Train to Przemysl - connections, tickets and itinerary

• Best time to go: May and September - pleasant temperatures, less tourist traffic than in summer

• Local transport: you get around the centre mainly on foot, public bus transport available to further districts

• Main attractions: multicultural old town with cathedrals and a castle, one of the largest fortification systems in Europe, starting point for trips to the Bieszczady mountains

• How much to go for: a weekend (2 days) is enough for the main attractions in the centre; 3 days if you plan a trip to the Bieszczady mountains

• Practical tip: churches, orthodox churches and synagogues stand within a few hundred metres of each other - plan a walk around multicultural Przemyśl to see them all in one go

The best choice is May or September - daytime temperatures are 17-21°C, crowds are smaller than in summer and accommodation prices are lower than in high season.

Spring (April-May)

• The gardens by Kazimierzowski Castle are in bloom and the daytime temperature is 12-21°C - a good time for long walks in the Old Town.

• At the turn of May and June, the Festival of Borderland Culture takes place - it is worth planning your stay for this date.

• Accommodation prices are lower than in peak summer, and most attractions are already in full operation

Summer (June-August)

• These are the warmest months of the year, with daytime highs of 20-26°C

• The highest tourist traffic is in July and August

• During the peak of summer, book accommodation early in the centre and closer to the Old Town

Autumn (September-October)

• September is the last month with temperatures above 17°C and at the same time smaller crowds than in summer

• From Przemyśl you can organise a day trip to the Bieszczady Mountains, when the forests are changing colours

• In October, tourist traffic slows down and accommodation prices return to off-season levels

Winter (November-March)

• Low tourist traffic and the lowest accommodation prices of the year give the Old Town a quieter atmosphere

• Temperatures range from -1 to 10°C and days are short - plan more time for museums and cathedral interiors

Direct IC trains from PKP Intercity connect Przemyśl with Warsaw, Krakow, Rzeszow and Poznań.

From Rzeszów

• More than an hour by IC or regional train

• Regular connections throughout the day, both by IC and regional trains

• On a day trip from Rzeszów you will have time to visit the Old Town, the castle and one of the forts

From Krakow

• About 2.5 hours by direct IC train

• Several connections per day, route via Tarnów or Rzeszów

• Seat reservation is compulsory

• You get on in the morning in Krakow, and by noon you are in Przemyśl

From Warsaw

• Take a direct IC train for about 5 hours, stopping in Rzeszów and other places along the way

• Several connections per day, seat reservation is compulsory

• If you depart in the morning, you arrive in Przemyśl in the early afternoon

• Overnight connections are also available on the route - you get off in the morning and start sightseeing

From Poznań

• About 7.5 hours by direct IC train

• Connection via Warsaw or Katowice, depending on the timetable

• If you leave in the morning, you arrive in Przemyśl in the late afternoon

• Seat reservation is compulsory

You can also reach Przemyśl by direct IC train from Szczecin - you take longer, but without changing trains.

You buy your ticket on Europodróże without registration - just enter your e-mail and phone number. Your ticket is sent to your e-mail and SMS immediately after purchase. 30 minutes before departure you get an SMS reminder with a link to your ticket, so you don't have to search through your inbox for it. The earlier you buy, the better the price and the greater the choice of seats. You can return your PKP Intercity tickets up to 20 minutes before departure and exchange them up to 30 minutes before departure - see the Europodróże returns and exchanges page for details.

The main attractions in the Old Town are concentrated within a 1-2 km radius of the station, so you get around the centre on foot.

Public transport in Przemyśl is by bus, which comes in handy at further points - for example the Zasanie district or Bakończyce. A single ticket is a few zlotys; you buy it at a kiosk or from the driver.

It is more convenient to get to the Przemyśl Fortress and other forts scattered around the city by taxi or a transport app - the forts are located outside the centre and it takes a long time to get there on foot. Taxis and transport apps are available in the city.

If you are planning a trip to the Bieszczady, it is most convenient to take an organised transport or hired car. It is several dozen kilometres from Przemyśl to Ustrzyki Dolne - for a day trip it is worth booking transport in advance.

Accommodation - hotels, guesthouses and flats - can be found in the centre, a few minutes' walk from the Market Square. You can get around Przemyśl on foot or by bus, and order a taxi to get to further points. A car comes in handy mainly if you plan to go around several forts in one day.

