Itinerary Overview

D1-D2 Warsaw → D3-D4 Kraków (includes half-day at Auschwitz) → D5 Wieliczka Salt Mine → D6-D7 Gdańsk. The journey is connected by trains: Warsaw to Kraków via EIP high-speed train takes about 2 hours 20 minutes, and Kraków to Gdańsk takes about 5 hours (with an optional transfer in Warsaw).

D1-D2 Warsaw: The Rebuilt Capital

• D1: Arrive at Chopin Airport and head into the city → Old Town Market Square and the Mermaid statue → Royal Castle → Sigismund’s Column → St. Cross Church (where Chopin’s heart is laid) → Dinner on Nowy Świat Street.
• D2: Fryderyk Chopin Museum (Łazienki Park) → Łazienki Park’s Palace on the Isle (free Chopin piano concerts on summer weekends) → Warsaw Uprising Museum → Evening views from the Palace in Nieborów or the observation deck of the Palace of Culture and Science.

D3-D4 Kraków: A Thousand-Year Royal City

• D3: After arriving by train, explore the Old Town Market Square → St. Mary’s Basilica and the bugle call → Cloth Hall → Wawel Castle and Cathedral → Dinner in the Kazimierz Jewish Quarter (recommended: Jewish-style restaurants with klezmer music).
• D4: Morning trip to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum (bus ride takes about 1.5 hours; be sure to book a guided tour in advance on the official website; the full visit takes about 3.5 hours), return to Kraków’s Old Town in the evening for rest.

D5 Wieliczka Salt Mine

Take a train or bus from suburban Kraków to Wieliczka in about 40 minutes, then join a roughly 2.5-hour guided tour descending over 100 meters underground to see salt-carved chapels and an underground salt lake. After exiting, enjoy a “salt mine meal” at the mine’s restaurant. Return to Kraków in the afternoon; you can also visit Planty Park or see the shared astronomical clock. In the evening, take an overnight train or an early express train north to Gdańsk.

D6-D7 Gdańsk: The Baltic Gateway

• D6: Long Market and the Neptune Fountain → Shopping on Amber Street → Gdańsk Crane Gate → Along the Motława River → European Solidarity Centre (history of the Solidarity movement’s birth).
• D7: Morning visit to Sopot’s wooden pier or the Westerplatte WWII site, afternoon departure from Gdańsk Airport.

Tips

• Auschwitz entry is free, but guided tours require booking; reserve 2–4 weeks in advance during peak season.
• Train tickets for intercity routes can often be purchased at discounted rates through the PKP Intercity website or app when booked in advance.
• The best lighting for Warsaw’s Old Town and Kraków’s Old Town is in the evening; plan to include dusk in your schedule.
• The direct train from Kraków to Gdańsk takes about 5 hours; if you prefer less travel fatigue, consider transferring in Warsaw and staying an extra night, and also visit the Warsaw Uprising Museum.
• Gdańsk Airport is connected to the Tricity area via the SKM fast line; Sopot’s pier and Gdynia can be visited conveniently in half a day.
• The temperature inside Wieliczka Salt Mine stays around 10°C year-round, so bring a light jacket even in summer; mobile signal is weak inside, so stay close to your guide.
• Polish trains have decent punctuality, but weekend schedule adjustments are common; double-check your platform and departure time the night before travel.