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Cosy 2-berth sleeper in the Prague-Krakow sleeping-car. |
Prague to Krakow from 13.70
Two comfortable EuroCity trains called the Silesia and Cracovia and a EuroNight sleeper train called the Chopin link Prague with Krakow, city centre to city centre in both directions. There's also a privately-operated Leo Express train on certain days each week, due to become daily at some point. All these trains are safe, comfortable & inexpensive. The EuroCity trains have air-conditioning, power sockets, free WiFi & a bistro car serving drinks & snacks with draught beer on tap, with fares from 15. The safe & cosy sleeper train saves a hotel bill, too. The Leo Express train has air-con, power sockets, free WiFi, and complimentary wine, water & coffee in Business & Premium classes. This page explains what these trains are like & how to buy tickets.
Option 1, by EuroCity train
Silesia or Cracovia
Option 2, by EuroNight sleeper train
Chopin
Option 3, by privately-run Leo
Express
Prague Hlavni station
information
Krakow
Glowny station information
Suggested hotels in Krakow &
Prague
Trains from Prague to
other destinations
Trains from Krakow to
other destinations
Train times 2024
Notes for timetable
Always check times for your specific date of travel at www.cd.cz or (for Leo Express) www.leoexpress.com as times may vary due to trackwork.
Oswiecim = Polish name for Auschwitz. In 2020-2023, track upgrading means these mainline trains are re-routed via Katowice avoiding Oswiecim. However, regular local trains link Krakow & Oswiecim, with turn-up-and-go ticketing.
The EuroNight sleeper train Chopin has a sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments, some with en suite toilet & shower, and couchettes in 4 & 6 bunk compartments, see below.
The Leo Express train started running in 2018, it's still only running twice a week, but planned to go daily at some point post-pandemic.
Prague to Krakow is 474 km (295 miles) by train.
Route map
Click for larger map Highlighted = Prague to Krakow train route. Green = scenic sections of line.
Update: Trains are currently diverted through Katowice instead of Oswiecim due to track upgrading.
Reproduced from the excellent European Rail Map with kind permission of the European Rail Timetable people. I recommend buying the European Rail Map for your travels and a copy of the European Rail Timetable, www.europeanrailtimetable.eu with shipping worldwide.
Option 1, by EuroCity trains Silesia or Cracovia
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The Cracovia is a comfortable air-conditioned EuroCity train run jointly by national rail operators CD (Czech Railways) and PKP (Polish Railways), using Czech rolling stock. The Silesia is new from 11 December 2022, it consists of 2nd class through coaches between Prague & Krakow attached to an existing Prague-Warsaw EuroCity train.
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Eurail & Interrail passes are accepted on both these trains, a 3 seat reservation is necessary. EuroCity is a generic term for good-quality air-conditioned express trains used by many European train operators.
How much does it cost?
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Advance-purchase fares start at 15 in 2nd class or 35 in 1st class.
Limited availability First Minute fares, specified train only, no refunds, no changes. There is no need to book months and months ahead, you'll often find cheap fares available even just days ahead. There is no 1st class on the Silesia, at least not in the Prague-Krakow portion.
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The fully-flexible fare is around 45 bought in Prague or 70 bought in Krakow.
Don't ask me why it costs more in Poland! Bought from Polrail.com, their price is around 89 including fee.
How to buy tickets
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Book online in either direction at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz. Change the Czech flag to the UK one for English.
Booking usually opens 60 days before departure, although this shrinks to less than 60 for dates immediately after the mid-December timetable change. There is absolutely no need to book further ahead that this, you can usually find the cheapest fares even booking just weeks ahead and there will be places available even on the day.
Tip: Click More options then Connection parameters then Connections and tick the Direct connections only box.
You print out your own ticket, simples!
Only one passenger name is needed to support a print-your-own ticket, even if that ticket is for two or more people. It always worries people that they only have to enter one name!
What is the Silesia like?
Starting on 11 December 2022, the existing Prague-Warsaw EuroCity train Silesia gets a new Prague-Krakow portion consisting of comfortable modern air-conditioned 2nd class through coaches. You can choose a seat in an open-plan car (below left, see larger photo), or a classic 6-seat compartment car (below right, see larger photo). There is no 1st class in the Prague-Krakow portion of this train, if you insist on 1st class you'll have to switch cars en route. A restaurant car is available in the main train between Prague and Bohumin, near the Polish border.
