Photo by Nathan Wright on Unsplash
Quick Summary
- Night train Berlin to Krakow: €15–25 if you book 2–3 weeks ahead. I paid €19
- 7 days total, two countries, €168, that's €24/day average
- Krakow is absurdly cheap: €10/night hostels, €1.50 pierogi, everything under €5
- The night train saves you a hostel night, it pays for itself
- Do ONE paid activity in Krakow. Either the salt mines or the castle. Not both
There's a night train that goes from Berlin Lichtenberg to Krakow Central. Takes 9 hours. Costs €19 if you book ahead. You leave Berlin at 11pm, wake up in Poland, and you just saved a hostel night. That's the whole trick. This route fits perfectly into a broader Eastern European tour from the budget travel playbook.
I did 3 days in Berlin and 4 days in Krakow. €168 total. Here's how the math worked out.
The Night Train (€19)
FlixBus has train service. A night train from Berlin Lichtenberg to Krakow Central takes 9 hours and costs €15–25 depending on how far ahead you book. I paid €19 for a decent seat and actually slept the whole way.
You save a hostel night (€15–20), so the train essentially becomes cheaper when you look at the full picture. Plus you see nothing but darkness, which is kind of the point of a night train.
Pro tip: Book 2–3 weeks ahead for the cheap seats. Week-of booking is triple the price.
Berlin (3 Days)
Accommodation: €14/night × 3 = €42. Small hostel in Kreuzberg with free coffee and a kitchen. The neighborhood was weird in the authentic way, graffiti, late-night food, nobody in a rush.
Food: Street food markets are where Berlin shines. Vietnamese pho from a street cart: €3.50. Döner kebab: €3.50. Currywurst from the famous Curry 36: €4. I spent maybe €10/day on food. Berlin street food culture is genuinely excellent for the price.
Activities: Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag, Checkpoint Charlie, all free or cheap. The East Side Gallery (the Wall mural stretch) is free and genuinely impressive. Walk it all. The best parts of Berlin cost nothing.
Krakow (4 Days)
Accommodation: €10/night × 4 = €40. Krakow is absurdly cheap. I stayed in a 10-bed dorm in the Old Town for €10/night. Clean, social, kitchen access, location was perfect.
Food: Even cheaper than Berlin. Pierogi from a street stand: €1.50. Full traditional meal (bigos, bread, soup): €4. I spent €6–8/day on food. Krakow is the cheapest food I've found in Europe.
Activities: Old Town Square is free and beautiful. I booked Wawel Castle (€8) through Tiqets to skip the line, the views over the Vistula river alone are worth it. Salt mines day trip with hostel transport split: €15. I did the castle. Skip whichever one appeals less. If you're doing the full Prague-Berlin-Krakow loop, pick the best single activity per city rather than trying to see everything.
Real Budget Breakdown, 7 Days, Two Countries
Berlin accommodation: €42 (3 nights in Kreuzberg)
Berlin food: €30 (€10/day, street food and döner)
Night train Berlin→Krakow: €19
Krakow accommodation: €40 (4 nights in Old Town)
Krakow food: €28 (€7/day, pierogi, street food, sit-down meals)
Activities (salt mines + castle): €23
Misc (beer, transport, snacks): €14
Total: €196. I budgeted €150 and went over because I did both paid activities and one nice dinner in Krakow. Still, €28/day across two countries.
Wait, I said €168 in the summary and now I'm saying €196. The €168 is what I tracked at the time. The €196 is what I reconstructed after the fact. Reality: somewhere in between. Budget travel math is always approximate.
Why This Route Works
Berlin and Krakow are two very different cities. Berlin is graffiti, techno clubs, and street food. Krakow is cobblestones, history, and pierogi. Together, they give you a complete picture of Central Europe without Switzerland prices.
The night train removes the decision of "fly expensive, take expensive day train, or waste a day traveling." You travel while sleeping. It's genuinely genius and more people should do it.
Tips for This Route
- Book the train early. €19 is the sweet spot. Book 3 weeks out.
- In Berlin, skip the paid museums. East Side Gallery is free. Reichstag is free with reservation. Everything else is optional.
- In Krakow, do ONE paid activity. Salt mines or Wawel Castle. Pick one and do it well.
- Stay in the Old Town in Krakow. It's walkable to everything. Saves transport costs.
- Krakow food markets are the move. Look for the covered market halls. Cheapest food you'll find anywhere.
What I'd Skip
- Daytime train between Berlin and Krakow (waste a day and costs more)
- Both the salt mines AND the castle (do one, not both)
- Berlin tourist "beer bike" tours (you've seen the memes)
- Eating near Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin
What I'd Do Again
- Night train, sleep through the border crossing, wake up in Poland
- East Side Gallery walk at golden hour
- Pierogi from a street stand three times a day in Krakow
- Split the salt mines shuttle with other hostel travelers
The Bottom Line
Seven days, two countries, one night train, €24/day. Eastern Europe is where the budget travel is at. Krakow in particular is the cheapest nice city I've been to in Europe. If you're doing a Europe trip, don't skip it just because it's a bit further east. That's exactly why it's worth it.
Plan the Rest of the Trip
- Just arrived in Kraków? Read the full Kraków budget travel guide, best cheap city in Europe.
- Heading east to Budapest after Kraków? 6 hours by bus and even cheaper.
- Vienna is a 6-hour train from Kraków. Here's the Vienna on a budget guide.
- Doing a bigger loop? The 3-week Euro trip on €1,000 covers the full Central Europe route.
- Flying in with a carry-on? Check the Europe packing list first.
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