How to get from London to Warsaw

How to Travel from London to Warsaw?

You are spoiled for choice when it comes to transport options from London to Warsaw. You can choose to travel by train, by bus, or by plane depending on your needs. The travel time to Warsaw from London is usually around 2h plus by plane, 24h by bus, and usually 23h 35min by train. Flights and trains are available everyday of the week, but the trains on Saturday are significantly slower, taking nearly 28h to complete the journey. Buses to Warsaw are only available on alternating days of Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.

What is the Cheapest Way To Get from London to Warsaw?

The cheapest way to travel from London to Warsaw is often with a flight, which is also the fastest way to travel. However, the situation changes depending on when you book, as the price of a flight goes up significantly the later you book. For example, a next-day flight from London to Warsaw can cost more than 3 times as much as one a week later. The price of bus tickets, on the other hand, remains stable for last minute bookings. Therefore, travelling by bus will likely be cheaper if you are booking less than 6 days in advance.

Otherwise, flights from London to Warsaw can be half the price of bus travel on a Saturday, and nearly 7 times cheaper on a weekday 2 weeks in advance. Most flights are direct flights without any changes, which take from 2h 10min to 2h 35min. Direct flights are offered by Wizz Air, Ryanair, British Airways, and LOT Polish Airlines, but Wizz Air and Ryanair provide the lowest airfares.

Both have at least two flights a day every day of the week, except Saturday when Wizz Air has a single flight. Wizz Air flies out of London Luton Airport (LTN) and lands in Warszawa Chopin Airport (WAW), while Ryanair departs from London Stansted Airport (STN) and arrives at Warszawa Modlin Airport (WMI).

What is the Fastest Way to Travel from London to Warsaw?

The fastest way to travel from London to Warsaw is unquestionably by flying, which might also be the economical way to travel. A direct flight from London to Warsaw takes 2h 10min to 2h 25min, while buses take 23h 35min, and trains 24h. Even if you arrive early by the recommended 2h to account for checking in, flying is much faster than either bus or train. This is still true when taking a slower flight with a stopover. Ryanair and Wizz Air both offer the shortest flight time of 2h 10min. However, Wizz Air flies out of London Luton Airport (LTN) and lands in Warszawa Chopin Airport (WAW), while Ryanair departs from London Stansted Airport (STN) and arrives at Warszawa Modlin Airport (WMI).

Luton Airport is reachable from London through a 25min train journey from London St Pancras Station to Luton town station, from where you take a bus to the airport. A National Express coach will take 1h to 2h depending on traffic. Stansted Airport takes 47min to reach from Liverpool Street Station via express train and a National Express coach similarly takes 1h to 2h for the journey. Warszawa Chopin Airport is only 22min away from central Warszawa by train, and 45min by bus. Warszawa Modlin Airport is also 45min from the city centre by bus, but requires a shuttle bus to Modlin Train Station for access to rail service.

Warsaw Castle. Source: Shutterstock

Find the best tickets from London to Warsaw and book with Omio

Omio is a booking platform that will help you to compare and book various different modes of transport- all with a single search, so you can choose the best way to travel from London to Warsaw. With so many companies like Wizz Air, Deutsche Bahn, and Eurostar trusting Omio, you can scan all your travel options with a glance and select from them easily. Omio provides booking and customer service in your language. For those who prefer using their phone, Omio also provides mobile tickets.

Trains from London to Warsaw

Travelling by train from London to Vienna might be more comfortable than either by plane or bus, and is much better for the environment. To travel by train to Warsaw, you first take a Eurostar train from London St Pancras International to Brussels-Midi, in Brussels. After a 2h 20min stop at Brussels-Midi, board a Deutsche Bahn train to Frankfurt (Main) Hbf, in Frankfurt. Once there, wait another 45min for the next Deutsche Bahn train to take you from Frankfurt (Main) Hbf to Berlin Ostbahnhof, in Berlin. Here there is a 4h 48min wait before the next Deutsche Bahn train brings you to Berlin Ostkreuz. The final Deutsche Bahn train will arrive after a short 8min wait, taking you from Berlin Ostkreuz to Warszawa Centralna. As suggested by its name, Warszawa Centralna is located right in the middle of Warsaw. The train leaves at 11:04 a.m. from London and arrives at 11:39 a.m. the next day in Warsaw.

