Introducing the Paris - Berlin City Night Line sleeper train...

The Paris-Berlin overnight train is one of the German Railway's excellent City Night Line sleeper trains.  Called the Perseus, it has modern sleeping-cars (1, 2 & 3-berth deluxe compartments with private shower & toilet, 1, 2 & 3-berth economy compartments with washbasin, shower at the end of the corridor, all sleepers with power points for mobiles & laptop computers), modern air-conditioned couchettes (choose between a berth in a 4 or 6-berth compartment), ordinary seats (not recommended, a couchette is far better).   Inclusive fares are charged covering travel plus sleeping accommodation.  The sleeping-car fare includes a light breakfast served in your compartment.  More pictures & information about this City Night Line train.

1, 2 or 3 bed sleeper: The most comfortable option, economy with washbasin or deluxe with shower & toilet.		4-berth couchettes:  Ideal for families, much more space per person than 6-berth couchettes.		6-berth couchettes:  A very economical option, far better than a seat for just a few euros more...		The Night train to Berlin...  The Comfortline sleeping-car of City Night Line sleeper train Perseus boarding at Paris Gare de l'Est... More pictures & information about this train...

... and the Berlin-Krakow EuroCity train, the Wawel...

The EuroCity train from Berlin to Wroclaw at Berlin Hauptbahnhof...  This is one of the two Polish air-conditioned EuroCity coaches.		2nd class seats in one of the German air-conditioned cars from Berlin to Wroclaw...  The Polish cars are similar.  Bring your own picnic & beer or wine...		1st class seats in the German air-conditioned 1st class car on the EuroCity from Berlin to Wroclaw, in 6-seater compartments.

Oswiecim (Auschwitz)

If you are visiting the museum at Oswiecim (better known by its infamous German name, Auschwitz), change trains at Katowice.  A local train leaves Katowice at around 18:55, arriving Oswiecim 19:55.  Alternatively, continue to Krakow, as regular local trains link Krakow with Oswiecim every hour or two.  See www.bahn.de to check train times.  Once in Oswiecim, there are two camps to visit, Auschwitz I which is an ex-Polish army barracks in the town itself about 10 minutes walk from the station (turn right outside the station then veer left), and Auschwitz-Birkenau II which was a purpose-built concentration camp a little way out of town, about 30 minutes walk from the station (turn right, then turn right again at the first major road bridge across the railway).  There are also regular buses between Krakow and Oswiecim, see www.pksoswiecim.pl/strona.php?grupa=9.

How much does it cost?

Berths are sold individually, so one ticket means one bed.  The other beds in your compartment will be sold to other passengers.

If you want sole occupancy, simply book 1 ticket in a single sleeper or 2 tickets in a 2-berth sleeper or 4 tickets in a 4-berth couchette and so on.

* This is the supplement you pay if you have a railpass, a 1st class pass is required for deluxe sleepers.

** Children under 15 travel free if accompanied by a fare-paying adult, but must pay the berth supplement shown here.

Savings fare = advance-purchase fare, price varies, limited availability, no refunds, no changes to travel plans.

Full price = fully flexible, refundable, buy any time.

Youth fares: There is a 25% discount on normal fares (not Savings fares) for anyone under 26 years old.  Savings fares usually cheaper!

Senior fares: There is a 20% discount on normal fares (not Savings fares) for anyone over 60 years old.  Savings fares usually cheaper!

How to buy tickets online...

Anyone from any country can buy tickets this way, at the cheapest prices direct from the train operators. 

• Booking usually opens 92 days ahead for City Night Line & the EuroCity train, 120 days ahead for Eurostar, but I strongly recommend waiting until 92 days so you can buy all tickets together, doing a dry run on both sites first to check times and prices.  This way, you can confirm the sleeper train's departure time from Paris before booking a non-refundable, non-changeable Eurostar ticket, as it's not unknown for engineering work to mean an earlier departure from Paris!

• Step 1, go to www.bahn.de, the German Railways website, and book from Paris to Berlin and back looking for the direct CNL train with 0 changes.  The search results will show cheap 'savings' fares (if available) and fully-flexible fares for each type of seat, couchette & sleeper.  You pay by credit card and simply print out your own ticket.  Easy!  The prices shown on www.bahn.de are the total cost in euros for all passengers selected, not per person.  I strongly recommend registering when it asks you before completing the purchase, so you can easily make the next booking and retrieve all bookings later.  Always book the sleeper train first and check its exact arrival & departure times before booking the Eurostar connection, as times can vary.  Allow at least 90 minutes on the outward journey and 1 hour on the return to make the connection in Paris.

• Step 2, still on www.bahn.de, use the journey planner to bring up the Berlin to Wroclaw 'EC' EuroCity train and buy the ticket, looking for cheap Spezial fares.  You simply print out your own ticket.

• Step 3, now go to www.eurostar.com to book your connecting Eurostar tickets between London and Paris.  Use the Eurostar times above as a guide, but by all means book an earlier Eurostar outwards, or a later Eurostar on the way back, if this has cheaper seats available of if you'd like to stop off in Paris for a while.  The easiest option is simply to print out your own ticket.

