Train Prague → Kraków

The plan

• Morning — Catch the EC 115 Cracovia from Praha hlavní nádraží (Prague's main station). Direct, all 11 of us together in 1st class.
• Daytime — The train ride is about 6½ hours — long enough to settle in with a book or audio guide, short enough that everyone's still in a good mood at the end. Scenic stretches through southern Moravia and into western Małopolska.
• Late afternoon — Arrive Kraków Główny (the main station, right downtown). 10–15 minute walk to most Old Town hotels, or a quick Bolt/Uber.
• Evening — First wander through Kraków's Rynek Główny (Main Square) — Europe's largest medieval town square. The Cloth Hall in the middle, St. Mary's Basilica at one end, and the Hejnał Mariacki bugle call on the hour from the basilica's tower. Find a café and let the city settle in.

Tip

Currency is the Polish złoty (PLN) — not the Euro. Tap-to-pay credit cards work everywhere; the only cash you'll really need is for tips and the occasional small vendor. ATMs (called bankomat) are plentiful.

Why train instead of fly?

We originally planned to fly Prague → Kraków. By the time you add airport transit, security, boarding, and the transfer at the other end, the train ended up taking about the same total time door-to-door — with much less hassle, no luggage drama, and a more pleasant ride.