From Gdańsk to Hel – how to get there?

Hel is undoubtedly one of the most attractive tourist places on the Polish coast. Everyone will find something for themselves here. Military monuments, a lighthouse, a marina, a sealarium and a beautiful beach are just some of the attractions that await tourists in Hel. How to get to Hel quickly and conveniently from Gdańsk? We give you a hint.

Undoubtedly, the most picturesque, and at the same time quick and convenient way to reach Hel is by sea. The Gdańsk-Hel water tram is a great idea for a trip to this seaside town. The main advantage of this solution is the speed of travel. By choosing to travel by water, you avoid all the traffic jams, crowded streets, renovations and other inconveniences that await you on land. This trip will take you up to twice as long as traveling by car, bus or train.

A cruise is also a much more attractive form of travel to the Hel Peninsula. A 2-hour trip will allow you to relax, which cannot be said about a trip by car or train. Moreover, traveling in this way gives you the opportunity to view the Bay of Gdańsk from the sea. This unusual perspective will allow you to admire the surroundings and take extraordinary photos and videos.

The ferry to Hel runs from the beginning of May to the end of September, and runs every day during the holiday season. The catamaran journey takes approximately 2 hours. The cruises are operated by Żegluga Gdańska. Children up to 4 years of age can travel for free, while older passengers must pay a fare. Discounted tickets are available, e.g. for pupils and students.

A trip by water tram to Hel is a recommended option for everyone. Children will especially enjoy the sea trip, for whom it can become a great adventure and an unforgettable attraction. When deciding on this solution, keep in mind that trams run at specific hours and departure and return times are strictly defined. Therefore, if you want to fully enjoy your stay in Hel and make the most of this time, choose the earliest possible departure time and then the latest time for the return cruise from Hel to Gdańsk.

The Gdańsk-Hel water tram will save you valuable time, especially during the holiday season, when the road to Hel from the Tricity is extremely crowded. However, this is not the end of the travel options. You can also decide to travel by train. Polish State Railways offer over 20 connections on the Gdańsk-Hel route during the season, while in the off-season the number of connections decreases to about 7 per day. Both PKP InterCity, Polregio and Arriva offer interesting connections on this route, available at various prices and travel times, which will allow you to choose the offer best suited to your individual needs.

Polregio Przewozy Regionalne offers the cheapest trip – its cost is about PLN 20. On the other hand, with Arriva you will get there the fastest, but also more expensive, because the ticket costs over PLN 30. The average time of a train trip to Hel from Gdańsk is about 3 hours.

Traveling by train is a special attraction for children – for some of them it may even be the first trip by this means of transport in their lives. Adults, however, will be happy with the convenience of driving and the fact that they do not have to focus on driving or keeping track of which tram stop to get off at and which bus to take next. By choosing the train, you are not exposed to many hours of traffic jams, which may happen if you choose the car option.

Traveling by car is certainly the best option if you want full mobility and the ability to adjust your driving to your individual needs. If you want to stop at a specific place, go to a gas station or a roadside restaurant, there is nothing stopping you from doing so. The car will also allow you to leave Gdańsk and return at any time without worrying that you will miss the last train or ferry.

However, when choosing transport by car, you have to take into account the possibility of traffic jams, which are very common in such a large agglomeration as the Tricity. In the summer, the streets are jammed almost all day long, both in the city itself and on the access roads. No wonder – huge crowds of tourists want to go to the seaside every day, and many locals want to go to work or home. Unfortunately, this reduces comfort and significantly increases travel time. To avoid traffic jams, it is recommended to leave Gdańsk as early as possible, preferably before dawn. When it comes to returning from Hel, it is best to decide to travel after dusk or at night – this will significantly reduce the risk of getting stuck in traffic jams, because there is simply less traffic on the roads at that time.

If you consider driving a car to be the most convenient way of traveling, but you do not want or cannot use a private means of transport, you can decide to travel to Hel with a private carrier. There are many taxi companies in Gdańsk. You can opt for large international networks, as well as smaller, but usually slightly cheaper, local carriers. An alternative to taxis is the popular Uber. In Tricity, you can easily use this application, as well as several other similar brands.

Fans of four wheels can also rent a car and get to Hel conveniently. There are many companies providing this type of services in Gdańsk. The cost of renting a car depends primarily on the vehicle model and the rental period. Here you will find companies renting cars standardly for 24 hours, as well as “for minutes”. In the case of a full-day trip to Hel, daily car rental is definitely the best option. By choosing this solution, you gain all the advantages of traveling by car. However, remember to return the vehicle within a specified time, otherwise the rental company will charge another day, which will result in a higher fee.