Planning a trip to Lublin

Getting Around

Lublin has an excellent public transportation system consisting of buses and trolley buses, but unless you're staying outside the center, you probably won't need them much. A car will be useless for getting around, since the Old Town and a major portion of the main street, Krakowskie Przedmiescie, are off limits to autos.

On Foot -- Once in the center, you'll find walking the easiest way of getting around. Elsewhere, you'll want to use public buses or taxis.

By Bus/Trolley Bus -- Lublin's public transportation (Miejskie Przedsiebiorstwo Komunikacji/MPK; tel. 81/525-32-46; www.mpk.lublin.pl) is cheap and efficient. Buses are a good way of getting to the train and bus stations, as well as out to the State Museum of Majdanek (bus no. 23, trolleybuses no. 156 and 158) and the Open Air Village Museum (bus nos. 5, 18, and 20). Buy tickets (2.40 z) from newsagents or directly from drivers.

By Taxi -- Taxis are useful for reaching outlying hotels as well as for getting from the center of Lublin out to Majdanek. You can hail them from the street, but watch out for rogue drivers and always make sure the driver turns on the meter. There are several reliable cab companies, including Dwójki (tel. 81/196-62) and Mercedes (tel. 81/196-63).

By Bike -- Traffic is relatively heavy, and bike-rental places are few and far between (ask at the tourist information center). But there are a few designated bike lanes in Lublin. The ride out to Majdanek (about 5km/3 miles) is fairly pleasant if you stick to the sidewalks, and once you're at the sprawling concentration camp, you'll be happy you brought your own two wheels.

Getting There

By Plane -- Lublin does not have an international airport, but plans are afoot to build one at Swidnik, not far from the city. That facility, however, is expected to be finished only by 2012 at the earliest. For the time being, the best air route into Lublin is to fly into Warsaw's Fryderyk Chopin airport, and then take a train or bus to Lublin (about 3-4 hr.).

By Train -- Lublin is fully integrated into Poland's national rail network, and trains are a good option for travel to Warsaw (3 hr.) and Kraków (5 hr.). The train is also convenient for going to regional spots such as Chelm (1 hr.) and Puawy (45 min.). There's even daily international service to the Ukrainian capital, Kiev (14 hr.). The train station (PKP, Gazowa 4; tel. 81/194-36; www.pkp.com.pl) is situated in a depressed part of town, about a 20-minute walk to the city center. A better bet to go from the station to the center is to take a taxi to the Brama Krakowska (Kraków Gate) at the entry to the Old Town (about 11 z) or take public bus no. 13. Bus no. 28 is a direct connection from the station to the State Museum of Majdanek.

By Bus -- Unlike the layout in many Polish cities, Lublin's main bus station (PKS; Aleja Tysiaclecia 6; tel. 81/747-66-49; www.pks.lublin.pl) is not located next to the train station, but much closer to the Old Town, about a 5-minute walk from the center of town. You'll find regular connections here to Warsaw, Kraków, Katowice, Zakopane, Lódz, Zamosc, and other cities. Several private companies also run buses and minibuses between Lublin and smaller regional cities such as Chelm, Puawy, and Kazimierz Dolny.

By Car -- Lublin is easily reachable by car. The drive to Warsaw is about 170km (106 miles) and takes between 2 and 3 hours, depending on traffic. From Kraków, expect a busy 4-hour drive along mostly two-lane highway. Lublin itself can be tricky to negotiate by car. Have a good map ready once you near the city and be careful not to miss your exit on the highway.