Warsaw

DeeGee75

Not sure if this is the right place for this, but I'll put it here and hope.

I'm thinking seriously about running the Warsaw marathon in September - entries don't open for a couple of months so I have some time to plan.

I do one of these trips once every year, and I'm keen to try and make it as cheap as possible.

I've got about 65 quid's worth of Nectar points which I can spend with Expedia. I also have about fifty quid sitting in a Topcashback account which I can either exchange for Avios or for a My Travel Card gift card.

What's the best way of using these various wads of "free" "cash" to get me three nights in Warsaw, do we reckon?

bagand96

Warsaw is a great place and you should be able to do it cheaply enough (although I don't know what demand the marathon will generate and if that inflates prices)

In terms of your topcashback. I'd take the cash and use that towards the trip. Avios will restrict to specific airlines and may not represent good value. Warsaw is served by many budget airlines and can be done very cheaply (under £50) with the likes of Ryanair.

I'd be even more wary of the Travel Card. OK, topcashback give you 5% bonus over the cash value but you are then tied to one travel agent (Inspire) with no idea how competitive they are. I looked for random flights to Warsaw in March. Ryanair £48. They were available through the Travel Card site but they quoted £64 which is a false economy. Taking the cash gives you freedom to find the best deal. Also a 5% bonus on £50 isn't really worth the hassle.

Expedia can be very competitive for hotels so it might be a good way to spend your nectar points. But of course I'd recommend comparing the hotel price elsewhere first.

michele-p

Warsaw is really a very cheap destination. We got flights for £8.99 each way 2 years ago! So as suggested above maybe cash in your top cashback money, and use in on hols. Maybe book the hotel using expedia, but these are also very cheap. Make sure the price they quote isn't higher than on other sites.

We stayed in an apartment just off the "old square" but that's not really near the shopping/town centre. But it was really pleasant and touristy. It was completely rebuilt after being flattened during the war, so it's not actually old, it was just made to look old.

We stayed here, it was perfectly fine, not overly plush, but lovely and warm in February snow: http://www.apartmentsapart.com/europe/poland/warsaw/apartments/detail/109 - 2 nights was €61 2 years ago.

We got the bus from the airport to the centre, it was about £1 if that. Though we did get to fly into the airport near Warsaw, as the cheaper one further out was closed. Check out Ryanair for flights.

Food and drink are very cheap too.

bagand96

I had a quick look at flights over the marathon weekend and it doesn't seem to have affected flight prices. Ryanair had flights starting from £50 return depending on which airport. Ryanair use Warsaw Modlin. Its about 40mins on the coach but the coaches are timed to run for the flights and are very cheap if booked in advance online.

DeeGee75

Thanks folks. Those Ryanair flights suit me quite nicely, and I can actually fly Ryan out of Manchester which is potentially more useful - the Monday arrival gets in in time for my last train home (1905 arrival, 2047 train). I'm loathe to fly Ryanair, but it's daft not to if the prices are that much better.

How long before the flight does the coach for Modlin leave Warsaw City centre? Would a late flight effectively give me another day in the city?

alwaysskint96

Not sure on coach but i got train from modlin station to city centre and they seem to run regularly

bagand96

The bus website is https://www.modlinbus.com

Once you book your flight i'd head there and book your coach. Much cheaper online and if you book you're guaranteed your seat. If you buy at the airport it's first come first served and you may have to wait for the next bus. It was a very good service, clean modern coach with wifi. Straight from the airport to the centre in 40mins.

They run a timetable, I booked a coach to get the to Modlin Airport about 1hr 30 before my flight. I'm sure it cost me about £7 return.

DeeGee75

OK, so I'm going to book Ryanair directly from Manchester to Modlin, probably. Can I book a hotel through them as well? Is it worth it, or am I better off doing thing separately. I can't imagine Ryanair failing this year...

bagand96

Ryanair have a hotels website but there's no actual benefit of booking through them. It's just a Ryanair branded version of booking.com and would still be treated as a separate booking (it wouldn't make it a package).

Booking.com are a good site and the majority of their bookings you pay the hotel direct and can cancel free of charge. But it's worth shopping round for a hotel, Expedia might have options that you could use your nectar points.

Trivago and hotelscombined are good for comparing prices.

iaps

or am I better off doing thing separately

Buy flight tickets and don't worry about hotel too early.
Keep checking their website http://pzumaratonwarszawski.com/en
Last year there was very good accomodation offer by Radisson Blue.
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Best wishes!

Arwen

I just booked last night for Warsaw as a trip for my birthday! We booked flights from Ryanair from Glasgow for three nights, total price for two people was £96 return in mid March.Flight times are great, leave 10.25 in morning, and flight home is at 8ish at night. We booked the hotel though trivago site, got whole lot for £202 for to of us.