Holidays 2026: Adriatic Express straight to Croatia — direct train to Rijeka

• Adriatic Express (EuroNight: EN 1277) — direct overnight train from Poland to Rijeka, running 6 days a week in the 2026 season from 26 June to 28 August
• Route: Poland → Czechia → Austria → Slovenia → Croatia (Rijeka)
• Departure from Warszawa Centralna at 14:04 → arrival in Rijeka at 10:04 the next day, ~20h, seats from around €44.90
• Departure from Katowice at 16:47 → arrival in Rijeka at 10:04 the next day, ~17h, seats from around €39.90
• Return (EN 1276): Rijeka 19:06 → Katowice 11:23 → Warszawa Centralna 14:04 (next day)
• Couchette with pillow, blanket and sheet from around €69.90
• Ticket without registration: PDF by email + link by SMS. Exchanges and refunds via the PolishTrains platform. Couchette reservation by phone. PolishTrains customer support is available daily 07:00–23:00 and speaks English — we're happy to help with every detail of your journey.

At 14:04, the train pulls out of Warszawa Centralna (or 16:47 from Katowice). Polish landscapes quickly give way to gentle green hills in Czechia. In the restaurant carriage, you order an afternoon coffee and watch the sun slip behind the towers of small Czech towns.

Around 22:30, the train reaches Vienna. Through the window you can see lit-up building facades and trams disappearing underground. A short stop for a locomotive change is the perfect moment to take a deep breath before the overnight leg.

As you settle into your air-conditioned couchette — with a soft pillow, a sheet and a blanket — the train enters the Semmering line. You might not know it, but you're crossing a historic railway from 1854, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stone viaducts stretched over Alpine valleys and tunnels carved straight into the rock create a route no European motorway has ever matched.

Dawn finds you already in Slovenia. The view outside can leave you speechless. The emerald, winding Savinja River flows just metres from the tracks, and the mountains stand so close you feel you could count the trees on them. Through the window you'll also spot Slovenian wooden hay racks called kozolci — motorway drivers won't see them, since their road here runs through a dark, monotonous tunnel.

After 08:26, as the train passes the famous Postojna Cave, the landscape changes sharply. Lush greenery gives way to rugged limestone rocks and the first vineyards. Then, somewhere past Ilirska Bistrica, through the open window comes a scent you can't mistake for anything else — a mix of salt, sun-warmed stone and wild rosemary. That's the sign you're nearly there.

At 10:04, the Adriatic Express stops at Rijeka station, right by the port promenade. You step off rested, feeling the Mediterranean sun on your face. Ahead of you lies a genuine Croatian holiday — or the start of a bigger European adventure.

Rijeka isn't just a destination, it's an invitation to keep going. From here, tracks run straight into the heart of Europe, connecting you with some of the most extraordinary places on the map. One decision, and you're on your way — a fragrant espresso by the canals of Venice, a quiet break in green Ljubljana, or a stylish weekend in Vienna. You choose how far this train journey takes you.

The Adriatic Express is the direct overnight train from Poland to Croatia. In the 2026 season, from 26 June to 28 August, the PKP Intercity train (EN 1277) from Warsaw to Rijeka runs 6 days a week.

Whatever city you start from, the finish is exactly the same. The next day, punctually at 10:04, the train stops in Rijeka. Behind you: a route through five countries — Poland, Czechia, Austria, Slovenia and Croatia.

All prices on PolishTrains are shown in EUR; PLN equivalents are converted at the current exchange rate on the day of purchase.

Adriatic Express tickets come in two variants — non-refundable and refundable.

If you're sure about your travel date, choose the non-refundable fare (Super Promo International) — that's where the best savings are. A standard seat from Warsaw starts from €44.90, and from Katowice from €39.90. Non-refundable tickets are split into five price levels — the earlier you book, the higher your chance of catching a better price. The lowest fares (Level I) come in limited quantities and disappear first.

If comfort matters most, an air-conditioned couchette with a blanket, sheet and pillow starts from around €69.90. Prices from Warsaw and Katowice are identical for couchettes. If you'd like to learn more, take a look at our guide to couchettes and sleeper carriages on PKP Intercity.

Prices from the official Adriatic Express fare table (valid from 5 May 2026). Starting-from prices apply when Level I Super Promo International tickets are available.

Couchette prices are the same regardless of your departure station — you pay the same from Warsaw or Katowice. Find more about couchettes in our PKP Intercity sleeper guide.

Prices from the official Adriatic Express fare table (valid from 5 May 2026). Non-refundable Level I couchette starts from €69.90 subject to availability.

Many of us instinctively pick the car or the plane. It's worth thinking again.

Picture a Friday afternoon. You settle comfortably into your compartment with a great coffee, kids next to you, pure excitement in their eyes. For them, an overnight train is a thrilling adventure and a beautiful prelude to a warm holiday by the Adriatic. Your holiday starts right now. At the same moment, your friends with two toddlers set off by car.

Ask any parent what the hardest part of a long car trip with children is. The answer is always the same — those monotonous hours strapped into a car seat. Impatience kicks in fast, and from the back seat you hear the legendary "Are we there yet?" and "I'm bored!"

