Safe & comfortable sleeper trains link Krakow with Prague, Budapest & Vienna...

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This page explains how to travel by train from Krakow to other key European cities, and how to buy tickets the cheapest way. Train information is current for 2021. Suggested hotels in Krakow.

Before you buy your tickets...

Take a moment to read these tips for buying European train tickets. It answers all the usual questions, "Do I need to book in advance or can I just buy at the station?", "Can I stop off?", "Are there Senior fares?" and that old favourite, "Should I buy an $800 railpass or just buy a €35 point-to-point ticket online?". Click here to understand how far ahead you can buy train tickets.

European train travel FAQ...

An introduction to European train travel	Senior fares (over 60)	Guide to Eurail passes (overseas visitors)
Important tips for buying European train tickets	Youth fares (under 26)	Guide to Interrail passes (for Europeans)
How to check European train times	Child fares & child age limits	Couchettes & sleepers on night trains
Do I need to book in advance?	Luggage on European trains	Train seat numbering plans
How far ahead can I book?	Luggage storage at stations	Wheelchairs & special needs
Can I stop off on the way?	Taking a bike by train	Real-time service updates
Should I travel 1st or 2nd class?	Taking a car by train	Hotels & accommodation
How long to allow for connections?	Taking dogs & pets by train	Changing stations in Paris by metro or taxi
How early to arrive at the station?	Maps of the European rail network	What to do when things go wrong...

Krakow to Warsaw & other destinations in Poland...

Polish Railways - Polskie Koleje Państwowe (PKP) - has spawned two separate companies, PKP Intercity (www.intercity.pl) for long-distance trains and Przewozy Regionalne (Polregio) (polregio.pl) for regional trains.
You can book Polish domestic trains such as Krakow to Warsaw at www.intercity.pl. You print your own ticket.
English button top right, and you'll need to use the Polish spellings of cities such as Krakow and Warszawa. You pay online with a credit card and print your own ticket. A number of seat 61 correspondents have successfully booked this way.

The best trains are the EIP (Express InterCity Premium) used mainly on the Gdynia - Warsaw - Krakow route, these are bullet-nosed high-speed pendolino trains, although in Poland they don't tilt into curves.
EIC (Express InterCity) and IC (InterCity) trains are the next best, with modern air-conditioned carriages hauled by a separate locomotive or sometimes fast electric units with restaurant car.
TLK trains (Twoje Linie Kolejowe, which means Your Railway Lines) are ordinary express trains usually using older carriages.

Seat reservation is compulsory on all EIP, EIC, IC & TLK trains, this comes included in the ticket.

Alternatively, you can book Polish trains with highly-recommended Polish train ticketing agency www.polrail.com who can arrange tickets for travel within Poland or for international trains starting in Poland, for example Warsaw to Moscow, or Krakow to Prague.

What are the trains like?

EIP trains: Krakow to Warsaw in 2h19 at up to 200 km/h...

Introduced in 2014, the very best trains on the Polish network are modern bullet-nosed pendolinos like this, although in Poland they don't tilt into the curves as they do elsewhere. They operate on the Krakow-Warsaw-Gdynia route at up to 125mph, with faster operation planned in the future. Reservation is compulsory and they have a bar-bistro car - for more photos see www.vagonweb.cz/fotogalerie/PL/PKP_ED250.php.


An EIP train... Photos courtesy of www.vagonweb.cz		2nd class seats...


Clean & electric EIP train...		Bar car...		1st class table for two...

EIC & IC trains...

EIC & IC trains are the next rank down. Many are now operated by modern electric units like this...


Intercity train at Krakow Glowny...		2nd class, most seats unidirectional, some tables for 4.


1st class seats... Photos courtesy of DiscoverByRail.com.		Bistro-bar, run by caterers WARS...

EIC & IC trains, classic type...

Other IC and EIC trains consist of comfortable locomotive hauled carriages like this, some open-plan, some with classic 6-seat compartments and side corridor.

A Warsaw to Krakow InterCity train at warsaw Centralna

A 6-seat compartment on a Warsaw to Krakow train

Krakow to Oswiecim (Auschwitz)

Local trains run from Krakow Glowny to Oswiecim every couple of hours taking 1h32 or so for the 64 km, fare 10 zlotys (€2.30) each way.
Use Polish Railways timetable site rozklad-pkp.pl (click EN for English) or the Polregio site polregio.pl (click the UK flag for English) to check train times & fares. Tip: There are some 3-hour gaps in the timetable, so check your train times beforehand!
No reservation is necessary or possible for these local trains, you can just turn up, buy a ticket and hop on. They cannot sell out. Easy! Alternatively, just to save time, you can buy online at polregio.pl.
Auschwitz I is an ex-Polish army barracks in the town of Oswiecim itself about 20 minutes walk from the station - turn right outside the station then steer left into town. The infamous Arbeit Macht Frei sign is here.
Auschwitz-Birkenau II was a purpose-built concentration camp outside the town, about 25 minutes walk from the station - turn right, then turn right again at the first major road bridge across the railway.
The museum's website is auschwitz.org.
There are also regular buses between Krakow and Oswiecim.

Krakow to London...

See the London to Poland page for train times, fares and how to buy tickets.

Krakow to Paris from €66.90...

Option 1, Krakow to Berlin by overnight sleeper, Berlin to Paris on high-speed trains...

Step 1, travel from Krakow to Berlin by sleeper train, leaving Krakow Glowny at 00:43 and arriving Berlin Hbf at 09:51.
The train has the most modern type of air-conditioned Polish sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin plus two deluxe compartments with 1 or 2 berths & en suite toilet & shower. There are also two Polish seats cars, but no couchettes.
Tip: To avoid having to stay up until 00:43 to board the sleeper in Krakow (it starts its journey in Przemysl and is due to reach Krakow at 00:23), book an early evening or late afternoon train from Krakow to either Tarnow or Rzeszow for a few euros at the Polish Railways website www.intercity.pl. Have dinner, then board the sleeper in Rzeszow at 22:19 or Tarnow at 23:15. A night on the sleeper costs exactly the same whether you board in Rzeszow, Tarnow or Krakow. About the city of Tarnow. About the city of Rzeszow.
Fares start at €44.90 for a bed in a 3-bed sleeper, €64.90 for a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €99.90 for a single-bed sleeper all to yourself.

Book this train at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at. Booking normally opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket.

If you have any problems, contact reliable Polish agency www.polrail.com who can arrange ticket collection in Krakow.

Tip: It's not possible to book a deluxe compartment. PKP don't have enough of this type of sleeping-car and occasionally substitute a nicely refurbished older sleeper on this train instead. So they sell all compartments at the standard rate, if you end up in a deluxe it's a bonus!

Step 2, travel from Berlin to Paris by train, leaving Berlin Hbf at 11:04, changing at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf, arriving Paris Gare de l'Est at 20:52.
Berlin to Frankfurt is by ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Frankfurt to Paris is by 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Fares start at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book this at the German Railways website www.bahn.de. Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. Tip: Change Duration of transfer from standard to at least 30 minutes to get a more robust connection, the times above assume you do that. You print your own ticket or show it on your smartphone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.

This is the modern Polish air-conditioned sleeping-car on the eastbound Berlin-Krakow-Przemysl train about to leave Berlin Hbf. These cars also have two deluxe compartments with toilet & shower, but all compartments are sold as standard with washbasin on this train as PKP cannot guarantee that this type will always be available. Photo courtesy of Nicholas A Milligan...


Standard sleeper in evening/morning mode with seats folded out.		Standard sleeper in 3-berth mode. It can also be sold as a single or double.		Deluxe sleeper, set up as a 2-berth, showing TV & wardrobe.		Deluxe sleeper: En suite shower & toilet. Click the photos for larger images.

Option 2, Krakow to Vienna by sleeper, then Vienna to Paris by high-speed train - similar timings to option 1, usually works out a bit more expensive, but it leaves at a more civilised hour and always has the newer type of Polish sleeping-car with bookable deluxe compartments with toilet & shower.

Step 1, travel from Krakow to Vienna by sleeper train Chopin, leaving Krakow Glowny at 22:53 and arriving Vienna Hbf at 07:00.
The train has the most modern type of air-conditioned Polish sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin plus two deluxe compartments with 1 or 2 berths & en suite toilet & shower. In summer and other peak times there's a Polish couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments. The train also has ordinary seats.
Fares start at €39.90 in 6-berth couchettes, €49.90 in 4-berth couchettes, €54.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €69.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €129.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth.

Book the sleeper at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, more fiddly, same prices). You print your own ticket.

Tip: For dinner in Krakow before you board the sleeper, see suggested restaurants here.
Tip: If you have a 1st class onward ticket, you can use the ÖBB Lounge at Vienna Hbf between trains, with complimentary tea & coffee & WiFi.

Step 2, travel from Vienna to Frankfurt by ICE-T train, leaving Vienna Hbf at 09:15 and arriving Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 15:36.
The ICE-T train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Tip: If you fancy a beer in Frankfurt, Sam's Sportsbar (www.samssportsbar.de) at the far end end of the concourse near platform 24 is a nice quiet place to wait between trains.

Fares start at €37.90 in 2nd class or €56.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book this at the German Railways website www.bahn.de. Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or show it on your laptop or smartphone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.

Step 3, travel from Frankfurt to Paris by TGV Duplex, leaving Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 16:56, arriving Paris Gare de l'Est at 20:52.
This 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. I recommend an upper deck seat for the best views.
Fares start at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book this at the German Railways website www.bahn.de. Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or show it on your laptop or smartphone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.

This is the modern Polish air-conditioned sleeping-car on the eastbound Berlin-Krakow-Przemysl train, about to leave Berlin Hbf. These cars also have two deluxe compartments with toilet & shower, but all compartments are sold as standard with washbasin on this train as PKP cannot guarantee that this type will always be available. Photo courtesy of Nicholas A Milligan...


Standard sleeper in evening/morning mode with seats folded out.		Standard sleeper in 3-berth mode. It can also be sold as a single or double.		Deluxe sleeper, set up as a 2-berth, showing TV & wardrobe.		Deluxe sleeper: En suite shower & toilet. Click the photos for larger images.

Option 3, by daytime trains with overnight stop in Berlin...

Step 1, travel from Krakow to Berlin on the EuroCity train Wawel, leaving Krakow Glowny at 10:18 & arriving Berlin Hbf at 17:16.
The EuroCity train is comfortable and air-conditioned with restaurant car, treat yourself to lunch and a beer or two.
Fares start at €27.90 in 2nd class, or €39.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.
Book this at the German Railways website www.bahn.de. Booking from Poland opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket or show it on your laptop or smartphone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.

Stay overnight in Berlin... The 3-star Meininger Hotel or InterCity Hotel are ideal as they are right next to Berlin Hbf and a 10-minute walk from the Reichstag or a 15-minute walk from the Brandenburg Gate, relatively inexpensive and get good reviews. If you want to push the boat out, try the famous & historic Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin right next to the Brandenburg Gate. If you're on a tight budget, try the cheaper Motel One Berlin-Hauptbahnhof just behind the station or see www.hostelworld.com.
Step 2, travel from Berlin to Paris, for example leaving Berlin Hbf 07:28, changing at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf, arriving Paris Gare de l'Est 16:54.
But by all means take a later departure, check times for your date at www.bahn.de. These trains all have either a restaurant car or cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Fares start at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Buy a Berlin-Paris ticket at the German Railways website www.bahn.de. Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. Tip: Change Duration of transfer from standard to at least 30 minutes to get a more robust connection, and look for a journey with only 1 change. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or smartphone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.

Krakow to Nice, Cannes, Monte-Carlo...

