Poland to Austria In December
 

Hi Everyone! We would like to plan a Warsaw to Vienna trip in December (before and during Christmas) for 10 days. Any recommendations for itinerary given the more limited time frame?

Over the Christmas holiday there are closings in Warsaw and Vienna. Presumably your travels begin in Warsaw? What is your budget? What are your interests? More information on your part will help refine the responses you receive here. :)

I guess it depends on how you want to divide your time, but I would say that if you're going to Austria (and especially for the first time), you should definitely try and get some time in the mountains! Vienna and the surrounding area is quite flat. If you travel west to the Salzkammergut region (which has beautiful lakes AND Alpine ranges), I promise you'll be glad you did it. It's unforgettable.

But this depends on how much time you really have... will you be flying from Warsaw to Vienna, or do you plan to drive? Or take the train?

Trains would be best -especially at that time of year:

Warsaw
Krakow
Prague
Vienna

That's pushing it but it's a logical routing -can take a night train between Krakow and Prague I believe.

For lots on trains:
www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Cities are best IMO at that time of year and trains best for city to city - and there is not much great countryside in between.

That's if you want a land trip for 10 days.

I don't really agree, Prague is obviously not in Poland nor Austria and is really inconvenient for this itinerary as it is so out of the way via rail and will add many transportation hours to the trip, which is only 10 days to begin with. The OP had a goal of visiting Poland and Vienna, not Prague.

I don't now Austria that well, but by train you could do Warsaw - Wroclaw or Krakow (both very nice cities) - Vienna. That way you'd have about 3 days in each place. YOu could spend only 2 in Wroclaw and then have a day or two to play with in Austria.

By train going from either Wroclaw or Krakow to Vienna takes about 6.5-7 hours with at least one transfer at best (in Katowice), though. So it really depends what the goal is, if just to see Warsaw and Vienna, flying might be better.

I would look into planes. Ryanair goes to Warsawa and easyJet to krakow.
Katowice has a limited capability in all weather and I was rerouted or sent back to point of origin a few times. Ne ready to be flexible bad weather and heavy snow happens at that time of year.

The OP had a goal of visiting Poland and Vienna, not Prague.>

read again OP says Poland to Vienna. But yes Prague would be a minor detour but I'd take Prague over Krakow and especially Warsaw at that time of year.

OP -are you looking for a land travel of 10 days or including planes? Taking trains or driving?

Do you want to do Warsaw-Vienna in a straight line or detour to say Krakow or Prague.

Bratislava is another nice city en route to Vienna - just an hour by train from it.

Hi everyone - thank you very much for all this great input. Unfortunately don't have enough time for Prague this go around, although it is a beautiful city. The point of starting in Warsaw is to hit some of the important historical sites including the uprising museum and POLIN, move on to Krakow which I understand is a lovely city and visit Auschwitz. I am rethinking the itinerary given Hiddenbird's comment to hit the mountains and of course the big question is whether this schedule is too ambitious for 10 days and would like enough time to get to know some of these places. Would like to take train but open to renting a car if it makes more sense. Thanks again to all.

Krakow has a pretty good Xmas market during most of December.

There are probably perfectly stunning mountains that are closer to Vienna than the Salzkammergut - I admit I'm biased, as I spent a large portion of my childhood there - so you should do some research!

I truly can't picture visiting Austria without setting my eyes on some mountains at least once. :)

December can be a roll of the dice when it comes to picturesque mountains across Austria. In our short five years living in Vienna, we have had everything from sun to clouds to rain and snow across our Christmas alpine holidays in the country.

Do you have 10 days on the ground, or are Days 1 and 10 the arrival and departure days? Even so, the only mountains you will "hit" with this itinerary will be those you see in transit.

I recommend against renting a car. The slog between Krakow and Vienna is wrought with construction delays from lane closures.

What are your travel dates? Depending on your dates, you may find yourself in a city that is closed in celebration of Christmas (generally 24 December through 26 December (St. Stephans Day).

"But yes Prague would be a minor detour"

Sorry, PalenQ. In December 2015 our family spent Christmas in Krakow. The drive from Vienna was 5 hours. On the return we decided to "detour" to Prague (another 5 hours) for a night; the following day we had the customary 4+ hour return drive home to Vienna. Our drive time was practically doubled; that is not a minor detour.

Yes Prague is not practical if doing Krakow but there is an overnight train last I knew between Krakow and Prague so time-wise not a detour at all.

PalenQ, though Prague is out of the OP's itinerary, I'll still play along. Just because an overnight train exists does not mean a detour is a time saver or adds to one's holiday. Time is still lost with logistics; schlepping baggage around on a "detour" for an overnight train to arrive somewhere in potentially crappy weather does not a holiday make.

Two questions for you. The first: when have you last used European train travel? The second: do European railway companies pay you to promote train travel?

Hi Everyone,

So I have been thinking about this trip and how to organize it in such a way as to not burn out.

Here's what I came up with:

December 17 - 19 Vienna
December 20 Skiing in Semmerling
December 21 Leave for Krakow
December 22 - 23 Krakow

My only concern is that this may be too limited. That said, dealing with limited time and want to get to know the places. Would take the train between Austria and Poland.

Well the fastest day train is about 6.5 hours Vienna to Krakow with 1-2 changes en route -pretty long IMO - but there is a direct overnight train too - ultimate time saver even over flying and save cost of hotel night. Again for lots about night trains and what to expect -www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Night trains ain't for everyone as there is always some noise from inside and outside the train so light sleepers may want to avoid - no fun arriving wiped out after a sleepless night- that said most I know have no problems with sleeping on night trains -especially if you get a private compartment - book thru Austrian Railways- see Seat 61 site for loads on that.

If not night train I'd suggest flying rather than an all-day train trip thru less than awesome scenery IME.

We took the train from Krakow to Vienna. I don't remember any changes.

Just a stop at the border for passport check.

Very easy.

www.bahn.de/en - German Railways schedule site for all European trains that ususally is infallbile shows no direct Vienna-Krakow trains save the overnight train. All but one daytme links has two changes of train.

That's all I know - most folks do not find a 6-7 train ride with 2 changes much fun - bahn.de/en is rarely wrong.

I think your time is limited, and rushed. Both Vienna and Krakow will be in their holiday finest (lights, Christmas markets, and so forth). The couple of days in each city won't be enough time to "get to know" either.

Check the snow reports for 20 December and have a backup plan. I wouldn't count on skiing that early on this side of the alps.