Baggage size limit on Trains in Poland?

12 Aug 2014 / #1

Trying to think of what type of luggage I should use when travelling around Poland via the Intercity train.I've never travelled on a train. Is there a limit by size? Is there always room for your bag? Where is it normally stowed? Not sure if I should use my luggage bag with wheels or get a backpack/rolling bag.

Monitor 13 | 1810

12 Aug 2014 / #2

Transport of items (including baby carriages)
A passenger holding a valid ticket can transport - free of charge and as hand luggage - objects which are easy to move and possible to be kept above and under the space occupied by this passenger (including also a disassembled bicycle, a folded baby carriage and one pair of skis).

What items can be transported upon payment of an additional fee?
1) objects which are easy to move, but cannot be kept above or under the space occupied by the passenger - PLN 5.10 per piece;
2) unfolded pram (it should be placed in the first vestibule of the first car or in the last vestibule of the last car of the train) - PLN 9.10 per pram,
3) one non-disassembled and unpackaged two-wheeled bicycle (detailed information can be found in the "Transport of bicycles" section).

Objects placed in cars cannot pose a threat to the safety and order of transport, cause nuisance to other passengers or cause harm to their property.

intercity

Marysienka 1 | 195

12 Aug 2014 / #3

While it is said it has to fit above your seat it doesn't specify how big it has to be.
standard The biggest luggage bags not always fit above your head ( or to be more specific there is place for two of those where luggage for 4 pasangers should fit) but I've never seen anybody charged for it. Keep in mind you probably will have to put your luggage above your head yourself, so don't take more than you can lift.

OP kotkabialy 4 | 8

12 Aug 2014 / #4

Yes my bag is bigger than a carry on sized piece so it sounds like Ill have some room hopefully by my seat. Thanks!

Marysienka 1 | 195

12 Aug 2014 / #5

I wouldn't count on room by your seat. If it's standard medium about 65/40/20 cm it should fit above your head but pack in a way that somebody else could put their smaller bag on it and not damage anything. Be sure you can lift it above your head. (Probably somebody will help you) If you travel Warsaw to Krakow most passengers will board with you and leave with you, but also there are many people who travel with little luggage . It depends on the day ( when exactly do you arrive ? last days of September can be crowded )

Also if your luggage is on two wheels you may have to carry it while on train

Intercity has tree types of carriages (that I've encountered)
with compartments for 8 people in two rows facing each-other , with place for luggage above your head (if there are full people there is enough place on floor for your legs and nothing else and no place under a seat.

- with compartments for 6 people ( those are new cars) as above but with more place as the same space is for 6 pairs of legs and 6 pieces of luggage

In both you can leave your luggage at corridor if necessary.

- - without compartments , looks like inside of a bus but half seats face one direction and half the other. Less space at shelf above you but there is space under a seat. You cant place anything near your seat but there are shelves and free space for luggage at the beginning and end of the carriage.

Regio is no compartments, less space above , no additional space for luggage and more people without any luggage ( depends on route)

OP kotkabialy 4 | 8

13 Aug 2014 / #6

I'm going to be travelling in mid September. Thank you so much for the advice!!!! it looks like my luggage is actually those dimensions so I won't get anything bigger. It's got wheels. Ill get my husband to put it up for me.

Marysienka 1 | 195

13 Aug 2014 / #7

It goes more to the buying ticket, but when travelling with other person , if you get "bez przedziałów" carriage (without compartments) try to get one seat next to window and other next to that seat, they tend to sell two window seats and you end up seating one'e back before another's face.

Dougpol1 29 | 2497

13 Aug 2014 / #8

It seems that my labrador is considered to be excess baggage. PR now have upped the price of carrying said canine to 7 zlotys.

Scum :(

pam

19 Aug 2014 / #9

Merged: Can I travel with a suitcase on trains in Poland?

This might seem like a dumb question, but I haven't seen an awful lot of space for luggage when I've traveled on trains in Poland before.

I don't mind paying extra for a case taking up room, but are there restrictions on luggage size due to space? Obviously this might present problems if a train is particularly crowded.

JurekBenelli - | 10

19 Aug 2014 / #10

Listen Pam.This is a very general question you posted here about suitcases on Polish Trains. When arriving in Warsaw at Chopin Airport there are modern trains with lots of space for suitcases so there is no worry about it.So obviously you can travel on them with suitcases because you are a traveler and coming from somewhere. When traveling on long distance trains there are shelves above seats for bags and suitcases,there are no extra cost for luggage.When traveling on suburban train it is vise to make sure when buying a ticket if there is an extra cost for luggage,I know that more space taking items like for example bicycles fetch extra ticket.Also it is very important to check this kind of issues with ticket sale authorities of each railway company as there are few operating in Poland. For example: Koleje mazowieckie, InterCity, Koleje Regionalne,SKM (Szybka Kolej Miejska)Koleje Slaskie itp.

