Information about trains in Poland

KrzKrz
Traveller
6 comments

Posted 14 years ago

Now, in Poland you can find quite a few train operating companies.

The most important two are:
- PKP Intercity
- Przewozy Regionalne
in both you can travel with your InterRail ticket: [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail-in-poland[/u]

PKP intercity have long-distance trains: TLK, Ex, EIC, EC, BWE.
In all trains you can use InterRail ticket, but for Ex, EIC, EC, BWE you need to buy supplement(reservation).
For EX trains it is now 3PLN (about 0,7 EUR)
For IC and EC 12 PLN (about 3 EUR). (in EC, on international journey you can travel without reservation)
In some TLK trains you can buy, if you want, reservation for first class (not for second) for 10 PLN.
Peace note, that sometimes trains can have no first class, although according to timetable they should have!
Sometimes trains can be really overcrowded, sometimes are empty.
More information here: [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail-train-reservation/poland/pl[/u]

For weekends(Saturday + Sunday) you can buy bilet weekendowy for 119 PLN, with this ticket you can take any TLK, IC, EIC train (not EC!). for IC, EIC you will need reservation for the same price as if you have interRail ticket.
or bilet Podroznika for 65 PLN only for TLK trains.
Please note, that this ticket are only for trains run by PKP Intercity, if you want to use local trains (run by Przewozy Regionalne you need to upgrade this tickets by buying bilet Plus for 15 PLN. Again, please note that you can\'t use bilet Plus in IR and RE trains (see below).
Usually you can buy ticket/reservation/supplement on board TLK, IC, EC trains and pay by credit/debit card.


Przewozy Regionalne run local trains (called Regio) and long distance trains (called InterRegio (IR) or Regio Ekspres (RE).
These trains are quite cheap and you may consider to buy ticket instead using InterRail flexi pass.

Prices you can find on [ux]https://rail.shop/rozkladpkp[/ux], but remember to uncheck Ex, IC, EC trains because this timetable show only the fastest connections.

The long distance trains InterRegio are usually the same trains as used on local lines and some people like them, some hate:)
Some of them are EMUs (electric multiple unit), some of them have compartment cars and bilevel cars.
Regio Ekspres have usually higher standard(e.g. air condition) and the price is the same as for Inter Regio trains.
Usually local or InterRegio trains are the best option if you travel with your bike. (the ticket for bike is 1 PLN for Regio and 5 PLN for IR).
In EMUs you will find (at the end) large compartment with a lot of place for bikes, large luggage etc (and you can even lie on your carrimat/foam pad).

You can also use some special offer e.g in group of two or more you can buy Ty i Raz, Dwa, Trzy with give about 30% reduction for second, third
and forth person in the group.
If you want to travel three days in the two month period by Przewozy Regional you can buy Regio Karnet for 79 PLN (or 55 PLN for local trains only) . This is good option even for one return journey e.g. from Krakow to Warszawa and back.(but remember you can use only Regio, IR and RE trains). That\'s true - with Regio Karnet you can travel for whole day for 26 PLN - about 6 euro! even on long distance, to cross the whole country, like Krakow - Szczecin. Again remember - Regio, IR and RE trains only.
For weekend you can buy bilet turystyczny for 60PLN (or 30 PLN for local trains only).

Regio Karnet and bilet turystyczny can be used in trains operated by Arriva (local (not electrified)lines in the Bydgoszcz/Torun area) or Koleje Dolnoslaskie (some local trains in Dolnoslaskie (Wrocław) voivodeship) and on RE trains from Wroclaw to Dresden (this tickets are valid only between Wroclaw and Goerlitz) and you can travel in both second and first class.
You can buy this tickets on board the train, but only by cash (PLN).

Also,
You can use bilet turystyczny to cross border between Poland/Czech Republic or Poland/Germany - but only on local trains ( not EC trains!).
You can use Regio Karnet and bilet turystyczny to cross border between Poland/Germany - but only on local trains ( not EC trains!).

Local Trains around capital city Warszawa are operated by Koleje Mazowieckie and you can\'t use Regio Karnet, bilet turystyczny and bilet plus.
You can use InterRail ticket for all trains run by Koleje Mazowieckie, excluding Słoneczny train with run from Warsaw to Gdynia in the summer.

Also, you can\'t use interRail ticket in SKM trains in Warsaw. Instead you can use tickets for public transport in Warsaw, the same as for buses, trams or metro.

If you are going to buy train ticked in Poland, it may be a good idea to write on paper destination (or name of the special offer), number of people and which train you are going to use (because if you buy ticket for trains run by PKP Intercity you can\'t use it to travel by train run by Przewozy Regionalne and vice versa).