Warsaw to Lodz - how to get there

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Edited by: atom Jan 19, 11, 10:32 #1

Alright, here is my dilemna. I want to end up in Lodz and not sure exactly how to get there. I was told the train would be the best way. Is there a site for the train system?

Now it gets more complicated. I can't speak Polish well. Have a whole arsenal of maybe 20 words so I will need to hit spots/hotels that have some English speaking staff.

So here is the plan....
Take the plane from Canada to Warsaw. Spend a night in Warsaw in a hotel close or on the airport area. I was thinking Holiday Inn but I'm open to suggestions.

From there the next day I grab a train to Lodz and check into a hotel. Here I am not sure where a good place to stay is. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Can someone please suggest a hotel to stay at for a good price and clean. Again preferably some English speaking staff and maybe a restaurant on site or close would be great.

Total stay will be 10 days from arrival to Warsaw.

I may also need a guide in Lodz. If anyone is interested, please leave me a pm with your rate. It may be from half a day to a few days.

Thank you.

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Jan 19, 11, 11:10 #2

People here in Poland are very helpful and most of the young people speak a little English. I have been living in Poland for 5 years and still don't speak Polish so it's worked out for me. Public transport is very good as you'll see and all the hotel have someone who speaks enough English to get you sorted. Lodz is a big town and you shouldn't have many problems getting around. I came from Vancouver to Poland and settled in from the get go.

I'm off the London on the 1st of Feb if you need a ride there :))

It is also very safe in Poland and you may be surprised just how friendly people are here. They are some of the nicest people I have met in any country world-wide!!

Good luck and have fun in Poland.

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Jan 19, 11, 12:00 #3

atom:

Is there a site for the train system?

Try here ... http://rozklad-pkp.pl/?q=en/node/143

atom:

Spend a night in Warsaw in a hotel close or on the airport area.

Take a taxi outside the airport (don't be conned by the guys inside offering you a taxi), or take the 175 bus downtown. Should set you back around PLN 40 for the taxi or PLN 2,80 for the bus. Look for a hotel before you leave. Most of the staff speak English, so no worries about that.

I'm sure others will help you with your questions regarding Łódz.

GotumThreads: 2 Posts: 7 Joined: Jan 19, 11 ♂	Jan 19, 11, 12:16 #4
Oh yes the taxi con works like this. There are courier taxi's and regular taxi's. Courier taxi's can charge you a fortune so ask the cost of the trip before you get in. I made that mistake so be careful.

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Jan 19, 11, 13:30 #5

Hotels in centre and sure to speak English.
Ibis and Campanile 3* at southern end of Piotrkowska.
Andles at Manufaktura 4*. Grand on Piotrkowska 3/4*.
Also local state owned hotels, Centrum, Savoy, Polonia Palac. Would recommend you stick to first 3 quality/value wise, although the last 3 are very near train station.

There are buses direct from warsaw airport to Lodz, not very comfortable but quicker that going into city and getting train.

TeffleThreads: 28 Posts: 2,105 Joined: Aug 26, 10 ♂	Jan 19, 11, 13:36 #6
irishlodz: Grand on Piotrkowska 3/4*. It's nice and very central. Old world - lots of dark woods and brass, huge rooms. Staff speak English, no problem. In fact, there was one absolutely stunning receptionist there a few years ago as well : )

anastazja	Jan 19, 11, 13:55 #7
irishlodz: Also local state owned hotels, Centrum, Savoy, Polonia Palac. Would recommend you stick to first 3 quality/value wise, although the last 3 are very near train station. Grand Hotel is also very close to station. 5-10 min of walk.

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Jan 19, 11, 15:15 #8

Stu:

Try here ... rozklad-pkp.pl/?q=en/node/143

Ok, don't laugh here. How do I do the search? I am really not familiar with any of those names. I want to go from Warsaw Airport to Lodz (don't know exactly where but central station would be good). And what are those icons that one says ICE, the other Ex/IC/EC another TLK/IR/Posp. and Osobowe. I figure Osobowe is tram? I am just looking for the fastest and easiest way.

Also guide in lodz offer is still available if anyone is interested (paid of course).

Thanks everyone for all the help.

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Jan 19, 11, 15:45 #9

atom:

How do I do the search?

Okay ... you look for a journey between Warsaw (Warszawa) and Lodz (Łódź Fabryczna).

Then you will get an overview. You can show the details for the selection you have chosen. And when you click on "Fares", you'll see what it will cost you. Mind you ... Warsaw central station is NOT near the airport.

