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Amsterdam to Krakow and back


watsonchua  
29 Nov 2009 /  #1
Hi all,

I'll be attending a conference in Krakow from 16th Feb to 18th Feb.
I'll be taking a flight to Amsterdam (through Malaysia Airlines) which is scheduled to reach Schipol airport at 6.05am on 15th Feb.

From here, I have a few options to get to Krakow by 15th night.
The first option which Im contemplating is to take the Austrian airlines flight from Amsterdam to Krakow which stops over at Vienna. The flight will leave amsterdam at 10.35am and I have 4 plus hours of connection time. Nevertheless, Im afraid that there will be a delay in reaching AMS and I will not be able to catch the flight.

Another option is to take LOT from AMS to Warsaw and take a train from Warsaw to Krakow. Does anyone know if the train station in Warsaw is near the airport? However, this flight is also around 10 plus and I will face the same problem if my flight to Amsterdam is significantly delayed.

When I checked with the airline company, it seems that if i miss the connecting flight, I'll have to buy a new ticket as it's the cheapest ticket and thus no changes are allowed. However, if I buy a one way ticket (which is significantly more expensive), I will be able to have the time changed if I miss the connecting flight. So, the third option is to buy a one way ticket from Ams to Krakow and take a train from Krk to Ams on the return. Does anyone know how long is the journey from KRK to AMS and how much does it cost? I think there's no direct train and I'll have to stopover somewhere.

So which is the best option to take given that I have to reach KRK latest by 15th Feb night?
i) Go for the 10.35am flight from AMS to KRK with stopover at Vienna.
ii) Go for the 10.35am flight from AMS to WAW and take a train to KRK.
iv) Take a later flight (around 6pm) from AMS to KRK with stopover at Vienna.
v) Take a later flight (around 6pm) AMS to WAW and take a train to KRK.
vi) Buy a one-way ticket from AMS to KRK and take the train back from KRK to AMS after the conference.
vii) Other options.

Sorry for the long post and any help is kindly appreciated. =)

Thanks and Regards,
Watson
SzwedwPolsce 11 | 1,594  
30 Nov 2009 /  #2
It takes about half an hour with taxi from Waw Airport to the Central Station. Rather cheap (30 zl) if you get a "normal" taxi from the taxi line, the persons offering you taxis in the Airport are twice as expensive.

i) Go for the 10.35am flight from AMS to KRK with stopover at Vienna.

I'm sure this one is the easiest and most convenient. Delays can occur anywhere, that's life.
Lukasz K - | 103  
30 Nov 2009 /  #3
About your return journey:
There is direct train from Warsaw to Amsterdam which leaves Warsaw at about 18.30 - it's a slow overnight train which reaches Amsterdam at 10 am but it's quite cheap. The trains from Krakow to Warsaw are leaving nearly every hour thought the day and the journey takes about 3 hours with IC train (cost about 100 PLN).

Regards

Lukasz
Arien 3 | 719  
30 Nov 2009 /  #4
Take a later flight (around 6pm) from AMS to KRK with stopover at Vienna.

Buy a one-way ticket from AMS to KRK and take the train back from KRK to AMS after the conference.

I don't know how important this conference is, but it's always a good thing to have a plan B when you're having serious doubts. (Hey, it's better to be safe than sorry?)

Does anyone know how long is the journey from KRK to AMS and how much does it cost?

The journey will take about 40 minutes, and around the dates you've provided for us, you should expect the price of a ticket to be around 108 €, and a one-way ticket around 49 €. (If you take off from AMS.)

:)

Powodzenia!
OP watsonchua  
2 Dec 2009 /  #5
Hi people, thank you very much for your replies!

SzwedwPolsce

I'm sure this one is the easiest and most convenient. Delays can occur anywhere, that's life.

Yup. I suppose taking the 10.35am flight is the easiest and most convenient too. But if possible, I will like to experience taking the train (on the way back)

to enjoy the nice scenery along the way.

Lukasz K

About your return journey:
There is direct train from Warsaw to Amsterdam which leaves Warsaw at about 18.30 - it's a slow overnight train which reaches Amsterdam at 10 am but it's quite cheap. The trains from Krakow to Warsaw are leaving nearly every hour thought the day and the journey takes about 3 hours with IC train (cost about 100 PLN).

Thanks for the train information, Lukasz. Are there any websites which I can check out the exact train timings?
If I show my student pass (from Singapore), will I be able to get cheaper tickets?

Arien

The journey will take about 40 minutes, and around the dates you've provided for us, you should expect the price of a ticket to be around 108 €, and a one-way ticket around 49 €. (If you take off from AMS.)

40 minutes? That's very fast!!!! What I mean to ask is how long the train journey from Krakow to Amsterdam will take. I think you misunderstood my question. How can it be so fast? =)

Currently, there are 3 airlines going from Amsterdam to Krakow: Austrian (via Vienna), Czech (via Prague) and LOT (via Warsaw). Anyone have any recommendations on which one to take? Or are they more or less the same?

Thanks a lot, people. Really appreciate your help!
Lukasz K - | 103  
2 Dec 2009 /  #6
About the trains Warsaw-Amsterdam:

rozklad-pkp.pl/query.php

reiseauskunft.bahn.de

What is funny, the tickets are probably chepaer if you buy them via Deutche Bahn website.

Regards

Lukasz
Arien 3 | 719  
2 Dec 2009 /  #7
40 minutes? That's very fast!!!!

I meant a direct flight ofcourse. In most cases, you'll have a stop in either Warszawa or Katowice. (Katowice is closer though!)

What I mean to ask is how long the train journey from Krakow to Amsterdam will take.

Long? I can't give you the exact time schedule when you're travelling through three different countries by train. I would book a flight if I were you though. (It's probably going to be cheaper aswell!)

Currently, there are 3 airlines going from Amsterdam to Krakow: Austrian (via Vienna), Czech (via Prague) and LOT (via Warsaw). Anyone have any recommendations on which one to take? Or are they more or less the same?

You can also book a flight from Rotterdam Airport (Or from Eindhoven.) to Katowice. You'll probably reach Kraków much faster that way. Just a suggestion ofcourse!

:)
OP watsonchua  
2 Dec 2009 /  #8
What is funny, the tickets are probably chepaer if you buy them via Deutche Bahn website.

Thanks Lukasz, for the links. I checked eurorail before this and the train rides are around 17 hours long. I guess I'll have to take a plane. =(

You can also book a flight from Rotterdam Airport (Or from Eindhoven.) to Katowice. You'll probably reach Kraków much faster that way. Just a suggestion ofcourse!

Oh that's new! I didn't know that! Do you know which airline plies that route? And is it difficult to get from Amsterdam to Rotterdam Airport. My connecting flight will be arriving in Amsterdam.

So from Katowice to Krakow, I'll take a bus?

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