Day 1, travel from Krakow to Vienna by EuroCity train, leaving Krakow Glowny at 14:06 arriving Vienna Hbf at 19:49.
The train consists of comfortable Austrian coaches, some with compartments, some open plan. A restaurant car runs in the train between Bohumin (around 16:40) and Vienna.
Fares start at €32.90 in 2nd class or €42.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book this train at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at. Booking from Poland opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket.

If you have any problems with www.oebb.at you can also book with reliable agency www.polrail.com, although prices may be higher.
Day 1, travel from Vienna to Venice by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Vienna Hbf at 21:27 & arriving Venice Santa Lucia at 08:34.
This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There are toilets & a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers. The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. The train has couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment. See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.

Fares start at €49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, €59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, €69.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €89.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €139.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth.

Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, more fiddly, same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.
Tip: If you like, you can check the formation of this train, check car numbers & see in what order cars for different destinations are marshalled using the excellent www.vagonweb.cz. Change cs to English upper left, then click Train formations, scroll down to Austria & click nj.
Enjoy a few hours in Venice - St Mark's Square is only 25 minutes walk from Venice Santa Lucia station, via the Rialto bridge.

Day 2, travel from Venice to Ventimiglia on the French border, leaving Venice Santa Lucia at 11:48, changing at the magnificent Milan Centrale onto a Frecciabianca train, arriving Ventimiglia at 18:54.
It's a lovely scenic ride along the Italian Riviera between Genoa and Ventimiglia, through Savona and San Remo.

Fares start at €38.90 in 2nd class or €59.80 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book this journey at either www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, this keeps all your bookings together in one place, small booking fee). It's ticketless, you just quite the booking reference on board. You can also book at www.trenitalia.com, but you'll need to use Italian-language city names.

Day 2, travel from Ventimiglia to Menton, Monte Carlo, Nice, Antibes or Cannes by TER local train, leaving Ventimiglia at 19:25, arriving Monte Carlo at 19:55, Nice Ville at 20:25 & Cannes at 21:08.
The fare is a fixed-price €8, though promotional fares of €5 or €7.50 are sometimes available. 2nd class only.

Buy a ticket at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com. Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your smartphone. You can also book at the French Railways website, en.oui.sncf (in €, more fiddly).
You'll find full details of the journey from Verona & Milan to Nice with photos & tips on the Nice to Italy by train page.

The Nightjet train from Vienna to Venice, arrived at Venice Santa Lucia

The Nightjet sleeper from Vienna to Venice, arrived at Venice Santa Lucia. See nightjet information, photos & video.


2-berth deluxe sleeper. More info about Nightjet trains.		...en suite toilet & shower.		4-berth couchettes...

Sunrise as the sleeper train crosses the causeway into Venice

Sunrise as the Nightjet crosses the causeway over the lagoon into Venice. Courtesy of Andreas Wiedenhoff.

Milan to Ventimiglia by Frecciabianca train. Here, a Frecciabianca boards at the magnificent Milan Centrale.

2nd class. Larger photo.

1st class. Larger photo.

Ventimiglia to Monaco, Nice & Cannes by TER local train. Here, a TER rolls into Juan les Pins station, between Nice & Cannes.

Coastal scenery from the upper deck of the TER from Ventimiglia to Nice & Cannes...

Krakow to Brussels from €46.90...

Option 1, Krakow to Berlin by sleeper, Berlin to Brussels by day trains - fastest & most time-effective...

Step 1, travel from Krakow to Berlin by sleeper train, leaving Krakow Glowny at 00:43 and arriving Berlin Hbf at 09:51.
The train has the most modern type of air-conditioned Polish sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin plus two deluxe compartments with 1 or 2 berths & en suite toilet & shower. There are also two Polish seats cars, but no couchettes.
Tip: To avoid having to stay up until 00:43 to board the sleeper in Krakow (it starts its journey in Przemysl and is due to reach Krakow at 00:23), book an early evening or late afternoon train from Krakow to either Tarnow or Rzeszow for a few euros at the Polish Railways website www.intercity.pl. Have dinner, then board the sleeper in Rzeszow at 22:19 or Tarnow at 23:15. A night on the sleeper costs exactly the same whether you board in Rzeszow, Tarnow or Krakow. About the city of Tarnow. About the city of Rzeszow.
Fares start at €44.90 for a bed in a 3-bed sleeper, €64.90 for a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €99.90 for a single-bed sleeper all to yourself.

Book this train at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at. Booking normally opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket.

If you have any problems, contact reliable Polish agency www.polrail.com who can arrange ticket collection in Krakow.

Tip: It's not possible to book a deluxe compartment. PKP don't have enough of this type of sleeping-car and occasionally substitute a nicely refurbished older sleeper on this train instead. So they sell all compartments at the standard rate, if you end up in a deluxe it's a bonus!

Step 2, travel from Berlin to Cologne & Cologne to Brussels on ICE trains, leaving Berlin Hbf at 11:46 and arriving Brussels Midi at 19:35.
The ICE trains all feature a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. By all means spend a couple more hours in Berlin and take a later train.

Fares start at €27.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book at the German Railways website www.bahn.de. Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or show it on your laptop or smartphone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.


Standard sleeper in evening/morning mode with seats folded out.		Standard sleeper in 3-berth mode. It can also be sold as a single or double.		Deluxe sleeper, set up as a 2-berth, showing TV & wardrobe.		Deluxe sleeper: En suite shower & toilet. Click the photos for larger images.

Option 2, Krakow to Brussels by daytime trains with overnight stop in Berlin - if you prefer day trains & a hotel to sleeper trains...

Step 1, travel from Krakow to Berlin on the EuroCity train Wawel, leaving Krakow Glowny at 10:18 & arriving Berlin Hbf at 17:16.
The EuroCity train is comfortable and air-conditioned with restaurant car, treat yourself to lunch and a beer or two. Enjoy an evening in Berlin.
Stay overnight in Berlin... The 3-star Meininger Hotel or InterCity Hotel are ideal as they are right next to Berlin Hbf and a 10-minute walk from the Reichstag or a 15-minute walk from the Brandenburg Gate, relatively inexpensive and get good reviews. If you want to push the boat out, try the famous & historic Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin right next to the Brandenburg Gate. If you're on a tight budget, try the cheaper Motel One Berlin-Hauptbahnhof just behind the station or see www.hostelworld.com.
Step 2, travel from Berlin to Brussels, for example leaving Berlin Hbf at 06:46, changing at Cologne Hbf and arriving Brussels Midi at 13:37.
But by all means have a leisurely breakfast and book the later 08:46 or 10:46 departures. You travel on superb ICE trains with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

How much does it cost?
Krakow to Brussels starts at €46.90 in 2nd class, €79.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

How to buy tickets...
Buy tickets at German Railways website www.bahn.de. Booking from Poland opens 60 days ahead. To get the overnight stop in Berlin, click Add intermediate stops, enter Berlin Hbf and a suitable stopover duration, say 14 hours, I have set up this link to bahn.de for you. Increase or decrease the stopover duration to get the train you want from Berlin to Brussels. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or smartphone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.

Option 3, Krakow to Prague by sleeper, Prague to Brussels by day - can be cheapest at short notice...

Step 1, take the sleeper train from Krakow to Prague, leaving Krakow Glowny at 22:53 and arriving Prague Hlavni at 07:57 next morning.

This train has a safe & comfortable air-conditioned sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed sleepers with washbasin, and a couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments. Morning tea or coffee is included in the fare in the sleepers. Have a full breakfast in Prague.

Advance-purchase fares start at €29 with couchette in 6-berth, €39 with couchette in 4-berth, €39 with a bed in a 3-bed sleeper or €49 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or around €75 with a single-bed sleeper all to yourself.

Book this train at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz and print your own ticket. Booking normally opens 60 days ahead.
If you have any problems booking at cd.cz, book via reliable Polish agency www.polrail.com with tickets collected in Warsaw. Polrail's website only shows full-price full-flex fares, but will (I am told) refund the difference if they find advance-purchase fares available.
Tip: For dinner in Krakow before you board the sleeper, see suggested restaurants here.
Alternatively, you could take the daytime train from Krakow to Prague Hlavni & stay overnight in Prague, see the Krakow-Prague timetable here.
Step 2, travel from Prague to Brussels by train. You don't get much control over the trains or route, it involves 3 changes and takes a day, but it's true. You can go from central Prague to central Brussels in comfort by train for as little as €29.
Prague Hlavni depart 10:43, change Cheb, Nuremberg & Frankfurt arriving Brussels Midi at 21:35.
Simply use the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz to book from Prague to Brussels, but (and this is the important bit) you must click More options then click Travel via and put Cheb in the via box. You'll see fares from as little as €29 (about 757 Czech Koruna) via a route with 3 changes at Cheb, Nuremberg & Frankfurt. Or treat yourself to first class from €43, about 1096 Koruna. You print your own ticket.

There's nothing cut-rate about the trains: You travel on a swish air-conditioned regional train from Prague to Cheb and from Cheb to Nuremberg, then by top-quality high-speed ICE train from Nuremberg to Frankfurt and Frankfurt to Brussels, complete with bistro-restaurant cars and beer on tap, see the photos here.

Krakow to Amsterdam from €37.90...

Option 1, Krakow to Berlin by sleeper, Berlin to Amsterdam by intercity train - the most time-effective option...

Step 1, travel from Krakow to Berlin by sleeper train, leaving Krakow Glowny at 00:43 and arriving Berlin Hbf at 09:51.
The train has the most modern type of air-conditioned Polish sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin plus two deluxe compartments with 1 or 2 berths & en suite toilet & shower. There are also two Polish seats cars, but no couchettes.
Tip: To avoid having to stay up until 00:43 to board the sleeper in Krakow (it starts its journey in Przemysl and is due to reach Krakow at 00:23), book an early evening or late afternoon train from Krakow to either Tarnow or Rzeszow for a few euros at the Polish Railways website www.intercity.pl. Have dinner, then board the sleeper in Rzeszow at 22:19 or Tarnow at 23:15. A night on the sleeper costs exactly the same whether you board in Rzeszow, Tarnow or Krakow. About the city of Tarnow. About the city of Rzeszow.
Fares start at €44.90 for a bed in a 3-bed sleeper, €64.90 for a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €99.90 for a single-bed sleeper all to yourself.

Book this train at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at. Booking normally opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket.

If you have any problems, contact reliable Polish agency www.polrail.com who can arrange ticket collection in Krakow.

Tip: It's not possible to book a deluxe compartment. PKP don't have enough of this type of sleeping-car and occasionally substitute a nicely refurbished older sleeper on this train instead. So they sell all compartments at the standard rate, if you end up in a deluxe it's a bonus!

Step 2, travel from Berlin to Amsterdam by InterCity train leaving Berlin Hbf at 11:22 arriving Amsterdam Centraal at 19:00.
Fares start at €37.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book at www.bahn.de. Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or smartphone. By all means spend a few hours in Berlin and take a later train, see the Berlin to Amsterdam page for schedules and more information about the journey. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.

Step 1, Krakow to Berlin by sleeper. This is the modern Polish air-conditioned sleeping-car on the eastbound Berlin-Krakow-Przemysl train, about to leave Berlin Hbf. These cars also have two deluxe compartments with toilet & shower, but all compartments are sold as standard with washbasin on this train as PKP cannot guarantee that this type will always be available. Photo courtesy of Nicholas A Milligan...


Standard sleeper in evening/morning mode with seats folded out.		Standard sleeper in 3-berth mode. It can also be sold as a single or double.		Deluxe sleeper, set up as a 2-berth, showing TV & wardrobe.		Deluxe sleeper: En suite shower & toilet. Click the photos for larger images.

