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Warsaw is better connected by train than most first-time visitors expect. Direct EuroCity trains arrive from Berlin without a change. PKP Intercity’s EIP Pendolino services cover Warsaw-Krakow in around 2 hours 23 minutes, with departures roughly every half hour at peak times. The overnight Chopin train connects Warsaw with both Prague and Vienna, carrying sleeping cars and couchettes.
Before you book: seat reservations are compulsory on all PKP Intercity trains (EIP, EIC, IC, and most TLK), and on EIP you cannot buy one once you are on board. Also, Warszawa Centralna has underground platforms where trains stop for only 2 to 3 minutes on long-distance services. Be on the platform before the train arrives.
Warsaw’s main train stations
Warsaw has three stations travellers are likely to encounter. Use Warszawa Centralna for almost everything; the other two serve specific purposes.
Warszawa Centralna handles all EIP services and nearly all international trains. It sits in the city centre at the junction of Al. Jerozolimskie and Emilii Plater, open 24 hours. The Centrum metro stop is directly outside, and an underground passage connects the station to Warsaw Cross-City Line suburban services. Ticket offices, luggage lockers, a supermarket, cafes, and currency exchange are on the upper level. The platforms are underground. Trains stop for 2 to 3 minutes on most long-distance departures, so be on the platform before the train pulls in.
Warszawa Wschodnia is east of the Vistula, around 5 km from the centre. Many international EuroCity trains, including the Berlin services, call here in addition to Centralna, and some domestic EIC and IC services stop here too. If you arrive at Wschodnia and need the city centre, take the SKM suburban train to Centralna rather than a taxi through traffic.
Warszawa Zachodnia is in western Warsaw, around 4 km from Centralna, and is Warsaw’s main international coach hub. The Berlin EuroCity trains also call here, but for most rail journeys to and from the city centre you will use Centralna.
Check your PKP timetable to confirm which Warsaw station your specific train serves. The station appears on every booking; confirm it before you pay.
PKP Intercity services
PKP Intercity is Poland’s long-distance operator and runs the main services to, from, and through Warsaw. It uses four train categories.
| Train type | What it is | Seat reservation |
|---|---|---|
| EIP | High-speed Pendolino; fastest on key corridors | Mandatory before travel |
| EIC | Long-distance express; first and second class | Strongly recommended; sometimes mandatory |
| IC | Standard long-distance; first and second class | Mandatory on trains marked [R] in timetable |
| TLK | Budget long-distance; lower fares | Mandatory on trains marked [R] |
EIP trains use Alstom ED250 Pendolino sets capable of 200 km/h. They are the trains to choose for Warsaw-Krakow, Warsaw-Gdansk, and Warsaw-Wroclaw when speed matters.
On EIP, you cannot buy a reservation on board. Buy at bilet.intercity.pl, at any PKP Intercity ticket office, or through a reseller before you travel.
Interrail and Eurail passes in Poland
Do not board an EIP train with only your Interrail or Eurail pass. The pass does not cover EIP travel without a separate mandatory seat reservation, and on-board ticket inspectors treat pass holders without one as passengers without a valid ticket. Buy the EIP seat reservation (PLN 43 in Poland, or EUR 10 if bought abroad) before you board. Book it at bilet.intercity.pl by selecting Interrail/Eurail as the discount type when prompted, or at any PKP Intercity station ticket office.
Koleje Mazowieckie (KM) regional trains around Warsaw do not accept Interrail or Eurail passes. Buy a separate KM ticket for these services. The Warsaw Metro does not accept Interrail or Eurail either.
PKP Intercity (EIP, EIC, IC, TLK) and POLREGIO regional trains accept both passes. On EIC trains, a reservation is not mandatory for pass holders, but buying one makes sense on popular departures because all booked seats will be occupied by paid-ticket holders.
For international EuroCity trains between Warsaw and Berlin, pass holders need a EUR 4 pass fare ticket, which includes the seat reservation. Buy it before you travel.
On night trains, a reservation for your chosen accommodation (seat, couchette, or sleeping car) is always required. Fees depend on the train and accommodation type. Book sleeping car places early, especially in summer and around Polish and German public holidays, because private compartments sell out well before couchette berths do.
International routes to Warsaw
There is no direct Thalys, TGV, or Eurostar service to Warsaw. Travellers from Western Europe connect via Berlin, typically changing at Brussels, Cologne, or Amsterdam onto a direct EuroCity.