On the train, that problem simply disappears. For kids, the overnight train is already an adventure in itself. Best of all, children don't have to stay in one place. They can get up any time, walk down the corridor, or come with you to the restaurant carriage. That freedom of movement changes the whole feel of the trip. You don't spend the day tense behind the wheel, and the kids aren't fighting boredom.

And the plane? While air passengers spend hours at airports — queuing at check-in, waiting for delayed flights, nervously repacking so the suitcase doesn't tip over the magic 23 kg — you just step onto the train. No weight limits, no checked-baggage fees, no worrying that your favourite toiletries will be confiscated at security.

Add up the real cost of driving for two — fuel, motorway vignettes, parking in central Rijeka, car depreciation — and the bill climbs quickly. Meanwhile, two people travelling both ways on the Adriatic Express pay together from around €180. And if you care about the environment — a train produces many times less CO₂ than a car or a plane. The choice becomes obvious. Curious how the two compare on other routes? See our full train vs plane comparison.

Croatia has many faces. In spring (April–May), it's calm and green, with temperatures around 16–22°C; October charms with nostalgic golden light. But let's be honest — nothing, absolutely nothing, matches the magic of the Adriatic in the middle of proper summer.

It's in July and August that Rijeka pulses with the purest holiday energy. The air heats up to an ideal 28–33°C, and the sea reaches a superb 24–27°C. This is when the beaches come alive, evening café terraces on the Korzo promenade fill with interesting people, and the port city shows its most Mediterranean, cheerful side. This is the hot Croatian summer everyone waits for all year.

The people who designed the timetable knew exactly this. The Adriatic Express runs specifically at the height of the season — from 26 June to 28 August 2026. The schedule is planned to bring you to Rijeka precisely when nature and the city have the most to offer.

Rijeka has far more to offer than most tourists expect. Once you step off the train, you quickly realise this city is nothing like the typical tourist resort. It's a lively, multicultural port where elegant Austro-Hungarian architecture blends with a Mediterranean way of life. Rijeka, Croatia is authentic, fascinating and less crowded than Split or Dubrovnik. For a solid city guide, check visitrijeka.hr, run by the local tourist board.

A short walk separates Rijeka train station from the bustling Korzo promenade — perfect for your first morning espresso after the overnight journey. It's also worth climbing the famous steps up to Trsat Castle, where a panorama of the entire Kvarner Bay opens up in front of you.

But Rijeka is above all a gateway to further discoveries. Just 20 minutes away lies Opatija, a 19th-century Habsburg resort famed for its palm trees, historic villas and picturesque seafront promenade. From here, you can also take a bus across the bridge to the island of Krk, known for its stone villages and excellent local wineries. Rijeka can be a destination in itself, or a wonderful starting point for a journey on to Italy, Slovenia or deeper into sunny Croatia.

All good things come to an end — but the return from your holiday doesn't have to mean a painful crash landing back into everyday life, driving through the night, or camping at an airport. The return train from Rijeka to Poland is planned to give you something priceless: a whole extra day of holiday.

The return service (marked in the timetable as EN 1276) leaves Rijeka only in the evening, at 19:06. What does that mean in practice? Instead of nervously packing at dawn, you get a lazy, sun-filled end to your holiday. One last swim in the warm Adriatic, a leisurely lunch by the port, a coffee on the Korzo promenade, and unhurried souvenir shopping.

In the evening, you simply check in at the station you already know well. You board the carriage and settle into your couchette as the train crosses the rocky Karst region. You sleep, and the kilometres between you and home melt away on their own.

The next day, you wake up already in Poland. The train arrives in Katowice at 11:23 and reaches Warszawa Centralna at 14:04, giving you time to calmly unpack, do the post-holiday laundry, and have lunch at home.

The return service runs 6 days a week (Monday to Saturday), offering huge flexibility for planning your stay. You book your return ticket exactly the same way — on the PolishTrains platform or in the mobile app. Stress-free from the first kilometre of your holiday to the last.

The Adriatic Express is just a warm-up. If you come back from Croatia with an appetite for more journeys, PolishTrains has a full international network waiting for you. Whether you're planning a weekend in Prague, a coffee in Berlin, or a longer trip through the most beautiful stations of Western Europe — you book all your international tickets in one place.

Why trust us? Because all your logistics stay in one place thanks to the PolishTrains mobile app. And if anything unexpected happens on the way, our customer support team is here. Our consultants are available daily from 07:00 to 23:00 and speak English. We're known for a genuinely human approach and, with a smile, we'll help you solve any travel dilemma.

You book the Adriatic Express easily through the PolishTrains platform. No account required, no navigating foreign booking systems, no translating pages in your browser. Once your payment goes through, your ticket lands in your inbox as a PDF and as a handy link by SMS. It gets even easier with the PolishTrains mobile app — it works flawlessly offline, so you can show your ticket to the conductor even when you lose signal.

The cheapest non-refundable tickets (from €44.90 from Warsaw) are extremely popular, so it's worth booking early. If you prefer flexibility, the platform also offers tickets with instant refunds and exchanges, giving you full peace of mind in case your plans suddenly change.

If any questions come up, PolishTrains customer support is available daily from 07:00 to 23:00, in English. One short call handles any booking matter — no need to contact carriers in Czechia, Austria or Croatia yourself.