Step 2, Berlin to Amsterdam by Intercity train. More information about these Intercity trains.

Lunch in the bistro car...

2nd class seats...

Option 2, Krakow to Amsterdam with overnight stop in Berlin - if you prefer day trains and a hotel to sleeper trains...

Step 1, travel from Krakow to Berlin on the EuroCity train Wawel, leaving Krakow Glowny at 10:18 & arriving Berlin Hbf at 17:16.
The EuroCity train is comfortable and air-conditioned with restaurant car, treat yourself to lunch and a beer or two. Enjoy an evening in Berlin.
Stay overnight in Berlin. The 3-star Meininger Hotel or InterCity Hotel are ideal as they are right next to Berlin Hbf and a 10-minute walk from the Reichstag or a 15-minute walk from the Brandenburg Gate, relatively inexpensive and get good reviews. If you want to push the boat out, try the famous & historic Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin right next to the Brandenburg Gate. If you're on a tight budget, try the cheaper Motel One Berlin-Hauptbahnhof just behind the station or see www.hostelworld.com.
Step 2, travel from Berlin to Amsterdam by Intercity train with bistro car, see the timetable, photos & travel tips here.

How much does it cost?
Krakow to Amsterdam starts at €37.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

How to buy tickets...
Buy tickets at German Railways www.bahn.de. Booking from Poland opens 60 days ahead. To get the overnight stop in Berlin, click Add intermediate stops, enter Berlin Hbf and a suitable stopover duration, say 14 hours, I have set this link to Bahn.de up for you. Increase or decrease the stopover duration to get the train you want from Berlin to Amsterdam. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or smartphone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.

Krakow to Luxembourg from €37.90...

Option 1, Krakow to Vienna by sleeper, on to Luxembourg by daytime train - the most time-effective option...

Step 1, travel from Krakow to Vienna by sleeper train Chopin, leaving Krakow Glowny at 22:53 and arriving Vienna Hbf at 07:00.
The train has the most modern type of air-conditioned Polish sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin plus two deluxe compartments with 1 or 2 berths & en suite toilet & shower. In summer and other peak times there's a Polish couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments. The train also has ordinary seats.
Fares start at €39.90 in 6-berth couchettes, €49.90 in 4-berth couchettes, €54.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €69.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €129.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth.

Book the sleeper at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, more fiddly, same fares). You print your own ticket.

Tip: For dinner in Krakow before you board the sleeper, see suggested restaurants here.
Tip: If you have a 1st class onward ticket, you can use the ÖBB Lounge at Vienna Hbf between trains, with complimentary tea, coffee & WiFi.
Step 2, travel from Vienna to Luxembourg, leaving Vienna Hbf at 09:15 by ICE-T train, changing at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf onto a Intercity train & Koblenz onto a regional train, arriving Luxembourg at 20:24.
Fares start at €37.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book at the German Railways website www.bahn.de. Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or smartphone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.

Option 2, Krakow to Luxembourg with an overnight stop in Berlin - if you prefer day trains & hotel to a sleeper train...

Day 1, travel from Krakow to Berlin on the EuroCity train Wawel, leaving Krakow Glowny at 10:18 & arriving Berlin Hbf at 17:16.
The EuroCity train is comfortable and air-conditioned with restaurant car, treat yourself to lunch and a beer or two. Enjoy an evening in Berlin.
Stay overnight in Berlin... The 3-star Meininger Hotel or InterCity Hotel are ideal as they are right next to Berlin Hbf and a 10-minute walk from the Reichstag or a 15-minute walk from the Brandenburg Gate, relatively inexpensive and get good reviews. If you want to push the boat out, try the famous & historic Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin right next to the Brandenburg Gate. If you're on a tight budget, try the cheaper Motel One Berlin-Hauptbahnhof just behind the station or see www.hostelworld.com.
Day 2, travel from Berlin to Luxembourg with a range of possible departures, for example leaving Berlin Hbf 07:04, changing at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf and Koblenz arriving Luxembourg at 15:24. But by all means have a leisurely breakfast and take a later train.
How much does it cost?

Krakow to Luxembourg starts at €37.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.
How to buy tickets...

Book at the German Railways website www.bahn.de. Booking from Poland opens 60 days ahead. To build in the overnight stop in Berlin, click Add intermediate stops and enter Berlin Hbf as a via station with a suitable stopover duration, say 14 hours, in the hh:mm box. I have set up this link to Bahn.de for you, just enter the number of passengers and your date of travel. Increase or decrease the stopover duration to get the train you want from Berlin to Luxembourg. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or smartphone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.

Krakow to Zurich & Switzerland...

Option 1, by sleeper to Vienna, then day train to Zurich...

Step 1, travel from Krakow to Vienna by sleeper train Chopin, leaving Krakow Glowny at 22:53 and arriving Vienna Hbf at 07:00.
The train has the most modern type of air-conditioned Polish sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin plus two deluxe compartments with 1 or 2 berths & en suite toilet & shower. In summer and other peak times there's a Polish couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments. The train also has ordinary seats.
Fares start at €39.90 in 6-berth couchettes, €49.90 in 4-berth couchettes, €54.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €69.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €129.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth.

Book the sleeper at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, more fiddly, same prices). You print your own ticket.

Tip: For dinner in Krakow before you board the sleeper, see suggested restaurants here.
Tip: If you have an onward 1st or business class ticket you can use the ÖBB Lounge at Vienna Hbf, with complimentary tea, coffee & WiFi.

Step 2, from Vienna to Zurich by smart Austrian railjet train leaving Vienna Hbf at 09:30 & arriving Zurich HB at 17:20.
This is a relaxing and scenic journey through the wonderful Arlberg Pass on a train with a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, see the Arlberg Pass scenery video here. Change in Zurich for all other destinations in Switzerland.
Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class, €44.90 in 1st class or €59.90 in business class (= premium 1st). Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (more fiddly, same prices, in €). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.

Step 1, Krakow to Vienna by comfortable sleeping-car... This is the modern Polish sleeping-car on the Chopin. Photo courtesy of WieselFahrer...


Standard sleeper in evening/morning mode with seats folded out.		Standard sleeper in 3-berth mode. It can also be sold as a single or double.		Deluxe sleeper, set up as a double, showing TV & wardrobe.		Deluxe sleeper: En suite shower & toilet. Click the photos for larger images.

Step 2, Vienna to Zurich by railjet train... This is a railjet at Vienna Hbf.


Railjet first class, with black leather seats...		Business class...		The restaurant...


A railjet arrived at the impressive modern Vienna Hbf spot on time. More photos & information about railjet trains		Economy class on railjet, in open saloons with large windows. Some seats around tables, most unidirectional.

The mountains of Austria...


In the Arlberg pass itself, the railway hugs the valley side, past fir forests and meadows...		In railjet first & business class, the stewardess takes your order & serves lunch at your seat...

The lakes between Zurich and the Austrian border

The railjet clips a corner of Liechtenstein, passing non-stop through the little station of Schaan-Vaduz. Once in Switzerland, the Railjet runs alongside the Zürichsee, then along the Walensee...

Option 2, afternoon train to Vienna, then sleeper to Zurich...

Step 1, travel from Krakow to Vienna by comfortable EuroCity train, leaving Krakow Glowny at 14:06 & arriving Vienna Hbf at 19:49.
The train consists of comfortable Austrian coaches, some with classic 6-seat compartments, some with open plan seating. A restaurant car runs in the train between Bohumin (around 16:40) and Vienna.
Fares start at €32.90 in 2nd class or €42.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book this train at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at. Booking opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket

If you have any problems with www.oebb.at you can also book through reliable agency www.polrail.com, although prices may be higher.

Step 2, travel from Vienna to Zurich by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Vienna Hbf at 21:25 and arriving Zurich HB at 08:20 next morning.
The train has double-deck sleeping-cars with 1 & 2 berth sleepers with washbasin, 1 & 2 berth deluxe sleepers with shower & toilet and a few 3-berth compartments with washbasin. It has 4 & 6 berth couchettes and ordinary seats.
Fares start at €49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, €59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, €69.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €89.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €139.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth.

Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same fares, more fiddly). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.


2nd class seats in an open-plan saloon. One of the two Austrian Krakow-Vienna cars is like this. See larger photo.		2nd class seats in a compartment. The other Austrian Krakow-Vienna car is like this. See larger photo.

Double-deck sleeping-car on a Nightjet at Zurich

By Nightjet from Vienna to Zurich, overnight while you sleep. This is a double-deck sleeping-car arrived at Zurich. Courtesy of DiscoverbyRail.com.


2-berth sleeper on lower deck...		Stairs to pair of lower compartments		1 or 2-bed sleeper on lower deck with washbasin, viewed through window. Set up as 1-bed. Note how compact it is...


Austrian couchette car or liegewagen...		6-berth couchettes...		4-berth couchettes...

Option 3, by daytime trains with overnight stop in Vienna...

Day 1, travel from Krakow to Vienna by EuroCity train, leaving Krakow Glowny at 14:06 arriving Vienna Hbf at 19:49.
The train consists of comfortable Austrian coaches, some with classic 6-seat compartments, some with open plan seating. A restaurant car runs in the train between Bohumin (around 16:40) and Vienna.
Fares start at €32.90 in 2nd class or €42.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book this train at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at and print your own ticket. Booking opens 60 days ahead.

If you have any problems with www.oebb.at you can also book through reliable agency www.polrail.com, although prices may be higher.

Stay overnight in Vienna. Hotels near the station with good reviews include the Motel One Vienna Hbf, Graetzl Hotel, Hotel Schani Wien.
Day 2, travel from Vienna to Zurich by smart Austrian railjet train, for example leaving Vienna Hbf at 09:30 arriving Zurich HB at 17:20.
Earlier or later departures are also possible, trains run every 2 hours. It's a relaxing and scenic journey through the Arlberg Pass, see the Arlberg Pass scenery video here. Change in Zurich for all other destinations in Switzerland.

Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class, €44.90 in 1st class or €59.90 in business class (= premium 1st class)

You can book from Vienna to most stations in Switzerland at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, overseas credit cards no problem) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, same prices, more fiddly). You print your own ticket.

Krakow to Venice, Florence, Rome & Italy

Option 1, by afternoon train to Vienna and sleeper to Venice - a time-effective option...

Step 1, travel from Krakow to Vienna by EuroCity train, leaving Krakow Glowny at 14:06 arriving Vienna Hbf at 19:49.
The train consists of comfortable Austrian coaches, some with compartments, some open plan. A restaurant car runs in the train between Bohumin (around 16:40) and Vienna.
Fares start at €32.90 in 2nd class or €42.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book this train at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at and print your own ticket. Booking opens 60 days ahead.

If you have any problems with www.oebb.at you can also book with reliable agency www.polrail.com, although prices may be higher.
Step 2, travel from Vienna to Venice by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Vienna Hbf at 21:27 & arriving Venice Santa Lucia at 08:34.
This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There are toilets & a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers. The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. The train has couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment. See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.

Fares start at €49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, €59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, €69.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €89.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €139.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth.

Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, more fiddly, same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.
Tip: If you like, you can check the formation of this train, check car numbers & see in what order cars for different destinations are marshalled using the excellent www.vagonweb.cz. Change cs to English upper left, then click Train formations, scroll down to Austria & click nj.

The Nightjet sleeper train from Vienna, arrived at Venice Santa Lucia. See more nightjet information, photos & video.


2-berth deluxe sleeper. More info about Nightjet trains.		...en suite toilet & shower.		4-berth couchettes...

Sunrise as the Nightjet crosses the causeway over the lagoon into Venice. Courtesy of Andreas Wiedenhoff.

