How to get from Warsaw to Gdańsk by Train, Plane, Bus & Car
While Warsaw might be the 2023 Europe travel destination of the year, there are certainly other cities in Poland worth seeing. One of these is Gdańsk, a beautiful seaside city in northern Poland, full of history, beautiful architecture, delicious food and drink, and relaxing sandy beaches.
It is certainly possible to visit Gdańsk as a weekend trip, or even day trip for the more ambitious, from Warsaw. In fact, the route between Warsaw and Gdańsk is one of the best-served transportation routes in all of Poland, and there are a variety of options available for all types of travelers.
This article first has information on the typical ways to travel in Poland. Using Polish trains, flying with LOT, renting a car, or using FlixBus are the fastest and most cost-effective methods of travel in Poland, and all are possible for travel to Gdańsk depending on your personal preferences and bucket list.
Additionally, I have included a table that shows the price and time of each of these methods, so that you can compare them more easily.
Finally, more for fun than anything else, I have included some non-traditional ways of travel for the more adventurous tourist, such as cycling. I wish you luck in planning your trip, and both Warsaw and Gdańsk are amazing places to visit!
Warsaw to Gdansk by Plane
Traveling by plane to Gdańsk from Warsaw is straightforward. In fact, there is only one reasonable possibility available, which is flying with LOT, Poland’s flagship airline, from Warsaw Chopin Airport. Of course, there are indirect options available with layovers, but none of these options are remotely cheaper than taking the 1-hour flight with LOT. LOT runs 6 flights daily from Warsaw to Gdańsk, with the earliest flight leaving at 7:10 AM and arriving at 8:10 AM, and the latest departing at 10:55 PM and arriving at 11:55 PM.
Pricewise, these flights can be cost-effective, even though LOT is not a budget airline. Tickets can fall as low as 24 euros one-way, but typically range between 30-40 euros one-way. This also includes a carry-on bag in addition to the normal personal item, so you will not be paying extra for baggage unless you also need to check a bag. Compared to other flights offered by LOT, this is one of the cheaper flights available in Poland. And since the flight leaves from Chopin Airport, you save time and money by avoiding Warsaw Modlin Airport (always a plus in my book).
Of course, airport travel does not just include time on the plane. Luckily, getting to Chopin Airport is very easy. From either the city center or the Old Town, Bus 175 takes you directly to the airport, and only costs you the price of a 75-minute ticket, or approximately 1 euro. The S3 regional train is also available and is included on all Zone-1 Transport tickets. The S3 runs from Warsaw Gdańska and Warsaw West train stations. Finally, taxis and Ubers are also easily ordered, but are more expensive than public transport, but are a better choice if you have more luggage. Depending on your location in Warsaw, Ubers or Taxis to the airport will probably run 10-15 euros. Overall, transport to Chopin Airport is quick and inexpensive.
In Gdańsk, Lech Wałęsa Airport is about 12 km (7.5 mi) outside of the city center, and you will need to arrange your own travel to and from the airport. Like in Warsaw, there are bus options available to and from the city center. Bus 210 takes about 40 minutes to shuttle you from the airport to the city center and leaves every 40 minutes Monday to Friday. This is easily the cheapest way. Bus 110 and Regional Train 96962 take you to Gdańsk Wrzeszcz station north of the city center and might be more convenient if you are staying outside the city center to save money. Finally, as in Warsaw, Ubers and Taxis are also available and will run between 15-20 euros at a minimum but may be necessary depending on bags.
Warsaw to Gdansk by Train
Train travel in Poland might be the most comfortable and convenient way of traveling in Poland. Trains from Warsaw leave almost anywhere in Poland multiple times per day, and you can dine, sit back, and relax at a higher speed than a car. As a student, I appreciate the convenience and student discounts available and the low cost. Every time I have been to Gdańsk, I have used Polish trains, and I do not plan on changing these habits in the future.
Trains offer the most flexible times and prices for every trip in Poland. Trains leave from early in the morning to late at night from Warsaw to Gdańsk, so you can easily customize your times to meet your travel itinerary. Currently, trains to Gdańsk leave from Warsaw Gdańska, which is a four stop Metro ride north of Warsaw Central, due to construction. Be warned that Gdańska station does not have the same level of amenities as Central, so buy your snacks and breakfasts before arriving. Trains into Gdańsk will arrive at Gdańsk Główny station, which is a short 10-minute walk from the old town, and a convenient location for further travel on city trains to other neighborhoods of Gdańsk.
