TLDR
From Chopin Airport, take the SKM S2 or S3 train to Warszawa Centralna (around 25 minutes, about 4.40 zł). From Modlin Airport, the Modlin Bus shuttle to Warszawa Centralna (about 50 minutes, around 33 zł). In the city, download Jakdojade and buy ZTM tickets, single ride 4.40 zł, 24-hour ticket 15 zł. Two metro lines (M1 north-south, M2 east-west) cross at Świętokrzyska. Trams cover the gaps. Walking the centre is genuinely the fastest option for short hops.
Insider Tip
Buy your ZTM ticket on the official mobyBilet, mPay or Jakdojade app rather than at a kiosk. You can validate by NFC on the metro gates and on bus/tram readers, and there’s no language barrier. Same prices as paper tickets, way less hassle.
Planning your stay? Check current rates at Warszawa Centrum. A central, walkable base for exploring Warszawa.
Chopin Airport (WAW) to Central Warszawa
Frédéric Chopin Airport (Lotnisko Chopina), code WAW, sits about 8 km south-west of the city centre. Three main ways into town:
SKM commuter train (S2 or S3 line), best for most travellers. Trains run from underneath Terminal 1 every 15-30 minutes. Takes 20 minutes to Warszawa Centralna or 25 minutes to Warszawa Śródmieście. A standard ZTM single ticket (around 4.40 zł) covers it. Buy at the machines on the platform or via the mPay/mobyBilet app.
Bus 175, ZTM city bus running from outside Terminal 1 to the centre via Centralna and on to the Old Town. Takes 30-40 minutes depending on traffic. Same 4.40 zł ZTM ticket. Useful at night when trains are less frequent (the bus 148 covers nights).
Taxi or Bolt/Uber, official taxi rank outside Terminal 1. To Twarda 52, expect 50-80 zł and 20-30 minutes. Bolt is usually 5-15 zł cheaper than the official taxis. Useful with luggage or late at night.
Modlin Airport (WMI) to Central Warszawa
Modlin (WMI), 35 km north of Warszawa, is the Ryanair airport. There’s no train direct to the city, so plan on:
Modlin Bus, coach service from outside the terminal to Warszawa Centralna. Around 50 minutes, around 33 zł one-way (about 60 zł return), runs hourly through the day matching arrivals. Book ahead online for a guaranteed seat.
Train via Modlin railway station, a free shuttle bus connects the airport to Modlin train station (8 km away), then a regional train to Warszawa Centralna or Warszawa Gdańska. Total about 70-80 minutes including waiting. Cheaper than the coach but less convenient with luggage.
Taxi/Bolt, around 200-280 zł and 45-60 minutes depending on traffic. Worth it for groups of 3-4 splitting the cost or for late-night arrivals.
Warszawa Centralna and the Train Network
Warszawa Centralna is the main intercity station, an 8-minute walk from Twarda 52. From here you can reach Kraków in 2h20 (about 100-180 zł in second class on the EIC/IC), Gdańsk in 2h45 (about 100-180 zł), Berlin in 6 hours (around 180 zł), and most of Poland in under 5 hours.
Don’t confuse it with Warszawa Śródmieście, which is right next to Centralna but serves the SKM commuter trains, or Warszawa Wschodnia (East) on the Praga side, which serves some longer-distance routes. If your ticket says one specifically, pay attention.
Tickets are easiest bought online at intercity.pl or via the IC app. The kiosks at the station accept cards but the queues can be long at peak times. Reservations are mandatory on most intercity trains, do this at booking, not on the platform.
“Modern, efficient airport. Train to the city centre is dead simple, escalator down to the platform, train every 20 minutes, in town in under half an hour. Better than half the western European airports.”
The Warszawa Metro: Two Lines, One Interchange
Warszawa has two metro lines: M1 (blue) running north-south from Młociny to Kabaty, and M2 (red) running east-west from Bemowo through the city centre to Bródno. They cross at Świętokrzyska, the only interchange.
From Twarda 52, the closest station is Rondo ONZ on the M2 (red) line, 6 minutes’ walk. Świętokrzyska (M1+M2) is 9 minutes. Centrum (M1) is 10 minutes.
Trains run every 2-4 minutes at peak, every 5-10 minutes off-peak. First train around 5am, last train around 12:30am. On Friday and Saturday nights, M1 runs all night.
A single ZTM ticket (around 4.40 zł) is valid for 75 minutes across metro, tram and bus, including transfers. Touch in at the gates with your phone (NFC) or scan a paper ticket.
Trams and Buses: ZTM Network
Trams cover everywhere the metro doesn’t. From Rondo ONZ near the hotel, key lines:
Tram 17 to Stare Miasto and Praga via Wybrzeże Kościuszkowskie, 15 minutes to the Old Town.
Tram 33 through Centrum and east towards Targówek.
Tram 1, 11, 22 from nearby Towarowa through Wola.
Bus 175 from Centralna to Chopin Airport via the Old Town.
