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Car Hire at Warsaw Central Train Station - Enjoying the Best of Poland

Part of the busy Cross-City line, Warsaw's magnificent Central Train Station is the primary railway hub in the Polish capital. It features four underground island platforms with eight tracks in total and is served by regular domestic and long-distance trains. Considered a masterpiece of modernism, it serves several key destinations in Poland (such as Krakow 292 kilometres away that's reachable in just 2 hours and 30 minutes) as well as numerous international cities, most notably Prague (at a distance of 637km and reachable in 8 hours 30 minutes), Vienna (655km; reachable in 8 hours) and Berlin (574km; reachable in less than 6 hours).

Listed as a historical monument of modern architecture in Poland, Warsaw Central Train Station is spread across three floors and cost more than 2 billion zloty (the local currency) when it was built in the mid-1970s, which at the time made it the most expensive building of its type in the whole of the country. Designed by architect Arseniusz Romanowicz and particularly notable for its functional and easthetic features, the station today caters for almost 50,000 passenger movements every day, thus totalling around 18 million travellers each year.

Once the home of Polish monarchs, a visit to Warsaw is always an enriching experience for anyone interested in the country's history and culture. With the main train station so centrally located, the whole of this fascinating city is there to be explored, with many of Warsaw's top attractions easily accessible from the main antrance/exit, including the Planetarium of the Copernicus Science Centre (a must for families with young children), Wilanów Royal Palace (don't miss the King's Bedroom, Painting Gallery and the extensive gardens) and the city's wonderful Old Town, now classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

There's much more to see and do with a car hire from Warsaw Central Train Station, particularly in the beautiful countryside surrounding the capital. Many people visiting Warsaw also plan to visit the notorious Auschwitz Birkenau Concentration Camp, and although this important place of remembrance lies much closer to Krakow than it does Warsaw, it's still possible to do a round-trip in a single day. Other top excursions from Warsaw include a leisurely drive to the Masovian plains to see some of central Poland's most typical towns and villages, along with a visit to the Białowieża Forest, another of Poland's prized UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Many shorter day trips are available to Lodz and Lublin, both lovely cities full of history and interesting things to see.

Established in 1954, Auto Europe has since grown into one of the world’s leading car hire companies with a fantastic reputation. We give our customers the opportunity to book their vehicle directly through our high-tech search engine or by asking our rental specialists for assistance. We work with all the top vehicle suppliers, which means that we are also able to offer the best prices and the widest selection of cars on the market. Read the comments posted by other Auto Europe customers in the city on our Warsaw car hire reviews page for extra peace of mind.

Station Information

Warsaw Central Train Station (known locally as Warszawa Centralna) is the primary railway station in Warsaw and one of the busiest in cntral Europe. Designed by the renowned Polish architect Arseniusz Romanowicz, its construction began in 1972 and was completed in 1975 before being extensively renovated and modernised in preparation for the European Football Championships held in Poland in 2012. A major feature of the Warsaw Cross-City line, the station today ranks as one of the most promiment post-war modernism contstruction projects ever to be developed in the Polish capital.

Where to pick up my car hire at Warsaw Central Train Station

A large number of major brands offer car rental at Warsaw Central Train Station, with most of their offices located at the Marriott Hotel opposite the main entrance or in the streets surrounding the station. When you arrive to pick up your vehicle, make sure you have all the necessary documents (ie driving licence, passport, credit card in the main driver's name, coverage details, car hire voucher, etc.) ready in order to speed up the collection process.

	Avis at Warsaw Central Train Station Al Jerozolimskie 65/79 (Marriott Centrum) Warsaw, Poland 00-697 +48 221 139 178	Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm and Sat 9am-1pm (closed Sun)
	Hertz at Warsaw Central Train Station Aleje Jerozolimskie 54 Warsaw, Poland 00-697 +48 22 500 1500	Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-4pm (closed Sat & Sun)
	Sixt at Warsaw Central Train Station Al Jerozolimskie 65/79 (Marriott Centrum) Warsaw, Poland 00-697 +48 661 999 155	Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm (closed Sat & Sun)

Station facilities

Warsaw Central Train Station has all the facilities visitors can expect from a major railway hub in the heart of a European capital city. Furthermore, due to the station's upgrade in time for the Euro 2012 football tournament, a range of improvements and additional amenities further enhanced the building's efficiency for passengers arriving and departing at Warszawa Centralna. Today, a mezzanine connecting the waiting room in the west wing to the restaurants in the east wing facilitates quicker access to many parts of the station, including the main ticket office which is located at ground level in the grand hall. Here there are a number of ticket offices, cafés, waiting rooms (including upmarket areas designed for VIP passengers) and a well-stocked supermarket. There are dedicated zones for charging electronic devices and luggage-storage areas (both manual and automatic) which operate around the clock. Passengers are well catered for with several local and international coffee lounges, fast food chains and kebab shops where travellers can grab a bite to eat or spend time whilst waiting for their train to depart. The Champions bar at the Marriott Hotel across the road can be reached via an underground passageway, as well as the popular Złote Tarasy shopping centre. The station also offers free Wi-Fi to all its users. For visitors with time on their hands, the Palace of Culture skyscraper is just across the road from Warsaw Centralna station which is a major landmark with a viewing terrace on the 30th floor.

How to get to and from Warsaw Central Train Station

Visitors who rent a car at Warsaw Central Train Station are normally able to pick up or drop off their vehicle in no time thanks to its convenient location in the heart of the city. The station can be easily reached by public transport from all the city's districts and suburban areas. Right next door to Warszawa Centralna are the main tram and bus stops, plus there's a metro station connected to the station (Centrum) just 400 metres away. Travellers who don't want to use public transport or are carrying heavy luggage can order a taxi, with the main ranks located in front of both of the station exits and at the nearby Złote Tarasy Shopping Centre.

Parking tips

Visitors looking to park their car hire at Warsaw Central Train Station will find that the inner city comprises one large parking zone (Obszar 1) in the centre. Parking in this area is charged Monday to Friday from 8am to 8pm but is free on weekends, public holidays and certain days of the year, namely 2 May, 24 and 31 December. Please note that if you hire an electric car with a green number plate when visiting Warsaw, you will not need to pay for parking during your stay. The city's on-street ticket machines accept both coins and cards; just enter your vehicle's number plate and desired parking period before pressing the green button. Open 24/7, some of the best centrally-located car parks in Warsaw (close to many of the city's top tourist attractions) include Parking Warsaw Spire (Plac Europejski 1), Parking LOT (Krakowiaków 75) and Parking ZTP Bugaj (Bugaj 14). A good alternative to parking in the city centre are the Park&Ride car parks located a bit further out which allow you to leave your car free of charge provided you buy one a public transport ticket, such as the 1-day ticket, 3-day ticket or weekend ticket. Most P&R car parks are located very close to a metro station, so getting in and out of the city centre is a quick and easy process.

Useful links

Warsaw Tourist Info