We have a full day tomorrow without anything planned, in Berlin, and are kinda-sorta thinking of maybe make our way into Poland. Are there any cities in Poland within a couple of hours train ride from Berlin, which are worth visiting for a few hours? I'm asking Google the same question, but in the meantime I wanted to post the question here as well. Thanks!
Posted by
OP
Raleigh, NC, USA
44 posts
No passport stamps? But we like to collect passport stamps! At any rate. That might be worth a visit. Thank you for the recommendation.
Posted by
San Francisco
14980 posts
Hi, To maximise this day trip r/t from Berlin timewise, I recommend going from Berlin Hbf to Frankfurt an der Oder, ca 35 min. The Oder-Neiße line divided the city into two parts. From the train station you can walk to the Oder Bridge...great view...cross that bridge and you're in Poland. The eastern half of Frankfurt/Oder became the Polish town of Slubice. I did this last summer, July 2011, well worth it, no passport checks or stamps, only the signs in Polish and German that you're entering Poland by walking across that bridge, saw Poles crossing back and forth as if it were just one city. It's nice little town, "worth visiting for a few hours." If you want to visit a place not inundated by tourists, these two towns fit the bill. Within your radius of two hrs, the city of Szczecin (Stettin) on the Baltic is doable, can't really recommend it since I was only at the train station. The other major cities Wroclaw (Breslau) and Poznan (Posen) are too far away.
Posted by
San Francisco
14980 posts
Hi, You got it. I want the stamps (die Stempelaufdrücke) too. When I'm back from a trip that included the UK and the Schengen zone, that means 5 stamps for that trip. The train from Berlin Hbf to Frankfurt an der Oder is a regional train, no IC or ICE, passes through Berlin Ostbahnhof to the destination. Within ca. 35 mins you'll be there. That Frankfurt/Oder Bahnhof has been completely redone, refurbished, nowhere the same when I first saw it in 2001 going to Warsaw. Knowing the way you should walk the distance to the Oder Bridge in 40 mins...maybe less. Walking across to Slubice you won't even see any border personnel of either country, only the flag, international letter code, the signs in Polish and German, nothing in English...very easy, no problems. The Polish businesses will accept Euro, zloty, EuroCard, (the German credit card), not a USA Visa...that's been my one experience at having to pay.
Posted by
S.F. Bay Area, CA, United States
1878 posts
You might also consider Goerlitz, another town that is right on the border. There too you can walk into Poland, and it's a town that Rick recommends. Might be too far for a day trip from Berlin as it's east of Dresden. Edit: too for a day trip- 2:41 each way according to bahn.de.