• If you don't live in central London, www.eurostar.com can sell cheap through tickets from 130 other UK towns and cities to Paris.  If your town isn't listed, you can buy a separate ticket up to London to connect with Eurostar, see the advice on buying connecting tickets from other UK towns & cities here.

• Want to choose your exact seat on Eurostar?  www.eurostar.com allows you to choose an exact seat this towards the end of the process, look closely for the 'choose exact seat' link.  See tips on choosing the best seats on Eurostar.

How to buy tickets by email...

If you'd prefer to have someone book it for you, just click here and a booking form will appear which lists all the trains you need to book.  Fill it in & email it to sales@europeanrail.com.  European Rail will make the reservations and call you back to confirm the cost.  If you're okay with the price you can give them your credit card details and they'll send you the tickets.  European Rail is an experienced agency equipped with the German Railways reservation & ticketing system, so they have access to all the cheap fares for travel via Germany.  They charge a £35 booking fee which includes postage to any UK address, or they can send to any address worldwide if you pay the courier fee.  Seat61 gets some commission if you buy tickets using this form.

How to buy tickets by phone...

If you'd prefer to book all these trains by phone, just call Deutsche Bahn's UK office on 08718 80 80 66 (lines open 09:00-20:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday & Sunday, no booking fee, 2% credit card charge, no charge for debit cards), or a booking agency such as European Rail on 020 7619 1083 (lines open 08:30-18:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday, £35 booking fee).

Option 3:  London to Krakow by daytime trains to Berlin, then sleeper to Krakow...

This option is no longer possible, as the Berlin-Krakow sleeper train ceased running from 13 December 2009.

Option 4:  London to Prague then Prague to Krakow...

Travelling to Krakow via Prague takes only a bit longer and costs only marginally more than going via Warsaw or Berlin as shown above, so why not combine Prague & Krakow in one flight-free trip?!  By all means travel via Prague in one direction, via Warsaw in the other.

London ► Prague ► Krakow

• Travel from London to Prague via the Cologne-Prague sleeper train Phoenix, as shown on the London to Prague page.  You leave London by Eurostar at 15:04 (12:58 on Saturdays), change at Brussels and Cologne onto the Phoenix sleeper train arriving Prague Hlavni station at 09:26 next morning.  Enjoy the morning exploring Prague, or stay a night or two if you wish, all trains are ticketed separately anyway, so it makes no difference to the price.

• Travel from Prague to Krakow by modern air-conditioned EuroCity trains, leaving Prague's Hlavni station daily at 10:17, changing trains at Katowice (arrive 15:47, departing again at 16:44)  and arriving Krakow at 19:11.  A restaurant car is available for lunch, so treat yourself! 

• Alternatively, take the sleeper!  A direct Prague-Krakow sleeper train, the Silesia, leaves Prague Hlavni daily at 20:17 and arrives Krakow Glowny at 06:49.  A safe & secure sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed rooms is available (the recommended option), also couchettes (6-berth) and ordinary seats (not recommended).  See the sleeper photos below.

Krakow ► Prague ► London

• Travel from Krakow to Prague, leaving Krakow at 09:41, change at Katowice (arrive 11:46, depart 12:08) arriving Prague at 17:50. 

• Alternatively, take the direct Krakow-Prague sleeper train, the Silesia, leaving Krakow daily at 22:09 and arriving Prague Hlavni station at 07:50 next morning.  A safe & secure sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed rooms is available (the recommended option), also couchettes (6-berth) and ordinary seats (not recommended).  See the sleeper photos below.

• Spend some time in Prague...

• Travel from Prague to London via the Prague-Cologne sleeper train Phoenix as shown on the London to Prague page.  You leave Prague Hlavni station at 18:29 by sleeper to Cologne, change in Cologne & Brussels to arrive London St Pancras at 11:57 or 12:57 next day, depending on the day.

Fares & how to buy tickets...

• See the London to Prague page for fares & how to buy tickets from London to Prague online or by phone.

• Eastbound Prague to Krakow sleeper train tickets can easily be booked online at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz/eshop at cheap prices with print-at-home tickets.  A bed in a 3-bed sleeper costs around €40, a bed in a 2-bed sleeper around €50.  Just read these booking tips!

