Taking your bicycle on a Polish train can open up a whole new world for you – quite literally. Book in advance, take your bicycle on a PKP Intercity train and explore another region of Poland. Use regional trains to cycle a little further away (instead of looping back to your starting point). Or simply use a train to get out of the city and avoid busier roads. Let us explain what you can expect and how to make your journey as smooth as possible.
What are the rules?
Regional train services in Poland are operated by various entities, usually on behalf of provincial authorities. These trains generally accept bicycles without prior reservation. Buy a separate bike ticket (together with your own ticket or afterwards) and place your bike in the designated space, marked with a pictogram. Newer trains have low floors and proper bike racks; older ones may require lifting your bike up steep steps, something you may want to keep in mind.
On long-distance trains operated by PKP Intercity (TLK, IC, EIC, EIP), bikes are allowed only on services equipped with a bike compartment, and reservations are mandatory. Check the timetable to see whether you can take your bicycle on a particular train: if you see a bicycle symbol, this means that the train has (limited) space for bicycles. Note: the bike space will be in a specific carriage rather than at the doors.
Buying a ticket for a bicycle is easier than it may seem. For regional trains, you can purchase a ticket in the carrier’s app, from a ticket machine on the platform, at the ticket office, or from the conductor. PKP Intercity requires buying both a passenger ticket and a separate reservation for the bicycle. You can also buy a bicycle ticket from the conductor on intercity trains; however, you will have to pay a surcharge of 4-5 euros. In addition, you risk there being no space (which can happen quite often on popular routes to the coast or mountains) and the conductor leaving you behind on the platform.
In summary: both PKP Intercity for longer distances and regional trains for shorter distances offer options for taking your bicycle with you. For PKP Intercity, we strongly advise you to purchase a ticket for your bicycle and yourself in advance. Regional trains offer more flexibility.
Where do I get on?
This is where theory meets reality. On regional trains, it is generally not possible to find out in advance where the designated space for bicycles is located: at the front, rear or in the middle. The best thing to do is to wait somewhere in the middle of the platform until the train arrives and then scan the train until you see the bicycle pictogram on it. With PKP Intercity trains, the carriage number is printed on your ticket. Although this does not give you complete certainty about where exactly your carriage will stop, you can keep it in mind. In any case, especially on a longer platform, you may find yourself jogging a mini-marathon with your bike in the final seconds before the doors close.
Efficient boarding can be difficult, especially when the platform is crowded or when travelling with others. Always allow other passengers to disembark first. Then wait until “normal” passengers have boarded so that you do not inconvenience anyone. Get on and place your bicycle in the designated holder. On some trains, your bicycle is placed horizontally, while on others you have to hang it by the front wheel – not always easy to do, especially if your bicycle is heavy, has panniers, or if you simply don’t have the strength. In such cases, don’t hesitate to ask someone for help.
Personal notes & tips
Taking your bicycle on Polish trains can be really worthwhile and allows you to explore larger parts of the beautiful Polish countryside. It is inexpensive (in the province of Mazovia it is even free!) and so far I have not experienced any significant problems. Of course, it can be a bit nerve-wracking when the train arrives. On regional trains, the bicycle compartment is not always clearly marked. On intercity trains, the carriage number is printed on your ticket, but I have experienced several times that the train arrives “backwards”, so the first carriage is the last, etc.
So far, I have only once been unable to travel on an intercity train from Łowicz to Warsaw (no problem, the regional train left half an hour later and there was plenty of room), which is why I recommend always booking intercity trains in advance. In general, however, the train staff are friendly and helpful. ‘Damy radę!’ is what you’ll hear – ‘We’ll manage!’. Even if you can’t (or don’t want to!) put your bicycle in the rack, but you stay with your bicycle and make sure it doesn’t bother anyone, my experience is that you won’t encounter any problems.
However, with a little preparation, the system works perfectly. Arrive early, check the layout of the carriages online (or on the platform) if possible, and opt for off-peak hours if you can. Once on board, relax: the train will do the climbing for you, so you can start your bike ride with fresh legs (or be taken home carefree after your bike ride).