PKP Intercity discounts 2026: students 51%, Karta Polaka, families
Short answer: PKP Intercity gives students up to 26 a 51% discount and 37% to Karta Polaka and Large Family Card parent holders. Discounts apply to the base fare, not seat reservations.
PKP Intercity, Poland's main long-distance train operator, sells tickets with statutory discounts that are paid for by the state budget. Students, children, holders of the Karta Polaka and parents with a Large Family Card are among those who qualify. This guide is based on PKP Intercity's own pages on discounts, the student discount document, the list of discounts available at ticket machines (updated 3 October 2025) and the carrier's tariff, which has a change valid from 1 June 2026. Rules and document lists can change, so confirm at the ticket office or in the app before you rely on a discount.
How the discounts work
According to the PKP Intercity tariff, discounts are calculated from the base ticket price. The tariff names two kinds: statutory discounts of 37%, 49%, 51%, 78%, 95% and 100%, and a commercial discount of 50%. It also states that discounts are not applied to certain extras, including seat reservation fees. So a 51% discount lowers the fare, not the reservation charge.
The carrier's page on statutory discounts says that people such as pupils, students, Karta Polaka holders and people unable to live independently can use these discounts if they hold the right documents. It links to a table of entitlements valid from 11 February 2026, and a separate document listing which papers prove the right to a discount.
The discounts most newcomers ask about
From the list of discounts available at PKP Intercity ticket machines (a page updated 3 October 2025), the discounts include:
- 51%: students and college students up to age 26, and doctoral students up to age 35
- 37%: children and young people
- 37%: a parent or the spouse of a parent holding a Large Family Card (Karta Dużej Rodziny)
- 37%: holders of the Karta Polaka
- 37%: pensioners, for two journeys a year
- 30%: the Senior ticket (Bilet dla Seniora)
- 100%: a child up to 4 years old
This list is for the machines, so the ticket office and the online system may offer more.
The student discount: what to show
PKP Intercity says that with a valid student card you pay 51 percent less on every national route in EIP, EIC, IC and TLK trains, and that the student discount can be combined with promotions. The offer page lists students up to 26, students studying abroad up to 26, students of social-work colleges up to 26, and doctoral students up to 35.
The carrier's student discount document lists the proof of entitlement. The first document it names is the electronic student ID (including the mLegitymacja) issued by a Polish university. For Polish citizens it also accepts the international student card, ISIC. For citizens of EU states, it accepts a Polish university student ID or an ISIC, shown together with a document confirming the right of permanent residence, and the same for family members of EU citizens, with their permanent residence card. A doctoral student shows a doctoral student card issued by a Polish university or research unit. If the age is not printed on the card, you must also show an ID or another document that proves your age.
The table as published by PKP Intercity does not spell out what applies to a non-EU student who has a Polish university ID. The Polish university ID is the first document in the list, so that is the one to carry. If you are unsure, ask at a ticket office before you buy.
The same document says the 51 percent student discount applies in second class only. The carrier's separate offer page for students says it applies in all categories of trains, so the second-class limit is the point to check.
Large Family Card and Karta Polaka
The list of ticket machine discounts includes a 37% discount for a parent or the parent's spouse who holds a Large Family Card, and 37% for holders of the Karta Polaka. Our guide to the Large Family Card for foreigners explains who can get the card.
* Photos: PKP Intercity ED160 at Toruń Główny (CC0, Wikimedia Commons); EU200 locomotive at Warszawa Centralna (CC0, Wikimedia Commons). Photos are illustrative.
Frequently asked questions
Does the PKP Intercity student discount apply to foreign students?
The carrier's student document names a student card issued by a Polish university as the first valid proof, and it separately lists ISIC for Polish and EU citizens. It does not spell out every case for non-EU students, so ask at a ticket office if your situation is not obvious.
Is the discount calculated on the total price including a seat reservation?
No. According to the tariff, discounts apply to the base ticket price and not to charges such as seat reservations.
How much is the Large Family Card discount?
The ticket machine list shows 37% for a parent or the spouse of a parent with a Large Family Card.
