How to Get from Krakow to Warsaw

In Poland the two main cities of the country are Krakow and Warsaw; because of this many people wonder ifit is better to visit Krakow or Warsaw, which one should they visit and for how long. For me the answer is very simple: if your travel itinerary allows it, visit both destinations, because in both you will find a lot to see and do.

If your travel plan includes a stop in Krakow for three days or you are going to spend four days in Krakow I have good news for you: getting to the capital from this historic city is very easy; trains, planes, buses and excursions. Here you will find all the available alternatives and in which scenarios you should choose another one. Take note and enjoy an amazing trip!

Visiting Krakow from Warsaw on an excursion is the smartest option if you want to make the most of your time in the Polish capital; the guides are trained to move tourists through the points of greatest interest. The idea is that at the end of your trip you won't miss anything that is really worth seeing.

Route and types of excursions Krakow - Warsaw

• Private tour to Warsaw from Krakow
  Private tours mostly include pick up from your hotel as part of the services added to the experience.
• Guided tour to Warsaw from Krakow
  Group excursions usually include transportation only to a common meeting point in a central and easily accessible area. Another common alternative is to travel on your own from Krakow and to meet at the meeting point with a guide in Warsaw.

Both models of excursions include a guide in your language who accompanies the travelers during the whole trip. These trips include a visit to explore the best of the Polish capital, which is sure to include a visit to explore the old town of Warsaw, almost completely destroyed by bombs and rebuilt in a spectacularway.

Useful information about Krakow - Warsaw

• Price: It may vary depending on the type of tour you prefer; an estimated value for group tours is 180€; while private tours with pick-up from your hotel in Krakow can easily exceed 400€.
• Duration of the trip: You will need to reserve a full day of your itinerary for this tour. The organizers of this type of experience usually leave Krakow early in the morning and return to the city in the evening.
• Recommended if... You are visiting Poland for the first time and are looking to make the most of your time; it is also an ideal option for those who are not very familiar with the language and prefer to look for alternative guides who are able to communicate in their native language.

Visiting the Polish capital from Krakow is part of the regular routine for thousands of Polish citizens; this is why you will find that the transportation service between these cities is extremely efficient, organized and above all punctual, as well as economical considering the valuable time it will save you.

The only thing you should be aware of is the language, if you don't speak Polish or English, the best alternative is perhaps an excursion. Otherwise I recommend studying some Polish expressions before arriving at your destination. If you are contemplating using the train service take into account the following aspects.

Routes and companies offering this service

• PKP Intercity
  Departure from Kraków Central Railway Station in Kraków (Kraków Główny).
  Arrival at Warszawa Zachodnia station in Warsaw.

Useful information

• Price: A train ticket from Krakow to Warsaw has an average cost of 17 €; consider that you will have to pay this amount for both the outward and the return trip.
• Travel time: The minimum travel time for this option is approximately three hours on the route alone. You will have to consider as additional waiting time although with the frequency of the trips it is usually a short waiting time.
• Recommended if... If you are entirely familiar with Poland, can communicate easily in languages such as Polish and English, this is an excellent alternative. While it is true that not all Poles speak English for a good part of the younger population has this language as a second language. Finding people who speak Spanish is a little more complicated.

A bus trip from Krakow to Warsaw is a great way to enjoy the sights of Poland and at the same time get to know the Polish capital on a budget. The Krakow-Warsaw route is one of the most popular in the country so you will find several companies offering connections between the two points and at various times.

As a point to consider you should familiarize yourself with the schedules of the different routes and be on time so as not to miss the bus and unschedule your itinerary; you should also take into account the length of the journey using this means of transport. If your trip to Krakow is short, such as two days in Krakow, this may not be the most convenient alternative.

Routes and companies offering this service

• Neobus
  Departure from Krakow bus station, Bosacka St 18
  Arrival at Warsaw Warszawa-Zachodnia bus station, Al. Jerozolimskie 144
• Flixbus
  Departure from Lesser Poland bus station
  Arrival at Warszawa Zachodnia bus station in Warsaw.

