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Nothing complements an adventure across the pond quite like a train journey: imagine sinking cozily into your seat, sipping on your takeaway cappuccino, as you admire views of lush forests, medieval towns, and snow-capped mountains from the big panoramic windows.

Europe is simply meant to be explored on rails, and lucky for us, quirky train enthusiasts, a new scenic route connecting up to 11 gorgeous medieval cities across Central and Eastern Europe has just launched.

You can now travel from Prague, in the Czech Republic, all the way to Gdynia, in Poland, passing by a number of historic spots in between, and tickets start at only $30:

The Baltic Express is České dráhy’s (the Czech Republic’s state-owned railway company) brand new tourist attraction, opening up travel opportunities from the city of Prague to other lesser-known gems in the country, as well as neighboring Poland.

The 545-mile journey from Central Europe to the Baltic Coast can be completed in around 8h30, though tourists are encouraged to break up their journey in sections and spread it across two or three travel days so they can truly take in all the fascinating culture this route offers.

All the cities on the train route are intrinsically linked through History, be it through alliances in times of war or as parts of bygone kingdoms or Grand Duchies.

Where are the stops, you may be wondering? From Prague, the train will call at the following stations:

Czech Republic

• Kolin
• Pardubice
• Ústí nad Orlicí
• Letohrad
• Jablonné nad Orlicí
• Lichkov

Poland

• Miedzylesie
• Bystrzyca Klodzka
• Kłodzko Miasto
• Kamieniec Zabkowicki
• Strzelin
• Wrocław (Główny)
• Leszno
• Poznań
• Gniezno
• Inowrocław
• Bydgoszcz (Glowna)
• Tczew
• Gdańsk (Glowny)
• Gdańsk (Wrzeszcz)
• Gdańsk (Oliwa)
• Sopot
• Gdynia (Główna)

In total, 23 stations and 21 municipalities will be serviced.

If you’re breaking up your journey, you should know there are four trains running on these tracks every day, which gives you plenty of options to plan an itinerary that works best for you.

For instance, the stretch from Prague to Wrocław is a much shorter 4 hours, while going to the end of that line, to Poznań, will take you approximately 5h30.

When traveling all the way to Gdynia, you can opt to stay overnight in Bydgoszcz and then spend a couple of nights between Gdańsk and Sopot before reaching the final destination.

Options are truly endless!

The first departure from Prague is scheduled for 6:51 AM, arriving at the final destination at 3:27 PM, followed up with a second departure at 10:51 AM (arriving to Gdynia 7:27 PM), a third at 2:50 PM (arriving 11:27 PM), and a fourth and final one at 6:51 PM (arriving 4:53 AM the following day).

Before we get into the destinations themselves, here are some of the main train specifications:

While on the territory of the Czech Republic, they will be 4 carriages long, including a single First Class carriage.

For this stretch, catering will come in the form of a minibar, until the train reaches Wrocław, where a dining car will be added, and the Polish PKP Intercity will take over operations.

There will be free Wi-Fi for passengers, and seats will be equipped with charging sockets. Additionally, you may bring a bike onboard, and there are no luggage restrictions based on seating categories.

Advance tickets from Prague to the end of the line cost around 750 Czech koruna, or US$32.27 to be more precise, based on the current exchange rate, and rates will increase progressively as the travel dates approach.

It is worth remembering that this is not a hop-on, hop-off service: should you choose to split your journey into different sections, you will need to buy different tickets between individual cities.

Those will likely be cheaper than the full rate from the train’s departure point in Prague Central to its Gdynia terminus.

There are several picture-perfect towns you could choose from when journeying on the Baltic Express and attempting a 3 to 4 multi-city break, but 12 in particular stand out to us due to their Old World allure and well-preserved character:

Prague is the most obvious starting point, not only because it is where the train departs from, but due to its plethora of world-renowned sights: think of soaring spires, stone bridges spanning a beautiful Vltava River, and a monumental Prague Castle, the largest complex of its kind in the world.

The next stop is Kolin, in Czechia. It is home to a near-intact historic center revolving around a bustling market square (Karlovo) bordered by ornate facades. Nearby, the Church of Saint Bartholomew has an early Gothic core from the 13th century.

We’ll be getting off next at Pardubice, one of the largest cities in the Czech Republic, lying on the banks of Elbe River, and boasting a high concentration of historic buildings, including its own Church of Saint Bartholomew, and a whitewashed Pardubice Castle.

Over in Poland, Bystrzyca Klodzka seems to have been plucked straight out of a storybook for children, with its timeless red-roofed townscape, still encircled by fortifications, and maze of narrow, cobble-paved streets.

Kłodzko doesn’t stray too far from the overall theme, with its 15th-century houses, pedestrian-friendly lanes that barely see any traffic, Baroque churches and imposing fortress, perched on a prominent hill overlooking the town.

The next major city on the line is a sprawling Wrocław, Poland’s third-largest, and a capital of culture revolving around a picturesque medieval square, where a landmark Gothic Town Hall sits, with its astronomical clock that rivals Prague’s in beauty.

Oftentimes considered one of Poland’s prettiest cities, Poznań is also famous for a postcard-ready square, dominated by a centrally-placed Town Hall, decorated with intricate patterns and motifs, and flanked by colorful merchant shops.

On the other hand, Inowrocław is a hidden gem dotted with Romanesque basilicas, most notably the St Virgin Mary Church, which dates back to the 13th century.

As for Bydgoszcz, it is a laid-back canal city combining medieval charm and modern architecture.

Centuries-old buildings flank its Old Market Square, and the banks of the Brda River are lined with restored timbered houses and traditional eateries.

As the Baltic Express approaches its terminus, you’ll be busing Tczew, a large town revolving around a colorful Józef Haller Square filled with red-brick churches.

The true star of the show, however, is the magnificent Gdańsk.

Perched on the Vistula riverside, this historic port city is easily distinguished by its Northern Mannerist façades, decorated in beautiful patterns and coming in several different hues of pastel, narrow streets, and fascinating history.

It was an important trading hub throughout the Middle Ages, and several period landmarks have survived to the contemporary era, including the medieval crane and the giantess that is St Mary’s Church, said to be the largest brick church in the world.

Gdánsk also infamously became the first free city to be seized by the Germans during World War II, and many Historians consider the Siege of Gdánsk the start of the conflict itself, and if you’re a WWII enthusiast, you can even visit the exact spot where Nazi troops made landfall at Westerplatte.

The last noteworthy destination you can visit with the Baltic Express and welcome “encore” after the cultural tour de force that is Gdánsk, Sopot is your laid-back Polish resort town straddling an azure Baltic Sea.

This is the Baltic Express ,after all, remember?

Once temps rise, it’s perfect for strolling along the charming promenade as you eat some ice cream, admiring the surrealist architecture—look up Sopot’s Crooked House—and sample Pomeranian cuisine, reflective of the distinct ethnic identity of this region of Poland.

Start planning and book your tickets for the Baltic Express from Czechia to Poland here.

Vinicius Costa

Vini, our senior lead writer at Travel Off Path, has over 60+ countries under his belt (and currently weaving tales from Paris!), and a knack for turning off-the-beaten-path experiences into informative stories that will have you packing your bags.

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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com

Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.

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