When researching our options for travel between Gdansk and Warsaw, we identified that outside of driving, there were three main options connecting the two cities: plane, train and bus. We immediately eliminated flying as it seemed like it was not a cost effective option and would be more trouble than it was worth.
After doing a little additional evaluation, we decided that the bus was the best option for us. The bus would take less time, was more dependable and cost less than the train. PolskiBus is the main long distance bus operator in Poland. It was easy to locate the schedules and book tickets online in advance.
As usual, we showed up early to the bus station and were there to see the earlier bus depart the station. About 15 minutes prior to departure, the luggage storage and boarding process began. It was a bit chaotic, with everyone trying to get the pole position. The years of practice boarding planes helped! After getting our luggage tagged and stored under the bus, we made our way through the line and on board the double-decker bus. We nestled into our leather seats for the five hour journey to Warsaw. Overall the seats were comfortable and the bus was clean. Announcements were made in both Polish and English—a welcome alternative to other countries that only make announcements in the native language of the originating country.
Surprisingly, the trip was quite enjoyable. In addition to the free wifi, we were pleasantly surprised when a stewardess made her way through the cabin handing out complimentary snacks and beverages. Not only did she give us a choice of orange juice or coffee, but she hand delivered a cup of vanilla ice cream! It was a totally unexpected highlight of the trip!
Taking the bus was WAY better than any other form of transportation. And if the wifi, orange juice, and ice cream weren’t enough…the cost was equivalent to about $12 USD for the journey! The bus (specifically PolksiBus) might be the best way to travel in Poland.
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We took PolskiBus a couple of times and only got ice cream on one occasion. From their website, it looks like ice cream is only offered on “selected journeys”. Even without the ice cream, it’s still a pretty comfortable and affordable way to get around.