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With a longer Berlin itinerary, you’ll want to allocate some time for day trips from Berlin. For most visitors, Potsdam and Sachsenhausan are among the most popular day trips from Berlin. However, did you know that you can also visit an entirely new country for the day? In our opinion, the beautiful city of Poznan makes for an ideal day trip from Berlin to Poland.
If you’re thinking: Is Poznan worth visiting? The answer is an overwhelming yes. You’ll thoroughly enjoy your day trip to Poznan for countless reasons, including the city’s bright and colorful cobblestone streets and Europe’s best donuts (you’ll find out where at the end of the article). On a one-day trip from Berlin to Poland, you’ll quickly feel like you’ve been transported to another world.
While Poznan is certainly a year-round destination, we all know European capitals are prettiest during the long summer days. Best of all, Poznan is only about 2.5 hours from Berlin. This means if you start early, you’ll be back in Berlin in time for your hip Friedrichshain restaurant reservation or a big night out on the best club scene in Europe.

With that, here’s the ultimate guide on how to plan your day trip from Berlin to Poland, including our guide to the top things to do in Poznan.
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How to get from Berlin to Poznan, Poland
By train
The best way to get from Poznan to Berlin is via the train, taking an easy 2.5 hours. In case it wasn’t yet clear, Poznan is one of the easiest day trips from Berlin by train.
You will want to pre-book your train tickets as early as possible to get the cheapest price.
Both Deutsche Bahn and PKP Intercity operate along the Berlin to Poznan train route. We have taken trains with both companies and, candidly speaking, they are much the same experience.

By bus
For those completing this day trip on the cheap (those Berlin currywursts do add up), Flixbus operates along the Berlin to Poznan route. Whilst considerably cheaper, the bus takes an additional hour making this a long day trip.
What you need to know about immigration
As this day trip is traveling through Schengen territory, there is no requirement to complete any forms or pass through any customs. This means you probably won’t even realize when you’re crossing the German-Polish border!
However, we do recommend when traveling through separate countries (even within Schengen) to bring your passport or European Union ID card. In particular, if you are traveling on Flixbus, as you will likely be asked for your passport.

Top things to do in Poznan
Old Town
Poznan is one of the biggest and oldest cities in Poland. This means that the primary part of your day trip from Berlin to Poland should ideally be spent getting lost in the backstreets of old Poznan. From the Old Market Square to the charming church of Fara Poznańska, you’ll quickly find yourself wishing you had more days in Poland.
To make the most out of your one day in Poznan, we recommend joining a walking tour of the Old Town. This way, you’ll get a quick lesson on the unique mix of architectural styles in Poznan and the fascinating history of this once-great city.
Old Market Square
First things first, I recommend heading to the Old Market Square. This lovely square is easily one of the most beautiful in Poland, with a string of colorful buildings and an energetic vibe contributing to the uniquely Polish atmosphere.

Interestingly, with 60% of Poznan destroyed in World War II, most of the square is actually a replica of what it used to look like. In recent years, tourists have complained about reconstruction ruining their photos – but we can say that, thankfully, those days are over.
Poznan Town Hall
Make sure you stop by Poznan’s Renaissance Town Hall at 12 pm for a uniquely Poznan special show. Get ready to be surprised, and keep your eyes open for goats headbutting each other. Most importantly, make sure to look up!
Cathedral Island (or Ostrow Tumski)
Depending on how relaxed of a day you are having, if you have time (and you’re up for a walk) we recommend heading towards Cathedral Island. Along this pleasant walk, you’ll find some street art.
This site is often called the birthplace of Poland. It was here where Poznan was first founded, marking the birth of Poland. If you’re keen to learn more about this historic part of Poznan, don’t miss out on a history-driven walking tour of Cathedral Island.

Jewish Poznan
Like much of Poland, Poznan’s Jewish history is tragically marked by death and destruction. Poznan hosted one of Poland’s most important Jewish Councils in pre-World War II Poland. However, the Holocaust meant that the majority of the Jews living in Poznan were killed.
For those wanting to maximize their time in the Old Town, you will find a surviving Jewish synagogue which offers a crash course in Poznan’s unique Jewish history.

To see the Nazi death camp an eerie 15-minute drive from the center of Poznan, put Fort Vlla into your maps application. This camp was home to some of the earliest experimental gas chambers in the Nazi network of concentration and extermination camps.
Best restaurants in Poznan
Pyra Bar
This cute restaurant is the idyllic lunch spot in Poznan. We love this restaurant specifically because it’s famous for potatoes. This means that potatoes come in various forms: cooked, baked, fried (wow, this is amazing), and even dessert.
For those missing their Berlin vegan feasts, this Poznan eatery even offers a vegan menu. The vegan menu is a little limited but the workers are extremely helpful. They even offered for the potatoes to be cooked with coconut milk.
Pyra Bar is actually a small chain throughout Poland. But, don’t worry, the Poznan store is actually the original first restaurant in Poland!
Dobra Pączkarnia
Situated on the busiest street in Poznan, Dobra Pączkarnia has the best donuts in Poznan. Scrap that, the best donuts in Europe.

This isn’t even a controversial call – just walk by and see the line (but don’t worry it moves really quickly). The workers may not speak English but they understand the important phrases, including: jelly, Nutella and caramel. We swear by the caramel donut but, let’s be honest, you can’t really go wrong with a high-quality donut.
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