Poland Rail Pass - Poland Rail PassesPoland Rail Pass - Polish Rail Passes Poland is officially the Republic of Poland. Poland is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of 312,696 km2 (120,733 sq mi). Poland has a population of over 38 million, and is the fifth-most populous member state of the European Union. Its territory extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south. Poland is bordered by Lithuania and Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) to the northeast, Belarus and Ukraine to the east, Slovakia and the Czech Republic to the south, and Germany to the west. Warsaw is the nation's capital and largest metropolis, and other major cities include Kraków, Łódź, Wrocław, Poznań, Gdańsk, and Szczecin. In the north-west is the Baltic seacoast spanning from the Bay of Pomerania to the Gulf of Gdańsk. The coast is marked by several spits, coastal lakes (former bays that have been cut off from the sea), and dunes. The largely straight coastline is indented by the Szczecin Lagoon, the Bay of Puck, and the Vistula Lagoon. From Warsaw to Gdan'sk and everywhere in between, you'll love the 14th century Gothic castles, sandy beaches of the Baltic coast, unmistakable history and much more while hopping on and off the trains at your leisure in Poland! Poland is served by an extensive network of railways. In most cities the main railway station is located near a city centre and is well connected to the local transportation system. The infrastructure is operated by PKP Group. The rail network is very dense in western and northern Poland, while eastern part of the country is less developed. The capital city, Warsaw, has the country's only rapid transit system, the Warsaw Metro. The only high-speed rail line (though by most definitions, real high-speed rail only includes speeds over 200 km/h) in central-eastern Europe is the Central Rail Line (Poland), Centralna Magistrala Kolejowa (CMK). It has a length of 223 km (139 mi). Polskie Koleje Państwowe SA or PKP SA or Polish State Railways Inc. is the dominant railway operator in Poland. The company was founded when the former Polskie Koleje Państwowe state-owned operator was divided into several units based on the requirements laid down by the European Union. PKP SA is the dominant company in PKP Group collective. Poland has 23,429 kilometres (14,558 miles) of railway track, the third longest in European Union, after Germany and France. The Polish State Railways (PKP) is the dominant railway operator in the country. In December 2014, Poland began to implement high–speed rail routes connecting major Polish cities, and started passenger service using the New Pendolino train, operating at 200 km/h on the Central Rail Line (CMK). Polish regulations allow trains without ETCS to travel at speeds up to 160 km/h, trains with ETCS1 up to 200 km/h, and trains with ETCS2 at over 200 km/h. Most inter-regional connections rail routes in Poland are operated by PKP Intercity, whilst regional trains are run by a number of private operators, the largest of which is Polregio. The largest passenger train station in terms of the number of travelers is Wrocław Główny. PKP Intercity is a semi-independent division of PKP that operates long-distance passenger trains in Poland. It was founded in 2001 when, in preparation for joining the European Union, the Polish State Railways were reorganised into a number of independent operating companies under the unified direction of the PKP Group. Warszawa Centralna railway station Kraków Central station Łódź Fabryczna railway station Gdańsk Główny railway station Katowice railway station Wrocław Główny railway station Poznań Główny railway station Tourist attractions in Poland vary, from the mountains in the south to the sandy beaches in the north, with a trail of nearly every architectural style. The most visited city is Kraków, which was the former capital of Poland and serves as a relic of the Polish Golden Age and the Renaissance. Kraków also held royal coronations of most Polish kings and monarchs at Wawel, the nation's chief historical landmark. Among other notable sites in the country is Wrocław, one of the oldest cities in Poland which was a model for the founding of Kraków. Wrocław is famous for its dwarf statues, a large market square with two town halls, and the oldest Zoological Gardens with one of the world's largest number of animal species. The Polish capital Warsaw and its historical Old Town were entirely reconstructed after wartime destruction. Other cities attracting countless tourists include Gdańsk, Poznań, Lublin, Toruń as well as the site of the German Auschwitz concentration camp in Oświęcim. A notable highlight is the 13th-century Wieliczka Salt Mine with its labyrinthine tunnels, a subterranean lake and chapels carved by miners out of rock salt beneath the ground. Poland's main tourist offerings include outdoor activities such as skiing, sailing, mountain hiking and climbing, as well as agritourism, sightseeing historical monuments. Tourist destinations include the Baltic Sea coast in the north; the Masurian Lake District and Białowieża Forest in the east; on the south Karkonosze, the Table Mountains and the Tatra Mountains, where Rysy is the highest peak of Poland, and Eagle's Path mountain trail are located. The Pieniny and Bieszczady Mountains lie in the extreme south-east. There are over 100 castles in the country, most in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship, and also on the Trail of the Eagles' Nests. The largest castle in the world by land area is situated in Malbork, in north-central Poland. The air and maritime transport markets in Poland are largely well developed. Poland has a number of international airports, the largest of which is Warsaw Chopin Airport, the primary global hub for LOT Polish Airlines. Other major airports with international connections include John Paul II International Airport Kraków–Balice, Copernicus Airport Wrocław, Gdańsk Lech Wałęsa Airport. Poland 1 Country Pass Eurail Poland Pass (Eurail is a European Rail Pass for Non Europeans) Interrail Poland Pass (Interrail is a European Rail Pass for Europeans) Eurail 2 Country Select Pass Poland 2 Countries Pass Discover Poland, Czech Republic and Germany by train. If you want to get a taste of 2 different cultures on a single trip, choose the Eurail Two Country Select Pass (previously called the Eurail Regional Pass). This pass lets you discover 2 bordering European countries by train and offers the best value if you want to focus your adventure on a specific part of Europe Pick your itinerary and travel to three popular cities in Europe: Hungary, Romania, Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia or Montenegro. European East Pass Make your way through picturesque scenery with unlimited train travel in Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria and Hungary. Central Europe Triangle Pass Discover some of the most popular destinations in Central Europe as you travel between Vienna, Prague and Budapest or Salzburg The Central Europe Triangle Pass Eurail 3 Country Select Pass Poland 3 Countries Pass Travel in 3 bordering countries in Europe. Delve deeper into the culture, landscape, and everyday life of 1 region in Europe. With the Eurail Three Country Select Pass you can narrow your trip to 3 bordering countries Eurail 4 Country Select Pass Poland 4 Countries Pass Travel in 4 bordering countries in Europe. Travel by train in 4 European countries with the Eurail Four Country Select Pass. You can pick the 4 bordering countries you'd like to visit below Eurail Global Rail Pass 33 Countries Pass Enjoy train travel in 33 countries with this one pass! Eurail Pass Benefits in Poland | |||||
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