Warsaw Airports Guide
Warsaw has 2 international airports serving the city – Chopin airport and Modlin airport.
There is also a third airport, Warsaw Babice, which is not currently used for commercial flights.
In 2018, more than 20 million passengers overall passed through Warsaw airports, with a steady rise in traffic over the years.
Warsaw airports connect the city to more than 300 international destinations.
In this guide, we’ll try to summarise all the useful information about Warsaw airports.
Table of Contents
Airports in Warsaw
Chopin Airport (WAW) is the main airport in Warsaw, as well as the largest airport in Poland. In recent years, it served more than 17 million passengers, with regular flights by airline companies such as LOT Polish Airlines, Wizz Air and Smartwings. Chopin airport is located about 10 kilometers south of the city center, making it the nearest airport to Warsaw. Taking a bus to Warsaw is one way to reach the city. More information about that can be found in our airport Chopin guide.
Modlin Airport (WMI) is another Warsaw international airport, and was opened in 2012. The airport is mostly used by low-cost airline companies like Ryanair and Enter Air. Last year a record of 3 million passengers passed through the airport, making it the 5th busiest airport in Poland. While Airport Modlin is located 40 kilometers northwest of the city, it still has several ways of reaching Warsaw, most notably airport bus which takes you to the city center.
How to get from Warsaw Airports to Warsaw city centre
As can be seen in the table below, there are several ways of reaching Warsaw city from both airports.
With airport shuttles, passengers arrive close to the Central Station, right next to the Palace of Culture.
The airport shuttle is the most commonly used form of transportation to and from Warsaw airports, as it is usually the quickest and the most economical option for passengers.
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Warsaw Chopin Airport |
Warsaw Modlin Airport |
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Airport Shuttle |
✓ |
✓ |
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Public Bus |
✓ |
✗ |
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Train |
✓ |
✗ |
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Transfer |
✓ |
✓ |
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Taxi |
✓ |
✓ |
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Uber |
✓ |
✓ |
NOTE:
- Train from Modlin airport to Warsaw leaves from Modlin train station, which is a 10-minute bus ride from the airport.
- Warsaw’s public transportation services (ZTM) do not have a luggage compartment, so luggage needs to be carried into the seating area.
- Renting a car to reach Warsaw is also an option and there are numerous car rental companies available at both airports.
Which Warsaw Airport is the best
Choosing the best Warsaw airport to fly into depends on one’s travel preferences; such as their preferred airline, the location of their accommodation and their purpose of visiting Warsaw.
When travelling to Warsaw
For travellers whose main goal is to visit Warsaw, the most optimal way would be to reach one of the city’s main stations – Warszawa Zachodnia or Warszawa Centralna.
Most train and bus lines from Warsaw airports arrive at Warszawa Centralna, which serves as the city’s main station for train and bus lines. From these stations, it’s relatively easy to find transportation to notable Warsaw sites, such as Old Town or the Royal Castle.
Both Warsaw airports have good connections to the city, the only difference being the time required to reach the city.
It will take you longer to get to Warsaw if you land at Modlin airport, as opposed to the much closer airport, Chopin.
When travelling to locations near Warsaw
If your accommodation is located in the city’s southern districts, then it might be wiser to fly into Chopin airport.
Due to its close proximity to the city, Chopin is also often used when travelling to most of Warsaw’s suburbs, like Mlociny.
When visiting the cities south of Warsaw, such as Lodz, Lublin or Krakow, then closest airport would be Chopin, while for northern cities like Bydgoszcz and more distant Gdansk, the closest airport is Modlin.
When travelling to Warsaw on a budget
If you’re travelling to Warsaw on a budget, landing at the airports which have frequent flights by low-cost airlines may save you some money. Luckily, both airports have flights by low-cost airline companies.
However, Modlin airport is located about 40 kilometers from Warsaw – so a taxi or transfer to the city could be more expensive when flying into this airport.
Travelling between Warsaw Airports
If you have long-haul flights or connecting flights to other cities, it’s useful to know how to get from one Warsaw airport to another.
Taking the airport shuttle is one of the fastest ways of travelling between airports.
You can check the details and purchase your tickets below:
NOTE:
- The travel time between Warsaw airports is approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- An alternative option is booking a transfer or taxi, which may be more expensive.
Travelling from Warsaw Airports to other cities
If you’re planning your trip from Warsaw airport to other cities in Poland or cities in nearby countries, you can find transportation on GetByBus homepage, or see available routes in the table below.
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Warsaw Chopin Airport |
Warsaw Modlin Airport |
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Warsaw airport to Plock |
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Warsaw airport to Kiev |
✗ |
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Warsaw airport to Bialystok |
✗ |
✗ |
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Warsaw airport to Wloclawek |
✗ |
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Warsaw airport to Bydgoszcz |
✗ |
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Warsaw airport to Lodz |
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Warsaw airport to Lublin |
✗ |
✗ |
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Warsaw airport to Lviv |
✗ |
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Warsaw airport to Torun |
✗ |
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Warsaw airport to Katowice |
✗ |
✗ |
Warsaw Airports Map
Warsaw Airports FAQs
Both airports in Warsaw have hotels nearby, so you shouldn’t have a problem finding accommodation. Hotels near Chopin are reachable by foot, but there’s also a free airport shuttle available. As for Modlin airport, there are hotels nearby, but airport shuttle is not free of charge.
Free and unlimited WiFi access is available at both airports, but in Modlin you have to download the official Hello Modlin magazine to connect to the network.
Money exchange services are available at both airports, but make sure to check the rates because they can be higher than usual. Storing your luggage is possible at Chopin airport, while Modlin does not offer luggage storage services at this time.
Like in many European airports, it’s recommended to arrive at least 2 hours before flight departure for domestic flights, and at least 3 hours before for international flights.
This depends on the airport you are flying from. Warsaw airports are not equally distanced from the city, so we recommend to plan carefully when going to the city in order to catch your next flight.
I am planning to fly from Birmingham UK to Warsaw Chopin. From there I want to go to Lublin.
Have you any advice on the best way to do this?
Hi,
to reach Lublin, first, you need to get to Warsaw as described here.
Once in Warsaw, you can travel to Lublin by bus. You can check all the details about departures and tickets here.
Best,
GBB Team