Option 2, by sleeper to Vienna then scenic daytime train to Venice.

Step 1, travel from Krakow to Vienna by sleeper train Chopin, leaving Krakow Glowny at 22:53 & arriving Vienna Hbf at 07:00.
The Chopin has the most modern type of air-conditioned Polish sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin plus two deluxe compartments with 1 or 2 berths & en suite toilet & shower. In summer and other peak times there's a Polish couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments. The train also has ordinary seats. In the sleeper, morning tea or coffee is included.
Fares start at €39.90 in 6-berth couchettes, €49.90 in 4-berth couchettes, €54.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €69.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €129.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth.

Book the sleeper at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, more fiddly, same fares). You print your own ticket.

If you're interested, you can check the train formation at www.vagonweb.cz. Change cs to English upper left, then click Train formations, scroll down to Poland, click IC - the train is called the Chopin which leaves Warsaw with cars for Vienna, Prague & Budapest.

Tip: For dinner in Krakow before you board the sleeper, see suggested restaurants here.
Tip: You've time to have a look around Vienna. If you have a 1st class onward ticket you can use the ÖBB 1st class lounge at Vienna Hbf in the hour before your onward train, with complimentary tea, coffee & soft drinks.

Step 2, travel from Vienna to Venice by swish modern railjet train leaving Vienna Hbf at 12:25 and arriving Venice Santa Lucia on the banks of the Grand Canal in central Venice at 20:04.
The air-conditioned railjet train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. It takes the beautifully scenic UNESCO-listed Semmering route from Vienna to Graz, a real treat - see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semmering_railway. Treat yourself to lunch with wine as the mountains glide by. See the Vienna to Venice page for more photos, tips, and a video of the journey.
Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class, €39.90 in 1st class or €54.90 in business class (= premium 1st). Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, a bit more fiddly, same fares). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.

Option 3, by sleeper train, a free day in Vienna, then sleeper train...

Step 1, travel from Krakow to Vienna by sleeper train Chopin, leaving Krakow Glowny at 22:53 & arriving Vienna Hbf at 07:00.
The Chopin has the most modern type of air-conditioned Polish sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin plus two deluxe compartments with 1 or 2 berths & en suite toilet & shower. In summer and other peak times there's a Polish couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments. The train also has ordinary seats. In the sleeper, morning tea or coffee is included.
Fares start at €39.90 in 6-berth couchettes, €49.90 in 4-berth couchettes, €54.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €69.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €129.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth.

Book the sleeper at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, more fiddly, same fares). You print your own ticket.

If you're interested, you can check the train formation at www.vagonweb.cz. Change cs to English upper left, then click Train formations, scroll down to Poland, click IC - the train is called the Chopin which leaves Warsaw with cars for Vienna, Prague & Budapest.

Tip: For dinner in Krakow before you board the sleeper, see suggested restaurants here.

Spend the day in Vienna. Left luggage is available.
Step 2, travel from Vienna to Italy by Nightjet sleeper train.
A Nightjet sleeper train leaves Vienna Hbf at 19:23 and arriving Bologna Centrale 05:20, Florence SMN 06:19 & Rome Termini 09:2) with a portion to Milan Porta Garibaldi arriving 08:10.
Another Nightjet sleeper train leaves Vienna Hbf at 21:27 and arrives Venice Santa Lucia at 08:34.
These comfortable Austrian Nightjet trains have an air-conditioned Comfortline sleeping-car with nine 1, 2 & 3-berth standard compartments with washbasin and three 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet. There are toilets & a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers. The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. The train has couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment. See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.

Fares start at €49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, €59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, €69.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €89.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €139.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth.

Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, a bit more fiddly, same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.

Option 4, by daytime trains with overnight stop in Vienna...

Day 1, travel from Krakow to Vienna by EuroCity train, leaving Krakow Glowny at 14:06 and arriving Vienna Hbf at 19:49.
The train consists of comfortable Austrian coaches, some with compartments, some open plan. A restaurant car runs in the train between Bohumin (around 16:40) and Vienna.
Fares start at €32.90 in 2nd class or €42.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book this train at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at and print your own ticket. Booking opens 60 days ahead.

If you have any problems with www.oebb.at you can also book with reliable agency www.polrail.com, although prices may be higher.
Stay overnight in Vienna. Hotels near the station with good reviews include the Motel One Vienna Hbf, GraetzlHotel Hotel Schani Wien .
Day 2, travel from Vienna to Venice by railjet train through the wonderfully scenic Semmering route, leaving Vienna Hbf at 06:25 and arriving Venice Santa Lucia around 14:14, or there's a later departure at 12:25.
The railjet has a bistro-restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, see the railjet information page
Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class, €39.90 in 1st class or €54.90 in business class (= premium 1st class).

Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, more fiddly, same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.

The afternoon railjet to Venice, about to leave Vienna Hbf. More photos & info about Vienna-Venice railjets.


A railjet boarding at the impressive modern Vienna Hbf.		Economy class on railjet.


Railjet first class, with black leather seats...		Business class...		The restaurant...

The railjet travels over the famous Semmering Railway, opened in 1854 and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. See the Vienna to Venice by train page for more information, photos & video.

Krakow to Barcelona & Spain...

Day 1, travel from Krakow to Berlin on the EuroCity train Wawel, leaving Krakow Glowny at 10:18 & arriving Berlin Hbf at 17:16, change in Berlin for a high-speed ICE train to Cologne, arriving 22:12.

The EuroCity train is comfortable and air-conditioned with restaurant car - treat yourself to lunch and a beer or two. The ICE has a restaurant car, power sockets at seats & free WiFi.

Fares from Krakow to Cologne start at €37.90 in 2nd class, or €49.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book from Krakow to Cologne at the German Railways website www.bahn.de and print your own ticket or show it on your laptop or smartphone. Booking from Poland opens 60 days ahead. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Stay overnight in Cologne. Starting with the cheapest, hotels near to Cologne Hauptbahnhof with good reviews include the Breslauer Hof Am Dom, Hotel Domspitzen, CityClass Hotel Europa am Dom, Hilton Cologne, Excelsior Hotel Ernst am Dom.
Day 2, travel from Cologne to Barcelona, leaving Cologne Hbf at 08:44 by Thalys to Paris Gare du Nord, change stations by taxi or metro, then take the 15:08 TGV Duplex from Paris Gare de Lyon to Barcelona Sants arriving 21:46.
Thalys trains have 3 classes, a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, see the Thalys guide. How about lunch at the amazing Train Bleu restaurant at the Gare de Lyon between trains? The 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, book an upper deck seat for the best views. It's a comfortable & scenic journey, click here for the sights to see on the way.
Cologne to Paris starts at €35 in 2nd class or €71 in 1st class.

Paris to Barcelona starts at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Book each train at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website en.oui.sncf (in €, more fiddly, same fares). Booking normally opens 120 days ahead. You print your own ticket or can select a mobile ticket to show on your smartphone.

Stay overnight in Barcelona. Hotels close to Barcelona Sants station with good or great reviews: Hotel Barcelo Sants (4-star, great reviews, directly above Barcelona Sants station itself, recommended), AC Hotel Sants by Marriott (4-star, just 50m from the station), Hotel Catalonia Roma (3-star), Hostal Baler (2-star), Hotel Transit (1-star), Meeting Point Hostel (inexpensive private rooms & dorm beds).
Day 3, travel from Barcelona to other Spanish cities by high-speed train.
For Madrid: AVE-S103 high-speed trains link Barcelona Sants with Madrid Atocha every hour or two in as little as 2h30 from €35.

For Cordoba & Seville: Take the direct AVE-S112 high-speed train leaving Barcelona Sants at 08:30 arriving Cordoba 13:12 & Seville Santa Justa at 14:02. Fares start at €53. Alternatively, spend a morning in Barcelona and take the 15:50 AVE S112 high-speed train to Cordoba & Seville.

For Malaga: Take the 09:00 AVE high-speed train to Madrid Atocha arriving 11:45, then the 13:00 AVE high-speed train to Malaga Maria Zambrano, arriving 16:05. Alternatively, spend a morning in Barcelona and take the direct 15:50 AVE S112 high-speed train to Malaga.

For Granada: A direct AVE S112 high-speed train leaves Barcelona Sants at 08:30 arriving Granada at 14:52.

For Valencia & Alicante: EuroMed trains link Barcelona Sants with Valencia & Alicante regularly through the day, for example one leaves Barcelona Sants at 08:15 Mondays-Fridays arriving Valencia Joaquin Sorolla 10:55 & Alicante 12:45 or at 10:15 every day arriving Valencia Joaquin Sorolla 12:55 & Alicante 14:48. Fares from €23.

For Santiago de Compostela, A Coruna & Vigo, there's a morning Alvia train to Galicia, see details here.

Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (in €, £ or $, both very easy to use, small booking fee), www.petrabax.com (in $, also easy to use, small mark-up) or Spanish Railways' own site www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly, see this advice on using it). You'll find cheap Promo and Promo+ fares if you book in advance. You print your own ticket.

Mt Canigou & the Pyrenees... One of the highest peaks in the mighty Pyrenees, the 2,784m (9,137 feet) high Mt Canigou dominates the skyline on the right all the way from Perpignan to Girona, see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canigou.

Krakow to Lisbon & Portugal...

Step 1, travel from Krakow to Barcelona in 2 days with an overnight stop in Cologne, as shown above.
Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Madrid in 2h40 by AVE high-speed train then from Madrid to Lisbon by overnight trainhotel Lusitania as shown in detail on the Trains from Barcelona page.
Change in Lisbon for trains to Porto or Faro & the Algarve, booked separately at the Portuguese Railways website www.cp.pt.

Krakow to Copenhagen, Gothenburg, Oslo, Stockholm & Scandinavia...

Option 1, Krakow to Copenhagen, Malmö, Gothenburg, Oslo, Stockholm with overnight stop in Berlin...

Step 1, travel from Krakow to Berlin on the EuroCity train Wawel, leaving Krakow Glowny at 10:18 & arriving Berlin Hbf at 17:16.
The EuroCity train is comfortable and air-conditioned with restaurant car, treat yourself to lunch and a beer or two.
Stay overnight in Berlin. The 3-star Meininger Hotel or InterCity Hotel are ideal as they are right next to Berlin Hbf and a 10-minute walk from the Reichstag or a 15-minute walk from the Brandenburg Gate, relatively inexpensive and get good reviews. If you want to push the boat out, try the famous & historic Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin right next to the Brandenburg Gate. If you're on a tight budget, try the cheaper Motel One Berlin-Hauptbahnhof just behind the station or see www.hostelworld.com.
Step 2, travel from Berlin to Copenhagen, leaving Berlin Hbf at 06:38 by ICE train, changing at Hamburg Hbf onto a Danish IC3 Intercity train arriving Copenhagen at 13:33.
A later option is available if you're only going as far as Copenhagen, Malmö or Gothenburg, leaving Berlin Hbf 10:38, arriving Copenhagen at 17:33. If you're going to Oslo or Stockholm, stick with the earlier one.

Step 3, travel from Copenhagen to Sweden or Norway...

If you're going to Malmö, travel from Copenhagen to Malmö Central by Oresund train, these leave 2 or 3 times each hour taking 39 minutes, using the impressive Öresund fixed link.

If you're going to Gothenburg, travel from Copenhagen to Goteborg Central by Oresund train, these leave every hour taking 3h53, using the impressive Öresund fixed link.

If you're going to Stockholm, travel from Copenhagen to Stockholm by X2000 train leaving Copenhagen at 14:19 and arriving Stockholm Central at 19:36 (times may vary). The X2000 train crosses the water from Denmark to Sweden over the impressive Öresund fixed link.

