Katowice Transportation

In the past I've often travelled to Poland by bus from the UK - prices approx. 130 pounds return (as at 2011) - a large Polish carrier is Sinbad with services from most UK cities,
I used them in 2011 and found them to be very good, below their website which is only in Polish :-

http://www.sindbad.pl/pl/euroticket/index/

The main train station is in the centre of the city, next to the local bus station. There are frequent trains to Krakow (78km), Wroclaw (180km),
Oswiecim (for Auschwitz)(33km),Warsaw (303km).
International trains to Berlin, Prague, Vienna.

As at June 2011 the old station has been demolished and work is underway on its replacement.

First of all if you have taken a train in other places in Europe such as Italy, England, or France do not expect the same quality. Trains are old and slow. The stations are generally disorganized. The schedules are posted in paper on the wall and are not always correct as to what platform. This becomes a major problem when the platform changes as it will take you a minimum of 2 minutes up and down stairs and walking (more with luggage and family members in tow) and the biggest problem is that the announcement is only in Polish. On a recent trip I wondered why the train number was not posted and after asking around the best I could I saw our train pulling out of the station on a different track. There are no employees anywhere on the platforms and definitely nobody that even knows English or that seemed to want to help. We had a two hour delay and the station in Katowice is not a place to be stuck in. I have hired a private car and driver to take us to the train station instead of a transfer within Poland. Beware.

The international airport in Katowice (actually in the village next to Katowice), called Pyrzowice is about one hour far from the center. You can get there using a special bus. One way ticket costs 18 zl, both ways: 25 zl, the ticket for children between 4-10 years old: 10 zl. You can check a flight and bus timetable, and all information you need on the official website.

Train is the most popular type of transportation if you are traveling around Ponad without your own car, motorbike or a bicycle. However it could be very unconvenient (especially if you don't speak Polish), as you have to transfer sometimes few times, even if you are traveling to not too far city.
Besides it could be dangerous, especially if you are traveling at night. So it's always better to sit with other people in the compartment, even if it's more convenient to sit on your own in the empty one. The railway stations are not very safe places as well because of druggists, drunks and thiefs. So if you have to wait for your connection, is better to stay in the cafe of restaurant, instead of waiting on the platform.
Another thing is, the trains are not very clean and modern, so if you don't have to, it's better to choose another type of transportation ;-)

The timetable you can find at the official web site (it's in English)

Pyrzowice (KTW) is about 35km from the centre of Katowice and a taxi will cost about 150zlt. The single terminal is fairly modern although quite small. At the front of the airport is an old MIG-21 fighter which looks like it has been covered in graffiti

2 more images

To get back to Germany I opted for a flight from Katowice Airport to Frankfurt/Hahn. On my way home I like to get there fast, but it turned out that flying with W!ZZAIR was not the perfect option! We left with a 5 hour delay and did get any information!!! It was only later that I found out that there was a technical problem which - of course - had to be fixed!!!

I have made a complaint to W!ZZAIR and I was very pleased with their prompt reaction! So this could appease me a little bit at least! I am just hoping that my next flight with them will be more enjoyable!!

Katowice airport is rather small, the waiting area (at least for budget airlines) is small and the air is not the best (at least when you have to spend much time there!!!).

I was lucky to be taken there by car, so I do not have any first hand information about how to get there by public transportation!

Since the plane tickets on that weekend were too expensive, I opted for a cheaper means of getting from Karlsruhe/Germany to Katowice/Poland:

I decided to take the bus!

It was an 18 hour bus ride through Germany, transit through the Czech Republic and into southern Poland. 18 hours sure is a long time, but I was lucky to have two seats to myself, so this was very nice and comfortable!

The bus was modern, clean, had a toilet and we even could watch two videos! There were two drivers who took turns, so I felt very safe and comfortable. The bus was a non-smokers' bus, but we did get to go outside every 3-4 hours, which was nice for the addicted, but also for the rest of us who just felt like stretching a bit!

The most amazing thing was that we arrived on the minute after 18 hours of sometimes rough traffic and traffic jams! Well done!