Day trip from Gdansk

[oxfordray1]

Good afternoon everyone,

On Monday 29 August I will unexpectedly have a free day in Gdansk. Can anyone recommend a good journey? And ideally a scenic journey.

My first thought was Gdansk to Poznan to Warsaw to Gdansk with a couple of hours in Poznan and Warsaw. Does anyone have any better ideas? Not particularly fussed about rolling stock.

Finally, as the official Polish railway site is confusing, I've been using https://www.polishtrains.eu/
which is much easier to use. Is this like a Polish version of Trainline?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

[Cloud Strife]

My first thought was Gdansk to Poznan to Warsaw to Gdansk with a couple of hours in Poznan and Warsaw. Does anyone have any better ideas? Not particularly fussed about rolling stock.

I wouldn't recommend this, given that the network has been regularly in meltdown this summer. A better option, IMO, would be to pick one or the other cities and spend a day there instead, rather than risking getting caught up in some inevitable mess.

I don't know that site, but it appears to be selling tickets at a small markup, so if it's easier to use, I don't see any harm in it.

 

[AndrewE]

We had a day trip to Malbork to see the castle there https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malbork_Castle
supposedly the biggest brick structure in Europe. Scenery isn't brilliant on the way, being on the N European plain, but not home, so still worth looking out of the window!

It's also worth taking a train towards Gdynia, walking S along the beach or footpaths and getting a tram back in to the city from wherever you end up.

 

[dutchflyer]

Frankly, there is not that much in nice scenic to be made there. And the trip to P-W will have you sit in trains for some 12+ hrs.=barely time to look at those cities. It is for the Polski still summer, so that means more trains to Hel(l), the final end on that peninsula north-via the sand-dunes (and some sea-views)
Simply use bahn.com (yes, german railways) for general planning, probably the easiest. PL has a few own set-ups for all transport planning,like e-podroznik and something like portalpasazera (google will always help for these things and another one-these will always aim to sell you also the tickets.
There is a kind of dayticket for the 3-city area, incl the trams and (trolley)buses and the S-bahn lookalike SKM trains. It does not reach Hel though. Buy from the stands in the tunnel leading to main station.

 

[gravitystorm]

Finally, as the official Polish railway site is confusing, I've been using https://www.polishtrains.eu/
which is much easier to use. Is this like a Polish version of Trainline?

I also find the PKP websites confusing and clunky, so I can also recommend https://koleo.pl/ instead - they are a Trainline equivalent and have a much slicker website and app (although they don't sell 100% of the tickets available, they do have the timetables for everything and most of the tickets).

I can't recommend any particular routes from Gdansk if you want a whole day on the rails. The last time I had a free day there, we took the ferry to Hel, had a nice afternoon there (go up the lighthouse, stroll on the beaches, see the seals in the seal sanctuary etc) and then took the railway back from Hel to Gdansk, changing in Gdynia IIRC.

 

[AndrewE]

I also find the PKP websites confusing and clunky, so I can also recommend https://koleo.pl/ instead - they are a Trainline equivalent and have a much slicker website and app (although they don't sell 100% of the tickets available, they do have the timetables for everything and most of the tickets).

It's difficult because different "companies" run trains on the same route, and tickets are not interchangeable or universally valid. When you buy a ticket to (e.g. Malbork) you get asked which train you are taking, as this affects the fare... It doesn't help if you are making a day trip and want a return, because it limits which trains you can get back.
n.b. this is from our experience 5 or maybe even 10 years ago now, so may not be relevant now.

 

[oxfordray1]

Thanks everyone, that is really helpful. I'll have a re-think.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Make sure you're in the refreshment trolley when you go to Hel, as then you'll have been to Hel in a handcart.

 

[oxfordray1]

Make sure you're in the refreshment trolley when you go to Hel, as then you'll have been to Hel in a handcart.

Oh that is very good.

In the end I've decided to catch the ferry to Hel, then the train back to Gdyina and then see what I feel like.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Oh that is very good.

In the end I've decided to catch the ferry to Hel, then the train back to Gdyina and then see what I feel like.

So going to Hel and back with a twist

 

[martinr1]

My wife and I did your planned trip a couple of years ago and had a most enjoyable day

 

[oxfordray1]

"My wife and I did your planned trip a couple of years ago and had a most enjoyable day"

I also had a lovely day. Did the boat to Hel, then walked to the very end of the peninsular. Then train to Chalupy for a stroll and a swim. Then train to Sopot for tea and then train back to Gdansk. Was then going to ride the trams for a bit but decided to get some kip in advance of my flight home tomorrow.

Lovely day. Thank you for the recommendation. The train from Hel is slow, but worth a trip. A bewildering variety of diesel haulage and rolling stock.