In a TLK you have a first and a second class (prices PLN 47,50 or PLN 33,30 respectively), in a IR you only have 2nd class (price PLN 26,00). Travel times don't differ that much. If I were you, I'd go for a TLK and first class.

For info about Łódź, you'll have to ask someone else. I know Wrocław ... not Łódź.

TeffleThreads: 28 Posts: 2,105 Joined: Aug 26, 10 ♂	Jan 19, 11, 15:53 #10
Stu: For info about Łódź, you'll have to ask someone else. Don't know if Zetigrek is around much these days but she lives there (I think) and is nice & helpful - I'm sure she can advise.

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Edited by: atom Jan 19, 11, 16:02 #11

Stu:

Okay ... you look for a journey between Warsaw (Warszawa) and Lodz (Łódź Fabryczna).

Then you will get an overview. You can show the details for the selection you have chosen. And when you click on "Fares", you'll see what it will cost you. Mind you ... Warsaw central station is NOT near the airport.

In a TLK you have a first and a second class (prices PLN 47,50 or PLN 33,30 respectively), in a IR you only have 2nd class (price PLN 26,00). Travel times don't differ that much. If I were you, I'd go for a TLK and first class.

For info about Łódź, you'll have to ask someone else. I know Wrocław ... not Łódź.

Thanks. TLK 1st class for sure.

Teffle:

Don't know if Zetigrek is around much these days but she lives there (I think) and is nice & helpful - I'm sure she can advise.

Hasn't been on since Jan 4th. Hopefully she'll come on soon. This is kind of a rush visit so may be as early as the end of next week.

irishlodzThreads: 2 Posts: 115 Joined: Oct 19, 09 ♂	Jan 19, 11, 18:41 #12
try downloading google translate toolbar and it will roughly translate web-pages in polish for you.

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Jan 19, 11, 20:24 #13

10 days in Lodz?? Are you sure? Why do that to yourself?

As an english speaker (I can only say sorry I don't speak Polish in polish and it comes in very handy) I can suggest the following, This is how we get from the airport to Lodz.
Take bus 175 from the airport into Warsaw, it takes just under 30min, You will know to get off when you see the Marriot hotel on your right and the big Warsawa sation om your left.
Go to one of the tickets booths, If you're lucky you get a lady that can speak English, if not, Just write on a piece of paper PKP Lodz, she will then give you the correct ticket. 2nd class is not that bad and it's only 90min. You will be able to see on the boards at what time and from which platform the train will go.
Once in Lodz (train terminantes here) and you've decided to stay at the Ibis, you can walk out the station, turn right, cross the road and bus 57 will take you to Lodz Galaria, you will see it on your left, You're about 200m from Ibis.
There's also some nice hostels in Lodz if you don't mind staying in a hostel (very cheap) and they would probably be able to tell you what to do and where to go.

Hope that helps, because no matter what they say, very few people speak english, even buying food is difficult, but that is all part of the fun,

And yes, If you happen to find someone that speaks english, they will be more than willing to help!

TeffleThreads: 28 Posts: 2,105 Joined: Aug 26, 10 ♂	Jan 20, 11, 10:27 #14
SA guy in Lodz: very few people speak english, Partially my experience but I didn't find this to be the case in hotels, restaurants and bars anyway.

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Jan 20, 11, 11:24 #15

Hi Atom
If I can give you one piece of advice in Lodz it would be this - write everything down in Polish (use google translate)! Most taxi drivers don't speak English and I have found some that don't even understand the words "airport" or "train station". In Warsaw you shouldn't have that problem, though. Try google maps to see which city buses or trams will be able to take you from the station to your hotel (just be careful - the routes are correct on google, but the times are wrong). Also be sure that you can ask to buy a ticket for the trams/buses in Polish - these can be bought at most small shops and newagents in Lodz and you will surely find a shop at Fabryczna station. It should cost about 2,90zl for an half hour ticket or 9,60zl for a 24hr one. You stamp them once you get on the tram/bus and can then use them for the allocated time on ANY tram and any bus in the city. Just be warned - if you're caught without a ticket you will get a 70zl fine.

Now I also have a question: Does any-one know how much a taxi costs from Lodz to Warsaw. We are four people travelling and figures it might work out cheaper to share the taxi fare than to take the train as usually...
Thanx

anastazja

Jan 20, 11, 12:00 #16

Just a girl:

(use google translate)

better not.

