Poland has over 600 passenger train stations offering easy train travel throughout the country as well as access to many small towns and villages.
Ticket prices are inexpensive and train travel in Poland has improved significantly since Poland’s entry into the European Union in 2004, a huge amount of financing and investment has helped to improve both the rail network, speed and station infrastructure.
According to Wikipedia, Poland currently has no high-speed lines operated at speeds above 200 km/h (124 mph). The Central Rail Line CMK, which links Warsaw to Katowice and Kraków, was designed to permit 250 km/h (155 mph), but most trains on the CMK still operate at speeds up to 160 km/h (99 mph). New Pendolino trains operate on a 90 km section of the CMK at 200 km/h (124 mph), and improvements under way should raise the authorized speed to 200 km/h (124 mph) on most of the line. The Warsaw-Gdańsk line has also undergone upgrades to allow speeds up to 200 km/h (124 mph).
The state train operator, PKP, has an excellent website and it’s quite easy to find connections and train times which are usually the same each day.
Train travel in Poland is a great option for long distance travel, just sit back and enjoy the landscape, engage with other passengers, many Polish trains still have compartments for 6 (in first class) or 8 (second class), so you can find yourself sitting in a row of 4 opposite 4 : -)
Train Travel in Poland Ticket Prices 2026
Train travel in Poland is great value compared to the UK; prices shown are for 2nd Class direct IC intercity trains.
Poznań to Warsaw approx 300 km or 2.5 hours = 80 zloty or £16
Warsaw to Kraków approx 320 km or 4 hours = 70 zloty or £14
Szczecin (north west) to Przemyśl (south east) approx 865 km or 10 hours = 80 zloty or £16
Gdansk (Baltic port) to Zakopane (Tatra Mountains) approx 846 km or 10 hours = 100 zloty or £20
Local and regional trains are even less expensive, though can be slow if they stop at every station along the way.
Where to Get Train Tickets
PKP Polskie Koleje Państwowe the state owned national train company.
Koleo an independent website offering tickets for train travel in Poland from multiple operators as well as coach travel.
If you don’t a ticket when boarding, you can buy tickets at a premium from the conductor, but you must announce yourself as soon as you board the train, otherwise you will likely face a fine, though that may be as little as £30 if you pay on the spot (2024).
Wolsztyn Steam Train Experience
Poland is one of the last countries in Europe still offering regular timetabled passenger trains hauled by steam locomotives, thanks to Wolsztyn Steam Locomotive Depot near Poznań. Trains run from Wolsztyn to Poznań approx 70 km. The centre in Wolsztyn offers accommodation in a locomotive shed, a museum and an annual steam engine parade.
What are Polish trains like? Poznań to Warsaw 1st Class Video Blog
Video from GallivanterDom documents train travel in Poland on a journey from Poznań to Warsaw in first class, includes restaurant car breakfast and a look at the onboard amenities.