How to Visit Malbork Castle: The Best Day Trip From Gdansk, Poland

Malbork Castle is a 13th-century fortified monastery outside of Gdańsk, Poland. Besides being a gorgeous place to visit on a day trip, it’s also the largest castle in the world by land area! This post will cover everything you need to know, including how to visit Malbork Castle and helpful tips to make your visit a success.

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How to get to Malbork Castle from Gdańsk

By car

If you’re renting a car in Poland, it’s a straightforward 45-minute drive to Malbork Castle from Gdańsk. There is parking available at the castle for 30 PLN ($6.75 USD). Otherwise, you’ll find plenty of free and metered spots around the castle in the town of Malbork.

By train

Malbork Castle is also relatively easy to get to via public transportation. From Gdańsk Główny, the city’s main train station, it takes between half an hour to an hour depending on which type of train you take.

Regio (R) trains

These are the slowest but most affordable trains to Malbork. They take anywhere between 38 minutes and an hour with multiple stops along the way. Seats on these trains are first come first served and may be standing room only when it’s busy.

Tickets cost 12.40 PLN ($2.80 USD) one way and can be bought from the Polregio website.

TLK trains

TLK trains are slightly faster than Regio trains and only make one or two stops along the way. The journey takes about 34 minutes total.

Tickets cost 17 PLN ($3.83 USD) one way for 2nd class and 23 PLN ($5.19 USD) one way for 1st class. They can be bought from the PKP Intercity website.

EIC trains

These are the fastest and most expensive trains to the castle from Gdańsk. They take 28 minutes and are nonstop to Malbork Castle.

Tickets cost 55 PLN ($12.40 USD) for 2nd class and 89 PLN ($20 USD) one way for 1st class. They can be bought from the PKP Intercity website.

To see a timetable with all train types for the day, check out the DB Bahn website. If you don’t want to book your tickets in advance, you can also buy them from the Gdańsk train station ticket counter on the day of your trip.

Once you reach the train station in Malbork, it’s an easy 20-minute walk to Malbork Castle. You can also take a 5-minute taxi ride for around 15 PLN ($3.38 USD). There is a taxi stand just outside the station.

A bit of Malbork Castle history

Built in the 13th century, Malbork Castle was originally home to the Teutonic Knights, a religious order of crusaders. The Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork served as a residence for the Polish King, the Grand Master, and over 3,000 knights until 1457.

Over the next several hundred years, the castle changed hands multiple times and fell in and out of various states of disrepair. It was occupied by both Sweden and Germany during the Partitions of Poland, eventually being used by the Nazi party for annual Hitler Youth retreats.

During World War II, more than half of Malbork Castle was completely destroyed. Since then, it’s been meticulously restored and instated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

How to visit Malbork Castle

Planning your route

Depending on when you visit, the castle might not be fully open to explore. Mondays, evenings from Tuesday to Sunday, and public holidays have reduced admission to certain areas.

Historical Route

This is the full Malbork Castle experience. It covers all of the castle’s museum interiors and grounds and takes around 3 hours to complete. The Historical Route is only available from Tuesday through Sunday, 9:00 am to 8:00 pm (last admission at 5:00 pm).

• Adults: 70 PLN ($15.80 USD)
• Children under 7: Free

Green Route

This is a reduced route that’s available all day Monday and from 5:15 pm to 8:00 pm Tuesday through Sunday. It covers the castle’s exterior grounds, including courtyards, gardens, and defensive walls. The Green Route takes about 1 hour to complete.

Monday: Free

Tuesday through Sunday:

• Adults: 30 PLN ($6.77 USD)
• Children under 7: Free

For more information on pricing and routes, check out Malbork Castle’s ticket website.

Things to know before you go

• With both routes, you’ll need to follow either an audio guide (included in the ticket price) or a human guide (250 PLN/$56 USD, can be booked for groups up to 30 people).
• The audio guide does a great job of guiding you through the castle because it works using GPS. Once it’s explained the story of where you currently are, it tells you how to get to your next destination.
• Audio guides are available in Polish, German, English, Russian, Italian, French, Lithuanian, Hungarian, and Czech.
• There are discount tickets available for students, teachers, and seniors over 65.
• You can either buy tickets when you get there or in advance online. I’d recommend getting them in advance to avoid long lines!

Best things to see at Malbork Castle

As the largest castle in the world, Malbork Castle offers a lot of cool things to see. It’s divided into three separate parts: the lower castle, the middle castle, and the high castle. Here are a few highlights that you shouldn’t miss.

Castle grounds

The outside grounds are where you’ll start your visit to Malbork Castle. The Entrance Gate, a huge door with a fortified drawbridge, is the first sight you’ll see in the lower castle. You’ll also snake through several beautiful gardens and terraces as you make your way through the tour.

The main attraction of the Malbork Castle grounds is the large inner courtyard. The Teutonic Knights installed the well in the center of the courtyard so they could still have fresh water in the event of a siege. (The more you know!)

Museum & interiors

In Malbork Castle’s interior rooms, you’ll find relics, art, and sculptures dating back hundreds of years. There are also depictions of everyday life during the time of the Teutonic Knights.

Here are some can’t-miss rooms:

• Grand Refectory: The largest hall in the castle
• Amber collection: An exhibition of ancient Polish & European amber
• Chapter room: A decorative hall with stained glass mirrors

Tower Viewpoint (Wieża Główna)

If you want the best views of Malbork Castle’s grounds, make sure to head up to the tower viewpoint. You’ll need to purchase a separate ticket at the entrance that costs a few złoty. Once you climb up a few sets of staircases, you’ll be met with a lovely view of the castle and the neighboring Nogat River.

Recommended tours to Malbork Castle

Malbork Castle FAQ

Why is Malbork Castle a UNESCO World Heritage Site?

As the largest castle in the world, Malbork Castle is a great example of medieval construction methods used on a large scale. Its reconstruction after World War II is also a symbol of power and cultural tradition within Poland.

Is Malbork Castle worth visiting?

Yes! If you love art, history, or beautiful buildings, you’ll have a good time visiting Malbork Castle. For the best experience, try to visit earlier in the day and make sure to wear comfortable walking shoes.

How much time does it take to visit Malbork Castle?

Generally, you can expect to spend at least 3 hours visiting Malbork Castle. If you’re doing it as a day trip from Gdańsk, aim to spend at least half a day to factor in travel time.

If you’re on a serious time crunch, you can opt to tour the Green Route, a shortened version of the full castle tour that takes about an hour to complete. The Green Route is only offered on Mondays or evenings from Tuesday to Sunday.

Where can I get the best view of Malbork Castle?

The best view of Malbork Castle can be found just across the Nogat River. Once you exit the castle, cross the pedestrian bridge across the river. You can find the exact spot as “Panorama Zamku w Malborku” on Google Maps.

More things to do near Gdańsk

Gdańsk is a charming and unique city about 60 km (37 mi) northwest from Malbork Castle. It’s worth spending a few days here and it makes a great base to take other day trips in the region.

Here are some of the best things to do in Gdańsk:

• St. Mary’s Church: Climb to the top for awesome panoramic views of the city
• Mariacka: Small street with amber shops
• Długi Targ (Long Market): Colorful square with shops and restaurants
• Green Gate: 16th-century gate with a museum
• Oliwski Park: Green space with botanical gardens

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Thanks for reading! If you have any questions about how to visit Malbork Castle from Gdańsk, leave them in the comments below.

xoxo Niki