Step 4 if you're going to Finland, stay overnight in Stockholm and travel from Stockholm to Helsinki as shown here.

How much does it cost?
Krakow to Copenhagen starts at €51.90 in 2nd class or €79.90 in 1st class.

Copenhagen to Stockholm starts at 195 SEK (€20).

Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.
How to buy tickets...

Book from Krakow to Copenhagen at the German Railways website www.bahn.de. Booking from Poland opens 60 days ahead. To get the overnight stop in Berlin, click Add intermediate stops, enter Berlin Hbf as a via station and a stopover duration of 12 hours in the hh:mm box. I have set up this link to Bahn.de for you, just change the date to your date of travel and enter the number of passengers. You print your own ticket or show it on your laptop or smartphone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.

Book from Copenhagen to Malmo, Gothenburg (Goteborg Central) or Stockholm at Swedish Railways www.sj.se, or if you have any problems, Omio.com.

Book the ferry from Copenhagen to Oslo at www.dfds.co.uk.

Option 2, Krakow to Berlin by overnight sleeper, Berlin to Copenhagen next day...

Step 1, travel from Krakow to Berlin by sleeper train, leaving Krakow Glowny at 00:43 and arriving Berlin Hbf at 09:51.
The train has the most modern type of air-conditioned Polish sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin plus two deluxe compartments with 1 or 2 berths & en suite toilet & shower. There are also two Polish seats cars, but no couchettes.
Tip: To avoid having to stay up until 00:43 to board the sleeper in Krakow (it starts its journey in Przemysl and is due to reach Krakow at 00:23), book an early evening or late afternoon train from Krakow to either Tarnow or Rzeszow for a few euros at the Polish Railways website www.intercity.pl. Have dinner, then board the sleeper in Rzeszow at 22:19 or Tarnow at 23:15. A night on the sleeper costs exactly the same whether you board in Rzeszow, Tarnow or Krakow. About the city of Tarnow. About the city of Rzeszow.
Fares start at €44.90 for a bed in a 3-bed sleeper, €64.90 for a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €99.90 for a single-bed sleeper all to yourself.

Book this train at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at. Booking normally opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket.

If you have any problems, contact reliable Polish agency www.polrail.com who can arrange ticket collection in Krakow.

Tip: It's not possible to book a deluxe compartment. PKP don't have enough of this type of sleeping-car and occasionally substitute a nicely refurbished older sleeper on this train instead. So they sell all compartments at the standard rate, if you end up in a deluxe it's a bonus!

Step 2, travel from Berlin to Copenhagen, leaving Berlin Hbf at 14:38 by ICE train, changing at Hamburg Hbf onto a Danish IC3 Intercity train arriving Copenhagen at 21:33. I would not risk the connection with the earlier 10:38 departure from Berlin.
Fares start at €37.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.
Book Berlin to Copenhagen at the German Railways website www.bahn.de. Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or show it on your laptop or smartphone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Stay overnight in Copenhagen. Hotels in Copenhagen near the station with good reviews include the Nimb Hotel (5-star luxe), Radisson Blu Royal Hotel (5-star), Axel Guldsmeden (4-star), Andersen Boutique Hotel, First Hotel Mayfair (3-star), Hotel Ansgar (3-star), City Hotel Nebo (2-star).
Step 3, travel from Copenhagen to Sweden or Norway...

If you're going to Malmö, travel from Copenhagen to Malmö Central by Oresund train, these leave 2 or 3 times each hour taking 39 minutes, using the impressive Öresund fixed link. Book this at the station or at the Swedish Railways site www.sj.se or Omio.com.

If you're going to Gothenburg, travel from Copenhagen to Goteborg Central by Oresund train, these leave every hour taking 3h53, using the impressive Öresund fixed link. Book this at the Swedish Railways site www.sj.se or Omio.com.

If you're going to Oslo, travel from Copenhagen to Oslo Sentral by train with 1 easy change at Gothenburg Central, see the details here. Alternatively, spend a morning in Copenhagen, and after lunch take the DFDS overnight ferry to Oslo with a comfortable private cabin with shower & toilet, sailing from Copenhagen at 14:15 and arriving Oslo at 09:15 on day 3, as also shown here. This is remarkably affordable, and saves a hotel bill. Book the ferry at www.dfds.co.uk.

If you're going to Stockholm, travel from Copenhagen to Stockholm by X2000 train leaving Copenhagen at 08:19 and arriving Stockholm Central at 13:35 (times may vary). The X2000 train crosses the water from Denmark to Sweden over the impressive Öresund fixed link. Book this from 195 SEK (€20) at the Swedish Railways site www.sj.se or Omio.com.
Step 4, travel from Stockholm to Helsinki overnight as shown here.

Krakow to Helsinki & Finland...

Option 1, via Finnlines from Germany to Helsinki...

Step 1, travel from Krakow to Berlin by sleeper train, leaving Krakow Glowny at 00:43 and arriving Berlin Hbf at 09:51.
The train has the most modern type of air-conditioned Polish sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin plus two deluxe compartments with 1 or 2 berths & en suite toilet & shower. There are also two Polish seats cars, but no couchettes.
Tip: To avoid having to stay up until 00:43 to board the sleeper in Krakow (it starts its journey in Przemysl and is due to reach Krakow at 00:23), book an early evening or late afternoon train from Krakow to either Tarnow or Rzeszow for a few euros at the Polish Railways website www.intercity.pl. Have dinner, then board the sleeper in Rzeszow at 22:19 or Tarnow at 23:15. A night on the sleeper costs exactly the same whether you board in Rzeszow, Tarnow or Krakow. About the city of Tarnow. About the city of Rzeszow.
Fares start at €44.90 for a bed in a 3-bed sleeper, €64.90 for a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €99.90 for a single-bed sleeper all to yourself.

Book this train at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at. Booking normally opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket.

If you have any problems, contact reliable Polish agency www.polrail.com who can arrange ticket collection in Krakow.

Tip: It's not possible to book a deluxe compartment. PKP don't have enough of this type of sleeping-car and occasionally substitute a nicely refurbished older sleeper on this train instead. So they sell all compartments at the standard rate, if you end up in a deluxe it's a bonus!
Step 2, enjoy a morning in Berlin, in late afternoon travel from Berlin Hbf to Hamburg Hbf by ICE train and on to Lübeck by regional train. Then take a bus to Travemünde Skandinavienkai (Fähre). Book this at the German Railways website www.bahn.de and print your own ticket or show it on your laptop or smartphone. See the Berlin to Helsinki section for detailed instructions.
Step 3, sail from Travemünde to Helsinki with Finnlines. The ship normally boards from 22:30 to 24:00 and arriving Helsinki Vuosaari ferry terminal at 09:00 2 nights later (3 nights from Krakow). Go to www.finnlines.com to check sailing dates, times & to book the ferry. See the Berlin to Helsinki section for detailed instructions.


One of Finnlines 3 star class ferries to Helsinki. Courtesy of Finnlines.		Cabin on the ferry...

Option 2, travel to Stockholm and take a ferry from there...

Step 1, travel from Krakow to Stockholm by train as shown above.
Step 2, travel from Stockholm to Helsinki either by direct overnight cruise ferry, or by daytime or overnight ferry to Turku and connecting train to Helsinki as shown on the Trains & ferries from Stockholm page.

Krakow to Berlin, Cologne, Hamburg & Northern Germany from €27.90...

Option 1, Krakow to Berlin by EuroCity train Wawel - the recommended daytime option...

The direct Krakow-Berlin EuroCity train Wawel makes a welcome return from the start of the new timetable on 13 December 2020.
This comfortable EuroCity train leaves Krakow Glowny at 10:18 & Katowice 11:12 every day, arriving Berlin Hbf 17:16.

Same-day onward connections are possible to Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt & Cologne.

Fares start at €27.90 in 2nd class or €39.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.
Buy tickets from Krakow to anywhere in Germany at www.bahn.de. Booking from Poland opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or smartphone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Tip: If you'd like an overnight stop in Berlin before travelling onwards to Cologne, Dusseldorf, Hamburg & so on, click Add intermediate stops and enter Berlin Hbf as a via station with a stopover duration of (say) 12 hours or longer in the hh:mm box.

A Berlin-Warsaw EuroCity train at Berlin Hbf. The Berlin-Krakow Wawel uses similar carriages.


1st class compartment car...		2nd class open-plan car. Some seats are in compartments.

Restaurant car on the EuroCity train Wawel

The restaurant car of the type used on the Wawel. You don't need to reserve a table, just go along and sit down. A steward will take your order...

Option 2, by daytime trains via Warsaw from €37.90...

This takes significantly longer - and usually costs a bit more - than taking the direct Krakow-Berlin Wawel. However, if you absolutely have to be in Berlin 2 or 3 hours earlier than the time the Wawel arrives, or leave Krakow an hour or two later than the Wawel leaves, it's an option...
You take a fast InterCity Express (EIC) or bullet-nosed InterCity Express Premium (EIP) or older TLK train from Krakow Glowny to Warsaw Centralna in as little as 2h19, then a comfortable EuroCity train from Warsaw Centralna to Berlin Hbf in around 5h30. I recommend allowing at least 40 minutes in Warsaw between trains in case of any delay.
Fares start at €37.90 in 2nd class, €56.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.
To find times and buy tickets, use the German Railways website www.bahn.de. Booking from Poland opens 60 days ahead.

Tip: To see journeys via Warsaw Centralna with 1 change and a robust connection, (1) click Add intermediate stops and enter Warsaw Centralna as a via station with a stopover duration of 40 minutes in the hh:mm box, and (2) click More means of transport and change both drop down boxes from admit changes to direct connections. Easy when you know how!

Why not stop off for a few hours in Warsaw? Perhaps have lunch in the old town between trains. Simply enter the number of hours you want in the hh:mm box. The Palace of Culture is just across the road from Warsaw Centralna station, and Warsaw's old town square is just 20 minutes walk away. For lunch, I heartily recommend the U Fukiera restaurant on the inner square, www.ufukiera.pl.

Change in Berlin for Hamburg, Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, Cologne - you can book from Krakow to anywhere in Germany at www.bahn.de.


Step 1, by EIP train Krakow to Warsaw. Courtesy of www.vagonweb.cz		2nd class seats on a bullet-nosed EIP...


EIP train...		The on board cafe-bar...		1st class...

Step 2, by EuroCity train from Warsaw to Berlin with air-conditioned 1st & 2nd class coaches, most with compartments and side corridor like this, others with open-plan seating.


1st class compartment car...		2nd class open-plan car. Some seats are in compartments.

Option 3, Krakow to Berlin by sleeper train. Safe, comfortable, time-effective...

A sleeper train leaves Krakow Glowny at 00:43 and arrives Berlin Hbf at 09:51. The train starts in Przemysl.
The train has the most modern type of air-conditioned Polish sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin plus two deluxe compartments with 1 or 2 berths & en suite toilet & shower. There are also two Polish seats cars, but no couchettes.
Important tip: To avoid having to stay up until 00:43 to board the sleeper in Krakow (it's actually due to arrive in Krakow at 00:23), book an early evening or late afternoon train from Krakow to either Tarnow or Rzeszow for a few euros at the Polish Railways website www.intercity.pl. Have dinner, then board the sleeper to Berlin in Rzeszow at 22:19 or Tarnow at 23:15. A night on the sleeper costs exactly the same whether you board in Rzeszow, Tarnow or Krakow. About the city of Tarnow. About the city of Rzeszow.
Fares start at €44.90 for a bed in a 3-bed sleeper, €64.90 for a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €99.90 for a single-bed sleeper all to yourself.
Book this train at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at. Booking normally opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket.
If you have any problems, contact reliable Polish agency www.polrail.com who can arrange ticket collection in Krakow.
Tip: It's not possible to book a deluxe compartment. PKP don't have enough of this type of sleeping-car and sometimes substitute a nicely refurbished older sleeper on this train instead. So they sell all compartments at the standard rate, if you end up in a deluxe it's a bonus!
Change in Berlin for Hamburg, Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, Cologne - you can book from Berlin to anywhere in Germany at the German Railways website www.bahn.de. I'd allow at least an hour between the scheduled arrival of the sleeper and any onward train.


