The route is covered in: .3hr 11min.
IC 1016 Żubr train – route and timetable
Żubr is an InterCity-category train operated by PKP Intercity, running from Warszawa Wschodnia to Białystok. The journey takes over three hours and includes 13 stops, including Mińsk Mazowiecki, Siedlce, Sarnaki, Nurzec and Hajnówka. It is one of the few connections running through eastern Mazovia and Podlasie towards Puszcza Białowieska.
Żubr’s route works well for people travelling from Warsaw not only to Białystok, but also to smaller towns along the way, such as Hajnówka or Nurzec, which less often have a direct connection with the metropolitan area. Pendolino on the route from Warszawa Wschodnia station travels faster than IC, as shown in the PolishTrains search engine, but Żubr stops at places where faster trains do not stop.
The ticket price for Żubr depends primarily on the train category selected for a given section of the route, and the difference between the cheapest IC Intercity category and the most expensive EIP Pendolino can be several times greater. PolishTrains shows the difference between train categories, making it easier to choose between IC and Pendolino when both options are available on a given section.
A significant proportion of passengers departing from Warszawa Wschodnia buy their tickets shortly before departure, with as many as 34 per cent choosing to buy only 1–3 days in advance, while a further 16 per cent do so on the day of travel. You can buy a ticket for Żubr just before departure on the PolishTrains website, even on the day of departure, without needing to create an account.