  Booking tips: Go to www.cd.cz/eshop and click EN for English top right.  Book from Prague to either Krakow [PL] or Krakow Glowny, it's the same place so it doesn't matter which you select.  Leave 2nd class selected, whatever accommodation you want, as you'll still see all the sleeper options.  On the results page, click 'Purchase' against the date and train you want.  On the next page, change 'seat reservation' to 'sleeper carriage'.  Select 'double sleeper' if you want a 2-berth sleeper, or 'for up to 3 passengers' if you want beds in a 3-bed sleeper.  You are booking individual beds, not compartments, so if you book 1 person (1 ticket) in a 3-berth you'll get one bed in a 3-bed sleeper and will share with other passengers of the same sex.  If you are 2 people and want a whole 2-bed sleeper together all to yourselves, simply select 2 persons at the beginning of the enquiry, then select 'double sleeper', and leave 'Men' selected as gender doesn't matter when your party occupies a whole compartment.  When you click 'continue' you will see details for the first passenger, with berth number, and lower down the page you'll then see details for the second passenger, again with berth number.  Remember that berth numbers are not consecutive, so don't panic - 51 & 55 are together in the same compartment, 22 & 26 are together in the same compartment, berth numbers ending in a 3 or 4 are middle bunks which aren't used when the sleeper is used as in 2-berth mode, see sleeper numbering plan here.  Don't use the e-shop for journeys in the reverse direction (from countries outside the Czech Republic to Prague), as these tickets aren't valid unless stamped by the conductor on an outward journey from Prague.

  Note that the CD eshop only sells the cheap sparnight deals.  Once they sell out, it shows no availability.  That doesn't mean the sleeper is full, it probably isn't, you may well still be able to buy full-price tickets but will need to do that at the station or by phone.

  Alternatively, you can buy at the station as there are almost always places available, or UK residents can book by phone with DB's UK office on 08718 80 80 66, lines open 09:00-20:00 Mon-Fri, 09:00-13:00 weekends.

• Westbound Krakow to Prague sleeper train tickets cannot be booked online direct with the operator, but can easily be arranged through highly recommended Polish ticketing agency www.polrail.com with tickets collected in Krakow.  For some reason, tickets starting in Poland are a bit more expensive than those starting in Prague!  UK residents can book beds in a double sleeper online for £96 per berth at www.raileurope.co.uk, a bit more expensive than ordering with Polrail, but with instant confirmation.

  Alternatively, you can buy at the station as there are almost always places available, or UK residents can book by phone with DB's UK office on 08718 80 80 66, lines open 09:00-20:00 Mon-Fri, 09:00-13:00 weekends.

Tailor-made travel & hotel arrangements...

A hassle-free option is to get a reliable specialist agency such as Railbookers to arrange your whole trip, with hotels, train bookings and transfers all sorted with one phone call.  Just tell them when and where you want to go, and they'll create the best rail holiday for you.

In the UK, call  020 3327 0761 or see www.railbookers.com.

In the USA & Canada, call toll-free 1-800-408-3280 or see railbookers.com.

In Australia call toll-free 1300 971 526 or see www.railbookers.com.au

In New Zealand call toll-free 0800 002 034 or see website.

On board the Prague to Krakow sleeper train...

The Prague to Krakow overnight train features a seats car, a couchette car with 4 & 6 bunk compartments (basic flat bunks with rug and pillow) and a sleeping-car, shown below.  A bed in the sleeper is the recommended option, it has 1 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin.  The beds come with cosy duvets, soap and clean towels are provided.  The compartments lock securely from the inside and have a security chain, and a sleeper attendant is on duty in the car, so you'll be both safe and snug.  There's space for luggage on a rack on the wall.  Note that only a 2nd class ticket is now required for a bed in a 2-bed or 3-bed sleeper, a 1st class ticket is only necessary if you want a single-bed sleeper.

2-berth sleeper Courtesy Ivor Morgan		3-berth sleeper Courtesy Ivor Morgan		The Prague to Krakow sleeper train seen at Prague Hlavni.  Courtesy Ivor Morgan

London ► Szczecin, Gdansk, Gdynia

• Travel from London to Berlin using Eurostar to Paris and the excellent City Night Line sleeper train Perseus.  You leave London at 15:31 (14:01 on Saturdays), change in Paris, arriving Berlin at 08:28 next morning, see the London to Germany page for full details of train times, fares & how to buy tickets.

• There's now a direct air-conditioned EuroCity train called the Daniel Fahrenheit leaving Berlin Hauptbahnhof at 15:37, arriving Gdansk Glowny at 22:00 and Gdynia at 22:36.  Restaurant car available for dinner, treat yourself!  A full meal with beer will costs little more than €10.

• There are regular trains every couple of hours from Berlin to Szczecin with one simple change at Angermünde, for example Berlin depart 09:37, change Angermünde (arrive 10:30, depart 10:45) Szczecin arrive 11:43.  Use www.bahn.de to check train times.

Gdynia, Gdansk, Szczecin ► London

• There's now a direct air-conditioned EuroCity train called the Daniel Fahrenheit leaving Gdynia at 06:17 or Gdansk Glowny at 06:51 and arriving Berlin 13:18.  Restaurant car available for breakfast and lunch, treat yourself!

• There are regular trains link Szczecin with Berlin every couple of hours, with one change usually at Angermünde or Pasewalk.  For example, a 14:56 from Szczecin, change at Pasewalk (arrive 15:37, depart 15:44), Berlin arrive 17:30. Gydnia

• Travel from Berlin to London using the excellent City Night Line sleeper train Perseus to Paris then Eurostar to London. You leave Berlin around 20:07, change in Paris, arriving London at 12:30 next day, see the London to Germany page for full details of times, fares & how to buy tickets.