From London, take the Eurostar to Brussels, then a high-speed or intercity train to Cologne or Berlin, then a direct EuroCity to Warsaw. The total journey is around 15 to 18 hours. No single through ticket covers the full route; buy the London-Brussels Eurostar separately from the onward European ticket.
Berlin to Warsaw
EuroCity trains branded Berlin-Warszawa Express run between Berlin Hbf and Warszawa Centralna. Journey times are around 5 hours 15 minutes to 6 hours depending on the departure; check the timetable for your exact date as times vary by service. The route is moving to a roughly two-hourly pattern, giving around seven to eight direct EuroCity trains each day in each direction.
All Berlin-Warsaw EuroCity trains carry a restaurant car staffed by the Polish caterer Wars. A main course with beer or coffee costs around EUR 10, payable in euros or zlotys. You can also order to your seat using the MWars app (iOS and Android).
If you are travelling with children, book via Deutsche Bahn’s international site (int.bahn.de) rather than PKP Intercity. Children under 15 travel free when accompanying a parent or grandparent on a DB Sparpreis advance fare; this benefit is not available through PKP Intercity. Advance fares from Berlin start from around EUR 28 in second class.
All Berlin-Warsaw bookings include a compulsory seat reservation embedded in the fare. Pass holders need the EUR 4 pass fare ticket (with reservation) purchased separately before travel.
Trains also call at Berlin Ostbahnhof, Poznan, Warszawa Zachodnia, and Warszawa Wschodnia.
Prague to Warsaw
Three direct daytime EuroCity trains run between Warsaw and Prague each day, taking just over 8 hours. PKP Intercity and Czech Railways (Ceske drahy) operate them jointly. Second-class advance fares typically start from around EUR 22 to EUR 30.
A direct overnight train also serves this route: the Chopin night service (EN 407/442), with sleeping cars in 1, 2, and 3-berth compartments and 4 and 6-berth couchettes. The overnight journey takes around 11 to 12 hours. Book a private sleeping compartment at least 4 to 6 weeks ahead in summer; they sell out before couchette places. Departure and arrival times for the overnight change with each annual timetable; check current times at bilet.intercity.pl or on the Czech Railways website before making any fixed plans around the departure.
Vienna to Warsaw
Two direct daytime trains link Warsaw and Vienna each day, taking approximately 7 hours. Advance fares start from around EUR 32 to EUR 45.
The Chopin night service also runs between Warsaw and Vienna (EN 407), operated jointly by PKP Intercity and OBB Nightjet. The overnight journey takes around 9 to 10 hours. Couchette and sleeper reservation fees for pass holders start from around EUR 29 to EUR 44 depending on accommodation; full-ticket sleeper fares are higher. One thing to know: bilet.intercity.pl and oebb.at can show different available accommodation categories for the same overnight train, so check both before deciding which booking channel to use. Overnight departure times change with each December timetable; check live times at bilet.intercity.pl for your date.
Budapest to Warsaw
The overnight connection between Warsaw and Budapest runs via Krakow, Katowice, and Bratislava. There are no direct daytime trains. Journey time is around 10 to 14 hours. Check current times and reservation fees at bilet.intercity.pl.
Trains within Poland
Warsaw to Krakow
Warsaw-Krakow is one of Poland’s most popular corridors and uses dynamic pricing. Around 30 departures run daily.
| Train type | Journey time | Starting fare (advance) |
|---|---|---|
| EIP Pendolino | around 2h 23m | from PLN 49 |
| EIC | around 2h 45m | from around PLN 40 |
| IC / TLK | 3h to 4h | from around PLN 37 |
The PLN 49 EIP advance fare is available in a limited number of seats on each train, and it disappears first on busy departures. Friday evenings, Sundays, and Polish public holidays can see the cheapest tiers go within days of the booking window opening 30 days out. If you are travelling at peak times, book as early as possible. Walk-up EIP fares are typically PLN 200 to PLN 300 or more.
A reservation is mandatory on EIP and comes included with EIC tickets automatically.
Warsaw to Gdansk
The fastest EIP departures cover Warsaw to Gdansk in approximately 2 hours 25 minutes. Around 24 daily departures run, with slower services taking up to around 3 hours 45 minutes. EIP requires a mandatory reservation; advance fares start from PLN 49.
