In this guide
💡 The Short Version: Known as the “Polish Manchester”, Łódź (pronounced woodzh) is Poland’s third-largest city, situated 130 km south-west of Warsaw (Lodz Travel). Direct PKP Intercity trains connect Warszawa Centralna with Łódź Fabryczna in 70 to 85 minutes. The sights cluster in two places: Manufaktura, the 27-hectare red-brick textile complex of cotton baron Izrael Poznański, and Piotrkowska Street, a 4.2-km boulevard of art nouveau mansions, the mirror mosaic of Pasaż Róży and food courtyards. Or book a tour: From Warsaw: Lodz Private Full-Day Tourad (from 1,201 PLN, 5.0 stars from 2 reviews) is a full-day private tour of Łódź from Warsaw, covering its industrial architecture and factory owners’ palaces.
⚠️ Two main railway stations: Book a train to Łódź Fabryczna, the underground terminal in the city centre (600 m from Piotrkowska). Some slower regional trains end at Łódź Kaliska or Łódź Widzew, which are further out and need a tram.
Train connections from Warsaw to Łódź
| Train | Route | Journey | Booking notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| PKP Intercity (IC / TLK) | Warszawa Centralna to Łódź Fabryczna | 70 – 85 minutes | Reserved seats; about one train an hour |
| Polregio (regional) | Warszawa Śródmieście / Centralna | 90 – 105 minutes | Stopping train; unreserved seats; buy on the day |
| Private guided tour | Central Warsaw hotel pickup | 8 hours (full day) | Return train tickets, private licensed guide and museum admissions included |
Tickets for PKP Intercity services can be booked online up to 30 days ahead via intercity.pl or bought at the ticket windows inside Warszawa Centralna. If visiting on a weekend, book your return seat reservation in advance, as late-afternoon Sunday trains back to Warsaw frequently fill up.
The monumental neo-baroque Poznański Palace (Pałac Izraela Poznańskiego). Photo: Rakoon, Wikimedia Commons, CC0.
Tours and guided day trips
In the 19th century Łódź grew from a village of 800 into an industrial city of 600,000, built by Polish, Jewish, German and Russian entrepreneurs. Nobel laureate Władysław Reymont’s novel about it is The Promised Land (Ziemia Obiecana).
From Warsaw: Lodz Private Full-Day Tour
From 1,201 PLN · 5.0 stars from 2 reviews · 8 hours · private full-day tour
From Warsaw: Lodz Private Full-Day Tourad: a full-day private tour of Łódź, covering its industrial architecture and factory owners’ palaces.
From Warsaw: Krakow Sightseeing Tour by Express Train
From 1,333 PLN · 4.7 stars from 19 reviews · 11 hours · express train and guided Old Town tour
From Warsaw: Krakow Sightseeing Tour by Express Trainad: a full-day trip to Kraków by express train, with a guided tour of the Old Town.
Small-Group Tour from Warsaw to Torun with Lunch
From 1,311 PLN · 4.9 stars from 3 reviews · 10 hours · small group, lunch included
Small-Group Tour from Warsaw to Torun with Lunchad: a small-group trip from Warsaw to Toruń, a medieval Gothic town on the UNESCO World Heritage list, with lunch.
On your own or with a private tour
| Option | Private tour (GetYourGuide) | On your own |
|---|---|---|
| Warsaw–Łódź return | Included | The train takes 75 minutes; booking it yourself is simple |
| Manufaktura | Guided architectural walk | The plazas and mill buildings are free to walk around |
| Poznański Palace admission | Included | Closed Mondays |
| Guide | From 1,201 PLN for the private group | Explains the industrial history |
The mirror mosaic courtyard installation of Pasaż Róży off Piotrkowska. Photo: Zorro2212, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Top sights to see in Łódź
1. Manufaktura and the Museum of the Factory
A 27-hectare complex of red-brick industrial buildings put up in 1872–1892 by Izrael Poznański. The former cotton spinning and weaving mills now hold restaurant terraces, art galleries and the Museum of the Factory, where restored 19th-century looms run.
- Also on-site: ms2, the contemporary branch of the Muzeum Sztuki.
2. Poznański Palace (Pałac Izraela Poznańskiego)
Flanking the entrance to Manufaktura at Ulica Ogrodowa 15 stands this French neo-baroque mansion, dubbed the “Łódź Louvre”. Once the private residence of Izrael Poznański, it now houses the Museum of the City of Łódź. Tour the Mirror Hall, the grand dining salons, and the memorial rooms dedicated to Łódź pianist Arthur Rubinstein.