Useful information

• Price: The ticket price for a bus trip Krakow-Warsaw route usually starts from 9,50€ on average. Consider that you will have to buy a return ticket to return to the city.
• Duration of the trip: It is usually one of the alternatives that requires a greater investment of time due to the length of the route and the stops involved. The trip will take from 4 to 5 hours, in addition to the waiting time at the station.
• Recommended if... You will be in the city of Krakow for 5 or more days and you want to invest at least 2 days of your itinerary to get to know the Polish capital. By reducing the almost 10-hour round trip, you will have approximately one day to enjoy the city's attractions.

If you want the opportunity to make a fully customized trip, it is good to know that you can go from Krakow to Warsaw by car, using any of the three main roads that connect both points. As a tip, before arriving in the Polish capital evaluate the alternatives for parking in Warsaw so that you can be clear about where to go depending on the places you are going to visit.

Opt to rent a car in Krakow only if the other options presented do not suit your tastes since going on your own will require additional planning and hassle. Even if you are traveling to Krakow with children, the other alternatives, such as the train or private tour, might suit your needs.

Routes and companies offering this service

• Routes: If you make the trip on your own you will find several alternative routes. The S7 Highway is the most popular; but if you want to detour to cities like Katowice, you will have to take the A1 Highway and then connect with the S8.
• Car rental: Some companies that offer this service are: Autoeurope and Polandcar

Useful information about Krakow

• Price: Renting a car in Krakow is cheap with an average price of 10€ per day, however to the transportation budget you will have to add the fuel costs to travel to Warsaw and back. Depending on the route you choose (there are several) may or may not apply toll charges.
• Duration of the trip: Traveling by car is one of the fastest alternatives, with an average time of 3.5 to 4 hours depending on the route you choose.
• Recommended if... You want to make a personalized trip, manage your times as you wish and contemplate the alternative of visiting other Polish cities such as Częstochowa. Otherwise in almost all other scenarios the most convenient will be either an excursion or taking the train to the city.

Being the two main cities of the country, both destinations are very well connected with the other countries of the continent. In Krakow you will find an airport where local and international flights arrive every day, while in the capital there are two airports that also receive local and international travelers.

The main drawback with this option is that it can be more expensive than other alternatives studied in the list and yet require almost the same amount of time and effort: in both cities the airports are a little far from the center and to board the plane in Krakow you will have to arrive well in advance. Anyway I share with you the information you need to fly from Krakow to Warsaw.

Transfer from the city to the Krakow Airport

John Paul II Krakow Airport (KRK) is a small and simple terminal located 13.5 kilometers from the city and divided into two parts. Small commercial flights are constantly arriving so there are several alternatives to get to the city. You can take the train, hire a cab company at the airport, take the bus en route to the city or hire a private transfer in advance to take you to the center.

Transfer from the city to Warsaw Airport

In Warsaw you will find two airports: The first one is Frederic Chopin Airport (WAW) 10 kilometers from the center of Warsaw, the second one is Modlin Airport (WMI) 40 kilometers from the center. Transportation options available include: train, city bus and private transfer options.

Routes and companies offering this service

• LOT
  Departure from Krakow-John Paul II Airport (KRK)
  Arrival at Warsaw-Chopin Airport (WAW)
• Finnair
  Departure from Krakow-John Paul II Airport (KRK)
  The route with this airline generally includes stopovers.

Useful information

• Price: The Krakow-Warsaw air ticket is quite cheap, with an average cost ranging from 32 € to 42 € in the cheapest options. To this budget you must add the cost of the transfer to the airport and consider, if necessary, the return flight ticket to Krakow.
• Duration of the trip: The flight Krakow-Warsaw takes barely one hour. However, you should consider the time in advance before boarding the plane. If you consider these elements you will see that you spend the same amount of time as for example the train trip.
• Recommended if... You find a very cheap air ticket on offer to fly between these two cities; you can also consider it if you are on a multi-city tour and Warsaw is your next destination before continuing to another city or country. Since this is the least convenient option with the least facilities, I would venture to say that almost any of the other alternatives listed above will be a better alternative for any traveler.