Trains to Gdańsk can leave as early as 2:00 AM, arriving in Gdańsk slightly before 6:00 AM, and leaving as late as 8:45 PM arriving at 11:25 PM, but dozens of trains leave daily at all times of the day. Of course, trains at midday tend to be more expensive, so if you are looking for cheaper tickets, leaving later or earlier in the morning saves you money. Typically, tickets can be as cheap as 15 euros depending on the time, but can quickly rise in price during peak times, seasons, and on holidays, so do not be surprised if a ticket sets you back 45 euros. First class tickets are also available, usually for an added 5-20 euros more per ticket. Polish trains are convenient and easy to use and get you to your destination in a time only a flight can be beat and depending on security waits and location of the airport compared to the city center, sometimes this is even not the case. To buy tickets, visit the PKP train website directly to avoid hidden fees from other third-party websites.
Warsaw to Gdansk by Bus
There are many bus companies based in Poland that serve every large city to small town. However, surprisingly, these bus companies do not appear to do longer trips. I checked 12 different Polish bus websites and found that they might do service from Warsaw to Gdańsk only if you rent a charter. Luckily, the one possibility available, through the European transportation giant FlixBus, is cost effective.
FlixBus is known for supplying budget bus service to many destinations throughout Europe, and especially have a large presence in Poland. So, unsurprisingly, they run multiple buses from Warsaw to Gdańsk every day, including one overnight bus for the especially budget-conscious traveler (if you are fine using the cramped conditions of a bus as your hotel for the night!). But I have had good luck with FlixBus every time I have used them, and their cost-effectiveness sure makes it a way that does not break the bank. Buses start at 8 euros and should not be any higher than 15 euros. This possibility is a little bit longer than any other choice mentioned so far, due to stops along the way. The fastest time is 4 hours and 35 minutes, the slowest, the overnight bus, is 6 hours and 10 minutes long. But its price cannot be beat.
If using FlixBus, you will have to leave from Dworzec Zachodni by the Warsaw West Train station (which is currently under reconstruction so keep that in mind!). This station is a short 11-minute bus ride from the city center. Once in Gdańsk, the bus stop is conveniently found next to the previously mentioned Gdańsk Główny (which is also under reconstruction), so you are only a 15-minute walk from the heart of the Old Town. Compared to some cities’ FlixBus stations, you could do a lot worse. So, overall, bus travel through FlixBus is not a bad choice for traveling from Warsaw to Gdańsk.
Warsaw to Gdansk by Car
To me, driving in Poland is an adventure maybe worth having if you are brave! While some of the stereotypes about Polish drivers are overblown, they are certainly of the more aggressive variety, so drive with caution, always! And while quality public transportation means driving a car is not necessary for traveling to major destinations, if you want to make pit stops at lesser visited stops along the way from Warsaw to Gdańsk, renting a car will be necessary. Luckily, renting a car in Poland is not hard. We recommend checking out DiscoveryCars.
There are a variety of big-name car rental companies available in Warsaw near the airport to rent from. These include Enterprise, Express Car Rental, Hertz, and many more. Some of these will have desks at Chopin Airport to directly greet you and take you to your car. Others you might have to access via your own means. However, these companies might have better deals. Depending on how long you rent the car, it can be as low as $15 per day, but only if you rent for a long time. More likely, your car rental will cost approximately $25 per day, plus petrol, which is not cheap in Poland (at least from my American perspective). Petrol runs on average 1.50 euros per liter (or 5.50 euros per gallon). So, expect to spend about 100 euros at the minimum for your trip from Warsaw to Gdańsk.
If you would rather travel by car without renting a car, another cheaper choice is BlaBlaCar. This company connects you with drivers who are looking for carpoolers to help bear the expensive cost of petrol. If you are comfortable traveling with a verified stranger, and want to meet a local Pole, and save money on a car, this is the way! From my searching, a trip from Warsaw to Gdańsk is quite common, and can run as low as 16 euros, which makes it by far the cheapest way to travel by car to Gdańsk!
In general, there are two different ways to travel to Gdańsk, one way which only a car could unlock. The relatively boring way takes about 3.5 hours and is a 336 km (209 mi) drive. This drive does take you through the green of the Polish countryside, but if you are willing to drive a little longer, you can drive via Toruń, the beautiful gothic city on the banks of the Vistula River we listed as one of the best to visit in Poland. This method adds about 1 and a half hours to your journey, but if you want to quickly see another Polish city on your way to Gdańsk, Toruń is a very worth road stop!
