How to Get from Warsaw to Gdansk

Both Warsaw and Gdansk are impressive cities full of history, culture, gorgeous architecture, and diverse food scenes. Located in the north of Poland, Gdansk is a city where the Second World War broke out, while Warsaw was rebuilt from ashes like many other Polish cities. So, if you plan on visiting both cities, this short transport guide from Warsaw to Gdansk gives all the detailed information and the best possible routes you can take. 

But before we get into the actual ways to get from Warsaw to Gdansk, it’s essential to know: 

How far is Warsaw from Gdansk

The distance from Warsaw to Gdansk is 284 km.

ADVICE: always travel with comprehensive travel insurance that also covers COVID. I personally use SafetyWing. 

Warsaw to Gdansk by Train

Besides taking a flight, traveling by train from Warsaw to Gdansk is the second-best option to consider. 

The train carriers operating in Poland include both local and foreign companies. Therefore, daily trains depart from Warszawa Centralna (Warsaw Central train station) to Gdansk Glowny (Gdansk Main train station) several times a day. 

Local Polish trains are as comfortable and fast as any other train carrier operating in the country. The chairs are comfy with plenty of leg space, and second-class Gdansk trains are affordable, convenient, and very satisfactory. 

TLK trains (Twoje Linie Kolejowe, translated as ‘Your Railways’), IC trains, and Express Intercity are local carriers operated by PKP InterCity with quite reasonable and cheap train tickets. 

At the latest, you can find trains from Warsaw to Gdansk departing as early as 4:45 am. till 7:30 pm. The average train journey takes between 3:10 to 3:30 hours, depending on the train carrier. However, you can also find a somewhat express train from Warsaw to Gdansk that takes around 2:30hrs on average. 

Warsaw to Gdansk train price depends on the train carrier and how far ahead you’ll buy the ticket. Try to buy the earliest train ticket as they seem to be the cheapest, starting from 39 PLN (8 USD) for a second-class ticket one way. 

How to buy train tickets online

The best place to buy Warsaw to Gdansk train intercity tickets is on the PKP InterCity website. The site is in English language and is relatively straightforward. Still, I suggest installing Google Translate Add-on on Chrome as sometimes the website automatically returns to Polish during the checkout. 

Alternatively, you can search train schedules at Kiwi.com, which gives you roundtrip ticket prices and suggested nights spent in the destination. 

Note: When buying a ticket online, you’ll be asked if you want a seat by the window. When purchasing my train tickets throughout Poland, I chose window seats for both of us, so we ended up sitting separately. 

Warsaw to Gdańsk Bus

Traveling by bus from Warsaw to Gdansk is the least favorite option for locals and foreigners. Buses run less frequently and take around 5 hours to reach your destination. 

They run from late afternoon until late in the evening. Alternatively, there’s an overnight bus from Warsaw to Gdansk, arriving at 6 a.m. at the final destination. 

Check Flixbus for more details, timetables, and prices. 

BONUS: How to get to Warsaw from other European cities by train

If train travel is your favorite, the capital of Poland is well connected with the rest of Europe by a rail system. There are daily trains to Warsaw from various cities of Europe operated by Eurostar, TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse), and Thalys companies.

Here are a few suggestions of the popular routes and timetables to look at: 

• London to Warsaw
• Prague to Warsaw – read my Prague city guide
• Budapest to Warsaw – read my Budapest city guide
• Berlin to Warsaw
• Vienna to Warsaw
• Madrid to Warsaw
• Barcelona to Warsaw – read my Barcelona city guide
• Paris to Warsaw