My husband and I have been researching ways to get to Treblinka via public transportation. In doing so, I found a comment from a traveler who suggested going to Majdanek instead of Treblinka. Reasoning was 1) easier to get to via public transportation and 2) structures are still there as opposed to Treblinka which has predominately foundations of destroyed buildings.
Does anyone have a recommendation for either place?
Posted by
CT by way of FL
213 posts
I haven't been to Treblinka, but I have been to Majdanek and would highly recommend it. It's been over 15 years, so maybe some things have changed, but here's what I remember.
There's a bus (looks like 161 but confirm this) that will take you directly from the Lublin train station to the camp; I think the stop is Majdanek. The bus stop is across the street from the camp. The first time I went, my friend and I just walked right in; we didn't see anyone working there, but everything was open (in looking at the website now, I wonder if we went on a Monday, when the museum is closed but the grounds and some buildings remain open). The second time, the language school I was attending organized a visit. This time, we went into the actually museum/welcome center first (which is a bit down the road from the bus stop, hence how I missed it the first time). I want to say we watched a short film but can't remember exactly. I do remember we took a guided tour that included a stop in a gas chamber, which was an eerie and emotional experience. We saw the barrack with all the shoes.
I remember both times being struck by how quiet it was. There were no other visitors either time I went. This of course varies from person to person, but for the most moving camps I've visited are the quiet ones. It allows you to walk among the buildings and think about the experiences of the people and the magnitude of loss. If you are interested in visiting a camp, I would recommend this one, especially with a guide. But even without a guide, it's an important place to visit.
And then - you get to experience Lublin! I spent three summers there for language school and loved the city. It's very compact; you can easily see the Old Town and Castle in a day. You don't say how long or when you'll be in Poland, but if you're already planning a side trip to Majdanek, I would take the whole day and see Lublin. Even better, you can spend the night and see some other towns in the area, like Zamość or Kazimierz Dolny.
Posted by
Washington DC
28050 posts
I haven't been to Majdanek but went to Treblinka in 2018 while I was staying in Warsaw. I took a train to Malkinia and a taxi from there. I was lucky to find a taxi at the station; it's not a busy area. If I returned, I'd do some Googling so I had a telephone number or two for taxis.
There's an informative memorial/museum at Treblinka with an English-accessible film. The museum staffer kindly called the taxi driver for me when I was ready to return to Malkinia.