Cheers
Jerzy

sobieski 106 | 2111

19 Aug 2014 / #11

I know that more space taking items like for example bicycles fetch extra ticket.

Bicycles can be taken without extra cost - just as luggage. Same goes for Warsaw public transport, where a few years ago you still had to buy an extra ticket for them.

gumishu 15 | 6193

19 Aug 2014 / #12

Bicycles can be taken without extra cost - just as luggage.

perhaps something changed in the last couple of years - I haven't traveled with my bicycled on a train since then - but it was always necessary to buy a ticket for a bicycle before

i looked it up - pam if your luggage fits on the shelves above the seats you don't have to pay for it - I never had to pay extra money for luggage on Polish railways - even if a ticket inspector asks you to pay extra money (say in case you have to put your luggage in the passage) it is just 5 zloty per piece

pam

19 Aug 2014 / #13

.Also it is very important to check this kind of issues with ticket sale authorities of each railway company as there are few operating in Poland. For example: Koleje mazowieckie, InterCity, Koleje Regionalne,SKM (Szybka Kolej Miejska)Koleje Slaskie itp.

PKP Intercity say they charge 5.10 PLN for objects which cannot go over or under seats, but there doesn't appear to be any way of paying for this with online booking. You can reserve space for a bicycle only. Plus, I will be changing trains, and some are TLK and some Regio. It's also too early for me to book seats anyway. The money isn't important, I just want to make sure I'm let onto the trains with my luggage as so much of my trip is dependent on train travel.

The last thing I want to do is book hotels in different places and have a problem getting between them.

pam if your luggage fits on the shelves above the seats you don't have to pay for it -

It's the whether it fits on the shelves bit that's worrying me! I've seen the overhead spacing before and it's not that big. If my suitcase doesn't fit and the train is crowded, which I have no way of knowing, then I may have a problem. Can't really compromise over taking a suitcase either as I'll already have to forgo hand luggage as such.

Guess I'll have to decide whether to chance it or not, but thank you both for help :)

Harry

19 Aug 2014 / #14

PKP Intercity say they charge 5.10 PLN for objects which cannot go over or under seats, but there doesn't appear to be any way of paying for this with online booking.

When I used to take my cats on the train I'd just buy a seat to put their boxes on.

Marysienka 1 | 195

19 Aug 2014 / #15

The worst thing happening would be having to pay for excessive luggage in the train.

In Regio the rule is:

Podróżny może przewieźć bezpłatnie jako bagaż ręczny:
1) łatwo przenośne przedmioty w liczbie do 3 sztuk (np. walizka, plecak, torba podróżna, neseser,
narty, paczka, karton, drobny sprzęt gospodarstwa domowego),

that is You can have up to three pieces of easy to carry luggage such as suitcase , backpack, traveling bag, ....

source przewozyregionalne.pl/sites/default/files/pliki/129/08072014-rpr-calosc.pdf

in intercity there is usually enough space for suitcase above your head. And I travelled with another passengers suitcase pressing my legs because it was too heavy for her to put it up, and she did't have any trouble or have to pay anything (that was this spring). If there is no space for your suitcase above because all passengers happen to have big suitcases, just ask konduktor what to do, and ask if you have to pay.

also I just read e-IC rules about buing tickets online

8. Podróżny z ważnym biletem internetowym, odbywający przejazd z dzieckiem do lat 4 lub zamierzający przewieźć rzeczy, niemieszczące się nad i pod zajmowanym miejscem, rower lub psa może nabyć w pociągu odpowiedni bilet na przejazd/przewóz, bez uiszczania opłaty za wydanie biletu w pociągu.

Which is if you have an internet ticket you travel with kids under 4, luggage that doesn't fit above or below your seat, bicycle or a dog you can buy a ticket for them without paying fee for buying ticket at train.

pam

19 Aug 2014 / #16

When I used to take my cats on the train I'd just buy a seat to put their boxes on.

Didn't occur to me to be honest as just about every train I've been on I've ended up standing for at least part of the journey, and obviously I bought tickets.

Admittedly I didn't book in advance, but I'll be doing that this time. Thanks!

Ok, not too worried after reading these posts. Worst case scenario is paying for an extra seat. Thanks Marysienka :)