Fares & how to buy tickets...

• For details of fares and how to buy tickets from London to Berlin, see the London to Germany page.

• Berlin to Szczecin costs €30.70 each way if you book online at www.bahn.de.  However, if you wait until you reach Berlin, you can use the self-service machines to buy a Berlin-Stettin ticket for just €10, valid from any Berlin urban area station to any rail station, tram or bus stop in the Szczecin urban area, on any train including IC and EC trains.  You should select Stettin, not Szczecin, as your destination on the machines to see the Berlin-Stettin ticket appear.

• Berlin to Gdansk costs from €39 booked in advance, full-price €52.60, booked online at www.bahn.de.

London to Łódź

• To reach Łódź (pronounced 'wooch' or 'woodge'), first travel from London to Warsaw using any of the options shown in the London to Warsaw section above.

• Then take a Warsaw-Łódź train, use www.bahn.de to find train times.  Trains run once, twice or three times every hour, journey time 1 hour 40 minutes.  Simply buy your Warsaw-Lodz ticket at the station in Warsaw.  Allow at least 40 minutes to change trains in Warsaw.

• Alternatively, the Amsterdam-Cologne-Warsaw Jan Kiepura sleeper train and the Berlin-Warsaw Expresses all call at Kutno, about 1 hour 10 minutes before arriving in Warsaw.  Change at Kutno for a local train to Łódź.  This can be quicker than going into Warsaw and out again, depending on how your connections work.  You can check train times, and find out if going via Kutno or via Warsaw is the best option, using www.bahn.de.

London to Zakopane

• To reach Zakopane at the foot of the famous Tatra mountains, first travel from London to Krakow using any of the options shown in the London to Krakow section above.

• Then travel from Krakow to Zakopane by train, using www.bahn.de to find train times.  There's a train every few hours, journey time is about 3 hours 30 minutes, and it's a very scenic run. You can buy a Krakow to Zakopane ticket at the station in Krakow.

London & E Anglia to Poland - the ferry alternative

	London to the Netherlands by Dutch Flyer train & ferry...  Take a train from London's Liverpool Street station directly to the ferry terminal at Harwich.  You walk off the train, into the terminal, get your boarding card & cabin key at the Stena Line check-in desk and walk straight onto the overnight ferry to Hoek van Holland.  The new superferry Stena Hollandica is the largest ferry of its kind in the world.  See the Netherlands page and see the video...
	Cosy cabins:  The overnight Harwich-Hoek ferry is a floating hotel.  All passengers travel in a cosy private cabin with en suite shower & toilet and satellite TV.  This is the cheapest 2-berth cabin...
	... and this is a Captain's Class cabin with double bed & complimentary bubbly in the minibar.

The luxury ferry from Harwich to Hoek van Holland, a useful alternative to Eurostar...

You might prefer to travel by train & ferry to reach Poland, for example to avoid the Channel Tunnel if problems affect the Eurostar service or if you suffer from claustrophobia.  This route is handy if you live in East Anglia as you can travel direct to Harwich avoiding London.  Indeed, you may simply prefer a relaxing journey, cruising overnight on the Stena Line superferry in a luxury en suite cabin with shower, toilet, satellite TV and free WiFi (see the video), spending a day at leisure exploring Amsterdam, then travelling to Prague overnight on the direct EuroNight sleeper train Jan Kiepura.  It's a great way to reach Poland and see Amsterdam on the way!

London, East Anglia & Harwich ► Warsaw, Krakow

• Day 1, evening:  Travel from London to Amsterdam overnight by Dutch Flyer train & ferry service.  You leave London's Liverpool Street station at 19:32 by train to Harwich International.  At Harwich, the station is right next to the ferry terminal and you walk off the train into the terminal, check in at the Stena Line desk and walk straight onto the Stena Line ferry to Hoek van Holland.  All passengers travel in cosy private cabins with en suite toilet & shower, satellite TV & free WiFi.  Deluxe Comfort class & Captains class cabins are also available, with complimentary minibar.  You can get on board the ferry before 9pm, have a late dinner in the restaurant and settle into your cabin.  The ferry sails at 23:15 and arrives at Hoek van Holland at 07:45 Dutch time next morning.  At Hoek, the station is right next to the ferry terminal.  You hop on the frequent local train to Schiedam and change for an InterCity train to Amsterdam Centraal, arriving 09:48.  See the Netherlands page for full details.  Dutch Flyer tickets are valid not just from London but from any National Express East Anglia railway station, for example, Cambridge, Norwich or Chelmsford.

• Day 2:  Spend the day at leisure exploring Amsterdam.  Left luggage lockers are available at Amsterdam Centraal.

