Domestic border-to-border tickets for internatinal trains.

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Hi,

I think there is one thing You're not really mentioning on this website :-)

Quite often, buying domestic border to border tickets is much more cheaper than the TCV tariff, even including discounts. For example, I'm planning a route for two people Poland-Czech-Slovakia-Hungary-Serbia, then return Bosnia-Croatia-hungary-Slovakia-Czech-Poland and no matter how do I calculate the ticket price, it's always cheaper to buy the domestic tickets. That's actually what I was always doing before knowing the TCV. You board an international train having a domestic ticket only (+ reservation for the whole journey if applicable) until the last station in the coutry or the border point if possible. Then, after crossing the border, reporting then buying the next ticket from the new ticket officer on board. Unfortunately that often requires having a local currency (but for example in Czech You can pay in Eur also) or payng an extra fee for buying the ticket in the train despite counter at the station (still again, some of the border stations do not have a ticket machine/counter). Internet ticket, if possible, helps here alot. Sometimes the train stops just after the border for so long (like eg overnight Warsaw-Budapest in Bohumin in Czech for 0h50) that we have a plenty of time to get it. Anyway, that still makes the journey far less expensive than the TCV. That allows us also to use all the posiible domestic discounts for age or group or pay adequately to the train rank (like in Poland where Regio trains are ca 5 times cheaper than the EC, and some of them run as far abroad as the faster ones, like Klodzko-Usti nad Orlici).

Of course that does not apply to any international (like spar or euro-special) tickets bought in advance, but still, often You don't need to buy anything in advance and You're really flexible in case of any change of plans or a train being late on roue.

Usually worked for me so i guess it's nice to know.

Have a nice day everyone :-)

It is hard to disagree with you, the trick of 'breaking' tickets via border by purchasing domestic tickets till/from is an old as the world...
And in many cases of one way travel it is definitely the best option in terms of money savings, plus, as you mentioned, it allows you not to plan long ahead and be flexible. But there are still few shortcomings of such tricks: 1) if you obey the rules and purchase international cross-border ticket from last station of country A till first of country B, then the saving might simply be minimal since this short distance ticket will cost too much due to international tariff, thus effect the total sum. So if legs in country A and country B isn't that big, then 'breaking' ticket via border might not worth it; 2) not sure how is it now or how dependent it on the exact country, but it used to be a risky business purchasing domestic ticket on board on international train somewhere near the border. Conductors isn't that silly, so the they perfectly understand the trick with riding with no ticket across the border, thus you might get in trouble. Don't remember whether it was in Czech Republic or Slovakia, but we read reports stating that conductors were selling domestic ticket from the border only to those who could present ticket till first station of their country or at least gr. point, if you couldn't - penalty applied. 3) in many cases such trick requires getting off train (sometimes in the middle of the night etc.) or even waiting for the next one, thus many passengers just not willing to spend their time and effort for doing so. Now, when many train companies started to sell tickets online this became not that big of an obstacle, but still.

At the end let's just try to prove your point and make some calculations, just for fun. From your itinerary it makes sense to take not all the legs, but those where you potentially will travel there and back, thus taking advantage of "tasty" return discounts popular among Central European railway companies. So let's look at Bohumin-Breclav-Bratislava-Sturovo-Budapest part. This can be covered the cheapest by two return tickets - Bohumin-Bratislava (CityStar CD-ZSSK via Breclav for 2 passengers will cost 47.6 EUR, thus mathematically 23.8 EUR per person for Bohumin-Bratislava-Bohumin) and Bratislava-Budapest (16 EUR for return ticket). So in total we will have 39.8 EUR per person for chosen segment there and back. Now let's count domestic tickets trick: Bohumin-Breclav for 2 passengers with group discount bought online cost 352 CZK multiplied by 2 for return and divided by same 2 because of 2 passengers, makes it 352 CZK (app.14.5 EUR) per person for Bohumin-Breclav return. Kuty-Sturovo one way 8.9 per person, thus makes 17.8 per person for Kuty-Sturovo return. And the last leg is Szob-Budapest: 1280 HUF*2 makes it app. 9.5 EUR per person for Szob-Budapest return. What we have? 14.5+17.8+9.5=41.8 EUR and we didn't even added cross border tickets Breclav-Kuty return and Sturovo-Szob return. Hope we counted all the things correctly, but this is the result 

Thanks !!

But then I have a few questions :-)

1. How did You calculate the prices? Seems like jizdenka.cz gives me different values... Despite putting 2 people and return discount ... Both for the Bohumin-Bratislava and Bratislava-Budapest connection :-(  City star gives an aditional disctount to the existing TCV one?

2. The tickets. Can I buy both of them at any larger station in Poland? I mean there is a direct train from Warsaw to Budapest which stops at Bohumin for 1h in the night but as I understand the City-Star ticket i need to get in advance, then the ticket Bratislava-Budapest I cannot buy in Bratislava as I don't have time to do that.

3. How are those TCV discounts applied? If in the international ticket office I ask for any international ticket they will have the discounted price already on the screen or I will I be exposed to mercy/knownledge of the person selling?

I'm affraid there is too much uncertainty with those combinations, but ...

Now as it seems like You may really know virtually everything about rail travelling, maybe You could advise me with my connection fully (which I wanted to do with domestic tickets only).

Two people, one >26 with bahncard+railplus, second <26. The "return" part is Katowice-Budapest.

Katowice                              23:49        D 407
Budapest-Keleti pu    arr   08:35                                  (via Czech/Slovakia)

Budapest-Keleti pu         10:05        D 343   
Subotica                      arr   13:52

Then for the return (within 2-3 weeks)...