What is the Cracovia like?
The Cracovia is composed of modern air-conditioned Czech carriages, some with open-plan (saloon) seating and some with classic 6-seater compartments opening off a side corridor, see the photos below. All cars have toilets and power sockets for laptops & mobiles. The 2nd class open-plan cars should also have free WiFi whilst the train is in the Czech Republic. There's a bistro car serving tea, coffee, wine, draught beer and inexpensive hot dishes. First class seats are arranged open-plan in half of the bistro car with the steward taking food & drink orders and serving them at your seat. Seat reservation is compulsory.
1st class seats are all located in the bistro car on one side of the central kitchen. These seats are for 1st class passengers only. A steward takes food & drink orders from the menu and serves them at your seat. You can reserve seats in this area if you buy a 1st class ticket, with no need to leave your seat or leave your luggage unattended to get fed - this alone makes the modest extra cost for 1st class worth it!
Bistro seating. On the other side of the kitchen in the other half of the bistro car is a small 12-seat area next to the serving counter. This area has the same leather seats as in 1st class, but 2nd class passengers are free to sit in this section when consuming food & drink from the bistro. It's effectively a restaurant car for 2nd class passengers with a free upgrade included! Seats cannot be reserved in this section, the LED reservation panel above each seat may say Bistro misto = bistro seat. In principle, you must return to your seat when you finish your food.
2nd class seats come in a choice of two types of car: Open-plan cars (above left, see larger photo), and classic 6-seat compartments cars (above right, see larger photo). I personally prefer the open-plan cars, but compartments can be fun if you're a family or small group.
Option 2, by EuroNight sleeper train Chopin
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The EuroNight sleeper train Chopin is a safe & comfortable air-conditioned sleeper train run jointly by national rail operators CD (Czech Railways) and PKP (Polish Railways), using Czech rolling stock. Named after the Polish composer Frιdιric Chopin, it runs between Prague and Warsaw, calling at Krakow. EuroNight is a generic term for good-quality air-conditioned overnight trains used by many European train operators.
How much does it cost?
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Advance-purchase fares
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.
However, these fares may not be offered in the busy June-September summer period when CD/PKP can sell tickets at full-price. You'll also have difficulty buying these cheap fares for journeys starting in Poland because PKP Polish Railways don't have online booking. You might consider taking the privately-run Leo Express train instead if you don't mind the early start and the days of running suit you, as this is easily bookable online at cheap prices.
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Regular flexible price
Bought at the station in Prague, a basic Prague-Krakow 2nd class ticket costs around 45.
Bought at the station in Krakow, a basic Krakow-Prague 2nd class ticket costs around 70. Don't ask me why it costs more in Poland! Bough from Polrail.com, their price is around 89 including fee.
You then need to add the supplement for a berth: For a couchette, 11 in a 6-berth compartment or 15 in a 4-berth compartment. For a bed in a standard sleeper 15 per bed in a 3-berth, 28 per bed in a 2-bed, 51 for a single-bed sleeper all to yourself. In a deluxe sleeper with shower & toilet, 36 per bed in a 2-berth or 79 for a single berth sleeper all to yourself.
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Berths are sold individually, so you do not have to pay for sole occupancy if you are a solo traveller. You can book one bed in a 3-bed sleeper and share with other civilised sleeper passengers of the same sex, which is much cheaper.
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If you have a Eurail or Interrail pass you just need to pay the sleeper or couchette supplement.
How to buy tickets
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Option 1, book online at Czech Railways www.cd.cz
You can book online in either direction at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz. Change the Czech flag to the UK one for English.
Booking usually opens 60 days before departure, although this can shrink to less than 60 days for dates immediately after the mid-June & mid-December timetable changes. There is absolutely no need to book further ahead that this, you can usually find the cheapest fares even booking just weeks ahead and there will be places available even on the day.
Tip: Click More options then Connection parameters then Connections and tick the Direct connections only box.
Select 22:00 as your departure time, find the train EN 443 if going Prague to Krakow or IC407/EN442 if going Krakow to Prague & click on the green Purchase a ticket button. You should see a cheap no-refunds no-changes 2nd class ticket / First Minute fare. Select it.
Now scroll down to Reservation and click Change. Change the seat reservation to a couchette or sleeper and change the type of sleeper from 3-berth to double or single, or the type of couchette from 6-berth to 4-berth.
