NaCzarter Team
The easiest way to get to Giżycko
The simplest way is a PKP Intercity train, which takes you to Giżycko without a change from Warsaw, the Tricity, Olsztyn, Białystok, Poznań, Wrocław, Łódź and Kraków. By car from Warsaw it is about 260 km and 3.5 hours of driving without traffic jams. The railway station and the FlixBus stop are on Kolejowa street, and from there it is about an 8-minute walk to Ekomarina.
We give train connections according to the timetable valid until 12 December 2026. A new timetable applies from 13 December, so before you travel, check your train when you buy a ticket for a specific day.
By direct train from major cities
The railway line from Ełk through Giżycko to Korsze has been modernised and electrified, which according to PKP Intercity has cut the journey by more than an hour. Since June 2026 the operator has more than doubled the number of services to Giżycko. On a weekday, 13 IC trains and 16 regional trains leave the station.
From Warszawa Centralna, the IC Nida runs direct in the morning and the IC Słowacki in the late afternoon. Both go via Białystok and Ełk, not via Olsztyn, and take about four hours. On the way to Warsaw, a change in Białystok is sometimes quicker, for example 3 h 34 min with a ticket from 114 PLN. From Gdańsk Główny and Gdańsk Wrzeszcz, the IC Biebrza leaves in the morning and the IC Rybak in the afternoon.
| From | Direct train | Time by train | Ticket from | By car without traffic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warsaw | 2 IC a day | 3 h 54 min–4 h 06 min | 83 PLN | 261 km, approx. 3 h 35 min |
| Gdańsk | 2 IC a day | 3 h 33 min–3 h 52 min | 79 PLN | 242–290 km, approx. 3 h 15 min |
| Olsztyn | IC and POLREGIO | IC 1 h 15 min–1 h 22 min, POLREGIO 1 h 46 min–2 h 01 min | 43 PLN (IC) | 108 km, approx. 1 h 40 min |
| Białystok | 7 IC a day | 1 h 34 min–1 h 53 min | 53 PLN | 157 km, approx. 2 h 30 min |
| Poznań | 3 IC a day | approx. 4 h 35 min | 90 PLN | 481 km, approx. 6 h |
| Wrocław | 3 IC a day | 6 h 11 min–8 h 16 min | 100 PLN | 596 km, approx. 6 h 45 min |
| Łódź | 1 IC a day | 5 h 11 min | 92 PLN | 390 km, approx. 4 h 50 min |
| Kraków | 1 IC a day | 8 h 11 min, with a change approx. 6 h 30 min | 104 PLN | 540 km, approx. 6 h 35 min |
| Katowice | none, 1 change | 6 h 26 min–8 h 27 min | 270 PLN | 581 km, approx. 6 h 35 min |
Prices are the lowest 2nd class fares in the journey planner at the beginning of November 2026. Driving times are given without traffic jams, and in practice the drive takes longer.
A bike on PKP Intercity costs 11.90 PLN regardless of the distance, but only on trains with designated spaces. There are on average about six bike spaces per train and in summer there are not enough of them, so buy the bike ticket together with your own, because buying it from the conductor costs an extra 20 PLN. The Green Velo trail bypasses Giżycko, but the Masurian Cycling Loop (Mazurska Pętla Rowerowa) runs through the town and joins Green Velo in Węgorzewo.
By bus and FlixBus
The bus stop is about 100 m from the station building, so the bus and railway stations are in practice one place on Kolejowa street. FlixBus stops here. From Warsaw, including from Dworzec Zachodni and Metro Młociny, the journey takes at least 5 h 45 min, and tickets start at €22.48. Check departures and prices for your specific day. GigaBus minibuses link Giżycko with Warszawa Wschodnia via Orzysz and Pisz three times a day in each direction, and a ticket costs 89.99 PLN.
By car via the S8, S61 and S16
From Warsaw the fastest route is the S8 to Ostrów Mazowiecka, then the S61 and national road 63 through Kolno and Pisz. The Polish section of the S61, the Via Baltica, has been dual carriageway along its entire length since October 2025. From the Tricity you take the S7 and S51 to Olsztyn, then the S16 and road 59 through Mrągowo.
