Go Back  Fodor's Travel Talk Forums > Destinations > Europe
Reload this Page >

Baltics and Poland Itinerary - need advice!

Baltics and Poland Itinerary - need advice!

Old Jun 4th, 2022, 07:55 PM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Baltics and Poland Itinerary - need advice!

We are landing in Riga Latvia in late August then have 8 nights to make our way to Prague to meet up with a big group of friends for a trip from Prague to Budapest.

I'm looking for advice on the 8 days/nights from Riga to Prague

I initially thought we would do this 100% by train, but that doesn't seem to work so I'm looking for advice on where to go and how to get between places

My initial thought on nights-
2 nights Riga - not sure if RIga is worth 2 nights but we'd work through our jetlag and take it slow
then travel to Vilnius - rent a car and drive? rental car seems to make sense
1 or 2 nights Vilnius
then travel Vilnius to Warsaw - do we drive (6 hours 40 minutes per ViaMichelin) or fly?
I find the Suwalki Gap - the 65 mile border between Poland and Lithuania which separates Belarus from Kaliningrad - to be fascinating (ok, I am a geopolitics geek.) I would like to see this and understand it. Seems like a major strategic aim for Russia to connect Kaliningrad to their vassal state of Belarus....
2-3 Nights in Warsaw - recommendations on best # of nights
then travel to Krakow - drive 3 hours 40 minutes or take the train??
2 nights in Krakow

then go to Wroclaw for 1 night or go to Prague??? To Wroclow - it looks like the train works
From Krakow to Prague - Fly or drive? If you drive, anywhere we need to stop between Krakow and Prague?
If we did Wroclow to Prague - is driving the only option?

I would really appreciate your advice on this general plan
lookfar is offline  
Old Jun 4th, 2022, 11:42 PM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 22,947
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
A rental car might make sense driving around a single country. Renting a car for a one way trip through several countries will be very expensive. Where there are no train connections, look for bus connections.
Michael is online now  
Old Jun 5th, 2022, 04:44 AM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 27,609
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
My initial thought is that you are shortchanging Riga, which made my revisit list. However, that's partly because I am a big Art Nouveau fan.

Take the bus from Riga to Vilnius.

Find out what the drop off fee would be if you take a car from Vilnius to Warsaw. Used to be a night train on that route, but it's long gone and I would fly.

See here for info on the train from Warsaw to Krakow: https://www.seat61.com/international...rsaw_to_Krakow

For Krakow to Prague I'd take the night train, see: https://www.seat61.com/international...akow_to_Prague

I haven't laid this out to see how the time works, but I suspect you are trying to do too much and I can't imagine you have time for Wroclow as well.
thursdaysd is offline  
Old Jun 5th, 2022, 04:59 AM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,054
Received 17 Likes on 10 Posts
This is a travel forum so I will not give financial advice, but renting a car in Lithuania and dropping it off in Chechia might not be possible, regardless of the cost.
Since you are interested in geopolitics you probably know there is no love lost between Lithuania, Poland and Chechia, as a result of which travel is not easy between those countries.

The Suwalki Gap is a plain, prime terrain for a blitzkrieg attack., if you enjoy looking at farmer's fields it is your kind of place.
The most practical way to get there is by car.

Keep in mind that there is currently a state of martial law along the Polish Belarus border with some overlap of the Polish Lithuanian one.
You don't want to mistaken for a refugee smuggler or, worse, a refugee rights activist by the border police.
https://strazgraniczna.pl/

LOT flies non-stop from Vilnus to Warsaw, if your interest is only in three major cities in Poland, use the trains.
Forget the bus nonsense.
There are many more places in Poland, infinitely more interesting that the three " boilerplate" cities you mentioned.

Car would be the best for

Both Warsaw and Wroclaw are reconstructions, Krakow is not.



cdnyul is online now  
Old Jun 5th, 2022, 05:10 AM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 25,493
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
Riga needs two whole days as indeed does the food which, while dense, is actually interesting. What started as survival foods during Socialist times have become a good way of using natives plants in what is a flat boggy landscape to keep people alive and with the addition of a few flavours and sugar very interesting.

Bus south, yes, train is uncertain until you get to Poland. Border lands right now are serious barriers.

I thought Kaliningrad had voted for independence?

Russia just wants land, it doesn't care why, it just likes a reason, a poem, a thought. But as said above, the gap is flat, tank land.
bilboburgler is online now  
Old Jun 5th, 2022, 02:18 PM
  #6  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Very helpful!
We will fly from Vilnius to Warsaw!
lookfar is offline  
Old Aug 10th, 2022, 06:09 AM
  #7  
 
Join Date: Aug 2022
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Why Warsaw?

I always wonder why people come to Warsaw for 3 or more days. It's really more than enough, unless you want to visit most of Warsaw's museums. Kraków, Wrocław, Gdańsk are much more interesting.
maciek_g is offline  
Old Aug 10th, 2022, 07:30 AM
  #8  
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 25,493
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
maciek +1
bilboburgler is online now  
Old Dec 9th, 2022, 09:48 AM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 375
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Fly to Gdansk vs Warsaw!

As someone mentioned why Warsaw? Fly to Gdansk vs Warsaw - much nicer and more fun of a city - Warsaw if you really need to should be 1 day max stop over so you can transfer to your next destination.
PeterB is offline  
Old Dec 9th, 2022, 09:56 AM
  #10  
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 72,629
Likes: 0
Received 50 Likes on 7 Posts
Originally Posted by PeterB
As someone mentioned why Warsaw? Fly to Gdansk vs Warsaw - much nicer and more fun of a city - Warsaw if you really need to should be 1 day max stop over so you can transfer to your next destination.

A bit late - The trip was last August . . .
janisj is online now  
Old Dec 9th, 2022, 10:01 AM
  #11  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 375
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
As for driving vs flying ... many countries will not allow their rentals to go outside of their countries so check on that with specific rental company. Saying that ... driving within each country can be fun and an experience on its own where you will see and experience much more. AGAIN saying that there maybe an issue with parking or being ALLOWED to drive into OLD sections ( most interesting ) of the cities. Example: Krakow does not allow public traffic into the old city area ( there are some exceptions for deliveries and I think electric cars ). So again more planning or public transportation e.g. trains! Enjoy sounds like a nice trip.
P.S. as for Kaliningrad - that region is completely closed off - not sure if even flight over that area are not being rerouted.
PeterB is offline  
Old Dec 9th, 2022, 10:03 AM
  #12  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 375
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Well maybe someone else can benefit - Hope you had fun! it sounded like fun!
PeterB is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
fluffnfold
Europe
0
Apr 29th, 2020 01:12 PM
GinnyJo
Europe
9
Sep 21st, 2015 04:48 PM
julies
Europe
16
Apr 27th, 2006 09:35 PM
julies
Europe
12
Mar 22nd, 2006 11:26 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -