Adam

I am going to be in Vienna for a week in March. I really would like to see Poland while I am there. I was planning on taking a day trip to Krakow by train. I have now heard that it is a 9 hour train ride between these 2 cities, is that true?

Bob Brown

I suggest you take a look at the daily schedules yourself, which is quite easy to do. Access the Austrian train schedule site at: <BR>http://www.oebb.at/ <BR>Just remember to use the Austrian spellings. <BR>I glanced at the timetable and saw that the shortest run time from Vienna to Krakow is from 9:25 to 16:15. Which is almost 7 hours. I don't know anything about the punctuality of the trains, nor the conditions on board the train. <BR>I have ridden Austrian trains, but this one could well be Polish. I know the Maria Theresia between Zürich and Vienna is an Austrian train, even though it originates in Zürich on the eastward journey. <BR>In checking other schedules in eastern Europe, I have found that run times are relatively long because the trains make so many stops. The time I quoted above is the shortest one that I saw. Some of the others were upwards of 9 hours. <BR>That is why I suggested that you check yourself.

Ben Haines

Fodors <BR> <BR>You can make it a day trip, but only if you take two overnight journeys. The reference library of a city near you may have the Thomas Cook European Timetable. Table 95 has your trains. By day, as Mr Brown says, you leave Vienna South at 0925 in a restaurant car train and reach Krakow Glowny at 1615. Westbound it's Krakow 1102, Vienna 1803. By night there are no sleepers, so you take a couchette berth, and eastbound it's Krakow 2241, Vienna 0655. Couchettes have six berths per cabin so are crowded, but the southbound trip is bearable. Westbound isn't: Vienna 2125, Krakow 0528. What to do ? I suggest that you take a proper sleeper berth in a 3-berth, men-only, sleeper (which means you can sleep in pyjamas). Vienna West 1603, Budapest Keleti 1852, leave bag at left luggage, metro to the Danube and take an hour's stroll, leave 2105, dine on the train, sleep across Slovakia, Krakow 0749. <BR> <BR>I can vouch for both the punctuality and the comfort of Polish international trains. The domestic expresses are pretty good, too. <BR> <BR>Please write if I can help further. <BR> <BR>Ben Haines, London <BR> <BR> <BR>

Rich

Adam: <BR> <BR>I was in Vienna and Krakow last month. First, let me say that you'll really enjoy both cities! <BR> <BR>Second, as I posted elsewhere, I took Austrian Airlines (via their regional affiliate, Tyrolean Airlines) between the two cities. The service was excellent, and the price was pretty good. Since you're only going to be there for a week, I would recommend at least checking in to this option. Seeing Europe by train is nice, but I would rather have more time at my destination to see the sights, etc., than be stuck on a train for many hours. The only drawback is that Tyrolean only uses DeHavilland Dash-8s (medium-sized prop planes) on the route. But even on this plane, with only a 1hr. flying time, they served us a meal, the flight attendants came around with a basket of fresh-baked breads, and all of the beverages (including champagne!) were free! <BR> <BR>This brings up another problem, though...if you take Tyrolean, you'll really resent the generally lousy service (if you can call it that!) that we get on domestic flights by the U.S. carriers! <BR> <BR>Enjoy your trip, and if you need any suggestions for hotels, restaurants, etc., please feel free to e-mail me!

Bjorn Alvik

Yes, Adam, it is a long journey. <BR>In 1983 I went by car thru Poland and Check. From Krakow I had to pass the mountains Zakopane/Tatry, and I could not see any reason to have a non-stop to Bratislava, which is close to the Austrian border. But, of course, the one way could be managed within a very long day. Having a one day's round-trip from Vienna seems like a unwise speedcompetition to me. <BR>Krakow is nice,though. Worth a visit. But take your time... <BR> <BR>Bjorn, Norway