The S16 is an expressway only between Borki Wielkie and Mrągowo. The sections from Olsztyn to Biskupiec are due to be ready in 2028, and for the rest of the route, from Mrągowo to Ełk, the roads authority GDDKiA is still looking for a route. The S7 is an expressway from Gdańsk to Czosnów near Warsaw, and the next section to Kiełpin is under construction.
On the approach from Wilkasy, the Giżycko bypass on road 59 is being expanded. About 1.5 km of dual carriageway is being built, with a bridge over the Łuczański Canal and a viaduct, and the work is scheduled to finish in the second quarter of 2027, so check current disruption before you set off. The swing bridge in the centre is closed to boats from November to March and always open to cars. From April to October it swings open for vessels, and in July and August 2026 it closed to cars four times a day, with the longest closure between 5.25 pm and 6.25 pm. If you are coming by car, check in advance where to leave your car during the cruise.
By plane via Szymany, Warsaw or Gdańsk
The nearest is Olsztyn-Mazury airport in Szymany, 101 km from Giżycko, about 1 h 50 min by car. In autumn 2026 there are flights from here to London Stansted, Dortmund and Kraków, and from 22 December charter flights to Marsa Alam. Check public transport from the airport before your flight.
From Chopin Airport, take an SKM S2 or S3 train to the centre, then an IC from Warszawa Centralna to Giżycko. From Modlin, take a bus to Modlin station and a Koleje Mazowieckie train to Warszawa Centralna. From Gdańsk airport, a PKM train takes you to Gdańsk Wrzeszcz, where the IC Biebrza and IC Rybak stop. By car from the Warsaw and Gdańsk airports it is just under 4 hours to Giżycko.
From the station to the port and to Wilkasy
From the station it is about an 8-minute walk to Ekomarina on Lake Niegocin. The marinas on Lake Kisajno are 3.2 km away, a 43-minute walk, and Piękna Góra is 4.3 km. By car you reach either in about 8 minutes, so with luggage for a week it is better to drive.
The ports in Wilkasy are almost 6 km from the station. It is quicker to take a POLREGIO train to the Wilkasy Niegocin stop, about 4 minutes away, with 8 services a day in each direction. From the stop it is an 8-minute walk to the nearest marina, 11 minutes to the port in Tajty, 19 to the PTTK port and 20 to AZS Wilkasy. We describe what yacht pick-up looks like in Wilkasy and the surrounding area in our guide to the ports near Giżycko. You will find yachts with pick-up in the town in the charter listings from Giżycko.
From Lithuania and from Berlin
From Kaunas it is about 3 hours by car (233 km), from Vilnius about 4 (334 km), mainly on the A5 and S61. FlixBus takes 4 h 05 min from Giżycko to Kaunas and at least 5 h 35 min to Vilnius. By rail from Lithuania you travel via Mockava and Suwałki to Białystok and change there to an IC to Giżycko. From December 2026 a new IC Gryf will also run from Suwałki to Ełk, from where Giżycko is just under half an hour away by train.
From Berlin by train via Poznań the journey takes about 7 h 45 min, which according to PKP Intercity is an hour less than by car.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get from Warsaw to Giżycko by train without changing? Yes. The IC Nida and IC Słowacki run from Warszawa Centralna via Białystok and Ełk in about four hours, with tickets from 83 PLN.
Where does FlixBus stop in Giżycko? At the "Gizycko, Kolejowa" stop by the PKP railway station, where other buses also leave from.
How do I get from Giżycko to the ports in Wilkasy? The fastest way is a POLREGIO train to the Wilkasy Niegocin stop, about 4 minutes. From the stop you walk 8 to 20 minutes to the ports.
Which airport is closest to Giżycko? Olsztyn-Mazury in Szymany, 101 km from the town. From the Warsaw and Gdańsk airports you can take a train to stations where the IC trains to Giżycko stop.
Does the swing bridge in Giżycko stop cars in winter? No. From November to March the bridge is closed to boats and always open to cars.
