The BEST Stadler FLIRT train? PKP Intercity FIRST CLASS review! (Zakopane to Krakow)
Vložit
- čas přidán 18. 11. 2023
- Follow me on Twitter / intercitysimon
Today, we are exploring PKP Intercity's ED160 Stadler Flirt trains, which could be among the best of their kind. Join me on this journey from Zakopane in Poland's south, through the Tatra Mountains, up to Krakow in the great comfort of their first class. Enjoy a delicious meal from the onboard dining car while passing through breathtaking scenery.
Train type: PKP ED160 "Stadler FLIRT"
Route: Zakopane to Krakow
Train: IC 3560
Distance: 138 km
Journey time: 2h56m
Average speed: 47 km/h
Price: 39 PLN ~8,80 €
from september to december, the entire krakow - zakopae section is closed for repairs (again), but it will be opened with a new railroad station in zakopane from december 2023, so you will be able to use it already at the end of this year
The route is open between Kraków and Jordanów and only regional trains travel there. Further on, there is a bus replacement service. Long-distance trains end in Krakow, from which there is a bus replacement service, stopping only in Nowy Targ. Full opening is planned for December 22 and trains are scheduled to run to the main station, but there is still a lot of work to be done and delays are likely.
According to Polish Infrastructure manager PKP PLK, permanent station in Zakopane should be reopened by 22nd December. 😄
It's a very nice preview of what Amtrak's FLIRTS will look like. Great vid!
What a nuts arrow that points 2 a great train.
I often use PKP services and I must say that I prefer these over even Pendolinos. They're just as comfortable and often just as fast but cost much less.
For more authentic Polish traditional experience you can take the Regio train "Kasprowy", "Giewont" "Gubałówka" etc in class ED72 EMU 😉 like in 6:54
I had a chance to actually drive one when I was in Zakopane region. Well, it was quite loud, and on top of that the jounrey from Zakopane to Kraków by that train takes roughly 4 hours. With modern units from PESA, Newag and even Stadler, I think some of these trains are either gonna get modernized, or will be scrapped. This is what is currently happening to EN57s. Many got a complete new cab and better design to support slightly higher speeds.
I have taken plenty of the more classic regional trains, just never filmed one :D
i am from poland and i travel with pkp intercity on a daily basis. I must admit that you are 100% right that flirt is the best train (EMU) on Polish railways, not the pendolino often referred to as such.
What about the new generation of Flirts which seems to have worse seats and smaller restaurant?
I like Pesa Dart more.
TYSM FOR REVIEWING POLAND AGAIN!!!
No problem! Love Poland, will deffo do more in the future !
In germany this is a standard regional and commuter train
Never expected it to be a intercity in a other country
In Poland, Flirt II also participates in regional transport with the Koleje Mazowieckie operator (Warsaw and the surrounding area) under the designation ER160 instead of ED160. It is slightly different due to, among other things, the lack of 1 class and the length of 5 instead of 8 units. It is also available in ŁKA operator under the designations L-4268 (2 units) and LM-4268 (3 units)
These trains have several changes in their design compared to the normal regional variant of the Flirt 3. Most notably: they have improved sound insulation and are high-floor.
I would not call it the best FLIRT; it certainly is well equipped for longer journeys with its real dining car, its luggage racks in both first and second class compartments, it's staff facilities and multiple toilets. Yet it lacks other features some FLIRTS have, like level access, the ability to run without overhead wires (like the new regional FLIRTs in Schleswig Holstein), a more modern and stylish interior (like the BLS or SOB FLIRTS), the ability to reach 200 km/h (like the Swedish and Norwegian FLIRTS), or a better acceleration and more power thanks to better motorization (like the BLS Flirts).
But these are probably features that are not essential for the role PKP uses it for and and it's certainly a good example of the versatility of the FLIRT platform, which started as a light and simple commuter EMU for the SBB 20 years ago.
With the new Norwegian overnight train version and the US hydrogen powered FLIRTs, this versatility will again be expanded in the next couple of years. I wonder how many FLIRTs Stadler will end up selling. It's more than 2'500 by now and still going strong, so it might be well double that amount eventually.