Warsaw to Wroclaw
Around 17 daily departures serve Warsaw to Wroclaw using EIC and IC trains in first and second class. Seat reservations are mandatory on most departures. At a station ticket office, a reservation costs PLN 3; check the bilet.intercity.pl booking flow for online fees.
How to buy tickets
PKP Intercity domestic and international trains
The main booking site is bilet.intercity.pl, available in English, which accepts international credit cards and issues tickets by email. The booking window differs by route: domestic PKP Intercity tickets go on sale 30 days before departure, while international tickets open earlier, typically 60 days ahead and longer on some routes. Tickets are released around 01:00 Central European Time on the day the window opens, so for the cheapest domestic fares start looking exactly 30 days before your travel date.
Pass holders should select Interrail/Eurail as the discount type at the search stage on bilet.intercity.pl. This shows available seat reservations at the pass-holder fee rather than a full ticket price.
Station ticket offices at Warszawa Centralna handle all domestic and international PKP bookings and process Interrail/Eurail reservations. Credit cards are accepted. On-board conductors can process card payments for tickets and reservations on most IC and TLK services, but not on EIP.
Berlin-Warsaw
Book via int.bahn.de for Berlin-Warsaw travel. Deutsche Bahn’s site includes the compulsory seat reservation in the fare, opens up to 6 months ahead on some dates, and offers free child fares for under-15s on Sparpreis tickets. These benefits are not available when booking the same route through PKP Intercity.
Cross-border routes to Prague, Vienna, and Budapest
Book through bilet.intercity.pl, the relevant national operator (Ceske drahy, OBB), or a reseller such as Omio, Trainline, or Raileurope. Check two or three sources before booking; the available accommodation categories for overnight trains can differ between PKP and OBB.
Booking classes
Second class is the sensible default on Warsaw-Krakow EIP. First class adds slightly wider seats and a quieter car; on advance bookings, the fare gap between classes is sometimes small enough to make first class worthwhile, but that is not guaranteed. Compare both classes at the time you book rather than assuming a fixed gap.
Station transport links
Taxi from Warszawa Centralna
Licensed Warsaw taxis wait at the rank on Al. Jerozolimskie. The starting charge is PLN 8 plus around PLN 3 per kilometre in the day and PLN 4.50 per kilometre at night and on Sundays. A typical ride to the Old Town (about 3 km by the usual road route) costs PLN 15 to PLN 25 in the day; to Wschodnia, around PLN 25 to PLN 35. Use taxis with a visible meter and the official Warsaw taxi marking (yellow and red stripe with the Warsaw coat of arms on the door).
iTaxi, Opti Taxi, and Ele Taxi are established Warsaw taxi companies bookable by phone or app.
Public transport from Warszawa Centralna
Buy your ticket before entering the platform. You cannot buy from a bus driver or tram driver in Warsaw, and the metro gates require a valid ticket to pass through.
A 75-minute Zone 1 ticket costs PLN 4.40 (reduced: PLN 2.20). A 24-hour Zone 1 ticket costs PLN 15. Validate your ticket immediately after boarding.
Metro Line M2 runs through Centrum (directly adjacent to Centralna) east across the city and west towards Wola. Metro Line M1 crosses M2 at Swietokrzyska, two stops north.
The suburban SKM and Koleje Mazowieckie networks run through Centralna, connecting to Wschodnia and Zachodnia. Koleje Mazowieckie trains do not accept Interrail or Eurail; buy a separate KM ticket.
Walking
Warszawa Centralna to the Old Town is around 2.7 km on foot, roughly 33 minutes at a normal pace. The station has escalators and lifts throughout.
At the station: practical notes
Departure boards at Warszawa Centralna show both the peron (platform number) and the tor (track number). Follow the peron number. The tor tells you which track within the platform your train is on, but you do not need to choose between tracks at the top of the stairs.
An indicator screen in the middle of each underground platform shows where each car will stop, divided into sectors 1 to 5. This screen typically updates around 15 minutes before departure, so do not look for your car sector too early. Find your car number on the screen, then position yourself at the right sector before the train pulls in. Trains at Centralna stop for 2 to 3 minutes on most long-distance departures and the doors close on time.
Personal alcohol is not permitted in standard seating cars on PKP Intercity trains. EIP Pendolino trains have a buffet car, and first-class passengers on EIP receive a meal service at their seat.