• Day 2, evening:  Travel from Amsterdam to Warsaw overnight by EuroNight sleeper train Jan Kiepura, leaving Amsterdam daily at 19:01 and arriving at Warsaw Centralna at 10:35 next morning (day 3 from London).  This train has a modern Polish sleeping-car, couchettes & seats, see the photos & information here.  There's no restaurant car in the evening, so feel free to take you own picnic and bottle of wine aboard, but there's a bistro car for breakfast next morning.  Change in Warsaw for an InterCity train to Krakow, taking a few hours more.

Krakow, Warsaw ► Harwich, East Anglia & London

• Day 1, evening:  Travel from Warsaw to Amsterdam by EuroNight sleeper train Jan Kiepura, leaving Warsaw Centralna station at 18:35 and arriving in Amsterdam Centraal at 08:56 next morning.  This train has a modern Polish sleeping-car, couchettes & seats, see the photos & information here.  There's a bistro car for dinner, and the sleeper fares include breakfast.

• Day 2:  Spend the day at leisure in Amsterdam.  Left luggage lockers are available.

• Day 2, evening:  Travel from Amsterdam to London overnight by Dutch Flyer train & ferry service.  You take the 18:46 train from Amsterdam to Rotterdam and change onto the local sprinter train to Hoek van Holland.  The ferry terminal is right next to the station.  Walk onto the ferry and sail overnight in a snug private cabin to Harwich.  The ferry sails at 22:30 Mondays-Fridays or 21:30 Saturdays & Sundays and arrives at Harwich International at 06:30 next morning, UK time.  Take a train on to London next morning (day 2) arriving 08:48-08:59.  See the Netherlands page for full details.

How much does it cost?

• London to Amsterdam starts at £45 per person each way, plus the cost of a cabin.  Cabins start at £30 for a single berth cabin or £43 per cabin for a 2-berth, and are compulsory on the night sailing.  The fare covers the train from London to Harwich, the ferry, and onward Dutch trains from Hoek van Holland Haven to any station in the Netherlands, see the Netherlands page for full details of fares and cabin types and costs.

• Amsterdam to Warsaw by sleeper train Jan Kiepura starts at €59 one-way with a couchette in a 6-berth compartment, €69 with a couchette in a 4-berth, €91 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper, or €151 with a bed in a single-bed sleeper.

How to buy tickets online...

• Step 1, buy a Dutch Flyer train & ferry ticket from London to Amsterdam as shown on the Netherlands page.

• Step 2, now book the sleeper train from Amsterdam to Warsaw.  To buy tickets online, simply go to www.bahn.de - I've set this link up for you to book this train easily, just enter your dates of travel and look for the direct EN train with 0 changes in the search results.  Alternatively, you can book by phone with DB's UK office on 08718 80 80 66, lines open 09:00-20:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 weekends.

How to buy tickets by phone:  Special booking form

• To buy tickets for the Dutch Flyer from London to Hoek van Holland plus onward train tickets to Warsaw, Krakow or almost anywhere in Europe, fill in the special booking form and email it to European Rail.  They will call you back with a price, usually within 24 hours.  Using the booking form can save a long phone call while they take details and work out trains & prices.  If you'd rather call them, phone 020 7619 1083, but please say you're calling about 'Dutch Flyer' & onward train tickets to Poland as shown on 'Seat61'.  Their lines are 08:30-18:00 Monday to Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday.  Note that there's a £35 fee for phone or email bookings, but this is for the whole booking, not per person or per ticket.  European Rail are one of the few agencies (if not the only agency) who can sell both the Dutch Flyer and onward European train tickets.

	DFDS Seaways Princess of Norway about to sail overnight from Newcastle to Amsterdam...
	A Commodore deluxe cabin with minibar, satellite TV, shower & toilet.  See the video...
	A Seaways class cabin with shower & toilet on DFDS Princess of Norway...

If you live in the North of England or Scotland, the fastest option is to take a train up to London and travel from London to Poland using Eurostar, as described above.  If you choose this option, see this advice on buying cheap connecting train tickets to London.  But there are some useful ferry alternatives which allow you to by-pass London, and spend a day in Amsterdam on the way.  DFDS Seaways run an excellent daily overnight cruise ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam, and P&O Ferries run a daily overnight cruise ferry from Hull to Rotterdam.  So take the overnight ferry to Holland, spend a day exploring Amsterdam, then take the excellent EuroNight sleeper train Jan Kiepura direct from Amsterdam to Warsaw.  A wonderful combination!

Scotland & North of England ► Warsaw, Krakow

• Day 1, take a train to either Hull or Newcastle, whichever is most convenient for where you live.  Transfer to the P&O overnight cruise ferry from Hull to Rotterdam or the DFDS Seaways cruise ferry from Newcastle to IJmuiden, the port of Amsterdam.  Both ferries have bars, restaurants & comfortable en suite cabins, arriving next morning.  For details of timetables, fares & how to buy tickets for travel to Amsterdam via each of these ferry routes, see the Netherlands page.

• Day 2, spend some time in Amsterdam, all the sights are easy walking distance from Centraal station.  Left luggage lockers are available.