You print out your own ticket and can board the train, simples! You must print your ticket, it cannot be shown on a laptop or phone screen.
Only one passenger name is needed to support a print-your-own ticket, even if that ticket is for two or more people.
If you want a deluxe sleeper: Remember that there are only 3 deluxe sleeper compartments in the Prague-Krakow-Warsaw sleeping-car. These 3 compartments can sell out. So if you can't get a deluxe sleeper, just book a regular sleeper with washbasin as these are virtually identical to the deluxe ones but with a washstand instead of a shower/toilet cubicle.
Here's the workaround for a common problem, especially between June & September
You might find that this sleeper train shows up in the search results without a Price in the next step button, or that Price in the next step appears, but seat reservation cannot then be changed to couchette or sleeper.
This is because www.cd.cz only sells special cheap advance-purchase fares for this train, it is incapable of selling regular full-price tickets. In summer the cheap fares for couchettes and sleepers on this route are not offered as Czech & Polish Railways think they can sell at full-price without the need to discount. But don't worry, here's the workaround.
In the search results, change Purchase a ticket to Purchase reservations only. Then click modify against seat reservation and change it to a couchette or sleeper and click the pencil symbol to change the type of sleeper from 3-berth to double or single, or the type of couchette from 6-berth to 4-berth. You are now making a reservation-only booking, paying the relevant couchette or sleeper supplement to safely book yourself on the train, with the necessary sleeper or couchette reservation but without the necessary travel ticket to go with it.
You can then easily buy a full-price ticket for around 42 at the station any time before departure, this has unlimited availability and cannot sell out. But no, you can't buy this full-price ticket online and no, you cannot buy a cheap First Minute advance-purchase fare for a seat and combine it with the reservation for a sleeper or couchette as they do not allow this.
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Option 2, buy from www.polrail.com
If your journey starts in Krakow, the easiest option is to order tickets online through reliable and highly-recommended Polish ticketing agency www.polrail.com - you can collect tickets in Krakow. The fare shown on their site is the full price, but I've been told that if cheap advance-purchase fares turn out to be available, they'll offer you those instead when they contact you.
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Option 3, buy from Czech agency www.czech-transport.com
If your journey starts in Prague, you can also buy from www.czech-transport.com. This method always works, but the downside is that (a) you can't buy cheap advance fares through them, only full-flex standard price tickets and (b) of course they add a fee. www.czech-transport.com charge around 71 per person including a bed in a 2-bed sleeper, tickets can be collected from their offices for a booking fee of around 15, or sent to your hotel in Prague or to you at home for a booking fee of around 20-25. They may be able to book a deluxe sleeper if you ask them. If you use them, feedback would be appreciated.
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Option 4, buy at the station
You can of course book in person at the station, there are normally places available even on the day especially in the couchette car, but on the busiest dates in summer the sleeping-car can leave fully-booked, so booking ahead is recommended.
What is the sleeping-car like?
Every night a direct sleeper train links Prague with Krakow & Warsaw. There is one (or at peak periods, two) air-conditioned Czech sleeping-cars en route to or from Warsaw, numbered car 349 & at peak periods also car 347. It's a Comfortline sleeping-car, built by Siemens in Germany in 2004-2005, with 9 standard compartments with washbasin & 3 deluxe compartments with en suite toilet & shower, see the photos below. Inside the sleeping-car it's carpeted, air-conditioned, quiet and civilised. Each compartment can be sold as a 1, 2 or 3 bed room. There's crisp clean bedding, soap, towel, bottled water, free WiFi and a power socket for mobiles & laptops below the head-end of the bed. In the morning a light breakfast is included with tea or coffee. The compartments have a card-key locks like a hotel and there's a toilet & shower at the end of the corridor for sleeper passengers in the standard compartments. Sleeper berths are sold individually, you can book one bed in a 2 or 3 berth and share with another passenger of the same gender. Compartments are single-sex unless your party occupies the whole compartment. An excellent way to travel.
Beds are 190cm x 75cm (approx 6'3" x 2'6"), but pillow or toes can project into a 2.5cm (1") gap either end between bed & wall, so no problem for anyone up to 6'5".
Comfortline sleeper layout. All compartments can be sold as a single, double or triple. Last digit of berth number 1 or 2 = lower berth, 3 or 4 = middle berth, 5 or 6 upper berth. Adjacent compartments with berths with the same first digit have an inter-connecting door which can be opened if your party occupies both compartments. Click the image for larger version.
