A train can be a moving playground for children. Since July 9, 2012, PKP Intercity has introduced the first carriage designed for parents traveling with little ones. The Little Traveler’s Zone awaits the youngest passengers on the Jantar express train on the Warsaw – Tri-City route. The carriage offers many surprises, including a special WARS menu for children.
PKP Intercity, in cooperation with the Boomerang TV channel, has prepared an open-plan 2nd class carriage with a specially designated play area for children. In addition to classic seats, the carriage features a colorful space for the little traveler, which, thanks to its decor elements, allows children to fill their journey with creative play.
The zone was designed so that the graphics on the walls form part of a game involving counting, recognizing shapes, and naming colors. Traveling children can also look forward to challenges such as finding differences in pictures placed on the ceiling and guiding characters through mazes drawn under the zone’s windows. The space for children is equipped with comfortable poufs that can serve as seats but also function as soft blocks, as well as boards for drawing with chalk. To make the journey more pleasant for children, monitors have been installed in the carriage, which will display series known from the Cartoonito block aired on the Boomerang channel, with content dedicated to preschoolers. Little travelers will be able to see the adventures of the friendly and always helpful “Bananas in Pyjamas,” the singing heroes of “Jelly Jamm,” and the always playful “LazyTown” characters.
The restrooms are equipped with changing tables, and a space for strollers and additional room for larger luggage has been set aside in the corridor. The entire carriage, both inside and out, has been decorated with images of popular Cartoonito characters known to children from the Boomerang channel.
In addition to the play area offered specifically for children, a “Kids’ Menu” has also been prepared by the WARS company, where the youngest can find dishes such as an omelet with jam or breaded chicken pieces.
– The project we are implementing together with the Boomerang channel is a response to the needs of our youngest and most demanding customers. The specially prepared traveler’s zone will not let any child get bored during the journey. Additionally, all children will be able to try the new menu that WARS has prepared especially for them – says Janusz Malinowski, CEO of PKP Intercity.
– The mission of the Boomerang channel and the Cartoonito block aired within it, dedicated to preschoolers, is to make time more pleasant for the youngest, as well as the whole family. It is no secret that children get bored while traveling, so organizing interesting entertainment for them is an ideal challenge for us. We are curious how the first little travelers will react to such an unusual opportunity to interact with Boomerang and Cartoonito. We hope that this idea will appeal to both children and parents – says Małgorzata Chapman, Marketing and PR Director of Turner Broadcasting System in the Central and Eastern Europe and Benelux region.
The Jantar Express departs from Warsaw Central station daily at 6:29 AM, arriving in Gdynia at 12:27 PM. Tickets for the journey are available for purchase thirty days in advance. The carriage offers 54 seats and is subject to mandatory seat reservation.
To travel in the carriage with the children’s zone, you must indicate the children’s carriage to the cashier when purchasing the ticket. The cost of a regular ticket including a seat reservation from Warsaw to Gdynia is 127.50 PLN. Those who use the Family Ticket offer during the Jantar Express journey will pay 89.55 PLN for the ticket, while a ticket for a child with a 37% statutory discount costs 84.90 PLN. The Family Ticket offer allows a small group (from 2 to 5 people) to travel, where at least one person is under 16 years old, with a 33% discount on the ticket purchase. The offer is valid in 1st or 2nd class on TLK, Ex, EIC, and EC trains. Children traveling under the family offer can use their statutory discounts.
More information regarding the Little Traveler’s Zone can be found on the website www.intercity.pl and at information points. People without internet access can obtain information by calling the National Railway Hotline at 19 757.