Just a girl:

"airport"

lotnisko read:/lotneesko/

Just a girl:

"train station"

dworzec read:/dvozhetz/

Just a girl:

Try google maps to see which city buses or trams will be able to take you from the station to your hotel

If he'll decide to stay in one of those 6 hotels which were mentioned earlier taking a tram or bus is not necessary. Even if he want to stay in Campanille or Ibis he may walk as well (unless he has lots of luggage). Then he can take the tram line along Kilińskiego street (the 2 way street in front of the train station Fabryczny). He has to take tram line nr 1,4 or 5 heading south, get off at 3rd stop (at Piłsudskiego st.) and he has the best shortway he only can get. But note that if you have really lots of luggage (more than 48 dm3) you may need additional regular ticket.
3 tram stops is less than 10 minutes so I suggest to buy 10-minutes regular ticket (bilet normalny dziesięciominutowy). Cost 1,70 PLN.

anastazja

Jan 20, 11, 12:15 #17

Oh and one more info. You can change trams/buses within one ticket time. So if you decide to stay in Ibis and take a tram, you may take one more tram to get off in front of Galeria Łódzka (a shopping mall which is is vis-a-vis of Ibis hotel). So 3 stops by 4,5 or 1 line, then get off and change the tram for every line heading west (14,8,10) and get of at the 1st stop (Sienkiewicza st.)

If you'd like to use tram or buses more frequently it may be useful to print a map of lines.
For trams:
mpk. lodz. pl /files/ tramwaje.pdf

For daily buses:
mpk. lodz. pl /files/ dzienne.pdf

For night buses:
mpk. lodz. pl /files/ autobusy_nocne_od_03_12_2007.pdf

Lodz Guy	Jan 20, 11, 15:43 #18
Lodz maps & tourist info: en.cityoflodz.com/index.php use-it-lodz.pl/ Have you tried Couchsurfing to get free lodging and/or guide?

♂

Edited by: Boz Jan 20, 11, 16:11 #19

Ride into the Center on the 175 bus(be alert for pickpockets) get off at the Marriott, down into
the subway outside of 'Champions' come up on the otherside of the road ...go straight on keeping the Central Station to your right and you'll see the 'Holiday Inn' on the left side of it'll be lots of white mini vans that'll be more than happy to accomodate both you and your baggage(they've got trailers)-and quite possibly get you to Lodz both cheaper, faster and cleaner than the trains

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Jan 20, 11, 19:49 #20

Boz:

Ride into the Center on the 175 bus(be alert for pickpockets) get off at the Marriott, down into
the subway outside of 'Champions' come up on the otherside of the road ...go straight on keeping the Central Station to your right and you'll see the 'Holiday Inn' on the left side of it'll be lots of white mini vans that'll be more than happy to accomodate both you and your baggage(they've got trailers)-and quite possibly get you to Lodz both cheaper, faster and cleaner than the trains

Please explain what the white minivans are? Taxi's? How much would a ride to Lodz cost? Would it be possible to do it straight from the airport? Like a taxi to Lodz? Anyone know the price of that?

Thanks for all the replies everyone. Great place here.

irishlodzThreads: 2 Posts: 115 Joined: Oct 19, 09 ♂	Jan 20, 11, 21:16 #21
atom: Please explain what the white minivans are? There are white buses direct from Warsaw Airport to Lodz train station (about 15 seaters). Cost about 40pln one way. Not the most comfortable but much better than going into city for a train. Information desk at Warsaw airport should be able to help. Easy enough to find and leave every few hours.

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Jan 21, 11, 14:38 #22

irishlodz:

There are white buses direct from Warsaw Airport to Lodz train station (about 15 seaters). Cost about 40pln one way. Not the most comfortable but much better than going into city for a train. Information desk at Warsaw airport should be able to help. Easy enough to find and leave every few hours

Ah, this will probably be what I'm going to go with then. Pretty cheap in my opinion. So I just hop on this and it will take me to Lodz. Will save me a night in Warsaw. In Lodz will the end point be at a place that has a taxi? I am pretty sure I'll be sleep depraved as I can't sleep on planes so will want to get to the hotel as soon as I can and pass out. It looks like the Ibis will be the hotel. Decent price and decent reviews.

irishlodzThreads: 2 Posts: 115 Joined: Oct 19, 09 ♂	Jan 21, 11, 14:59 #23
This bus drops you to Lodz Fabryczna train/bus station. Plenty of taxi's and 2 blocks from city centre. Ibis is about 4 blocks south along Kilinskiego. Ibis pronounced Ebis in Polish.

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