Train travel from London to Vienna with Eurostar and Deutsche Bahn

Eurostar trains have free Wi-Fi onboard and every seat features power outlets. There are bar cars for refreshments and food, and depending on the time of the day, Standard Premier and Business Premier travellers have a complimentary meal and wine or breakfast. Deutsche Bahn’s Intercity Express trains have free Wi-Fi available and power outlets at every seat. A bistro restaurant is available which take your orders from your seat.

Buses from London to Warsaw

Sindbad provides the bus service from London to Warsaw, provided once per day on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. Buses are direct, departing from the Green Line Coach Station in Victoria, and arriving in Warsaw at Warszawa Zachodnia station. As its name says in Polish, the station is on the western side of the Warsaw city centre. The bus leaves at 03:30 p.m. each day and reaches Warsaw at 04:30 p.m. the next day.

Traveling by bus from London to Warsaw with Sindbad

Sindbad is the sole provider of bus service for this route. They have a fleet of modern coaches (newer than 3 years old on average) which are equipped with a toilet, air conditioning, an audio-video system, a bar with hot and cold drinks, as well as free Wi-Fi and 230V sockets with a USB port.

Warsaw Old Town. Source: Shutterstock

Flights from London to Warsaw

Wizz Air, Ryanair, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, British Airways and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines all offer flights from London to Warsaw. Wizz Air and Ryanair have both the quickest and most affordable flights, taking 2h and 10min to 2h and 20min. Aside from Wizz Air and Ryanair, LOT Polish Airlines and British Airways also offer direct flights, but at a significantly higher price. Other flights involve 1 transfer and can take anywhere from 4h to 9h plus depending on the length of the stopover.

Wizz Air flies out of London Luton Airport (LTN) and lands in Warszawa Chopin Airport (WAW), while Ryanair departs from London Stansted Airport (STN) and arrives at Warszawa Modlin Airport (WMI). Warszawa Chopin Airport is only 22min away from central Warszawa by train, and 45min by bus. Warszawa Modlin Airport is also 45min from the city centre by bus, but requires a shuttle bus to Modlin Train Station for access to rail service. Ryanair has two to three flights a day every day of the week, while Wizz Air has a single flight on Sunday and two per day the rest of the week.

Flying from London to Warsaw with Ryanair and Wizz Air

Ryanair offers some of the most affordable airfares with its no frills service. Meals and snacks are available but at extra cost. Passengers who do not have priority boarding can only bring onboard 1 small hand luggage (40x20x25 cm) that must go under the seats, while priority boarding grants you the allowance of 1 hand luggage plus a larger cabin bag (55x40x20 cm) in the overhead compartment.

Wizz Air is another low cost airline aimed at saving you money with a barebones experience. Onboard snacks, light meals, and beverages are available during flights at extra cost. An in-flight magazine is provided for passengers’ leisure. A standard ticket allows you to bring onboard a single cabin bag (40x30x20cm), while a Wizz Priority ticket lets you bring an additional bag (55x40x23cm).

To Warsaw by train/ bus/ flight—travel tips

Warsaw is a popular destination to visit from London, being a UNESCO World Heritage Site and full of history from the Second World War. Nearly 90% of the historic old town was destroyed during its occupation, which has been faithfully recreated using pre-war plans and historical documents.

The history of course extends to the many museums, from the Warszawa Uprising Museum that document the events of 1944, to the Chopin museum where you can learn about the life and legacy of Warsaw's most famous composer. Autumn and Christmas are also good times to visit Warsaw, with the many trees in its parks and gardens turning golden in autumn, and the mesmerising Christmas lights amidst the snow during winter.