POLISH PKP BAD ATTITUDE

POLAND . The Unofficial Guide

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Jan 21, 08, 11:26 #1

Hi,
As a frequent train-traveler and a well-traveled person, I just had the worst experience ever trying to get tickets here in Warsaw. Kinda hoping there's someone happen to read this who is somehow working at PKP...hence the voice is heard and somehow help to improve the quality ...

1) We are non EU citizens. We are studying here in Warsaw, have stayed for more than 3 years.
2) As the rule, we apply for Residency card each year in order to stay for a year of course. And it is obligatory to change it every year. Hence the card always is valid for one year only.
3) When we try to buy global pass from interrail this afternoon. We were refused by the service people there at PKP ticket office in Warsaw central station.
4) There reason is we are not able to “prove” that we have lived in Poland for 6 months.
5) We try to show them the stamps on the passports which truly show the exact date we arrived hence with some easy math they can for sure count how long we have been staying here.
6) Apparently they just don’t want to sell us anything. They keep saying the stamps don’t count. They can’t prove! They are not valid! Which really pissed us. What were they talking about? The stamps from Polish customs inspection counter at the airport? So they are saying that Polish officers fake all the stamps?
7) The lady there tries to call their man in charge. He is even worse. He keeps saying stamps are not valid. They don’t prove. Without any patience, he asks us wait aside, which shows he is just unwilling to solve the problem. God! They are not only rude, but also lack of international sense and poorly educated! They simply don’t trust human beings.
8) All I have said is what I have experienced. Hope it can be something for thought. When PKP is trying to catch up with other western European railway company. Do you really educate your employees and put customers in the first priority?

It would be great if it helps.

KrzysztofThreads: 2 Posts: 1,146 Joined: Jul 26, 07 ♂	Jan 21, 08, 16:56 #2
PKP is a state-owned company, and such companies usually suck when it comes to customer service, they don't need to work hard to get their benefits, because they always stretch their hand for public money when they need them (so basically all the time). So it's a hopeless case (for now) /end of the rant

EurolaThreads: 6 Posts: 2,647 Joined: Dec 2, 06 ♀	Jan 21, 08, 17:06 #3
Did anyone informed you what the expected prove of residence for six months should be? There is some kind of disconnect in this bureaucracy. Have you try to contact PKP's main office? State/government workers suck no matter where you are, anyway.

southernThreads: 116 Posts: 10,959 Joined: May 17, 07 ♂	Jan 21, 08, 17:11 #4
PKP people are very rude and behave like they own the rails.

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Jan 21, 08, 17:14 #5

I also had bad experience with Polish PKP (Polskie Koleje Panstwowe). They just don't care and don't know much about good customer service. They sold me a 1st class ticket and didn't bother to check there were no free seats there (so I had to stand for 8 hrs in a corridor next to cigarette smoking guys). Not to mention the conductor had the whole compartment for himself and would not allow the passangers in.

southernThreads: 116 Posts: 10,959 Joined: May 17, 07 ♂	Jan 21, 08, 17:18 #6
I payed for a meal and they threw me out of the restaurant before taking the meal! because they told me it was forbidden to be in restaurant.They asked for fee because I was sitting in first class and then took the money for themselves and did not give a first class ticket!In my opinion they just want some bribe.

EurolaThreads: 6 Posts: 2,647 Joined: Dec 2, 06 ♀	Jan 21, 08, 17:22 #7
southern wrote: behave like they own the rails. in a way they do...take it or leave it attitude. PKP employees were often described in the past as 'derailed" (a double meaning here). Apparently, it did not improve so far and something to be worked on.

southernThreads: 116 Posts: 10,959 Joined: May 17, 07 ♂	Jan 21, 08, 17:59 #8
Eurola wrote: as 'derailed" They seem to live on another planet.It is an out of earth experience.Rail teritorry.

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Jan 21, 08, 19:25 #9

Story didn’t end there. After all the humiliations and indifference we had in the PKP ticket office. We found another small ticket “window” right opposite to the nicely decorated office. To look at it more carefully, you will find it a private agency belonged to “WASTEELS”. (A French company?) There we had a totally different experience. The lady gave us basic respect which is normally called humanity. Explaining her our needs, date of departure, showing her all the valid residency cards and passports, we soon got everything we want. 4 passes, 4 reserved tickets, 4 copies of map and a lot of understandings and connections without paying anything extra.

Strongly recommend that you purchase your tickets at that ticket counter. You will enjoy your trips more.

plk123Threads: 30 Posts: 6,412 Joined: Aug 29, 07 ♂	Jan 22, 08, 00:23 #10
you can always try to deal with PKS. lol

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Jan 22, 08, 10:03 #11

NO OFFENSE wrote:

e. Without any patience, he asks us wait aside, which shows he is just unwilling to solve the problem. God! They are not only rude, but also lack of international sense and poorly educated! They simply don’t trust human beings.

You have to remember that the Poles are not used to dealing with foreigners. If you ever try to hitch hike, mainly only people who themselves in the past hitch hiked will stop for you or the very lonely who just want a chat! Poland is the same. They have lived under Communism since the war in 1945 and can not travel or speak any foreign languages. They think that everyone must be like them and they have no conception of someone coming from overseas who does not understand the language. It is very prevalent especially among the working class everywhere. To work in a ticket office is not rocket science so they are not really very well educated and after all, selling tickets is not one of the best paid or socially demanding jobs on the planet. Mind you, if you are students living in Poland for three years, can you not understand the lingo?

Wroclaw Boy	Edited by: Wroclaw Boy Jan 22, 08, 10:22 #12
My wife asked an instuctor at PKP what platform her train was leaving from he replied platform 3 I said actually it says 2 on the info board, his reply OH YEH.

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Apr 16, 10, 13:59 #13

i didn't want to start an entire thread for this, so I'm just gonna post it here.

I have to say, after 3+ years of riding PKP trains and hating them, I rode Inter City yesterday from Poznan to Wroclaw and was pleasantly surprised. you have better seating conditions, more "normal" people on the train.....so less drunks/bums, the train rides smoother, is cleaner, and I made it to Wroclaw in 2 hours. I don't like public transport in general, but for a few extra zloties, Inter City trains are well worth it.

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Apr 16, 10, 15:11 #14

FUZZYWICKETS:

I have to say, after 3+ years of riding PKP trains and hating them, I rode Inter City yesterday from Poznan to Wroclaw and was pleasantly surprised. you have better seating conditions, more "normal" people on the train.....so less drunks/bums, the train rides smoother, is cleaner, and I made it to Wroclaw in 2 hours. I don't like public transport in general, but for a few extra zloties, Inter City trains are well worth it.

Just as I said. :)

With the railways in Poland, the old saying "you get what you pay for" is very true. This even extends to ticket windows - it's no surprise that the old idiots working for Przewozy Regionalne are far worse than those working in the service centres for Intercity.

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