3. Piotrkowska Street (Ulica Piotrkowska)
Łódź’s pedestrian main street. Walking south from Plac Wolności, look up at the stucco facades that mix Gothic, Renaissance and art nouveau elements. Stops:
- Pasaż Róży (Piotrkowska 3): An art installation by Joanna Rajkowska. The courtyard walls are covered in thousands of mirror fragments.
- OFF Piotrkowska (Piotrkowska 138/140): A former cotton mill with craft beer taprooms, coffee roasters, food trucks and fashion studios.
- Łódź Walk of Fame (Aleja Gwiazd): Brass pavement stars for Polish cinema, including directors Roman Polański, Andrzej Wajda and Krzysztof Kieślowski. The National Film School is in Łódź.
4. Księży Młyn (“Priest’s Mill”)
Two kilometres south-east of the centre, a preserved textile company town built in the 1870s by industrialist Karol Scheibler. It had its own spinning mills, fire station, hospital, gasworks, schools and rows of red-brick workers’ tenements (famuły).
Scheibler factory, Księży Młyn. Photo: brak, Wikimedia Commons, CC0.
Where to eat in Łódź
- Klub Spadkobierców (Piotrkowska 77): Fine dining in a 19th-century bourgeois apartment with grandfather clocks, stained glass and velvet sofas.
- Drukarnia Skład Wina & Chleba (Piotrkowska 138/140, OFF Piotrkowska): Bakery and wine bistro serving sourdough breakfasts, fresh pasta and local craft beer.
- Anatewka (Manufaktura plaza and Zielona 6): Jewish-Polish restaurant serving stuffed goose neck, potato latkes and challah French toast, with live violin music.
One-day itinerary timetable from Warsaw
- 08:15: Board PKP Intercity train at Warszawa Centralna.
- 09:30: Arrive at Łódź Fabryczna; walk 10 minutes west to Piotrkowska Street.
- 10:00: Explore Pasaż Róży (Piotrkowska 3) and admire art nouveau facades heading north towards Plac Wolności.
- 11:00: Visit the Poznański Palace and the Museum of the City of Łódź.
- 12:30: Cross into Manufaktura for lunch on the market plaza and a tour of the Museum of the Factory.
- 14:30: Take tram 1 or 6 south down Piotrkowska to OFF Piotrkowska for craft coffee.
- 16:00: Ride bus 55 to Księży Młyn to walk through Scheibler’s red-brick textile settlement.
- 18:15: Return to Łódź Fabryczna for the 18:45 intercity train back to Warsaw, arriving at Warszawa Centralna by 20:05.
What to see next
- Day Trips from Warsaw: Day trips to Toruń, Żelazowa Wola, Treblinka and Kraków compared.
- Toruń Day Trip from Warsaw: A medieval Gothic city known for Copernicus and gingerbread.
- Public transport in Warsaw: Trams and metro to Warszawa Centralna station.
- Warsaw in 1 or 2 days: City itineraries for the capital.
- Warsaw travel guide: Sights, transport, food and hotels.
Common questions
How long does the train take from Warsaw to Łódź?
Direct PKP Intercity trains (IC and TLK services) run hourly from Warszawa Centralna to the underground terminal at Łódź Fabryczna in approximately 70 to 85 minutes.
What is Manufaktura in Łódź?
Manufaktura is a 27-hectare revitalised 19th-century textile manufacturing complex formerly owned by industrialist Izrael Poznański. Its red-brick buildings house over 250 shops, restaurants, the Museum of the Factory (Muzeum Fabryki), and the ms2 modern art gallery.
What is special about Piotrkowska Street?
Ulica Piotrkowska is 4.2 kilometres long and lined with eclectic, neo-baroque and art nouveau merchant mansions, courtyard art installations and the Polish Walk of Fame.
What is Pasaż Róży?
Pasaż Róży (Rose Passage) at Piotrkowska 3 is a courtyard installation designed by artist Joanna Rajkowska, where the walls of a historic tenement courtyard are covered in thousands of tiny pieces of mirrored glass.
Can I explore Łódź on foot from the railway station?
Yes. Łódź Fabryczna railway station is situated just 600 metres east of Piotrkowska Street. You can walk straight into the historic city centre, catch a modern tram down Piotrkowska, or ride tram 12 directly to Manufaktura.
