← DOZ Maraton Łódź·Day trip

Warsaw: The Capital by Direct Train

A direct Intercity train puts Warsaw's Royal Castle square and Old Town an hour and a quarter from the arena hotels, with one Monday trap to plan around.

DurationDay trip
TransitPKP Intercity direct train, about 1 hr 10 min to 1 hr 30 min from Łódź Fabryczna
DepartsŁódź Fabryczna

After the Łódź Marathon: Warsaw

The Route: Łódź Fabryczna → Warszawa Centralna → Old Town → Łódź Fabryczna Logistics: Direct PKP Intercity trains, then local transport in Warsaw. A straight out-and-back with no overnight. Marathon Month: April Duration: Day trip

Łódź Fabryczna ──(1 hr 10 min to 1 hr 30 min, PKP Intercity)──> Warszawa Centralna ──(local transport)──> Royal Castle, Old Town
        ▲                                                                                                          │
        └──────────────────────────────(direct train back)────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

The DOZ Maraton Łódź finishes on a Sunday in April, which makes the Monday the day most runners have free. Monday is also the day the Royal Castle in Warsaw is shut. It opens Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 to 18:00, so a Monday trip is a walk around the exterior and the streets, and the interiors belong to a later day.

April in Warsaw: a coat belongs in the day bag. Monday closures across the city's museums mean checking each opening day before leaving Łódź.

Direct trains run from Łódź Fabryczna to Warszawa Centralna in roughly 1 hour 7 minutes to 1 hour 28 minutes, operated mainly by PKP Intercity. A standard ticket usually costs between PLN 25 and 55 (about £5 to £11), and domestic tickets go on sale up to 30 days before travel. Local transport links the station to the Old Town, so check the current route on the day.

Plac Zamkowy and the Old Town

The Royal Castle stands at plac Zamkowy 4, on the Vistula escarpment at the entrance to the Old Town. It was the residence of Polish kings and the seat of the Sejm. The building was almost destroyed in the Second World War and was rebuilt between 1971 and 1988, paid for by a nationwide public fundraising effort. Interiors cost PLN 60 for the Royal Route or the Museum Route with an audio guide, and PLN 95 for the combined Castle Route, at current published prices. Use those as a guide only.

On a Monday the castle square and the Old Town streets behind it are the realistic plan. Keep the walking short, since a marathon leaves the quads sore for two or three days, and step-free access details for the castle are on its own website.

Getting back

Direct Intercity services run between the two cities through the day. Check the last departure before leaving the city centre, and book the return seat when buying the outward ticket if the fare tier needs one.