In March 2024, I purchased PKP intercity tickets online for two separate journeys between Gdańsk Główny (Gdańsk Main Station) and Warsaw Central Station and between Gdańsk and Łódź Kaliska station.
Two of the four journeys, between Gdańsk and Łódź, were on an InterCity (IC) express train. The journey from Gdańsk to Warsaw was on the TLK class of train. From Warsaw to Gdańsk, I travelled on an Express InterCity Premium (EIP) train, otherwise known as the Pendolino. Check out the differences between the various types of trains in Poland.
Anyhow, the aim of this post is to show you how you can purchase PKP intercity tickets online.
I’ll also highlight just how much money you can save by buying your intercity tickets online a month or so in advance of your date of travel.
I’m aware that most people don’t require a step-by-step guide such as the one below to buy train tickets on the Internet. However, dive in because I do offer a few useful tips related to buying PKP intercity tickets online.
Buying PKP Intercity tickets online – a step-by-step guide
Step 1:
Head to intercity.pl. You can change the language to English by clicking on the drop-down menu at the very top of the webpage.
Step 2:
Fill in the details of your journey.
Let’s imagine that I want to travel from Warsaw Centralna to Gdańsk Główny (Main station) at around 10am in the morning on May 10, 2024.
Extension:
As you can see above, the PKP Intercity website now includes a ‘Detailed search engine’. Click on this under the orange ‘Search’ button.
As you can see in the screenshot below, you can choose which type of train you’d like to travel by. Moreover, there are options for the possible transport of bicycles and direct connections only, among other choices.
At that time of the morning, my demands will be fairly modest. I’m not fussed about the category of train. Unsurprisingly, I’m interested in direct connections only.
Step 3:
Now, the connecting services around the time of departure you have chosen will appear.
The IC Intercity trains are not as modern and fast as the Express InterCity Premium (EIP) trains. Indeed, I have tended to favour the IC category over EIP in the past due to the cost of tickets. However, on this occasion, I notice that there’s also a promotional offer for the Pendolino train at 9.30 a.m and it’d get me to Gdańsk 40 minutes faster than the later IC train at 10:39 a.m. Hence, I will click on the CHOOSE button for the EIP train at 9.30 a.m. and the page will scroll down so that I can fill in some more details.
Step 4:
Everything is rather self-explanatory, as you can see in the screenshot below. You may change the ‘Number of passengers by normal fare’ as well as first class instead of second class.
When it comes to ‘Carriage of goods, there is an ‘extra luggage’ option. Honestly, I have lugged two or three suitcases onto Intercity trains before without paying for ‘extra luggage’. There is no way that ticket inspectors can monitor which pieces of luggage belong to which passengers. Moreover, checks aren’t carried out when people board a train. Therefore, I wouldn’t worry too much about paying an extra 5 zl for ‘extra luggage’.
Click ‘Continue’ to proceed.
Step 5 (optional):
In the screenshot in step 4, you can see that you have an option to select a seat in the graphic scheme. If you desire, you can choose to sit facing towards the direction the train is travelling.
Step 6:
You’ll then be taken to another page where you should double-check the details of your journey and enter the name of the traveller.
As stated in the picture below: Should more than one person travel using one ticket, enter details of only one passenger.
It’s important to do this correctly as ticket inspectors usually compare the name on the ticket to the passenger’s name on their ID card or in their passport.
Click on ‘Choose’ to continue.
Step 7:
Assuming you haven’t got an account, click on ‘Buy without registration’.
Step 8:
On the next screen, fill in your personal details. Make sure the email address is correct as your ticket (PDF) will be forwarded by PKP Intercity to your email address.
There are also some boxes to tick concerning regulations and personal data.
Click ‘continue’.
Step 9:
On the next screen, you will have to check your details once more and then click ‘Commit’.
Step 10:
Finally, you will see a summary of your journey with the chance to buy a return ticket. You can now click on the payment option of your choice which will automatically light up the orange ‘Buy and pay’ button at the bottom right hand corner:
Step 11:
As soon as the payment has gone though, Intercity forwards tickets to a passenger’s email address in PDF format. Payments are usually processed in a matter of minutes.
Buying PKP Intercity tickets online – Bargains to be had
If you buy PKP Intercity tickets online, pay heed to the five levels of promotional fees:
- Super Promo (cheapest tickets)
- Promo Plus
- Promo 45 (tickets 45% cheaper than the base price)
- Promo 30 (30% cheaper)
- Promo 15 (15% cheaper)
The Super Promo and Promo Plus thresholds apply to all types of trains – TLK, IC, EIC and EIP. In concrete terms, the Super Promo price for TLK and IC trains does not exceed 29 zł. As for EIP Pendolino trains, the Super Promo price does not exceed 99 zł. From Kraków to Warsaw, it’s possible to grab tickets for as little as 49 zł. Check out PKP Intercity’s Promobilet search engine to find discounted tickets.