Standard sleeper in evening/morning mode with seats folded out.		Standard sleeper in 3-berth mode. It can also be sold as a single or double.		Deluxe sleeper, set up as a 2-berth, showing TV & wardrobe.		Deluxe sleeper: En suite shower & toilet. Click the photos for larger images.

Option 4, by overnight sleeper train via Poznan - cheap, safe, comfortable, convenient & time-effective!

Step 1, travel overnight by sleeper train leaving Krakow Glowny around 22:58 and arriving Poznan at 05:05 next morning.
The basic fare is around 60 zlotys (€15) plus 33 zlotys (€8) for a couchette or 141 zlotys (€33) for a bed in a 2-bed sleeper).
Book this train at the Polish Railways website www.intercity.pl. Booking opens 60 days ahead.
Tip: For dinner in Krakow before you board the sleeper, see suggested restaurants here.

Step 2, travel from Poznan to Berlin by EuroCity train, leaving Poznan at 07:29 on Mondays-Saturdays arriving Berlin Hbf at 10:16, 2-4 hours later on Sundays, see the timetable here.
By all means see something of Poznan's pleasant old town and take a later train to Berlin leaving at 11:29 or 12:29 or 15:29.

Fares start at €18.90 in 2nd class or €29.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares so book ahead.

Book at the German Railways website www.bahn.de. Booking from Poland opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or smartphone.

Change in Berlin for Hamburg, Cologne, Frankfurt and so on. You can book from Poznan to anywhere in Germany using www.bahn.de.

Option 5, by overnight sleeper train via Stettin - a variation on option 3 above...

Step 1, travel overnight by sleeper train leaving Krakow Glowny around 22:58 and arriving Szczecin Glowny at 08:47 next morning.
The basic fare is 62 zlotys (€15) plus 33 zlotys (€8) for a couchette or 141 zlotys (€33) for a bed in a 2-bed sleeper).
Book this train at the Polish Railways website www.intercity.pl. Booking opens 60 days ahead.
Tip: For dinner in Krakow before you board the sleeper, see suggested restaurants here.

Step 2, travel from Stettin (Szczecin) to Berlin by regional train, leaving Stettin Glowny at 10:06 and arriving Berlin Gesundbrunnen at 11:55.
By all means see something of Stettin and take a later train. The fare is around €29, even bought at the station on the day, if you use a Brandenburg-Berlin Ticket. You can check times & prices using www.bahn.de.


Polish sleeping-car...		2-bed sleeper, day mode.

Krakow to Munich, Frankfurt, Nuremberg, Stuttgart, & Southern Germany...

Option 1, using the Krakow-Prague sleeper...

Step 1, travel from Krakow to Prague by EuroNight sleeper train, leaving Krakow Glowny at 22:53 and arriving Prague Hlavni at 07:57.
This train has a modern air-conditioned Czech Comfortline sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, plus three deluxe 1, 2 or 3 bed compartments with en suite toilet & shower, see the photos below. It also has a couchette car with economical 4 & 6 bunk compartments.
Advance-purchase fares start at €29 with couchette in 6-berth, €39 with couchette in 4-berth, €39 with a bed in a 3-bed sleeper or €49 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or around €75 with a single-bed sleeper all to yourself.

Book this train at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz and print your own ticket. Booking normally opens 60 days ahead.
If you have any problems booking at cd.cz, book via reliable Polish agency www.polrail.com with tickets collected in Warsaw. Polrail's website only shows full-price full-flex fares, but will (I am told) refund the difference if they find advance-purchase fares available.
Tip: For dinner in Krakow before you board the sleeper, see suggested restaurants here.
Step 2 for Munich: Travel from Prague to Munich by air-conditioned express leaving Prague Hlavni at 09:43 and arriving Munich Hbf at 15:18.
By all means spend a morning in Prague and take a later train, see the Prague to Munich timetable here.

Fares start at €15 in 2nd class or €35 in 1st class, these are limited-availability advance-purchase. Not that there's much difference between classes on these trains, I'd stick with 2nd.

Book at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz and print your own ticket. Booking normally opens 90 days ahead.

Step 2 for Frankfurt, Nuremberg, Stuttgart: Book from Prague to your German destination at Czech Railways www.cd.cz and print your own ticket. Booking normally opens 90 days ahead. Tip: Click More options, click Travel via and enter Cheb in the via box to see cheap fares and avoid travel by bus. I'd allow at least 1 hour in Prague between trains just in case of delay.

Krakow to Prague by sleeping-car. Above, this is the Czech sleeping-car on the eastbound train to Krakow boarding at Prague Hlavni.


Standard sleeper set up as a 2-berth, with blind down & washstand open. Each room can be used with 1, 2 or 3 beds. Larger photo.		The same sleeper with berths folded away & seats folded out, washstand closed. Very similar to a deluxe, but without the shower & toilet. Larger photo.		Deluxe sleepers are virtually identical to standard ones, but with a compact shower & toilet instead of washstand. Larger photo.		Just like a hotel, the corridor in a Comfortline sleeping-car. There's a shower at end of the corridor for standard sleeper passengers.

Option 2, by daytime trains with overnight stop in Prague...

Step 1, travel from Krakow to Prague on the Cracovia, leaving Krakow Glowny at 10:22 and arriving Prague Hlavni at 17:39.

The Cracovia has a bistro car with draught beer on tap and power sockets at all seats, see the Krakow to Prague page for photos & information.

Fares start at €15 in 2nd class or €35 in 1st class. These are limited-availability advance -purchase fares.
Book at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz. Booking normally opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket.
Stay overnight in Prague. Hotels near the station with good reviews include the Esplanade Hotel (5-star), Falkensteiner Hotel Maria (4-star), Chopin Hotel (3-star). To stay in the old town, try the Ventana Hotel or Old Town Square Hotel (both 5-star), Grand Hotel Prague, Hotel Rott (both 4-star), Zlatý kůň Golden Horse (3-star). For dinner in Prague, consider a 6 minute 550m walk to the Restaurant Zvonice (www.restaurantzvonice.cz) which gets great reviews, see walking map. It's usually open until midnight, ideal if you're catching a sleeper. Feedback appreciated.
Step 2 for Munich: Travel from Prague to Munich by air-conditioned express train, the first one leaves Prague Hlavni at 05:43 arriving Munich Hbf 11:18, but they run every two hours so by all means take a later one, see the Prague-Munich timetable here.
Fares start at €15 in 2nd class or €35 in 1st class, not that there's much difference between classes on these trains, I'd stick with 2nd. These are limited-availability advance -purchase fares.
Book at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz. Booking normally opens 90 days ahead. You print your own ticket.

Step 2 for Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Nuremberg: Book from Prague to Frankfurt, Stuttgart or Nuremberg at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz. Booking normally opens 90 days ahead. You print your own ticket or show it on your smartphone. Tip: Click More options, click Travel via and enter Cheb in the via box to see cheap fares and avoid travel by bus. More information here.

Krakow to Vienna, Salzburg & Austria from €32.90...

Option 1, by EuroCity train - the daytime option...

Every day. a EuroCity train leaves Krakow Glowny at 14:06 and arrives Vienna Hbf at 19:49.
The train consists of comfortable Austrian coaches, some with compartments, some open plan. A restaurant car runs in the train between Bohumin (around 16:40) and Vienna. Change at Vienna Hbf for Salzburg Hbf.
Fares start at €32.90 in 2nd class or €42.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.
Book this train at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at and print your own ticket. Booking opens 60 days ahead.

If you have any problems with www.oebb.at you can also book with reliable agency www.polrail.com, although prices may be higher.


2nd class seats in an open-plan saloon. One of the two Austrian Krakow-Vienna cars is like this. See larger photo.		2nd class seats in a compartment. The other Austrian Krakow-Vienna car is like this. See larger photo.

Option 2, by EuroNight sleeper train to Vienna - the safe, comfortable & time-effective way...

A safe & comfortable EuroNight sleeper train called the Chopin leaves Krakow Glowny at 22:53 every night arriving Vienna Hbf at 07:00.

It has a sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin plus two deluxe compartments with en suite toilet & shower, see the photos below. In summer June-August and at Easter, Christmas & New Year it also has a couchette car with 4 & 6 bunk compartments. In the sleeping-car or couchettes this train is a comfortable, safe and time-effective option.

Fares start at €39.90 in 6-berth couchettes, €49.90 in 4-berth couchettes, €54.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €69.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €129.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth.

Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, more fiddly, same fares). Booking opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket.

Tip: If using www.thetrainline.com and no sleepers appear, click Semi-flex at the top instead of Cheapest. If using oebb.at and it says Please choose a different service when trying to select a couchette or sleeper, scroll back up to the fares section, click More services and select the higher-priced fare instead of the cheapest sparschiene price. It means couchettes and/or sleepers are no longer available in conjunction with the cheapest Sparschiene rates.

Alternatively, you can book through reliable booking agency www.polrail.com, their booking system is at booking.polrail.com. You can then collect tickets in Warsaw. Polrail always shows full price, but tell me they will offer the cheap advance-purchase fares if they find them available.

If you like, you can check the train formation at www.vagonweb.cz. Change cs to English upper left, then click Train formations, scroll down to Poland and click IC and look for the Chopin.
Change in Vienna for fast railjet trans to Salzburg, Graz, Innsbruck. Book this at www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, overseas credit cards no problem) or Austrian Railways' own site www.oebb.at (same prices, but more fiddly) and print your own ticket. See the Vienna to Salzburg page for photos & details.
Tip: In Krakow, look on the departure boards for a train shown as going to Bohumin, as that's where the various portions of this night train for Vienna, Budapest & Prague split up. For dinner in Krakow before you board the sleeper, see suggested restaurants here.

Modern Polish sleeping-car of the type used Warsaw-Krakow-Vienna. Courtesy of WieselFahrer...


Standard sleeper in evening/morning mode with seats folded out.		Standard sleeper set up as 3-berth. It can also be sold as a single or double.		Deluxe sleeper, set up as a 2-berth, showing TV & wardrobe.		Deluxe sleeper: En suite shower & toilet. Click the photos for larger images.

Krakow to Prague from €15...

Option 1, by sleeper train, see the Prague to Krakow by train page...

There is a safe, comfortable & convenient sleeper train from Krakow to Prague, leaving Krakow Glowny every night at 22:53 and arriving at Prague Hlavni station at 07:57 next morning. In the comfort of a sleeper this is a time-effective and recommended option, see the Krakow to Prague sleeper train page for full details & photos.

Krakow to Prague by sleeping-car. Above, the Czech sleeping-car to Krakow boarding at Prague Hlavni.


Standard sleeper set up as a 2-berth, with blind down & washstand open. Each room can be used with 1, 2 or 3 beds. Enlarge photo.		The same sleeper with berths folded away & seats folded out, washstand closed. Very similar to a deluxe, but without the shower & toilet.		Deluxe sleepers are similar to standard ones, but with a bit more floorspace & compact shower & toilet instead of washstand.		Just like a hotel, the corridor in a Comfortline sleeping-car. There's a shower at end of the corridor for standard sleeper passengers.