• Day 2 evening, take the EuroNight sleeper train Jan Kiepura from Amsterdam to Warsaw.  The Jan Kiepura leaves Amsterdam at 19:01 daily and arrives at Warsaw Centralna at 10:55 next morning (day 3).  Sleeping-car, couchettes & seats are available, for details of what this train is like see here.

• Day 3, change in Warsaw for Krakow, as shown above.

Krakow, Warsaw ► Scotland & North of England

• Day 1, take a train from Krakow to Warsaw, as shown above.

• Day 1, evening:  Take the EuroNight sleeper train Jan Kiepura, leaving Warsaw Centralna at 18:35 daily and arriving Amsterdam Centraal at 09:56 next morning.  Sleeping-car, couchettes & seats available, for details of what this train is like see here.

• Day 2:  Spend the day in Amsterdam.  Left luggage lockers are available.

• Day 2, travel overnight by cruise ferry either with P&O Ferries from Rotterdam to Hull or with DFDS Seaways from IJmuiden (near Amsterdam) to Newcastle, whichever is most convenient for where you live.  Next morning (day 4) transfer to the station and take a train home.  For full details of train & ferry times and how to buy tickets for each of these routes, see the Netherlands page.

Fares & how to buy tickets...

• For journeys via P&O Hull-Rotterdam or DFDS Seaways Newcastle-Amsterdam, first check the ferry times and buy tickets online at www.dfds.co.uk (Newcastle-Amsterdam) or www.poferries.com (Hull-Rotterdam).  Then check train fares and buy train tickets to Hull or Newcastle using www.thetrainline.com or www.nationalrail.co.uk;

• Amsterdam to Warsaw by EuroNight sleeper train starts at €59 one-way with a couchette in a 6-berth compartment, €69 with a couchette in 4-berth, €91 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper, or €151 with a bed in a single-bed sleeper.

• To buy tickets for the Amsterdam-Warsaw sleeper train online, simply go to www.bahn.de (I've set this link up for you to book this train, look for the direct EN train with 0 changes).  Alternatively, you can book by phone with DB's UK office on 08718 80 80 66.

Facilities at Warsaw Centralna station...

Warsaw's Centralna Station is a typical grey concrete Communist-era structure, with a palatial ticket hall (Sala Glowna) above ground was obviously designed to impress us decadent westerners, whilst the actual passengers scurry through dark underground passageways lined with retail kiosks.  However, it has just has a welcome refurbishment, and is now much improved!

Finding your train:  Confusingly, Polish stations use both a platform number (Peron) and a track number (Tor), and it helps to know that the number shown on departure indicators and printed departure posters is the Peron.  At Warsaw Centralna, Peron 1 has Tor 1 on one side of it and Tor 2 the other, Peron 2 has Tor 3 on one side and Tor 4 the other, and so on for Perons 3 & 4.  Most trains start at one of the outlying Warsaw stations (Zachodnia or Wschodnia) and only stop at Centralna for a few minutes, so use the printed departure posters or summary-of-departure TV screens to find the Peron number, and go to that platform.  There are TV departure screens at several locations in the passageway immediately above the platforms, and in the main ticket hall at the top of the steps down to the passageway.  Don't expect your train to appear on the platform departure indicators until maybe 10 minutes or less before it leaves.  The train may well arrive only a few minutes before it is due to depart, this is perfectly normal, so be prepared, be ready at the right Peron and don't panic!

Ticket office:  The main ticket office is in the great ticket hall (the Sala Glowna, pictured below right).  Credit cards are accepted.  Alternatively, privately-run PKP (Polish Railways) ticket agencies can be found in numerous places in the underground passageways immediately above the platforms, with bright orange PKP InterCity branding.  Incidentally, you'll usually be asked at the beginning of a transaction whether you will be paying in cash (gotówka) or card (karta), so be prepared for the question!

International ticket office:  This is located in the north west corner of the Sala Glowna, open daily 09:00-19:30.  It's been refurbished as an attractive modern travel centre with open counters rather than ticket windows.  To buy an international ticket outside its opening hours, go to the main ticket office.

Left luggage:  There are lockers in the passageway above the platforms, or a staffed left luggage office.  Details here.

Food & drink, nearby hotels:  There are numerous shops in the passageways to stock up on food, drink and cheap Polish beer for your journey.  There are MacDonalds & KFC within walking distance.  However, the best place for lunch, if you fancy a minor splurge, is the celebrated U Fukiera restaurant (www.ufukiera.pl) in the main square of the old town 20 minutes walk away.  If you're staying in Warsaw and need a hotel, try the excellent and historic Polonia Palace Hotel, just across the road from Warsaw Centralna station.

1st class lounge at Warsaw:  There is reportedly a new 1st class lounge at Warsaw Centralna, called a VIP Zone, open to all holders of a domestic or international 1st class ticket (including deluxe sleeper passengers on the Jan Kiepura, but not standard sleeper passengers), entrance from Emili Plater Street.  Open 06:00-20:00.

Visiting Warsaw...

