Train or fly - Krakow to Warsaw

The trip is under three hours by fast train - I can't imagine that it would be cheaper to fly. Train would be city center to city center. Looking quickly at fares, for the EIP, 45 Euro 2nd class; 67 Euro first - first should include a snack, which is really a light lunch. I was looking on polishtrains.eu - easier to navigate than the PKP website - for 9/3, as they only go out thirty days in advance. But no need to buy tickets way in advance.

Note that some budget airlines serve Krakow from Katowice, which is fifty miles from Krakow.

Where are you staying that final night in Warsaw--near the airport or in town?

Good question Frank, We are staying near the airport.

Unless you plan to do some serious sightseeing in Warsaw, I would fly since you are staying near the airport. You could spend the morning in Krakow seeing any last minute sights, take an afternoon flight to Warsaw, and then relax and get ready for your flight home.

The airport isn't that far from the city center. I made my second trip to Warsaw a couple of months ago and used Bolt for rides into town and back to the airport. Bolt is like Uber but not as crowded at the airport. Its also fairly inexpensive.

I stayed near the main train station. The fare from the airport was about $22 Canadian and the fare back was about $16 Canadian. (Converted from zloty.)

Unless your flight leaves very early, I'd recommend staying in the city instead. It will be more fun than an airport hotel.

And the train will probably be cheaper, as well as more comfortable and faster to central Warsaw. It wouldn't surprise me if the train is faster to the airport as well. If staying at the airport, alight at Warszawa Zachodnia and change there for a local train to the airport.

LOL thank you! So we have two equally valid arguments - one for flying and one for the train.
I priced out train and plane (granted it’s a fictitious date at this point). LOT flies Krakow to Warsaw (50 minutes) for 75$ CDN one way (no checked bag) and the train (high speed=2 hours 22 minutes) is 45€ or 72 CDN. So really factoring in commuting to airport OR commuting from Warsaw West train station to airport the time and price is almost identical…..SO it comes down to what we’d prefer (we are not sightseeing just relaxing the night before our flight home)

So if there is no big difference in price or travel time, the train wins on comfort in my opinion. Especially if you book an EIP (Express InterCity Premium) train. The seats are much better than airplane seats, there is an onboard bistro where you can buy food, or a coffee. And you don't have to go through a security check and can bring a bottle of water if you want.

@Badger - excellent points. That was our conclusion too!

Ingrid & Mike.

I was on the Best of Poland trip last month. My first time ever in Poland. The trip was wonderful. You will love it. If you have Agneiszka as your tour guide, you are in for a real treat.

When the tour concluded on Thursday, I did just as you are planning - a day trip to Auschwitz-Birkenau. An emotional day, but a necessary one, in my opinion. The next day, Friday, I left Krakow by train. Not to Warsaw but to Wroclaw. While I do not know how far away is the Krakow airport and thus no idea how long it takes to get there, I can tell you the train station is a very easy 20 minute walk from the tour hotel, the Grodek. Very convenient. There’s no way the airport is that convenient. And of course at the train station, you don’t have the security and check in issues. Get there ten minutes before the train and you are set to go.

After Wroclaw I took the train from there to Warsaw on Monday, for a Tuesday flight home. My flight home was not until 12:45 PM, so I opted to stay in downtown Warsaw. Stayed at the Holiday Inn, about a 15 minute walk from the main train station. Had a relaxing evening in Warsaw, some walking, nice relaxing dinner. I took a cab from the hotel to the airport the next morning. About 110 zlote, about 30 US dollars. About 20 minutes. I believe you can also take the train or city bus to the airport. The airport is surprisingly close to downtown..

Both trains were very comfortable. Smooth and spotlessly clean. Quite punctual. Overall, I was very impressed.

Obviously if you ask me, I would vote for the train. Stay downtown unless you have a really early flight out.

JimD