1 Bus ticket to Warsaw = 1 bilet do Warszawy

Please write from which stand and what time is departure of bus.= Prosze napisac z jakiego stanowiska i o ktorej godzinie jest odjazd autobusu.

Train Station = PKP
Bus Station = PKS

Cracow Main Train Station = Krakow Glowny PKP
Cracow Main Bus Station = Krakow Glowny PKS

Warsaw Centralny Train Station = Warszawa Dworzec Centralny
Warsaw Western Station (train and bus) = Warszawa Dworzec Zachodni

Gdansk Main (train and Bus) = Gdansk Glowny

Thanks for the great information PeterB. I really appreciate the depth of knowldege you have and the time you took to share it. I'll use it to make my decisions. Fidel, I'll let you know how I fared at the end of June when I return. Thanks again everybody.

If you're still thinking about train travel, consider calling Budget Europe Travel Service (BETS) – 1-800-441-2387 - www.budgeteuropetravel.com . They're out of Ann Arbor, MI & have been recommended on this site many times. We recently used them to book a train from Prague to Krakow. I spoke with Byron. He was extremely patient and answered all of my questions, obtained the tickets & seat reservations, and sent them via Insured US Mail – Signature Required. We were able to pay via credit card in US Dollars (no conversion issues / no extra credit card fees).

One other suggestion - you might want to consider LOT Polish Air. I just checked their website - looks like you can get electronic tickets and the fares are pretty cheap.