Warsaw Centralna station is just across the road from the Palace of Culture skyscraper (below left) and an easy 20 minutes walk from Warsaw's historic old town (below right).  The Warsaw tourist information website is www.um.warszawa.pl/en.

The Palace of Culture is a distinctive 'wedding cake' style Soviet skyscraper, given to Poland as a gift from the Soviet Union.  Originally disliked by Poles for that reason, they are now softening to it a little.  There's a viewing terrace on the 30th floor, you'll need to leave any bags in the free cloakroom on the ground floor.  See the official website, www.pkin.pl.		Warsaw's historic old town is the knife that's had its blade and handle both replaced, as it was almost totally destroyed in WW2 and has been 85% rebuilt from scratch.  However, it's UNESCO-listed because of the effort and care that went into the restoration.  It's well worth a visit, and only a 20 minute walk from Warsaw Centralna.  For a great meal, try the U Fukiera restaurant on the inner square, www.ufukiera.pl.

It's not difficult to buy train tickets for domestic journeys within Poland at the station ticket office.  It can help to write down what you want, in case staff don't speak English very well.  UK agencies such as DB's UK office on 08718 80 80 66 (open 09:00-17:00 Mon-Fri) or www.europeanrail.com can usually get you reservations on international trains starting in Poland.  However, if they have problems, or if you want to see if buying locally would be cheaper, try contacting the following agency in Poland:

Buy Polish domestic intercity tickets at https://bilet.intercity.pl...

You can book Polish inter-city train tickets (but not international ones) online at the Polish Railways InterCity website, https://bilet.intercity.pl.  Their home page is www.intercity.pl.  At https://bilet.intercity.pl, the English button is top right, and you'll need to use the Polish spellings of Krakow and Warszawa.  You pay online with a credit card and print out your own ticket.  Several correspondents have now reported success buying self-print tickets for Polish trains this way, using UK and Dutch credit cards.  If you use this system successfully (or are unsuccessful!) feedback would be appreciated.

Or use Polish train ticketing agency www.polrail.com...

Polish train ticketing agency www.polrail.com comes highly recommended if you want to arrange train tickets within Poland in advance, or book international train tickets starting in Poland, for example, from Warsaw to Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Moscow, Kiev, Lviv or Vilnius, or from Krakow to Prague, Budapest or Vienna, etc..  You should arrange tickets between 10 & 60 days before travel (Polish train reservations open 60 days before departure, but 10 days is necessary for the agency to buy and send tickets). Tickets can be couriered to your home address in any country, or they can arrange ticket collection within Poland, for example, at your hotel.  If you use their services, feedback is always welcome!

Check any Polish train time at http://rozklad.sitkol.pl/bin/query.exe/en...

A recommended journey planner for all Polish trains, including local ones (for example, those linking Krakow with Oswiecim (Auschwitz) see http://rozklad.sitkol.pl/bin/query.exe/en.

Definitely take a good guidebook.  For the independent traveller, I think this means one of two guidebooks, either the Lonely Planet or the Rough Guide.  Both series are excellent.  You can buy an in-depth guide for Poland or a guide covering all the countries in Eastern Europe.  My own book, an essential handbook for train travel to Europe based on this website called "The Man in Seat 61", is due to be published in June 2008, and Amazon will let you pre-order now.

Click the images to buy online at Amazon.co.uk...

The Thomas Cook European Timetable

The Thomas Cook European timetable has train & ferry times for every country in Europe plus currency & climate information.  Published since 1873, it costs £14.99.  It's essential for any serious traveller and an inspiration for armchair travellers.  Still not convinced you need one?  More information on what the Thomas Cook Timetable contains.  You can buy the latest monthly edition online at www.thomascookpublishing.com with worldwide delivery or buy it in person from selected UK branches of Thomas Cook (ask at the bureau de change), or from W H Smiths in Victoria station in London.  Or buy the twice-yearly independent traveller's edition with laminated cover from Amazon.co.uk:  Winter/Spring 2012/13 edition (Dec 2012 to June 2013) or (when available) Summer/Autumn 2013 edition (June to Dec 2013)

The Thomas Cook Rail Map of Europe is the best and most comprehensive map of train routes right across Europe, from Portugal in the west to Istanbul, Moscow & Ukraine in the east, from Finland in the north to Sicily & Crete in the south.  High speed & scenic routes are highlighted.  Highly recommended!  Buy online at www.amazon.co.uk (worldwide delivery).  See an extract from the map.

Find hotels in Warsaw, Krakow or Poland...

Personal recommendations...

In Warsaw, look no further than the excellent Polonia Palace Hotel.  It's just across the road from both the Palace of Culture skyscraper and Warsaw Centralna station, and 20 minutes walk from Warsaw's old town.  Opened in 1913, it was the only hotel to emerge unscathed from WW2, and has been used by many famous people including General (later President) Eisenhower.  It provides very high quality rooms, but at a budget price by western European standards.

Other hotel sites worth trying...

• www.tripadvisor.com is a good place to browse independent travellers' hotel reviews.

