PKP Intercity non reservation compulsory services

[NCT]

There are (quite a few) intercity services that are not marked reservation compulsory on the DB journey planner. If travelling by Interrail (not yet checked reservation status on the app) without reservations, how easy is it to identify reserved vs non-reserved seats? Last time I travelled on compartment stock the reservation slots didn't seem to be kept up to date.

Many thanks in advance.

 

[Terry Tibbs]

The easiest way is download the PKP Intercity app, look at your train and it will show which seats are free. If your Polish is reasonable or the train staff speak English (good chance one of them will) they will also tell you. The last option is the best option if available. If there is a WARS restaurant coach go and sit in there as reservations are not needed, have a top notch three course meal and some excellent beer. If your journey is long and WARS is busy you may be asked to move on after you’ve eaten but this is by far the best way to travel around Poland on a PKP Intercity train.

 

[NCT]

Thanks for the advice about the app, much appreciated!

And of course a strategically timed visit to the restaurant ...

 

[rvdborgt]

Since PKP don't have enough rolling stock, trains are often fully booked.

 

[Austriantrain]

Since PKP don't have enough rolling stock,

… and hinder any attempt at competition…

trains are often fully booked

 

[Bletchleyite]

Most PKP trains aren't compulsory reservation. They work a bit like our "fake compulsory" in that tickets are sold with a reservation and cease being sold (other than on board I think) for specific trains when the reservations run out. The key difference is that they don't mark reservations so not having one is rather a pain.

The exception is the EIP (Pendolino) where there is a fine if you board without a reservation. There are probably also a few others like that now as they seem to be moving that way generally.

 

[rvdborgt]

The exception is the EIP (Pendolino) where there is a fine if you board without a reservation.

The EIP reservation also includes a supplement.

There are probably also a few others like that now as they seem to be moving that way generally.

I'm not sure which way they're going. Some years ago, all long-distance trains had compulsory reservations, then they didn't (except EIP), then COVID came and they did again, and now most don't.

 

[NCT]

I'll be doing Szczecin - Bydgoszcz (changing at Poznan) on a Sunday afternoon. Should I book reservations to be on the safe side?

 

[rvdborgt]

I'll be doing Szczecin - Bydgoszcz (changing at Poznan) on a Sunday afternoon. Should I book reservations to be on the safe side?

Yes. Sunday afternoon is generally very, very busy. Reservations are very cheap (PLN 3), so I'd just book.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'll be doing Szczecin - Bydgoszcz (changing at Poznan) on a Sunday afternoon. Should I book reservations to be on the safe side?

I would advise always booking a reservation when travelling on PKP IC, purely to avoid games of musical chairs as reservations are not marked and I don't think there is an unreserved coach.

 

[NCT]

Thanks for all the advice!

 

[JB_B]

The easiest way is download the PKP Intercity app, look at your train and it will show which seats are free. If your Polish is reasonable or the train staff speak English (good chance one of them will) they will also tell you. The last option is the best option if available. If there is a WARS restaurant coach go and sit in there as reservations are not needed, have a top notch three course meal and some excellent beer. If your journey is long and WARS is busy you may be asked to move on after you’ve eaten but this is by far the best way to travel around Poland on a PKP Intercity train.

Out of interest, does the PKP app allow for making simultaneous reservations for multiple Interrail pass holders ? ( I've never found a way of doing that via the PKP website - it seems that the pass number gets linked to the PKP account.)

100% agree with you about the WARS buffets - they're one of the best things about Polish railways. On our Berlin-Warsaw trip last month it was also the only carriage with good aircon.

 

[rvdborgt]

Out of interest, does the PKP app allow for making simultaneous reservations for multiple Interrail pass holders ? ( I've never found a way of doing that via the PKP website - it seems that the pass number gets linked to the PKP account.)

No it doesn't. There is often a seat map though, so you can pick seats next to each other. It's still a bit of a chore if you're doing reservations for a group on multiple trains...

 

[JB_B]

No it doesn't. There is often a seat map though, so you can pick seats next to each other. It's still a bit of a chore of you're doing reservations for a group on multiple trains...

Useful to know that the app is no better (in that respect) , thanks

And yes it is/was a bit of a chore.

 

[Quenfight]

We travelled on a PKPIC train from Warsaw to Poznan, without a seat reservation, and ended up in someone's booked seat 3 times and had to keep swapping. If you don't use the app or ask the guard there is no way of telling if a seat is reserved. I'd recommend booking a reservation if I were you.

 

[peteb]

I've noticed several PKP intercity and EC trains add or lose carriages en-route. A train arriving in Wroclaw for Gydania was rammed, but on departure I found they'd added about 5 carriages and moved to that part of the train with no problems.

 

[Robski]

As a general rule the only non-EIP trains which are routinely marked as reservations compulsory are those operated by PESA Dart units due to alleged structural issues with the fleet (the restrictions have to be there because of an ongoing lawsuit). There are also some international trains where you are required to have a reservation, but only for international passengers.

 

[NCT]

Managed to get a reservation for IC8320. PKP said IC262 was full. Tried the CD website and managed to bag one of the very last seats left.

 

[Terry Tibbs]

I think that is worked by ‘Flirt’ units. They are very pleasant and when in First it’s a particularly comfortable ride. There is a small WARS restaurant on that train and the summer offers onboard are all good. I hope you enjoy your journey!

 

[rvdborgt]

Managed to get a reservation for IC8320. PKP said IC262 was full. Tried the CD website and managed to bag one of the very last seats left.

Another trick I learned this year is that a small amount of seats (often 6) is only opened for reservation 2 hours before departure time at each station. If you have Interrail, then the best is to sit ready 2 hours before the train leaves from its first station and then book a seat from there to where you need to go.

 

[NCT]

Completed said journey today. As predicted by all, the trains were very busy with people sat in vestibules. My reserved seat on IC/EC262 was occupied by someone I was too nice to kick out for a relatively small part of the journey.

Otherwise thanks for the unanimous advice to reserve seats.