Page 226 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Krakow

224  SUR VIV AL GUIDE

from Warsaw to Krakow take
3 hours 15 minutes and only
cost 60zł one-way.
PKP InterCity services offer a
complimentary hot drink and
a pastry, and also have a buffet
car and trolley service offering
a limited range of drinks and
snacks. Other trains do not
always carry a buffet car, so buy
refreshments before boarding.

Railway Stations
Krakow’s main railway station,
Escalators to the ticket hall in Kraków Główny, Krakow’s main railway station Kraków Główny, is located in the
heart of the city, a 10-minute
Travelling by Rail
the day of travel from the ticket walk northeast of Market Square.
You can get to Krakow by train counters in the main railway All international and domestic
from almost any Polish city and station. Queues are common, so trains pass through this station,
town, as well as from many allow at least half an hour to buy and the Krakow airport train
other European cities. Services your ticket. You can also purchase terminates and departs from
between Poland’s main cities one from the train conductor, but here. The main ticket hall is
and Krakow are reasonably fast you must inform him that you located under the train platforms
and usually quite comfortable. require a ticket upon boarding and can be accessed from the
However, the stretch of track the train. Bear in mind that Krakow bus station immediately
between Krakow and Katowice tickets bought from the con- to the east, the Dworzec Głowny
is relatively slow, and in this ductor are 10–20 per cent more tram stop, the Galeria Krakowska
particular case travel by road expensive than those bought shopping mall to the west and
may well be faster. from counters at the station. via a covered walkway from the
The Polish rail network is square in front of the shopping
operated by various different InterCity and mall. Parking places and taxi
companies. Most express ranks are located on the station
intercity trains are run by Express Trains roof, accessible by lift directly
PKP InterCity (Polskie Koleje Trains operated by PKP InterCity from the platforms.
Państwowe), who operate fast offer the fastest and most comfort- Station signage is good,
and relatively expensive services, able way to travel. First and with digital displays notifying
as well as the slightly slower and second class seating is available. passengers of train departures
slightly cheaper TLK (Twoje Linie Seat reservations are obligatory and platform numbers. The
Kolejowe) services. A number of and are made at the time of main ticket hall contains two
other express trains are operated purchasing the ticket. Express rows of counters for domestic
by Przewozy Regionalne (and go trains operated by Przewozy departures, an information
under the name of Regio). Both Regionalnie are not as fast as PKP counter, and two counters
Przewozy Regionalne and the InterCity and only offer second- (clearly marked in Polish and
regional Koleje Małopolskie class seating although they are English) for international tickets.
operate slower trains that stop much cheaper and also allow Queues at the international
at more stations en route. bicycles. A PKP InterCity train ticket counters can be very
As a rule, train tickets in from Warsaw to Krakow takes just long in summer.
Poland are cheaper than in under 3 hours and costs 150zł If catching a train outside
western Europe. Prices vary one-way (200zł in first class). TLK central Krakow, beware that
widely according to class of and Przewozy Regionalnie trains smaller railway stations have
train, however travelling by
express train will be two or
three times more expensive
than covering the same route
on a slower local train.
Tickets for one service will not
be valid for travel on another.
Buying tickets is relatively
straightforward as each of the
ticket counters at Krakow’s main
railway station sell tickets for all
of the above companies. Tickets
can be bought in advance or on An intercity train at Krakow’s main railway station