What is the couchette car like?
The Prague-Krakow overnight train also conveys a comfortable Czech car with 9 compartments, each of which can be used as 4-berth or 6-berth. Pictured below right is a 6-berth compartment with middle and upper berths visible, the bottom bunks almost out of shot. Clean sheets and a pillow are provided, the doors have a normal lock and security lock or chain. Toilets and washrooms at the end of the corridor. Couchette compartments are not segregated by gender, as you do not normally get fully undressed. See generic couchette car numbering plan. Larger couchette photo.
Travel tips
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Seat or berth on the overnight train?
Always book a couchette or sleeper on the overnight train. It's a false economy to sit up all night slumped in a seat, for both comfort and security.
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Couchette or sleeper on the overnight train?
For the modest amount extra, the additional comfort and privacy of a carpeted 1, 2 or 3-berth sleeper with washbasin is well worth it over a more basic 4 or 6 bunk couchette.
But if the sleeper is full, don't be afraid to book a couchette, it's a nice smart Czech car and you'll sleep just as well as in a sleeper. In couchettes, I recommend paying the small amount extra for a bunk in a 4-berth compartment rather than a bunk in a 6-berth as this gets you a lot more space per person.
If travelling solo, a bed in a 2-bed sleeper is the recommended option if you don't want to fork out a lot more money for single occupancy, nice through that would be. You might be lucky and get a compartment to yourself, otherwise you'll share with another civilised passenger just like you, of the same sex.
If you're a family of four, the decision between two 2-berth compartments in the sleeper or one 4-bunk couchette compartment is marginal. Couchettes are cheaper and great fun for a family group, with the benefit of all being together not split into two compartments (there are no inter-compartment doors on this type of sleeper). But sleepers are comfier and don't cost that much more on this route. I think on balance I'd go for the sleeper unless I was watching every penny.
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Deluxe or regular sleeper?
OK, so it's nice having your own en suite shower & toilet, but remember there are only 3 deluxe sleeper compartments on the entire train, or 6 in summer when they add a second sleeping-car. Deluxe sleepers are virtually identical to standard sleepers in every respect, same beds, same decor, same everything, they just have a compact shower/toilet unit instead of a washstand. And there's a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers. So don't obsess about having a deluxe, standard sleepers are almost as good!
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Berth numbering
This often confuses people! They get berths 21 & 25 and think that they aren't in the same 2-berth sleeper compartment. Of course they are! See the way sleeper & couchettes are numbered here.
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Is the overnight train safe?
Yes it is. In a sleeper or couchette it's both comfortable and safe for families, solo females, or anyone. Look at the sleeper corridor above and see how quiet and civilised it is. Compartments in the Comfortline sleeping-car have a hotel-style card-key lock, so the standard carriage keys used by railway staff can't open them from outside, only the sleeper attendant's special master key-card can open them. Then - also like a hotel - there's an additional security deadbolt which can only be locked and unlocked from inside. Couchette compartments have a normal lock (which can be opened from outside with a staff key) and a security lock or chain which can't be unlocked from outside - just make sure you use that bolt or chain as well as the normal lock, plus the same common sense you'd use in any hotel room. In couchettes I usually put my daypack with any valuables by my pillow. An attendant is on duty in the sleeping-car and couchette car throughout the journey. Sharing isn't a problem, if you don't want to pay for a whole compartment to yourself. You'll share with other passengers just like you, often fellow tourist or Interrailers or Eurailers. Sleeper compartments are single-sex when not booked in their entirety by people travelling together. Couchettes are mixed sex as you don't normally get fully undressed.
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Finding & boarding your train
As with virtually all European trains, there's no check-in. Just stroll into the station, find your train and get on, any time before it leaves. And yes, Prague and Krakow stations are both safe at night, with plenty of people around. See Prague station information.
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Dinner before you board?
There's no catering car, so eat before you board.
In Prague, consider the remarkable Restaurant Zvonice (www.restaurantzvonice.cz), on the 7th & 8th floors of a historic gate-tower housing a bell that dates from 1518. It's a 6 minute 450m walk from the station, see a walking map. Don't worry, there's a lift! It's open until late so ideal if you're catching a sleeper. Expensive by Czech standards, but not by western standards, food & wine are great.
