If you forget about marathon running and sled dog racing for a while, then there are only two ways to get to Polotsk from Minsk:
- By train
- And a minibus.
The first option is cheaper and more comfortable. The second one is more expensive, but there are a lot of minibuses themselves. With their help, you can come to Polotsk at any time – even in the morning, even in the evening, even for the third round of the Field of Wonders program.
HolyEuphrosyne Monastery in Polotsk
However, let’s talk about everything in order. In this article I will tell you:
- How to get from Minsk to Polotsk?
- How do I find a place to live in this city?
- And where can I have a delicious and inexpensive snack while traveling?
Let’s have a mini-guide for those who go to Polotsk.
Choo-choo-choo, the romance of trains and the conductor’s smile
Two trains run from Minsk to Polotsk every day. They follow 3.5-4 hours. Ticket price 16-22 BYN. There are seats in the reserved seat, in the sitting carriage, as well as in the compartment. Therefore, you can choose the option that is closer to you.
You can buy tickets and view the schedule on the website RW.BY . Tickets are also sold at the railway ticket offices (near the Lenin Square metro station).
How to get to Polotsk by minibus
If you don’t get on the train (or just want to choose a transport that fits your figure beautifully), then go to Polotsk by minibus. They’re tight, like my school jeans. And all along the way they will mercilessly destroy your kneecaps. But they also have their advantages.
First of all, there are a lot of flights themselves. Minibuses travel every hour, and sometimes even more often. If you haven’t found the right flight from one company, check the schedule of the other. But I’ll tell you more about this later.
Another advantage is the availability of sockets and free Internet in minibuses. It doesn’t always work and it regularly disappears on the highways. But it’s there. Therefore, you have a real chance to see some kind of Fast and Furious 128 on the way.
Travel time: 4-4.5 hours.
The cost of the trip: 28 BYN.
You can view the schedule and book a place on the following websites: polotsk-minsk.by , npm.by and naminsk.by . Minibuses depart from the site opposite the railway station, but subsequently gather people in different parts of Minsk – from Yakub Kolas metro station to Borisovsky Tract. Therefore, if you wish, you can catch them in any convenient place.
The return minibus from Polotsk to Minsk departs from the city stop (!) near the local bus station (see photo above). Most of the flights are scheduled (as they start from Novopolotsk). Therefore, if the transport is 5-10 minutes late, do not worry. It is ok.
How to find a place to live in Polotsk?
Basically… You can visit the oldest city in Belarus in one day. But I personally don’t recommend that you do that. Firstly, the road is long. And secondly, there are a lot of interesting places in Polotsk itself, soit makes sense to stay here for at least one day. Here, see for yourself…
There are medieval museums (which can be visited for 1 BYN), and St. Sophia Cathedral by the river, and the old church, and interesting theatrical excursions, during which you can make parchment with your own hands.
Photos from the website gorod214.by .
I also liked the University of Polotsk, which is the oldest in Belarus. Here on the tower you can see clocks with moving figures, and in one of the classrooms there is a mechanical head, designed by the Austrian scientist Gabriel Gruber. She opens her eyes, answers questions, and generally looks very interesting.
You can read about it and other sights of Polotsk at the link below. In the meantime, I’ll go ahead and tell you how to find a place to live in this city.
To begin with, there are only two hotels in Polotsk. The first is called “Dvina”, and the other is “Sail”. But they are both very sad. You should stay here only if you are willing to overpay for interiors in the style of the late USSR.
A much more reasonable option is to book an apartment for the duration of the trip…
- Here are the nice apartments “Freedom”, which offer a beautiful view of the Dvina River.
- And here, for example, is an inexpensive studio near the local bus station.
If you don’t mind living in a private house, you can also consider this estate with the romantic name Sofia. At the moment, this is one of the cheapest housing options in Polotsk.
Where to eat in Polotsk?
It all depends on what you’re looking for. The Quick Coffee coffee shop is perfect for a light breakfast, serving omelets, Viennese waffles and many types of desserts.
But if your stomach is asking for something more substantial, it’s better to go to an institution called “Grand Pub”. There is a good lunch menu, a separate selection of dishes of Belarusian cuisine, as well as many types of meat.
Another interesting place is the restaurant “Bachelor”. Here on the menu you can find “dranik pizzas”, “dranik burgers” and many other unusual dishes.
All these establishments are located in the center of Polotsk, so you can just look here while walking around the city. Addresses:
- Quick Coffee – Franziska Skaryna, 13. See the menu and prices on Instagram – @quickcoffee_polotsk.
- Grand Pub — Franziska Skaryna, 3/@grandpub.polotsk.
- Bachelor – Nizhne Pokrovskaya, 38/@holostyak.bar.
For a quick snack, a small place called “Pyshki tut” (Castle, 4) is quite suitable. There you can get inexpensive donuts for 90 kopecks or order a milkshake.
At the very end, I also want to advise you “shawarma” (or “shawarma?) under the name “Zigzag”. I’m not going to say that they work culinary wonders there, but the cafe is located directly opposite the parking lot, so it’s very convenient to keep an eye on when your minibus arrives. And there are sockets and a free toilet (and these are the two best friends of the traveler).
With these words, I will say goodbye. Thank you for reading this article to the end. I hope she helped you figure out how to get from Minsk to Polotsk.