The availability of individual promotional tickets depends on the popularity of a given train. This is because the Promo offer is based on a dynamic price management system. Therefore, it is enough to choose a train at a slightly less popular time to buy a much cheaper ticket. It is worth remembering that under the Promo offer, tickets at promotional prices are available at various stages of sale – after its launch, a dozen or a few days before departure, and even on the day of travel. Importantly, the pools of promotional tickets may change during the period in which tickets are on sale.
‘Save Together’ (Taniej z Bliskimi)
For groups of two to six people, PKP Intercity has a special travel offer for you called Taniej z Bliskimi, or ‘Save together’.
This special offer is valid for travel on both TLK and IC trains. Ticket prices are 30% lower than the base prices of single tickets.
Apart from the condition that you must travel in a group of between two and six people, you have to travel on the same train both from and to the same station. You must also travel in the same carriage class (first or second), be it in regular carriages with seats, carriages with couchettes and in sleeping cars.
For travel in couchette and sleeping cars, you need to pay for seat reservations in addition to purchasing tickets.
You can buy tickets from 30 DAYS up to THREE DAYS before departure (e.g. for a trip on July 28, tickets must be purchased no later than July 25).
A very pleasant and comfortable way to travel
The Polish railways network has come on in leaps and bounds in recent years.
Grabbing your PKP Intercity tickets online for super cheap prices will set you on the path to what is guaranteed to be a very pleasant and comfortable train journey in Poland.
FAQ – Puchasing PKP Intercity tickets online
Do I need to set up an account to buy PKP Intercity tickets online?
It’s possible to purchase a ticket without an account.
When you order a ticket, simply choose the option ‘Buy without registration’.
In the following step, you will have to provide your first name, surname, e-mail address. You will also have to accept the Regulations set by e-IC – the PKP Intercity website.
It only takes a few minutes to set up an e-IC account. It is recommended to do that as it’s easier to cancel a ticket and claim a refund should you need to later on.
What happens after payment for an Intercity ticket has been accepted?
After your payment has been accepted, e-IC will send your ticket in PDF format to the e-mail address provided.
Can I make changes to Intercity tickets myself?
You can make changes to a ticket by entering your ticket number and email into the boxes on this page for non-registered users.
Can I obtain a refund for a PKP Intercity train ticket?
It is possible to obtain a refund from PKP on a purchased ticket.
However, certain conditions do apply. First of all, Polish State Railways deducts 15% of the value of each ticket (the so-called ‘transfer fee’). Moreover, PKP Intercity tickets can be returned no later than 5 minutes before the scheduled departure time of the train, which is shown on each ticket.
Does PKP IC charge anything if I want to change the day or time of travel?
If you want to change the day or time of travel, but the place of departure and the destination station remain unchanged, you may exchange a ticket. In this case, the carrier will not impose an admin fee.
Can I return a ticket in person at any ticket office or train station in Poland?
If you have bought a ticket online, you may return it in person at only a small selection of stationary PKP ticket sales points.
These sales points are limited to three Customer Service Centers located in Wrocław, Katowice and Warsaw, and over 50 other selected ticket offices located in various parts of the country.
For this reason, the most convenient solution is to return a ticket purchased online via your e-IC account.
Can I return a PKP ticket if I don’t have a registered account?
The return of a ticket purchased via the Internet does not require an account on the PKP Intercity website.
After making a purchase, you will receive a confirmation of the transaction to the e-mail address you provided in the order. In this electronic document, PKP Intercity sends the ticket number and link to the user panel. This link enables you to return a ticket. So, in order to get your money back, you need to find the e-mail instructions and click on the link in the content. After that, all that remains is for you to follow the instructions given, such as entering the ticket number.
What conditions apply if I want to exchange a PKP Intercity train ticket?
You may exchange a ticket you bought via the Internet after logging in to the e-IC system on the PKP Intercity website, in the tab ‘My Tickets’/’Paid’.
After finding the ticket you wish to exchange, click on the ‘Exchange’ button. The exchange process should be finished no later than 5 minutes before train departure.
Your new ticket must not differ from the replaced one in terms of your full name and the number of passengers on the ticket. Furthermore, the route must start with the same departure station and must not be shorter than the one previously selected. The arrival station must be located on the same route or its extension.
Can I buy dog travel tickets on Polish trains?
Yes. Dog travel tickets and guide dog travel tickets are available to purchase. A small surcharge applies.