Same ZTM ticket as the metro. Validate on board (yellow boxes for paper, NFC for phone tickets). Inspectors do check, and the fine is around 266 zł, not worth chancing.
Tickets and the Jakdojade App
Single ride (75 min): 4.40 zł.
20-minute ticket: 3.40 zł, useful for short hops only.
24-hour ticket: 15 zł, pays for itself with 4 rides.
Weekend ticket (Friday 7pm to Monday 8am): 24 zł, excellent value if you’re here for a long weekend.
Three-day ticket: 36 zł.
Buy tickets at any metro station vending machine, at most kiosks, or, best, via the Jakdojade app (also gives you live route planning), mPay or mobyBilet.
Jakdojade in particular is what every local uses. It tells you which tram, which platform, where to change, and how long the walk is. Free, English interface, works offline if you’ve cached your route.
Taxi, Bolt, Uber, and Free Now
Bolt is the most popular ride-hailing app in Warszawa. Uber and Free Now both work but generally cost a few złoty more. Pricing in central Warszawa: short hops 15-25 zł, hotel-to-airport around 50-70 zł.
Official taxis are clean, metered and reliable, but always confirm the price or insist on the meter. The official airport taxis (City Taxi, Sawa Taxi, ELE Taxi) all post fixed-price boards. Avoid unmarked taxis loitering outside the train station, those are the only ones with a reputation for overcharging tourists.
Late-night safety note: Bolt is generally fine and well-tracked. Solo travellers may prefer it over a flagged street taxi for that reason.
Veturilo Bikes, Walking, and What to Skip
Veturilo is the city bike-share. Stations every few blocks, usable via the Veturilo or Nextbike app, around 1 zł for the first 20 minutes. Warszawa is mostly flat and the centre has decent bike lanes, particularly along the Wisła riverside and Krakowskie Przedmieście.
Walking is genuinely the fastest option for short hops in the centre. Twarda 52 to the Palace of Culture is 6 minutes, to the Old Town is 25 minutes, to Hala Koszyki is 15 minutes.
Skip: the city tourist hop-on hop-off bus (overpriced, slower than the tram, and the buses sit in traffic). The horse-drawn carriages around the Old Town are a tourist trap. Renting a car for a Warszawa-only trip is unnecessary and parking is a nightmare, only worth it if you’re driving onwards to Kazimierz Dolny or another day trip.
“Excellent location, close to the central train station. The room was large enough, breakfast very tasty and various. Staff very helpful.”
See What Warszawa Centrum Looks Like
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Check current prices at Warszawa Centrum
Warszawa Centrum (Holiday Inn Warsaw City Centre) sits two blocks from the Palace of Culture and an 8-minute walk from Warszawa Centralna. A reliable base for everything on this list.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get from Chopin Airport to central Warszawa?
The SKM S2 or S3 train from underneath Terminal 1 to Warszawa Centralna takes 20 minutes and costs around 4.40 zł on a standard ZTM ticket. Bus 175 takes 30-40 minutes for the same fare. Bolt or taxi runs 50-80 zł and takes 20-30 minutes.
How do I get from Modlin Airport to Warszawa?
The Modlin Bus shuttle from outside the terminal to Warszawa Centralna takes about 50 minutes and costs around 33 zł one-way. Buses run hourly. The slower train option (free shuttle to Modlin station, then a regional train) takes 70-80 minutes but is cheaper.
Is the Warszawa metro good?
Yes, clean, modern, frequent and very easy to use. Two lines (M1 north-south, M2 east-west) cross at Świętokrzyska. Trains every 2-4 minutes at peak. The whole system uses the same ZTM ticket as the trams and buses.
How much is a single metro ticket in Warszawa?
Around 4.40 zł for a standard single (valid 75 minutes across metro, tram and bus including transfers). A 24-hour ticket is around 15 zł, a weekend ticket 24 zł, and a three-day ticket 36 zł. Buy from station vending machines or via the Jakdojade, mPay or mobyBilet apps.
What is the Jakdojade app?
Jakdojade is the public-transport route-planner everyone in Warszawa uses. It shows you the next tram, the next bus, which platform, how long you’ll wait, and how long the walking transfer will take. It also sells ZTM tickets in-app. Free, English interface, works in 99% of Polish cities.
Is Uber or Bolt better in Warszawa?
Bolt is the most popular and usually slightly cheaper. Uber works fine. Free Now also operates. Short hops in the centre are 15-25 zł. From the hotel area to the airport is around 50-70 zł by Bolt.
Do I need a car in Warszawa?
No. The metro, trams and buses cover everything you’d need, and central Warszawa is very walkable. A car only makes sense if you’re planning out-of-town day trips like Kazimierz Dolny or Kraków by road. Parking in central Warszawa is expensive and limited.
How far is Warszawa Centralna from the city centre?
It is in the city centre. The station sits at the south end of the central business district, a 5-minute walk to the Palace of Culture and an 8-minute walk to most central hotels including Twarda 52.