ADVERTISEMENTThe new 'Adriatic Express' rail route is a response to existing tourism from Poland to Croatia, as well as an incentive for new visitors to travel to the country. According to the Travel Croatia portal, the country welcomed more than 1.2 million Polish tourists last year. This number is now only expected to grow. The train route is also expected to work the other way around and encourage more Croatians to visit Poland.
The night train runs from Warsaw to the city of Rijeka in north-western Croatia. It stops several times in Poland, as well as in the Czech Republic, Austria and Slovenia. It covers its 19-hour journey four times a week and is one of the longest train services in Europe.
Discussions about the route first began four years ago, but concrete plans were disrupted by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. In May, however, Donald Tusk announced in a post on Platform X that there would be a direct overnight train from Poland to Croatia the following month.
"We finally have a DIRECT train service from Poland to Croatia! We are starting from June, four days a week" - the Polish Prime Minister wrote.
Already from the first journey, the train seems to be a commercial success. According to PKP Intercity, more than 90% of the seats and all couchettes were booked.
There are 172 seats on the train, including 132 second class seats and 40 couchettes.
Infrastructure Minister Dariusz Klimczak also commented on the issue on Platform X.
"This is the beginning of a new chapter for holiday rail travel!" - he wrote in the post.
"This is not only a fast and convenient connection, but also a symbol of accessible European holidays - also from smaller towns!" - he added.
The new train departs Warsaw at around 14:00 and arrives in Rijeka before 09:00 the following day. It returns from Croatia at around 19:00, arriving in Warsaw before 14:00.
One-way fares on the new route start at around PLN 200 (€50).
The connection is initially designed just for the tourist season and will operate until the end of the summer holidays, with the last night train from Warsaw scheduled for 28 August.