Braniewo

Braniewo (German: Braunsberg) is in the Warmia-Masuria area of north-east Poland.

The church was rebuilt from scratch in 1979 after being destroyed in World War II. Facing the tower are war-scarred buildings with patched bullet holes.

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 train station

The 1 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

Hammer and sickle monument in the Soviet War Cemetery

• 1 Minor Basilica of St. Catherine (Bazylika Mniejsza pw. św. Katarzyny), Katedralna, ☏ +48 55 243 24 29. Rebuilt from ruins. 
• 2 Holy Cross Church (Kościół św. Krzyża), Świętokrzyska. 
• 3 Gothic Gate Tower. The only surviving fragment of the bishop's castle in Braniewo. 
• 4 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. 

Buy

Russian rubles and groceries. Groceries are cheaper in Poland than in Russia.

Sleep

Despite a dearth of online options, there is a healthy hotel scene.

Go next

• Kaliningrad
• Frombork
• Elbląg