• www.booking.com is my own preferred hotel booking system (Hotels Combined being a search/comparison system).  It has a simple interface, a good selection in most countries worldwide, useful online customer reviews of each hotel, and decent prices, usually shown inclusive of unavoidable extras such as taxes (a pet hate of mine is systems that show one price, then charge you another!).

• Also see the Warsaw hotels page and Krakow hotels page on www.venere.com. 

Backpacker hostels...

• If you're on a tight budget, don't forget the hostels.  For a dorm bed or an ultra-cheap private room in backpacker hostels in most European cities use www.hostelbookers.com.

Holidays to Poland by train...

020 3327 0761 (UK) 1-800-408-3280 (USA) 1300 971 526 (Aus) 0800 002 034 (NZ)

If you want a holiday to Krakow or Warsaw by train not plane, but want someone else to organise all the train tickets & hotels for you, one specialist company can do just that, for a holiday with no airport hassles and no long days in cramped coach seats on motorways.

Railbookers for tailor-made tours, holidays & breaks to Krakow, Warsaw & Poland by train...

Railbookers can tailor-make a flight-free holiday to Poland for you, with train travel & hotels, for however long you like, leaving on any date you like.  For example, they suggest a 6 night trip from London to Krakow, Warsaw & Berlin.  See the Railbookers Poland page for suggested itineraries & prices.  Indeed, they can arrange trains and hotels for any tour of eastern Europe to your own specification.  They take good care of their clients, and I have no hesitation in recommending them.

  UK call 020 3327 0761, www.railbookers.com. 

Call toll-free 1-800-408-3280 or www.us.railbookers.com.

Australia call toll-free 1300 971 526, www.railbookers.com.au. 

  New Zealand call toll-free 0800 002 034 or see website.

Send your luggage in advance

Enjoy your journey without heavy luggage... 

Let www.carrymyluggage.com deliver your bags door to door.

If you'd like to enjoy your train journey free of heavy luggage, making it easy to get on and off trains with nothing more than a lightweight daypack or handbag, www.carrymyluggage.com will collect your luggage at your home address a few days before you leave, and will deliver it to addresses all over the EU, so it will be waiting at your hotel when you arrive.  It's not cheap, you can reckon on around £78 per case each way, but this is door to door, covering collection from your home in the UK or other EU country and delivery to an address in another EU country.  I've also arranged a 10% discount if you use the Promo code 'seat61' when booking your bags online.  www.carrymyluggage.com are a reliable company, they also work with companies such as Great Rail Journeys, Virgin Trains, First Great Western, Hull Trains, and South West Trains.

Travel insurance & health card...

Get travel insurance, it's essential...

Never travel without insurance from a reliable travel insurer with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover.  It should also cover loss of cash (up to a limit) & belongings, and cancellation. An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheapest even for just 2 or 3 trips a year (I have an annual policy myself).  Don't expect travel insurance to bail you out of every missed connection, though, see the advice on missed connections here.  Here are some suggested insurers, Seat61 gets a little commission if you buy through these links, and feedback from using insurance for rail & ferry travel is always welcome.

In the UK, use www.confused.com to compare prices & policy features across major insurance companies.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are over 65 (no age limit), see www.JustTravelCover.com.

        If you live in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or the EU, try Columbus Direct's other websites.

   If you live in the USA or Canada, try Travel Guard USA.

Get an EU health card, it's free...

If you're a UK citizen travelling in Europe, you should apply for a free European Health Insurance Card, which entitles you to free or reduced rate health care if you become ill or get injured in many European countries, under a reciprocal arrangement with the NHS.  This replaced the old E111 forms as from January 2006.  The EHIC card is available from www.ehic.org.uk.  It doesn't remove the need for travel insurance, though.

Get a spare credit card, designed for foreign travel with no currency exchange loading & low/no ATM fees

Taking out an extra credit card costs nothing, but if you keep it in a different part of your luggage you won't be left stranded if your wallet gets stolen.  In addition, some credit cards are better for overseas travel than others.  Martin Lewis's www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money explains which UK credit cards have the lowest currency exchange commission loadings when you buy something overseas, and the lowest cash withdrawal fees when you use an ATM abroad.

You can avoid ATM charges and expensive exchange rates with a Caxton FX euro currency Visa Card, or their multi-currency 'Global Traveller' Visa Card, see www.caxtonfx.com for info.

Get an international SIM card to save on mobile data and phone calls...

Mobile phones can cost a fortune to use abroad, and if you're not careful you can return home to find a huge bill.  Consider buying a global pre-paid SIM card for your mobile phone from www.Go-Sim.com, which can slash costs by up to 85%.  Go-Sim cuts call costs in 175 countries worldwide, and you can receive incoming calls and texts for free in 75 countries.  It's pay-as-you-go, so no nasty bills when you get home.  It also allows cheap data access for laptops & PDAs.  A Go-Sim account and any credit on it doesn't expire if it's not used between trips, unlike some others, so a Go-Sim phone number becomes your 'global phone number' for life.