International train services run between all major European and Polish
cities. The London-to-Warsaw route passes either through the Channel Tunnel
or Ostend. The journey by fast InterCity trains from Prague or Berlin to
Warsaw is just a few hours long. Szczecin is served by German regional
railways. At the frontier town of Cieszyn it is possible to walk from the
railway station on the Czech side of the border to a PKP railway station on
the Polish side. The main rail route runs across Poland from east to west,
connecting Russia with western Europe.

The fastest and most convenient way of travelling around Poland is by express
train. Express lines connect almost all big cities in Poland; the trains are
fast and usually arrive on time. To travel by express train, it is necessary
to reserve a seat as well as purchase a ticket. The most comfortable, but
also the most expensive, are the InterCity express trains. On these trains,
passengers are offered a free – if rather small – meal. Meals in restaurant
cars are quite expensive.

The journey by express train from Warsaw to Cracow, Katowice, Poznań or
Gdańsk takes from about three to four hours. Euro and InterCity trains have
compartments especially for mothers with children and for disabled people.
Long-distance trains, both fast and slow, are often delayed and can be dirty
and crowded. Night journeys on these trains are neither comfortable nor
safe. In Poland, there are two classes of carriage. Although travelling
first class is more expensive, it is much more comfortable and is certainly
worth the extra expense.

Long routes are served by sleepers with couchettes and very comfortable
sleeping cars. Trains leave Gdynia or Szczecin in the late evening, arriving
at their destination the following morning. The standard of the compartments
is not high; unfortunately, the same cannot be said of the fares.

Fares for journeys on ordinary and fast trains are generally very reasonable.
For journeys on express trains and in sleeping cars, however, fares are much
higher. Teenagers and students up to the age of 26 who hold valid student
cards are entitled to reduced fares.

Tickets are available direct from railway stations, and they can also be
purchased in advance at any of the Orbis national travel agencies, which can
be found in larger towns and cities.

Tickets can also be bought on the train, although in such cases passengers
must report to the conductor when they board the train and an additional
handling fee is charged. The fines for travelling without a valid ticket are
punitively high. Reduced fares for excursion tickets are available on
certain routes at weekends during the summer season.

Tickets for couchettes and sleepers can be booked via the Internet, on
www.wars.pl, by telephone (Tel: 022 473 43 17 ), or
by fax (Fax: 022 610 48 64 ). Travellers who choose to make their
booking by one of these methods should pay the conductor for their tickets
once they have boarded.

Acts of vandalism are not uncommon on suburban trains. Late at night, it is
wise to choose a seat at the front of the train, where there are usually
more people. If making an overnight journey on any of the long-distance
InterCity trains, it is safer to be seated in a compartment that is occupied
by several other passengers. Money should be discreetly hidden away in
pockets and definitely never left in an unattended bag or suitcase.

If in any doubt, travellers should also avoid drinking alcohol with
strangers; of course, most people are trustworthy, but you are more
vulnerable to theft if you have first been plied with drink. Theft is, not
surprisingly, much rarer during the day than it is at night-time.

Travellers may leave their luggage in the left luggage offices of railway
stations if they want to go around town unencumbered. There is a charge for
the left luggage service – often a kind of insurance, the price being
dependent on the declared value of the luggage. Travellers should, of
course, make sure that their luggage is fully insured before travelling to
Poland.

The larger stations have a system of coin-operated luggage lockers.