Option 2, by daytime train, see the Prague to Krakow by train page...

A daytime train called the Cracovia leaves Krakow Glowny every day at 10:22, arriving Prague Hlavni at 17:39.

It has comfortable air-conditioned carriages with power sockets at all seats, and a bistro car with draught beer on tap, or by all means take your own picnic, see the Prague to Krakow by train page for full details & photos.
Fares start at €15 in 2nd class or €35 in 1st class. These are limited-availability advance -purchase fares.
Book at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz. Booking normally opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket.


The Cracovia calls at Ostrava... Courtesy of DiscoverByRail.com


Draught beer on tap! The bistro car on the Cracovia has Urquell draught beer on tap. You don't get that on a bus...

Option 3, Krakow to Prague Leo Express day train from €13.70, see the Prague to Krakow by train page...

Leo Express (www.le.cz) runs a high-quality air-conditioned train between Krakow & Prague in competition with Czech and Polish Railways. It now runs 4 times a week, see the Prague to Krakow by train page. Book online at www.le.cz.

Krakow to Budapest & Bratislava...

Option 1, by daytime train...

A train leaves Krakow Glowny at 10:22 every day & arrives Bratislava Hlavna 16:50 & Budapest Nyugati 19:20.

The train consists of two 2nd class seats cars which leave Krakow attached to the Krakow-Prague Cracovia as far as Bohumin, then get coupled to the Warsaw-Budapest EuroCity train Varsovia.

The Krakow-Bratislava-Budapest through cars are comfortable, modern & air-conditioned with 2nd class seats. If you insist on going 1st class you will have to switch trains at Bohumin at around 13:25 where the through car is switched between trains. I recommend sticking with 2nd class.

A Czech bistro car is available from Krakow to Bohumin and a Hungarian restaurant car is available from Bohumin to Budapest.
Fares start at €20 if booked in advance online. It is not possible to book 1st class online.
Buy tickets at the Hungarian Railways website www.mavcsoport.hu, see my advice for using it. Booking opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it in the MAV app on your smartphone.

Tip if going to Bratislava: Warsaw/Krakow to Bratislava tickets aren't sold online, as neither Polish nor Slovakian railways have enabled online sales. But there's a simple solution, book from Warsaw/Krakow to Budapest using the Hungarian Railways website www.mavcsoport.hu and simply get off in Bratislava. This is perfectly legitimate and as you'll get a cheap advance-purchase fare, it's the cheapest option.

If you have any trouble with www.mavcsoport.hu you can book with recommended Polish ticketing agency www.polrail.com (their booking system is at booking.polrail.com) who can arrange ticket collection in Krakow.

Above, the northbound Budapest-Krakow through cars, seen at Katowice attached to the rear of the Prague-Krakow Cracovia...


Hungarian Railways are starting to use their latest international cars on this route, with power sockets, wheelchair provision, bike spaces and an unusual interior layout with some open-plan seats with tables for four and several 5-seat semi-compartments like the one shown above right. Click the images for larger photos. Photos courtesy of Discoverbyrail.com.

Option 2, by sleeper train. Safe, comfortable & time-effective...

A EuroNight sleeper train leaves Krakow Glowny at 22:53 every night arriving Bratislava Hlavna at 05:50 & Budapest Keleti at 08:35.

The Chopin has a modern air-conditioned Polish sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin plus two 1 or 2 bed deluxe compartments with en suite toilet & shower. It also has a couchette car with economical 4 & 6 bunk compartments. In the sleeping-car or couchettes this train is a comfortable, safe & time-effective option.

Bought at the station, full-price fares per person per bed are €92 in 6-berth couchettes, €96 in 4-berth couchettes, €96 in a 3-bed sleeper, €103 in a 2-bed sleeper, €173 in a single-bed sleeper.

Cheap SparNight fares are available in limited numbers (as few as one sleeper berth per train!) from €39 in couchettes and €74 in a 2-bed sleeper, but must be booked more than 3 days before departure, preferably more. However, in this direction they cannot be booked online, only at the station.
To book, either buy at the station (there's almost always places available) or pre-book through reliable Polish ticketing agency www.polrail.com (their booking system is at booking.polrail.com) who can arrange ticket collection in Krakow. Booking opens 60 days ahead.

Update: PKP are short of sleeping-cars at the moment, so on this route they cannot guarantee that the latest type of sleeping-car with the two deluxe compartments as shown below won't be substituted by a regular sleeping-car without the two deluxe compartments. For this reason they've stopped taking bookings for the deluxe compartments, all compartments are booked as standard compartments, you may of course get lucky and end up in a deluxe!

If you're interested, you can check the train formations at www.vagonweb.cz. Change cs to English upper left, then click Train formations, scroll down to Poland, click IC and look for the Chopin.
Tip: In Krakow, look on the departure boards for a train shown as going to Bohumin, as that's where the various portions of this night train for Vienna, Budapest & Prague split up. For dinner in Krakow before you board the sleeper, see suggested restaurants here.

Modern Polish sleeping-car of the type used Warsaw-Krakow-Budapest. Courtesy of WieselFahrer...


Standard sleeper in evening/morning mode with seats folded out.		Standard sleeper in 3-berth mode. It can also be sold as a single or double.		Deluxe sleeper, set up as a 2-berth, showing TV & wardrobe.		Deluxe sleeper: En suite shower & toilet. Click the photos for larger images.

Krakow to Brasov, Bucharest & Romania from €46.30...

Option 1, by day train to Budapest, then sleeper - fastest option...

Step 1, travel from Krakow to Budapest by train, leaving Krakow Glowny at 10:22 & arriving Budapest Nyugati 19:20.

The train consists of two 2nd class seats cars which leave Krakow attached to the Krakow-Prague Cracovia as far as Bohumin, then get coupled to the Warsaw-Budapest EuroCity train Varsovia.

The Krakow-Bratislava-Budapest through cars are comfortable, modern & air-conditioned with 2nd class seats. If you insist on going 1st class you will have to switch trains at Bohumin at around 13:25 where the through car is switched between trains. I recommend sticking with 2nd class. A Czech bistro car is available from Krakow to Bohumin and a Hungarian restaurant car is available from Bohumin to Budapest. In Budapest, transfer to Keleti station.

Fares start at €20 if booked in advance online. It is not possible to book 1st class online.

Buy tickets at the Hungarian Railways website www.mavcsoport.hu, see my advice for using it. Booking opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it in the MAV app on your smartphone.

If you have any trouble with www.mavcsoport.hu you can book with recommended Polish ticketing agency www.polrail.com (their booking system is at booking.polrail.com) who can arrange ticket collection in Krakow.
Step 2, travel from Budapest to Romania on the Dacia Express, leaving Budapest Keleti at 23:10 arriving Sighisoara 10:34, Brasov 13:35 & Bucharest Gara de Nord 16:04.

The Dacia Express has a modern air-conditioned Romanian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin plus several with en suite shower & toilet, a Romanian couchette car with 4-berth & 6-berth compartments, and ordinary seats. There's wonderful almost Alpine scenery through the Carpathian mountains between Brasov and Bucharest, a real treat...

Buy tickets at the Hungarian Railways website www.mavcsoport.hu, see my advice for using it. Booking opens 60 days ahead. You show your ticket in the MAV app on your smartphone.

Option 2, with overnight stop in Budapest - if you prefer daytime trains & hotel to sleepers...

Day 1, travel from Krakow to Budapest by train, leaving Krakow Glowny at 10:22 & arriving Budapest Nyugati 19:20.

The train consists of two 2nd class seats cars which leave Krakow attached to the Krakow-Prague Cracovia as far as Bohumin, then get coupled to the Warsaw-Budapest EuroCity train Varsovia.

The Krakow-Bratislava-Budapest through cars are comfortable, modern & air-conditioned with 2nd class seats. If you insist on going 1st class you will have to switch trains at Bohumin at around 13:25 where the through car is switched between trains. I recommend sticking with 2nd class.

A Czech bistro car is available from Krakow to Bohumin and a Hungarian restaurant car is available from Bohumin to Budapest.

Fares start at €20 if booked in advance online. It is not possible to book 1st class online.

Buy tickets at the Hungarian Railways website www.mavcsoport.hu, see my advice for using it. Booking opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it in the MAV app on your smartphone.

If you have any trouble with www.mavcsoport.hu you can book with recommended Polish ticketing agency www.polrail.com (their booking system is at booking.polrail.com) who can arrange ticket collection in Krakow.

Stay overnight in Budapest. For an inexpensive hotel with great reviews next to Budapest Keleti station, try the Royal Park Boutique Hotel or the inexpensive Baross City Hotel just across the road or the Elit Hotel two minutes walk away. More hotels in Budapest.

Day 2, travel from Budapest to Romania by comfortable air-conditioned Intercity train. These link Budapest Keleti with Cluj, Timisoara, Craiova, Sibiu, Sinaia, Brasov & Ploesti. It's an all-day daytime run across Transylvania, see the Trains from Budapest page for details.

Fares start at €26.30 in 2nd class or (on trains which have 1st class) €40.50 in 1st class.

Buy tickets at the Hungarian Railways website www.mavcsoport.hu, see my advice for using it. Booking opens 60 days ahead. You show your ticket in the MAV app on your smartphone.

Krakow to Ljubljana, Zagreb, Split & Dubrovnik...

Option 1, Krakow to Vienna by sleeper, on to Ljubljana & Zagreb by daytime train. - time-effective and scenic...

Step 1, travel from Krakow to Vienna by sleeper train Chopin, leaving Krakow Glowny at 22:53 and arriving Vienna Hbf at 07:00.
The train has the most modern type of air-conditioned Polish sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin plus two deluxe compartments with 1 or 2 berths & en suite toilet & shower. In summer and other peak times there's a Polish couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments. The train also has ordinary seats.
Fares start at €39.90 in 6-berth couchettes, €49.90 in 4-berth couchettes, €54.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €69.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €129.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth.

Book the sleeper at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, more fiddly, same prices). Booking opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket.

Tip: For dinner in Krakow before you board the sleeper, see suggested restaurants here.
Tip: If you have a 1st class ticket for the onward train, you can use the ÖBB 1st class lounge at Vienna Hbf between trains, with free WiFi and complimentary tea & coffee.
Step 2, travel from Vienna to Ljubljana by EuroCity train Emona, leaving Vienna Hbf at 07:58 and arriving Ljubljana at 13:59. For Zagreb, change at Zidani Most and arrive Zagreb at 17:12.
The Emona has comfortable air-conditioned Slovenian and Austrian carriages and an elegant restaurant car serving snacks, meals, beer and wine. The journey is a treat, it travels via the beautiful UNESCO-listed Semmering route through the mountains between Vienna & Graz then passes through more great scenery into Slovenia.

Fares start at €29.90. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, more fiddly, same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
Step 3 for Split & Dubrovnik: Take the sleeper train from Zagreb to Split and a bus from Split to Dubrovnik, as explained here.

Option 2, by daytime trains with an overnight stop in Vienna - if you prefer day trains and hotel to a sleeper train...

Day 1, travel from Krakow to Vienna by comfortable EuroCity train, leaving Krakow Glowny at 14:06 & arriving Vienna Hbf at 19:49.
The train consists of comfortable Austrian coaches, some with classic 6-seat compartments, some with open plan seating. A restaurant car runs in the train between Bohumin (around 16:40) and Vienna.
Fares start at €32.90 in 2nd class or €42.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book this train at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at and print your own ticket. Booking opens 60 days ahead.

If you have any problems with www.oebb.at you can also book with recommended ticketing agency www.polrail.com, although prices may be higher.

