Travel Guide
New Sleeper Train Will Connect 6 European Countries This Summer
Jun
We’re right in the midst of a European Railway Renaissance, and for the train lovers out there, every new train launch is a reason to celebrate:
Call it nostalgia for a Golden Age when people used to travel slowly without a pressing urge to be at a particular place, at a particular time, or simply growing distrust in airlines and their increasingly restrictive in-flight policies, train demand keeps growing nonetheless.
Following the long-anticipated launch of a direct Paris to Berlin service, low-cost alternatives to the Eurostar linking Paris (again) to Brussels from as cheap as $10, and so many more equally-exciting developments, now we’ll have a sleeper train whooshing through 6 European countries.
From an underrated Central European, all the way to the sun-drenched Adriatic Coast, this is where the new PKP Intercity will be passing:
From Poland All The Way To Croatia
As confirmed by the Polish national rail operator PKP Intercity, a new overnight train will launch from Warsaw, the capital of Poland, all the way to Rijeka, on the Adriatic Coast of Croatia.
The train will run four times a week, starting June 27, before wrapping up at the end of the season, towards late August, and it will visit a total of 6 countries.
The train will depart from Warsaw at 2:05 PM (though the exact station is yet to be confirmed), stopping in a number of Polish cities before crossing into the Czech Republic, then Austria, Slovenia, and finally Croatia.
PKP’s plan is to complete the journey in under 19 hours, calling at Rijeka between 8:45 AM and 9 AM of the following morning, and naturally, there be varying levels of comfort and amenities onboard depending on your seat category, as customary in nighttime trains.
On the return journey, the sleeper will set off at 7:00 PM from Rijeka, pulling up to Warsaw at 1:50 PM the next day.
The Journey Is The Destination
We’ve written extensively about the benefits of taking trains to travel around Europe, and none of those have involved lecturing you on the environment, but in case you need a refresher, how many times have you been stressed out about commuting to and from airports?
Not to mention the excessively strict baggage policies across much of Europe, with airlines like Ryanair and EasyJet stopping just short of charging you for the air you breathe, and don’t get us started on the summertime delays.
With trains, ‘the journey is the destination’, as they say, and the new PKP offer is no exception, with the train calling at 18 different municipalities, between the lush lowlands of Central Europe and the scenic Mediterranean region.
The train will run on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays, and the best part is, tickets start from only $53, and onboard amenities include Wi-Fi, power sockets, sufficient luggage storage for larger bags, and food and beverages (usually at a price).
As for the complete list of stops, you can find them below:
What To See On The PKP Intercity From Poland To Croatia
- Opoczno, Poland
- Włoszczowa, Poland
- Zawiercie, Poland
- Dąbrowa Górnicza, Poland
- Sosnowiec, Poland
- Tychy, Poland
- Rybnik, Poland
- Wodzisław Śląski, Poland
- Chałupki, Poland
- Ostrava, Czechia
- Břeclav, Czechia
- Vienna, Austria
- Graz, Austria
- Maribor, Slovenia
- Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Postojna, Slovenia
- Opatija, Croatia
- Rijeka, Croatia
PKP adds it will also be possible to travel to Croatia from the Polish cities of Krakow, Rzeszow, Kielce, Lodz, Opoloe, Wroclaw and Poznan, via transfer from connecting Intercity trains.
At around 10 PM, when the train reaches Vienna, it will be extended with additional cars, possibly featuring couchettes and private sleeping cabins for the overnight stretch (we’re still waiting to get confirmation from PKP regarding this).
Finally, once it crosses into Maribor, in Slovenia, it will be attached to the Budapest-originated Istria night train for the final leg—as you can see, even if you’re not traveling as far as Croatia, there are numerous other incredible destinations on the way:
- Ostrava: a historic Czech city famous for its industrial heritage, student life, and bar-lined Stodolní Street, where you can get pints of local beer from as cheap as $3
- Vienna: the capital of Austria, and a world-renowned cultural hub packed to the brim with stately palaces, art museums, and frescoed concert halls
- Graz: Austria’s second-largest city, home to a UNESCO-protected historic center, a landmark hilltop castle, and a plethora of Habsburg-era monuments
- Maribor: a laid-back riverside town in Slovenia criss-crossed by cobbled streets, and still protected by a series of medieval fortifications
- Ljubljana: the capital of Slovenia, offering quaint river walks, a picture-perfect Old Town, largely intact from the Middle Ages, and lush urban parks
- Opatija: a popular Adriatic resort in Croatia boasting a 7-mile promenade, a high concentration of spas and wellness centers, and scenic pebbly bays
- Rijeka: the last station, and an ancient port city combining Roman heritage and coastal relaxation: don’t miss out on the picturesque Sablicevo Beach!
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