Vast majority of PKP main lines is electrified - there was no need for a diesel/battery powered version. Higher floor level was required by PKP Intercity - all their EMUs have high (but flat) floor. The max speed of 160 km/h was also required by PKP IC. ED160s serve mostly on Intercity trains - they have more frequent stops, and are operated mostly on lines with top speed 160 km/h or less. For higher speed trains PKP Intercity has Express Intercity Premium trains operated by ED250 (New Pendolino) with max speed of 250 km/h (currently operational max speed is 200 km/h due to modernizing the high speed line between Warsaw and Krakow/Katowice). With the interior I completely agree with you - it look like a waiting room in a hospital, but it's standard across the PKP fleet (excluding Pendolino with a very nice Alstom built interior).
I think the PKP ones are the "best" in the sence that they got basically everything right in terms of the specs for the services they use them on. But yeah its such a versitile platform, the ones for LEO Express or MTRX are also excellent in my opinions!
@@Simon-Andersen Next year (probably) PKP Intercity will introduce new Express Intercity trains hauled by Newag Griffin locomotives capable of speeds up to 200 km/h. It might be worth checking out 😉
Simon, as usual very excellent and beautiful videos. Every time I watch your videos I feel like I am actually traveling with you. Thank you
Thanks as usual mark
Nice video.
These trains run on many services: "Żeromski" one of many.
Nice 😊
Zakopane will be open at 22.12.2023.
It runs once a week on mondays from Dushanbe at 19:26 to Samarkand and Tashkent
The German operator DB with BWGT Go-Ahead Mobilität für Baden-Württemberg operate these train sets on Karlsruhe - Stuttgart line as the IRE-1. In my opinion one of the best Regio trains out there
And now line is opened, although permanent station is still rebuild, not all platforms are ready, but it works. ;) Happy New Year 2024! ;)
I had a chance to go there by train in August 2022, but unfortunately, not by that one. However, I have been on board of one in the past.
Also, the ED160 Stadler FLIRT sets are produced in Stadler facility here in my home town - Siedlce. It's on the east from Warsaw.
Tågab would be very intresting! Next time im in Sweden perhaps
2nd class has little leg room at table seats, when fully packed there is not enough luggage space. Luggage shelves are low and too shallow. I am after 4h journey on one and it feels more like commuter train than long distance IC.
Great review as always 🙂 Can you compare PKP IC to Danske Statsbaner IC in terms of general comfort of travel, cleanliness and speed?
1 to 5 stars for each parameter. Thank you in advance 🙂
It's a bit hard to make such a comparison broadly. Generally Polish IC trains are more comfortable and have more amenities, but Danish trains runs more frequently and have higher speeds on average
mange tak 🙂
i wish German Stadler KISS IC would have a real Kitchen onboard...
I think many of their passengers would too!
My dad's family is from Zubrzyca Gorna, just West ot Nowy Targ.
Try TLK SUDETY or TLK SZCZELINIEC (from 10 december 2023) in full relation from Kraków to Jelenia Góra, operator PKP INTERCITY too, 7hrs on board DMU
Maybe in the future, can't wait to be back in Poland at some point 🇵🇱
Something that would be cool, and something that I've even looked at, is an extension of the Szczecin - Zakomane sleeper across the Baltic sea to Malmö (or Copenhagen) via the train ferry to Trelleborg.
That would be a really cool service!
I am having shivers just thinking on taking such a long ass trip. I've been not long ago on a sleeper Lodz-Szczecin and that was just too long. But I love trains and my favourite distance is up to 4-5 hours. Enjoyed your content@@Simon-Andersen
LeoExpress says hi 👋🏻
That is a strong contentder, but i think the onboard WARS on PKP takes it over the Premium seats on LEO
How is the ride quality at 100mph? Is it smooth and quiet or noisy and bumpy?
It's very quiet inside unless you have small children in the carriage 😉
@@RobertBogdanik LOL🤣✌️
Its good, FLIRTS are very quiet and comfortable!
Soo... your 1st class ticket was actually cheaper than the on-board breakfast 😅
Hahah yes, although i did get food for 2 people, so maybe it would be fair to double the ticket cost :P
Cool that you visited Poland again. They are nice trains indeed. The only issue is they didn’t add any compartments, doesn’t even need to be the whole train, but a few per carriage would be great for being able to travel with a group.
That would have been a nice addition, i personally like open seating more but i dont often travel as a group
That looks like the ER1… but with just one floor
Both of them are from Stadler
Better than Pendolino.
I have been on both ED160 Flirt and ED250 Pendolino, and I enjoyed both to be honest.
Both are great trains!