PKP Intercity - ticket without seat guarantee. | PolishTrains

At a glance

• A ticket without a seat guarantee means no assigned seat but freedom to choose any available place
• Passengers with a numbered ticket can reclaim their seat from a no-guarantee traveller
• On PolishTrains a warning and greyed-out seat map clearly indicate no seat guarantee before payment
• Risk of standing is highest on Fridays, Sundays and during summer and long-weekend peak times
• Dining car seats are reserved for customers ordering food, not a substitute for a reservation
• Booking as early as possible gives the best chance of securing a guaranteed seat

A ticket without a seat guarantee means that you are not assigned a specific seat when you travel by train. In practice, you are free to choose any seat you wish on the train, but you must take into account that a passenger with a numbered ticket and a seat guarantee for that seat may appear on the train. In this case, you are obliged to give way and look for another available seat or, if necessary, continue your journey standing.

What does not guaranteeing a seat on the train mean?

• you are not assigned a numbered seat,
• you can take any seat available on the train,
• you must give way when the seat holder appears,
• the risk of standing is present and increases during peak times or in high season (e.g. popular connections during holidays or long weekends).

Could the lack of guaranteed seating come as a surprise? Yes and no. On polishtrains.eu, the information about no guaranteed seats appears already at the stage of booking a journey, before paying for the ticket. This is a clear and large message Warning: no seat guaranteed! It is also accompanied by a message stating that all seats on the train have already been booked and the carrier does not guarantee a seat, but travellers can still buy a ticket for that train. A greyed-out seat map is also characteristic.

Those who decide to take the option of travelling on a train without a seat guarantee are therefore aware of this and accept the conditions of travel or look for an alternative connection. The announcement itself, however, is often quite a surprise, so we always encourage you to plan your journey in advance and buy your tickets in advance.

What does no seat guarantee mean on PKP and on which trains will you encounter this option?

On which trains does this system operate and what is behind PKP Intercity's decision?

• A ticket without a seat guarantee is an option we can encounter on TLK, IC and EIC trains.

• The solutions are intended to prevent bogus bookings, which before the changes were introduced often blocked the possibility of buying a ticket with a seat for passengers who were actually determined to travel.

• The current sales system is therefore more transparent, and passengers are given the option of choosing a seat or being informed that a seat is not guaranteed before paying for their journey.

On Intercity, does a lack of guaranteed seating always mean a standing journey? This can happen. Much depends on the popularity of the route and the associated filling of the vehicle. Practice shows, however, that the vast majority of travellers find a seat, the chosen travel option, however, requires them to be more flexible and possibly mobile. A passenger with a PKP ticket with no guarantee of a seat can take up any available seat and occupy it until the person who bought the ticket with a reservation for that specific seat comes forward.

So to answer your earlier question:

• not always - in many cases seats are available,
• the chance of finding a seat increases at off-peak times and on shorter distances,
• a free seat is most difficult to find on Fridays and Sundays, during the holiday season and on long weekends.

A ticket without a seat guarantee has its pros and cons. Among the former, there is certainly the greater flexibility of being able to travel without booking a seat in advance, especially if you decide to travel spontaneously. Moreover, if the train is not very crowded, there is realistically a good chance of finding a seat and travelling in comfort, even if we do not have an assigned seat.

However, it is impossible not to mention the drawbacks of such a journey. Not having a guaranteed seat means less certainty of a free seat and comfort throughout the journey. This is particularly important on journeys lasting several hours and for people in poorer physical condition or travelling with children.

So what if seats have already been sold and you're worried about travelling standing up? Here are 5 ways to make travelling without a seat more comfortable!

1. Check other trains - often a course a few minutes later is less crowded.
2. Consider Class 1 - more expensive, but more comfortable and with more seats available.
3. Buy a ticket with a seat for part of the route - e.g. Cracow - Warsaw with a guarantee, the rest without.
4. Buy your tickets in advance - sales start 30 days inadvance and tickets are cheaper by up to 45%.
5. Don't count on a dining car - WARS regulations allow you to take a seat only during a meal.

Check availability of seats on other trains

It often happens with popular connections that the train at the selected time is full, while the train departing several minutes later is only partly full. You can check the current occupancy of trains already at the ticket reservation stage, where you receive a graphic representation of the number of available seats in the form of green or orange seats, indicating the level of filling of the given train. Please note that the information is general and applies to the entire route, so occupancy may be higher or lower in certain sections.

Consider a 1st class ticket

If the lack of guaranteed seating in the PKP 2nd class ticketing system is your only option for travel, look for a free seat elsewhere! Perhaps the 1st class seats have less occupancy? This solution will certainly be slightly more expensive, but perhaps the price won't be significantly higher, and the greater comfort of the journey will make you more rested at your destination.

Buy a ticket with a seat guarantee for part of the journey

A ticket without a guaranteed seat is the bane of passengers especially on longer routes. An example is the Cracow Glowny - Gdynia Glowny train, popular especially during the holiday season. When the system no longer allows you to buy a ticket with a seat guarantee for the whole route, you can try to buy it for an available section, e.g. Kraków Główny - Warszawa Wschodnia, and for the next section a separate ticket without a seat guarantee. This solution will certainly require you to change seats halfway through the journey, but much of it will pass in comfort.

Buy your ticket in advance

When it comes to planning a trip, it is best to prevent unexpected situations than to face them just before departure. Therefore, by far the best option to avoid travelling without a guaranteed seat is to buy your ticket in advance. The booking system unlocks sales as early as 30 days before your departure date, so if you are sure of your travel date, you can purchase your ticket much earlier. In addition to the certainty of a free seat, you also gain the opportunity to choose a specific seat, as well as a better ticket price. Depending on the stage of ticket sales, it's up to 45% cheaper!

Travelling in the dining car? We advise against this "plan B"!

Sometimes the lack of guaranteed seating prompts travellers to look for more creative solutions. Some of them hope, for example, to spend their journey at a table in the restaurant car. This solution is definitely not recommended. The rules and regulations for using WARS make it clear - you can only sit in WARS during consumption. Once you have finished your meal or if you have not ordered, the staff may ask you to leave.

• To avoid the stress of not having a seat on the train, it is best to check seat availability before you buy your ticket.

• You can do this at the booking stage by checking the current capacity of trains and choosing the least crowded connection.

• When you make a reservation on polishtrains.eu, you will get a preview of the seating schedule in each carriage and detailed information on the selected train.

• The message "Seat not guaranteed" appears clearly before the purchase is finalised.

Need help with your ticket purchase? Please contact our Customer Service Team. We will help you find the right connection and the most convenient travel option.** We are available to you from Monday to Sunday between 07:00 and 23:00**.

Does the lack of seat guarantee on Intercity trains affect the ticket price?

No. Not having a seat guarantee does not mean a lower ticket price. The price of a journey depends on the route, train category, class and the time of purchase, not on whether the ticket has a seat assigned. A ticket without a seat guarantee is a fully fledged ticket for travel, but without the provision of a specific seat.

On which trains does this system apply?

The seat-guaranteed ticketing system applies to TLK, IC and EIC trains. This information may appear on the ticket, particularly on routes with high demand.

Will I always travel standing if there is no seat guarantee?

No. In practice, most passengers find free seats, although this is not guaranteed.

How can I increase my chances of getting a ticket with a seat?

Buy your ticket early, check alternative connections or consider buying a 1st class ticket.

When is it hardest to find a free seat on a train?

A free seat without a seat guarantee is most difficult to find on Fridays, Sundays, holidays and long weekends. Popular routes during rush hours, e.g. Kraków - Warsaw in the morning or afternoon, can also be crowded.