From Krakow to Prague by Train or How to Start Speak Polish in 15 Minutes :)

Krakow has always been something special for me. I actually don't know why, may be because that was my first trip on my own a long time ago or just because it's very similar to my favourite city in Ukraine. I've just been to Prague also - the mother of the cities, one of the most beautiful cities in the world, but somehow Krakow remains more native, more dear for me. And this trip approved my warm feelings to Krakow. Despite it welcomed me at 11pm with cloudy and coldly weather, I put my sweater on and stepped out into the night. 

The next day became the biggest surprise - a bit windy and cold, but amazingly sunny and bright. And so it remained until the next day, which happened to be even more sunny and very worm. 

That first morning I went to the train station and booked a ticket to Prague. Someone may think that I'm a little crazy, buying tickets for 80 Euros, just to spent in Prague 24 hours, but so I am. By the way, a little advise. If you book a  return ticket it will be much cheaper. 

Ok, so where I stopped... Yes, the second day. I've done all my business in Krakow and just walked around for 6 or 7 hours. The main destination was of course Wawel and then a small, but very nice restaurant U Babci Maliny and the oldest cafe in Krakow, which is more than 110 years old. How the In Your Pocket guide to Krakow says it's 'Not so much a café as a lesson in local history'.  

So the second day was over and I was going to pick up my luggage at the hotel I stayed at and, as I supposedly had to do, was going to take my train to Prague. However... when I approached the Krakow Glowny train station and asked the woman in the ticket window Z którego peronu pociąg do Pragi (from which platform train to Prague departs), she told me the words I'll remember forever pociąg odjechał dawno (the train has departed long ago). And at that moment I've started to speak Polish almost fluently, regarding that two days ago I know only 10 or 20 words. Of course, Ukrainian is too similar to Polish and yes I can read almost everything in it, but start using the language you have never spoken in, that's absolutely different. 

Actually, I still can't figure out how happened that I mixed up the departure time. There have been so much trains, planes, buses in my life and I've never ever missed any. However, if I came in time for train, I wouldn't have had such adventurous night.  

The worst thing about Krakow train station is that the main building is closed during the night (from 11pm) and international trains ticket office is also closed in it. But somehow I was lucky. In my newborn Polish I was able to arrange meeting with ticket officer through the rear window of the closed main building. God bless that woman! Eventually, she was the one who sold me my tickets a day before. She helped me with trains schedule and arranged my trip to Prague via two other cities.

My first train was to Katowice - it's about 2 hours from Krakow. The marvelous thing about Polish trains (and I guess it's all around Europe) you can choose any seat you like. Even if you have reservation for certain seat, you may find it occupied by some sweet sleeping guy (or girl if you prefer  :) ). So at 2.30 am I took a train to Katowice, where I arrived at 4.30am. My next train to a small Czech town Bohumin departs at 6.20 am. These two hours at Katowice train station waiting hall were unforgettable. I wish none of those who will be reading this lines (if any will read this at all) have such experience. It wasn't even a waiting hall - just some old, closed decades ago, cafe with some chairs. It was cold, dirty, with very strange and suspicious (I would rather say just drunk) people around. But still it was adventurous :). 

Time passed relatively fast and I was at another train, this time more comfortable then previous. In the other two hours I arrived to Bohumin. It was 8.30 am and I had the next train at 9.50 am. What can be more peaceful and quiet than such small town in the morning hours? And luckily I had some Kronas for a cup of hot tea and a chocolate. Thanks Bohumin!

Finally, I was seating in the train, which in a five hours or so was going to deliver me to my dream. I arrived to Prague at 2.30pm, 7 hours after the train I had missed. I have lost 7 hours in Prague!!! Anyway, I found my hotel very easy (thank you Prague In Your Pocket) by catching metro, which entrance is just in the main hall of Praha Hlavní nádraží (or the main train station). 

Prague... I can write here another thousand words or even two, but I rather would not. I won't tell something more than any person who has visited this amazing city. However I found out a strange thing. Prague has always been my dream. At last it came true. However I can't say that I was very excited seeing it, but... it might be a sleepless night in three trains to get there as well as less than 24 hours which I spent in Prague. I guess I just haven't discovered it fully, haven't felt it and I'm going to improve my relationship with this city in the nearest time :).

My return trip to Katowice was just fine (regardless of a fact that I've almost missed the train again). I was so tired after sleepless night, meeting my classmate in Prague, walking around the town long after midnight that I slightly overslept. But my unlucky streak was far away and I got to the train station just in time (I even have had some time to buy sandwiches and some water). 

Everything further has been rather boring (in comparison with described above). I arrived to Katowice where I forced myself to changed my first impression about Katowice. Despite the fact that it's completely industrial city it has nice and even beautiful architecture and a kind of its own charm. Another few hours passed and I was in the transfer car to Katowice airport. Check-in, customs, boring-boring-boring. And finally the plane took off. 

Do zobaczenia Kraków! Až příště Praha! I'm happy to come back home my lovely Kiev!