Travel by season
Winter (December to February)
Warsaw temperatures regularly fall below 0 degrees C and occasionally reach minus 15. Delays and occasional cancellations on Polish rail services increase in heavy snow. Allow more connection time in winter and check PKP Intercity’s service alerts on the morning of travel.
Demand for overnight sleeping compartments rises in December and January. Book sleeper categories at least 4 to 6 weeks ahead if you are travelling over the Christmas period.
Summer (June to August)
Air conditioning is standard on all EIP, EIC, and IC trains. EIP fares on the Warsaw-Krakow corridor are particularly demand-sensitive in July and August. Booking 2 to 3 weeks ahead will usually keep you in the lower pricing tiers; booking in the week before travel on a Friday or Sunday departure may not.
Polish public holidays
Train services run to a modified timetable on major Polish public holidays. Trains are often fully booked the day before and after long weekends. Check the specific timetable for your date on PKP Intercity’s site rather than assuming normal-day frequency.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the Berlin to Warsaw train take?
The fastest Berlin-Warsaw trains take around 5 hours 15 minutes to 5 hours 17 minutes. These EuroCity services run under the Berlin-Warszawa Express brand, with roughly seven to eight direct trains each day in each direction. Journey times vary slightly by departure; check the timetable for your exact date. Trains call at Berlin Ostbahnhof, Poznan, Warszawa Zachodnia, and Warszawa Wschodnia before terminating at Warszawa Centralna.
How do I buy train tickets to Warsaw?
For PKP Intercity domestic trains, book at bilet.intercity.pl (available in English) or at any PKP Intercity station ticket office. The booking window opens 30 days before departure for domestic routes; for international routes (including Berlin, Prague, and Vienna) it typically opens 60 days ahead and sometimes longer. Tickets are released around 01:00 Central European Time on the day the window opens, so for the lowest domestic fares check exactly 30 days out. For Berlin-Warsaw, booking via Deutsche Bahn's international site (int.bahn.de) adds free child fares for under-15s on Sparpreis tickets, an option not available through PKP Intercity.
Is there an overnight train to Warsaw?
Yes. Two overnight services run to Warsaw. The EN 407 night train connects Vienna and Warsaw (operated jointly by PKP Intercity and OBB Nightjet), taking around 9 to 10 hours, with sleeping cars and couchettes. The EN 407/442 connects Prague and Warsaw, taking around 11 to 12 hours, also with sleeping cars in 1, 2, and 3-berth compartments plus 4 and 6-berth couchettes. Book private sleeping compartments at least 4 to 6 weeks ahead in summer; they sell out well before couchette berths do. Departure times change with each annual timetable, so check current times at bilet.intercity.pl before making fixed plans.
Can I use an Interrail or Eurail pass on trains to Warsaw?
Yes, but there is a critical rule for EIP trains: do not board an EIP Pendolino with only your pass. EIP requires a mandatory seat reservation in addition to the pass, and inspectors treat pass holders without one as passengers without a valid ticket. Buy the EIP seat reservation before you travel; it cannot be purchased on board. PKP Intercity (EIP, EIC, IC, TLK) and POLREGIO regional trains accept both passes. Koleje Mazowieckie (KM) regional trains around Warsaw and the Warsaw Metro do not accept Interrail or Eurail; buy a separate ticket for those.
Do I need to reserve a seat on EIP trains to Warsaw?
Yes, a seat reservation is mandatory on all EIP Pendolino trains and cannot be bought on board. The pass-holder reservation fee is PLN 43 if bought in Poland, or EUR 10 if bought abroad (the fee is set by location, not a currency conversion). Buy it at bilet.intercity.pl by selecting Interrail/Eurail as the discount type, or at any PKP Intercity ticket office. For the Berlin-Warsaw EuroCity, pass holders need a EUR 4 pass fare ticket (which includes the seat reservation) rather than a separate EIP reservation.
Which Warsaw train station do most trains arrive at?
Warszawa Centralna is the main arrival point for almost all EIP domestic services and international trains, including those from Berlin, Prague, and Vienna. It is in the city centre, open 24 hours, and directly served by Metro Line M2 at the Centrum stop. Some services, including the Berlin-Warszawa Express EuroCity and some EIC trains, also call at Warszawa Wschodnia (east of the river) and Warszawa Zachodnia (western Warsaw). Check your PKP booking to confirm which station your specific train serves.
