Toilet on the train - everything you need to know before you travel | PolishTrains

At a glance

• A toilet is compulsory on every long-distance train and is standard on the vast majority of regional services
• Closed-circuit toilet systems allow use during station stops as well as while the train is moving
• Most PKP Intercity carriages have 1–2 toilets; Pendolino EIP has an accessible toilet in carriage 3
• Sleeping car compartments include a washbasin, with two corridor toilets per carriage
• Baby-changing facilities are not guaranteed on regional trains but are found on newer rolling stock
• Disabled passengers can pre-register at least 48 hours before travel to ensure accessible facilities

When travelling, the question often arises whether there is a toilet on Polregio. On most regional trains they are available, although the number can vary from train to train.

Another common dilemma is whether you can use the toilet on the train during a stopover, and the answer is yes - toilets usually also operate at the station, unless they are temporarily closed for technical or safety reasons. Not every carriage has its own toilet. Sometimes you have to go to an adjacent one.

Basically, a toilet on a train these days is standard, so you will find one on every train, no matter how long the journey. The location, as well as the number of toilets, their spaciousness and equipment depend on the type of carriages and the carrier.

• On long-distance trains, a toilet is compulsory and can be found in every carriage.

• In regional trains, such as those of the Silesian Railways, the toilets in old carriages may be less spacious, but more and more modern railbuses are appearing on the tracks, in which the toilets are adapted for disabled passengers and therefore there is more space than usual.

• A separate option are the sleeping compartments on PKP Intercity - there, each compartment is equipped with a washbasin , but there are also standard toilets in the corridor, two per carriage.

The exception, as far as toilets are concerned, are heritage trains - these may not have a dedicated area that can be used if needed. However, their journeys are usually limited to local routes.

With regard to the issue of toilets on regional services, the vast majority of rolling stock is already accessible to disabled people, including older trainsets. However, there may still be trains that do not have such facilities. To avoid unpleasant surprises, a disabled person or their carer can pre-register for a journey. This must be done at least 48 hours before the journey. According to rail transport data, at the moment the Polregio company has adapted rolling stock for people with reduced mobility:

• 100% in the Lubelskie, Opolskie, Podkarpackie, Podlaskie and Zachodniopomorskie Voivodeships.

• In 99% of vehicles in Wielkopolska.

• 93% of diesel rolling stock and 60% of electric multiple units in Pomerania.

• 90% of vehicles in Warmińsko-Mazurskie.

• 87% in the Świętokrzyskie Province.

• 75% in Kujawsko-Pomorskie Province.

• the vast majority also in Łódzkie Province and Lower Silesia.

https://polregio.pl/pl/dla-podroznych/informacje/podroz-bez-barier-z-polregio/

Where is the toilet on the train? Usually two toilets are provided for each carriage, especially on PKP Intercity long-distance trains, which you will find at the beginning and end of the carriage. In older carriages and compartmentless trains it may be one toilet - in the former at the end of the carriage, in the latter in the middle.

As for where the toilet is on an Intercity Pendolino train, this depends on the carriage.

• The leading carriage has one toilet at the end, located next to the luggage storage areas.

• The carriage where seats are provided for travellers with children under 6 and pregnant women has two toilets.

• Carriage No. 3 with a restaurant and seats for the disabled has a spacious toilet, which also has a changing table.

• The other carriages each have one toilet, which is located at the end or beginning.

The toilet on the train is a closed-circuit toilet - this means that it can be used both on the move and at a standstill, and the waste along with the water goes into a special tank, not directly onto the tracks. Being able to use the toilet at any time makes a significant difference to the comfort of the journey, especially if you are travelling with small children.

It is a good idea to find out before you travel, especially on longer journeys, where the toilet is on the train so that you know exactly where to go if you need to. PKP Intercity trains have a plan at the entrance, on which their layout is written out and toilets are marked. If we have problems locating them, we can ask the conductor to point them out.

First of all, when travelling by train, it is worth finding out where the toilets are on Intercity and other trains, such as regional trains. Until 2025, trainsets with open-circuit toilets, where the contents were dumped on the tracks, could still appear on the routes. They could not be used during a stopover, as indicated by a sign on the wall. Failure to comply with the ban could result in a fine. Nowadays, the entire fleet of trains in Poland already operates on a closed circuit, for reasons of environmental protection and hygiene of the railway infrastructure. All prohibitions and orders are contained in the PKP regulations.

Is there a disabled toilet on every train? Yes, but it's worth checking before you travel to find out where they are - in the case of Intercity trains, as we mentioned earlier, it's carriage 3. This toilet is not only larger so that a wheelchair can be wheeled in and turned around easily, but also has the necessary facilities.

If the SOS button is pressed, the attendant is obliged to respond. When it is pressed accidentally, only a qualified member of staff can cancel the alarm - we should not attempt to do this ourselves, even if we have the knowledge of how to turn it off.

When it comes to using the toilet on trains, it is also a good idea to keep it clean so that more people can comfortably take care of their needs. We should not throw anything other than toilet paper into the toilet, as this can lead to it becoming clogged and thus preventing other passengers from using it.

Is there a toilet on every train in Poland?

Yes, every passenger train running on Polish tracks has toilets. The exceptions are heritage or museum trains.

Is it possible to use a toilet during a stopover at a station?

Since the introduction of the 2024/2025 timetable, only toilets on trains with a waste tank may be used. This lifts the ban on using the toilet during a stopover that was in force in the old open-circuit toilets, where the waste ended up on the tracks.

Can a child be changed in the toilet on the train?

The toilet in Intercity trains in car 3 (EIP Pendolino and IC COMBO cars) is equipped with a changing table. In the case of regional trains in newer carriages, it is sometimes possible to find a changing table in the toilet, but this is not standard equipment.

Where on the train is it easiest to find toilets for wheelchair users?

On Polregio regional trains, 90% of the rolling stock is adapted for people with disabilities and reduced mobility - this also applies to toilets in older trainsets.

Can a toilet on a train be temporarily closed (e.g. during a stopover at a station) and what is the reason for this?

Yes, the toilet on the train can be temporarily closed. On older trains it is sometimes blocked during a station stop for technical reasons, whereas on newer trains the reason may be a breakdown, servicing or filling of the tank. An indication that the toilet is switched off usually appears on the door.

What should you do if the toilet on the train is out of order or is missing paper or soap?

In this situation it is best to inform the train crew. The conductor can point you to another working toilet on the train or report the problem to maintenance. On most trains there are toilets in more than one carriage.

Is there a toilet in every carriage, or do you sometimes have to look for one in an adjacent carriage?

There is not a toilet in every carriage. Long-distance trains usually have several in different parts of the carriage, while some regional trains may only have one. Sometimes it is necessary to go to an adjacent carriage.