Where to stay overnight:

• Centre and Old Town - a few minutes' walk from the Market Square, hotels, guesthouses and flats within easy reach of the main attractions

• Zasanie - district on the other side of the San, quieter atmosphere than in the Old Town

Kazimierzowski Castle

The castle stands on a hill above the San River - from the top you can see a panorama of the city and the river valley. The tour takes 45-60 minutes and there is an entrance fee. Inside you'll see a historical exhibition, and gardens around the castle - especially pretty in spring. It's quiet here in the mornings before 10am, with organised groups turning up later.

Przemyśl Fortress

This is one of the largest fortification systems in Europe - a ring of forts from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries surrounds the city. A tour of selected forts takes 2-3 hours. The forts are located outside the centre, so you need transport - a taxi or an organised tour. There is a fee to enter the individual forts, while some of the structures can be viewed free of charge from the outside.

The Old Town and Market Square

Within a few hundred metres of the Market Square stand the Roman Catholic Cathedral, the Greek Catholic Cathedral and the former synagogue side by side. It takes 1-1.5 hours to walk around all three sites. The Market Square is surrounded by townhouses from different eras - it's worth sitting down in one of the cafes and looking around unhurriedly.

Clock Tower

This is a vantage point in the Old Town. There is a fee to enter - you climb the stairs to the top and see the rooftops of the city, the castle and the San valley. The tour takes 15-20 minutes.

National Museum of the Przemysl Region

Archaeological, historical and ethnographic collections document the region's multicultural past. The tour takes 1-1.5 hours and there is an entrance fee. It is worth planning your visit for a day with bad weather.

Plan for Day 1

1. In the morning - Kazimierzowski Castle and gardens (45-60 minutes)
2. Morning - walk in the Old Town: Roman Catholic Cathedral, Greek Catholic Cathedral, synagogue (1-1.5 hours)
3. Lunch at the Market Square
4. Afternoon - Clock Tower and one of the Fortress forts (2-3 hours with access)

Plan for the weekend

Day 1: you can arrange the first day in the same way as the one-day plan: castle, Old Town with cathedrals, Market Square and one of the forts.

Day 2: a trip to the Bieszczady (all day, a few dozen kilometres from Przemyśl to Ustrzyki Dolne) or visiting more forts of the Fortress and the National Museum of the Przemysl Region. In the evening, walk to Zasanie - a district on the other side of the San, with a quieter atmosphere than in the Old Town.

What to eat

Ukrainian borscht - a classic of borderland cuisine, which you'll find in restaurants on the Market Square and in the side streets of the Old Town.

Pierogi ruskie (Russian dumplings ) - a traditional borderland dish served in restaurants on the Market Square and in the side streets of the Old Town.

Żurek - another borderland cuisine item available in restaurants near the Market Square and in the Old Town. Dinner at a restaurant near the Market Square is a dozen to several dozen zlotys for the main course.

The cafés and patisseries at the Market Square are worth a break between visits - coffee and cake cost a dozen or so zlotys. In the evening it's worth checking out the restaurants in the Old Town townhouses, where you'll find atmospheric interiors and a quieter atmosphere than in big cities.

Where to eat:

• Restaurants by the Market Square - borderland cuisine, main courses a dozen to several dozen zlotys

• Cafes and patisseries at the Market Square - a break between visits, coffee and cake a dozen or so zlotys

• Restaurants in the Old Town houses - atmospheric interiors, quieter atmosphere in the evenings

Souvenirs

Market on Mickiewicza Street operates in the mornings - you will find local products from the Podkarpacie region. There are also shops with regional products in the Old Town.

• Cheeses from the Podkarpacie region - local products available at the market in Mickiewicza Street.

• Meads - regional products from the Podkarpacie region, market at Mickiewicza Street.

• Preserves - local products from the Podkarpacie region at the morning market

• Wood products - regional souvenirs from shops in the Old Town

• Ceramics - regional products available in shops in the Old Town

Accommodation and food in Przemyśl cost less than in big cities - it is one of the more affordable city break destinations in Poland.

Prices are indicative and may vary depending on the season. In the height of summer, i.e. July and August, accommodation tends to be more expensive, while in winter and early spring you will find the lowest rates.