In Krakow, see suggested restaurants here.
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Early arrival in Krakow? Breakfast on arrival
The sleeper arrives quite early in Krakow. Exit the station through the shopping centre and you'll find the Hotel Puro Stare Miasto on the other side of the road and to the right. They'll let you join their excellent breakfast buffet from 7am for around 16. Of course, your own hotel may let you join their breakfast buffet on the morning of arrival. Suggested hotels in Krakow.
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Luggage
You take your luggage with you onto the train and simply stick it on the luggage racks above the window, over the door to the corridor or under the lower berth. Nobody weighs it, measures it, or worries about how much you take. More information about luggage on European trains.
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Power & WiFi
There should now be free WiFi in the Czech sleeping-car, but not the couchette car. Comfortline sleeper compartments have a power socket for laptops & mobiles, standard European 230v 2-pin type. It's located beneath the pillow end of the bed. Mobile data reception should work fine for most of the journey.
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Going to Auschwitz?
The EuroCity train Cracovia and EuroNight sleeper train Chopin used to call at Oswiecim, the modern name for Auschwitz, although currently the trains are all diverted via Katowice due to track upgrading so they won't. However, hourly local trains link Krakow with Oswiecim, buy a ticket at the station, see more information here. Oswiecim station is just 10 minutes walk from the original Auschwitz I camp, and 30 minutes walk from the later purpose-built camp called Auschwitz-Birkenau II just outside the town.
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Suggested hotels in Prague old town or near the station. If your budget will stretch, consider the luxurious Hotel Carlo IV, 3 minutes stroll from the station, 10 minutes walk from all the city sights. Thanks to Czech prices, it's not as expensive as such a hotel would be further west!
Option 3, by Leo Express train
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Leo Express is a private open-access operator which operates a comfortable Prague-Krakow train twice a week. It's a modern air-conditioned electric unit with 3 classes, Economy, Business & Premium. It started running in July 2018, initially twice a week, then 4 days a week then back down to twice a week following the pandemic, in June 2023 it's back to 3 per week. It's expected to become daily eventually.
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The Czech Republic was one of the first countries in Europe to open up their state-run railways to private competition under EU laws that allow anyone with the necessary licences to run a train service. Leo Express was founded by Leo Novotnύ in 2010, and they ran their first trains in 2012 and this is their first foray into Poland. I have yet to try Leo Express services myself, but they have a good reputation.
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The Man in Seat 61 says, "If the days of operation suit you, this is an excellent service in any class, but if you can afford a superb premium class seat, go for it. See this video showing all 3 classes on Leo Express"
How much does it cost?
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Economy class starts at 13.70, Business class at 32.50, Premium class at 52.50. All tickets come with a reserved seat.
How to buy tickets
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Book online at www.thetrainline.com or www.leoexpress.com and print your own ticket or show it on your phone. Make sure you select a train not a bus.
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Eurail & Interrail passes are now accepted on Leo Express, reservation required but details not known..
What is the Leo Express train like? Which class to choose?
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The train is modern and air-conditioned with 3 or 4 classes, see www.leoexpress.com for more details and photos, and see the video.
Economy = comfy seats, power sockets & free WiFi. Food and drink can be bought from the refreshment trolley. Most of the train consists of economy class. Seats are arranged 2+2 across the car width, like 2nd class on regular trains.
Economy Plus = same leather seats as Business class with the same business class food & drink included, but less legroom and no partition between it and the rest of economy, so not as quiet as Business class. Economy Plus is new, being progressively fitted to trains during 2020,
Business = leather seats with extra leg-room, power sockets & free WiFi, complimentary water & coffee. Business class consists of two-thirds of a car at one end of the train. Seats are arranged 2+1 across the car width, like 1st class on regular trains. On journeys over 50 minutes, 1 alcoholic drink is included in the fare,
Premium = there are just 6 premium class seats located at one end of the train. Excellent reclining leather seats with leg-rests so you can put your feet up, power sockets & free WiFi, complimentary water & coffee. On journeys over 50 minutes, 2 alcoholic drinks and a simple meal are included in the fare.
The Man in Seat 61 says, "In my opinion, the Leo Express premium seats are the most comfortable train seat in Europe. You sink into that leather, with power-recline to 40 degrees and a legrest. Treat yourself to premium class if you get the chance!"