A Comparison of the Traditional Ways
Plane, train, bus, and automobile are by far the most common ways to travel in Poland, and you might be interested in seeing a direct comparison of the costs associated with each method. I have thus made a table for you to see this, with the potential total cost, time, and time-cost ratio available for you. Be aware that these prices and times reflect the combination that is considered “typical.” I selected what seemed to be the most common and chosen option that was inexpensive, so the real price might be more or less expensive or take a longer or shorter amount of time than listed in the table. I also included other costs associated with travel, such as gas for car travel, and transport to and from airports. Finally, all costs are for one direction of travel, so double the cost if you want to make it a round trip! I hope this will be helpful as you plan your trip!
| Method | Typical Cost | Time of Travel | Time/Cost Ratio |
| Plane: One-way ticket, transport to and from airports | 35 € | 3.5 hours (Including estimated time at airport) | 10 €/hour |
| Train: One-way ticket, transport to and from train station | 15 € | 3 hours | 5 €/hour |
| Bus: One-way ticket, transport to and from bus stations | 8 € | 6 hours | 1.33 €/hour |
| Rental Car: Gas and stops | 100 € | 3.5 hours | 28.5 €/hour |
| BlaBlaCar: All-inclusive price | 16 € | 4 hours | 4 €/hour |
Other ways to travel from Warsaw to Gdańsk
While the previously mentioned methods are certainly what 99% of travelers between Warsaw to Gdańsk would select, I have included a few other non-traditional travel methods for the more adventurous! These methods are only for those with specific abilities and a higher level of endurance, but they are nonetheless possible ways to travel this route.
Bicycle
This is an adventure for the most extreme and in-shape road cyclists out there. Poland has put investment into a trail called Zielona 7, or literally Green 7, that spans from Warsaw to Gdańsk. This 401 km (250 mi) bike trail is a mix of gravel and asphalt bike paths that allow you to see the Polish countryside as you leisurely cycle from Warsaw to Gdańsk. While this trip will certainly take you a bit of time, if you are up for the adventure, there might not be a better way to tour the typically unseen parts of Poland than this bike path. This route also takes you through forests, over rivers, and past castles, so there are many sights to be seen. It even includes a ferry ride over the Vistula River. So, if you are a biker, and plan to bike in Poland, consider Zielona 7. For more info, visit here.
Walking
For the even more extreme, you could also take a daring trip through the Polish countryside on foot. While there is no dedicated cross-country hiking trail like the Appalachian Trail available in Poland, if you are a road warrior like Forrest Gump, it is certainly doable. There are enough small towns to restock in and forests to camp in for this trip to meet the criterion of a long-term hike, even if much of the hike you will take you alongside country lanes. What makes the idea of walking to Gdańsk alluring is the sights you can see along the way, including beautiful lakes, Teutonic Castles like Malbork, and many crossings of the Vistula River. If this is something of interest to you, make sure to do all your research beforehand and carry all the gear you need, as your sometimes isolated placement may result in loss of cell coverage.
Boat
Another potentially viable choice is by boat. The Vistula River, the river that cuts Warsaw in half, flows into the Gulf of Gdańsk not far from Gdańsk proper, and canals make it such that you do not have to go into the open sea. With the Vistula generally being a tame river on its lower reaches, it is not impossible to take a kayak or canoe from Warsaw to Gdańsk. However, I would make sure to research this possibility in great depth, as there are no clear public websites that show the rules of law on Polish waters for traveling. But, if you are an experienced boater able to handle the Vistula’s still strong currents, it is not impossible to do so!
From Warsaw to Gdansk: Conclusions
While the briefly mentioned nontraditional travel methods are certainly not for everyone, Poland offers good service in plane, train, and bus to get you from Warsaw to Gdańsk without destroying your wallet. Rental Car service is readily available too and can be cost-effective depending on your choice. Just always make sure to fully do your research beforehand, and do not be afraid to select the cheapest way if you have the flexibility! I have had an easy time traveling around Poland, and I think every travel can, especially for such a well-traveled route as Warsaw to Gdańsk. On that note, I wish you luck with your travels, and enjoy the beautiful city of Gdańsk once you arrive, whether by train, plane, or kayak!
