How Easy is Polish Public Transport to Use?
It is very easy to me, a native Pole who had used it on a daily basis for 24 years and since then several times a year when visiting family every summer and at other occasions. However, for foreign visitors who don't know the language and have no knowledge of Polish public transport it may not be so easy. Don't worry though, in this post I'll explain several different modes of transportation available in Poland and how to use them and book tickets. That includes trains, trams, trolleybuses, buses and coaches.
Trains
As one of the most popular modes of transport trains have significantly changed since my childhood days when often I had to sit on a tiny old school corridor seat with my bag and legs blocking the way of people walking past and during busy periods people lying on top of each other! Your only head rest was the window or a passenger next to you and if you needed a toilet it was like climbing the Everest. Here is a photo for the record.
Back to 2026 trains are modernised and more efficient. They are rarely cancelled and occasionally delayed mainly on long-distance and intercity routes with national overall punctuality at around 91%.
It's important to note that there are several different types of trains in Poland including:
- EIP (Express InterCity Premium / Pendolino) - the fastest and most exclusive trains where seats need to be pre-booked.
- EIC (Express InterCity) - high standard express trains running on the main country routes and abroad.
- IC (InterCity) - comfortable fast trains linking larger cities and regions.
- TLK (Twoje Linie Kolejowe) - semi-fast economy trains stopping at more stations including some smaller ones.
- REGIO (R) - local trains run mainly by POLREGIO as well as the local government stopping at every station.
- Semi-Fast Trains (RP / OsP) - regional trains with less stops and therefore faster at longer local routes.
- Local Government and Metropolitan Area Trains - trains running at specific regions such as Koleje Dolnośląskie (Lower Silesia), Koleje Mazowieckie (Masovian), Łódzka Kolej Aglomeracyjna (Łódź Metropolitan Trains) or SKM in Trójmiasto (Tricity - Gdańsk, Gdynia, Sopot)