Braniewo
Braniewo (German: Braunsberg) is in the Warmia-Masuria area of north-east Poland.
Understand
The nearest sizeable town to three Poland-Kaliningrad border crossings, Braniewo is somewhere that many travellers will pass through, if not actually visit. The opposing Russian town is Mamonovo.
Get in
The bus station is next to the train station, though not all local buses serve the station.
By train
The 🌍 Braniewo Railway Station is located about 1 kilometer east of the town centre. There are direct connections from the regional capital Olsztyn. The distance is covered in two hours time. There are no connections to the much closer city of Elbląg and a change in Olsztyn is required.
The trains within Poland are run by Polskie Koleje Państwowe (see PKP ) and Polregio. In any case the schedule can be checked at the PKP website.
By bus
There are regular buses to Elbląg which run via Frombork. They leave from the stop on ul. Kościuszki, the main street that heads to the station, not the station itself.
There are four daily buses to Kaliningrad, they do leave from the station. In the other direction, the buses from Kaliningrad head as far as Gdańsk.
Get around
On foot. Unless you're heading to the border as it's quite far.
See
- 🌍 Minor Basilica of St. Catherine (Bazylika Mniejsza pw. św. Katarzyny), Katedralna, ☏ +48 55 243 24 29. Rebuilt from ruins.
- 🌍 Holy Cross Church (Kościół św. Krzyża), Świętokrzyska.
- 🌍 Gothic Gate Tower. The only surviving fragment of the bishop's castle in Braniewo.
- 🌍 Soviet War Cemetery (Cmentarz Żołnierzy Radzieckich), Elbląska. A little way out of town on the road to Frombork. There is a bus stop opposite, make sure the driver knows you want the cemetery and look out for the concrete red star on the left.
Sleep
Despite a dearth of online options, there is a healthy hotel scene.