Stay overnight in Vienna. Hotels near the station with good reviews include the Motel One Vienna Hbf, Graetzl Hotel, Hotel Schani Wien.
Day 2, travel from Vienna to Ljubljana by EuroCity train Emona, leaving Vienna Hbf at 07:58 and arriving Ljubljana at 13:59.
For Zagreb, change at Zidani Most and arrive Zagreb at 17:12.
The Emona has comfortable air-conditioned Slovenian and Austrian carriages and an elegant restaurant car serving snacks, meals, beer and wine. The journey is a treat, it travels via the beautiful UNESCO-listed Semmering route through the mountains between Vienna & Graz then passes through more great scenery into Slovenia.

Fares start at €29.90. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, more fiddly, same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
Step 3 for Split & Dubrovnik: Take the sleeper train from Zagreb to Split and a bus from Split to Dubrovnik, as explained here.

Option 3, by daytime trains with an overnight stop in Budapest - an alternative to option 2, slightly slower but can be cheaper...

Day 1, travel from Krakow to Budapest by train, leaving Krakow Glowny at 10:22 every day and arriving Budapest Nyugati 19:20.
The train consists of two 2nd class seats cars which leave Krakow attached to the Krakow-Prague Cracovia as far as Bohumin, then get coupled to the Warsaw-Budapest EuroCity train Varsovia.

The Krakow-Bratislava-Budapest through cars are comfortable, modern & air-conditioned with 2nd class seats. If you insist on going 1st class you will have to switch trains at Bohumin at around 13:25 where the through car is switched between trains. I recommend sticking with 2nd class. A Czech bistro car is available from Krakow to Bohumin and a Hungarian restaurant car is available from Bohumin to Budapest.

Fares start at €20 if booked in advance online. It is not possible to book 1st class online.

Buy tickets at the Hungarian Railways website www.mavcsoport.hu, see my advice for using it. Booking opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it in the MAV app on your smartphone.

If you have any trouble with www.mavcsoport.hu you can book with recommended Polish ticketing agency www.polrail.com (their booking system is at booking.polrail.com) who can arrange ticket collection in Krakow.

Stay overnight in Budapest.

Day 2, travel from Budapest Deli to Ljubljana or Zagreb by train as shown on the Trains from Budapest page.

Book this at the Hungarian Railways www.mavcsoport.hu, see my advice for using it. Booking opens 60 days ahead.

Krakow to Belgrade, Sofia & Montenegro...

As the direct route via Budapest is blocked by major line upgrading, this looks the best option:

Step 1, take the overnight sleeper from Krakow to Vienna by sleeper train as explained above.
Step 2, spend a pleasant morning in Vienna, then take the afternoon EuroCity train Croatia from Vienna to Zagreb as explained here.
Stay overnight in Zagreb, I suggest the Esplanade Hotel, Palace Hotel or Central Hotel, all near the station with good reviews.
Step 3, travel from Zagreb to Belgrade by train, leaving Zagreb at 11:04 and arriving Novi Beograd 18:04 & Belgrade Centar at 18:12.
This train is still currently suspended due to Covid-19.

It's 2nd class only, with two comfortable Serbian air-conditioned cars. There's no catering car so bring your own food & drink.
The fare is around €29, buy at the station or pay on the train as this cannot be booked online.

Step 4, if you're heading for Sofia spend the night in Belgrade - I recommend the historic Hotel Moskva - and leave for Sofia next day, see the Belgrade to Sofia page for details.
Step 4 for Montenegro, transfer to Topcider station and take the sleeper train to Podgorica or Bar, see the Belgrade to Bar page for details.

Krakow to Vilnius, Riga, Tallinn...

Day 1, take a train from Krakow to Warsaw in as little as 2h19 as shown above. I'd allow at least an hour between trains in Warsaw.
Day 1, travel from Warsaw to Kaunas & Vilnius, leaving Warsaw at lunchtime, changing at Bialystok and arriving Kaunas in Lithuania in the evening, with connections to Vilnius, see the Warsaw to Vilnius page for details. Warsaw-Vilnius costs around €24, buy a ticket at the station in Warsaw.
Day 2, for onward travel from Vilnius to Riga, see here.
Day 3, for onward travel from Riga to Tallinn, see here.

Krakow to Lviv & Kiev...

Option 1, by direct sleeper train from Krakow to Lviv & Kiev...

There's a comfortable sleeper train leaving Krakow Glowny at 21:02 and arriving Lviv at 06:10 and Kiev at 17:14.
The train has Ukrainian sleeping-cars with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments. The fare for a bed in a 3-berth is around €42 to Lviv or €69 to Kiev.
You can book online at Ukrainian Railways, booking.uz.gov.ua/en/. Booking opens 30 days before departure. You can only book beds in 3-berth compartments, if you want sole occupancy (or dual occupancy for two of you) simply book 3 tickets. This is easy, as it asks you to select berths from a carriage plan when you book, so simply select three in one compartment. You print your own ticket.
Suggested hotels in Lviv: The famous George Hotel or Grand Hotel.

Option 2, by fast daytime train - comfortable and cheap...

You can travel from Krakow to Lviv or Kiev on one of two fast air-conditioned daytime connections:
(1) Leave Krakow Glowny at 08:45, change at Przemysl (arrive 12:01, depart 13:10) and arriving Lviv at 16:02 and Kiev at 23:08.

(2) Leave Krakow Glowny at 11:01, change at Przemysl (arrive 14:01, depart 15:45) and arriving Lviv at 18:36 and Kiev at 23:53.

The Krakow-Przemysl trains are comfortable Polish TLK trains. The Przemysl-Lviv-Kiev trains are smart air-conditioned Ukrainian express electric trains, introduced in 2016. If you get any feedback or photos of these trains, please get in touch!
A 3rd connection is also available, this time using a conventional Ukrainian train between Przemysl & Lviv, en route to Odessa.

(3) Leave Krakow Glowny at 14:21, change at Przemysl (arrive 17:23, depart 18:39) and arriving Lviv at 22:39.

First check current times for the Ukrainian train at www.uz.gov.ua/en/passengers/timetable. Then check times for a suitable Polish connecting train at Polish Railways www.intercity.pl.

Krakow to Przemysl costs around €9. Przemysl to Lviv costs €7.10.
First book the Przemysl to Lviv train at Ukrainian Railways booking.uz.gov.ua/en - if it works for you (or if it doesn't), let me know. Then book the Krakow to Przemysl train at Polish Railways www.intercity.pl.
Alternatively, you can order Krakow to Lviv tickets through highly-recommended Polish train booking agency www.polrail.com. They charge a small fee, and either allow ticket pick up in Krakow or can send to any country worldwide.


Intercity train, Przemysl-Lviv-Kiev.		1st class. Larger photo. Courtesy of DiscoverByRail.com.


2nd class. Larger photo. Courtesy of DiscoverByRail.		Cafe counter. Larger photo. Courtesy DiscoverByRail.

Option 3, via Warsaw...

Take a fast InterCity train from Krakow to Warsaw (check times at www.intercity.pl) and pick up the overnight Kiev Express from Warsaw to Kiev, leaving Warsaw Centralna at 18:20 and arriving Kiev at 11:00 next morning. This train has Ukrainian 1, 2 & 3 bed sleepers with washbasin. Book the Warsaw-Kiev sleeper via agency www.polrail.com with ticket collection in Warsaw.

Krakow to Moscow...

Option 1, via Warsaw & Belarus

An overnight sleeper train runs from Warsaw to Moscow every day, leaving Warsaw Centralna at 19:15 and arriving Moscow Belorussky at 16:58 next day. You can check times at the Russian Railways website www.rzd.ru.
This train uses impressive Austrian-built sleeping-cars with 4-berth compartments built in 2014, see photos of this type of sleeper here & see panorama photo inside one of these modern sleepers. Each compartment can be sold as 1st class 1-berth, 1st class 2-berth or 2nd class 4-berth. The train consist of two or three sleeping-car which start their journey in Prague. There's a bistro car in Poland and a Russian restaurant car is attached between Brest (on the Polish/Belarus border) & Moscow.

You can book this train by contacting reliable Polish train ticketing agency www.polrail.com - their booking system is at booking.polrail.com. Tickets can be collected in Warsaw or (at extra charge) shipped to any address worldwide.

Alternatively, you can book with Russian Railways at www.rzd.ru although it's a little quirky and may not accept some overseas credit cards.

Don't forget to arrange both your Russian visa & Belarus transit visa as the train runs via Belarus. See my important update about travel to Russia through Belarus.

Then book a connecting ticket from Krakow to Warsaw at the Polish Railways website www.intercity.pl. I'd allow at least 2h in Warsaw between trains, just in case of delay.

Option 2, via Kiev - avoids the need for a Belarus visa...

Step 1, travel from Krakow to Warsaw on any train you like, check times & buy tickets at www.intercity.pl. You print your own ticket. I'd allow at least an hour between trains in Moscow, ideally a bit more as you're catching a once-a-day sleeper.
Step 2, travel from Warsaw to Kiev overnight on the Kiev Express, leaving Warsaw Centralna at 18:20 and arriving Kiev at 11:00 next day, see details of fares & how to buy tickets here. Enjoy a day in Kiev.
Step 3, travel from Kiev to Moscow by overnight train leaving Kiev at 19:36 arriving Moscow Kievskaya at 10:09 next morning, see details of fares & how to buy tickets here.

Krakow to Athens & Greece...

Option 1, by train via Belgrade...

Step 1, travel from Krakow to Belgrade as shown above.
Step 2, travel from Belgrade to Thessaloniki by sleeper train (summer only) and on to Athens by Intercity train as shown here.

Option 2, by ferry from Italy - these days, the more practical route...

Step 1, travel from Krakow to Vienna by afternoon train and Vienna to Venice by Nightjet sleeper, as shown above.
Step 2, take a train from Venice to Bari, an overnight ferry to Patras, and bus+train combo to Athens as shown here.

Krakow to Istanbul...

Travel from Krakow to Budapest by overnight sleeper or daytime train as explained above.
In Budapest, pick up the journey to Istanbul explained in detail on the London to Istanbul page.

Hotels in Krakow

Recommended hotels in Krakow...

The 4-star Hotel Francuski is only 9 minutes walk from Krakow Glowny (main station) and 8 minutes walk from Krakow's old town square (Stare Miasto). It boats free WiFi, art nouveau grandeur and gets great reviews. The Hotel Unicus & Hotel Imperial are not far from the Hotel Francuski and similarly priced. For something slightly cheaper, try the Hotel Europejski, just 6 minutes walk from the station, 8 minutes from Krakow's old town square. For budget rooms, try B&B La Fontaine which is also well-located for the station and old town, or the Bubble Hotel which offers budget rooms and cheap beds in shared rooms.

My favourite hotel search site: www.booking.com

www.booking.com is my favourite hotel booking site and I generally prefer booking my hotels all in one place here. You can usually book with free cancellation - this allows you to confirm your accommodation at no risk before train booking opens. It also means you can hold accommodation while you finalise your itinerary, and alter your plans as they evolve - a feature I use all the time when putting a trip together. I never book hotels non-refundably. I have also come to trust their review scores - you won't be disappointed with anything over 8.0.

Tip: It can pay to compare prices across multiple hotel sites: HotelsCombined.com is a price comparison site which compares hotel prices on Booking.com, Hotels.com, Expedia, Accor, Agoda and many others. Though if there's not much in it, I prefer keeping all my bookings together in one place at www.booking.com.

Other hotel sites worth trying...

www.tripadvisor.com is the place to find independent travellers' reviews of all the main hotels.

Backpacker hostels...

www.hostelworld.com: If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels. Hostelworld offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in most cities at rock-bottom prices.

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