Sarajevo        dep      06:55        IC 258       (via Croatia)
Budapest-Deli pu    arr        18:10   

Budapest-Keleti pu dep   19:55        EN 476       (again via Slovakia/Czech)
Katowice                   arr     04:25

How did You calculate the prices? Seems like jizdenka.cz gives me different values... Despite putting 2 people and return discount ... Both for the Bohumin-Bratislava and Bratislava-Budapest connection :-(  City star gives an aditional disctount to the existing TCV one?

First of all, jizdenka is Czech website, thus it's has nothing to do with ZSSK-MAV discounts and doesn't show them, so better to look for those fare on ZSSK/MAV website
Regarding CityStar Brecalav-Bratislava: jizdenka actually has already fare for all types of CityStars, so you just need to select "CityStar" from the "Reduction" box and input two passengers. Classic CityStar is a group discount where first passengers pays full fare, while others pay only 50%, but in some cases (like here) second, third etc. passengers actually pay a bit more than 50%, but still it is good way to save on international tickets for families or just groups of travelers.

Can I buy both of them at any larger station in Poland?

You mean Bohumin-Bratislava and Bratislava-Budapest? If so, then you can, but better not to do it, because you won't get any discounts. Those are applied only if you purchase it in participating countries.

... is a direct train from Warsaw to Budapest which stops at Bohumin for 1h in the night but as I understand the City-Star ticket i need to get in advance, then the ticket Bratislava-Budapest I cannot buy in Bratislava as I don't have time to do that.

Yes, there are direct carriages Warsaw-Budapest (goes with mentioned train #407 till Breclav and then get reattached to EN 477 Berlin-Prague-Budapest). Stop in Bohumin is 55 min., so problem to visit ticket counter and purchase CityStar. And since you want to make it to Budapest till 10am, then you have few options:
a) purchase CityStar Bohumin-Sturovo (68.8 EUR for 2 passengers, CityStars CD-ZSSK are sold any time, so rule of "buying in advance" is not for this one) instead of the one till Bratislava. And also in Bohumin ticket Sturovo-Budapest (10 EUR per person one way), you will pay extra for this one, but then you will be able to travel all the way from Bohumin to Budapest without leaving you carriage. On the Way back you can do Budapest-Sturovo cheaper (6 EUR for direct one way ticket) since MAV-ZSSK discounts will apply.
b) --//-- about CityStar till Sturovo, but then a slight change for cheaper travel. Sturovo is located right across the Danube from Hungarian Esztergom, so you can just cross the bridge and catch domestic train Esztergom-Budapest (run like every hour or even more often). As result by getting off Warsaw-Budapest carriage in Sturovo at 7:15 and catching local bus from train station till the bridge you will have ok chance to catch 8:09 train Esztergom-Budapest (arr.9:39). The only inconvenience is that arrival is to Nyugati, thus will need to spend some time getting to Keleti. Risky enterprise, but even if you miss you 10am to Serbia, then you always can catch 'Avala' at 13pm.

Totally different trick is to get off in Bratislava, enjoy the city for a bit and catch "Avala" there with ticket Bratislava-Budapest. "Avala" stops in Budapest for 30 min, so will have no problem to buy your Budapest-Serbia ticket during the stop. That's an option if you didn't have anything planned for Budapest, like a short walk for 2 hours or something.

How are those TCV discounts applied? If in the international ticket office I ask for any international ticket they will have the discounted price already on the screen or I will I be exposed to mercy/knownledge of the person selling?

In case of Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary rather simple international tickets like yours isn't a problem, cashiers issue such by dozens and by default all the needed discounts are already counted. So don't worry, nobody will try to sell it to you for full SCIC-NRT fare (unless you do such unwise thing as purchase ticket Bratislava-Budapest in Poland or something). But anyway better to have all the app. sums for planned tickets in head/on piece of paper, just in case if cashier will announce some insane number.

Now as it seems like You may really know virtually everything about rail travelling, maybe You could advise me with my connection fully (which I wanted to do with domestic tickets only).

Ok, so how we see it:
1) either buy Katowice-Bohumin return (15.2 EUR, valid one month, don't forget to mention that you need it via Zebr. and not Rybnik/Bohumin(gr)) or might try domestic KatowiceZebr. +over the border with no ticket.
2) get off train in Bohumin and visit ticket counter. Here you will need to make a choice (we described options above) what exactly to purchase.
3) in Budapest. Budapest-Subotica one way cost 13.4 EUR, while Budapest-Kelebia domestic 3080 HUF, thus seems no need to do a trick with domestic ticket unless you want to ride without one for Kelebia-Subotica segment.
Concerning RailPlus: you don't get any discounts for tickets which are already sold with discount (like CityStar), but you get get 25% on tickets like Sturovo-Budapest purchased in Bohumin etc., thus makes sense to present your RailPlus card when buying those.

Anything we didn't cover yet? Or any further questions?

Ok, Your advice seems great. I guess we'll do the a) variant. Anyway I'll have couple of questions (sorry as it's the first time I'm doing this thing:) )

1. How do You know the prices of tickets? For example City Star Bohumin Sturovo + Sturovo Budapest that I'm buying in Bohumin? I mean I would like to know where to get those prices so I can look for them on my own later on. Sorry, but "Your" prices I can't get while calculating TCV with jizdenka (where else?) and the official websites of railways do not often specify the international prices, except some main corridors (that's the reason I was always using border-border tickets for price clarity).



2. (can be ommited if not having time ) If possible, please give me some examples of price calculation  coz I would really like to become an expert in the matter and not bother You while going anywhere anytime :-)

2a.Like for example You say one way Subotica-Budapest is 13 eur, but jizdenka gives me 19 (60% discount applies only for return connection on this route right?).

2b.Again, Sturovo-Budapest is 10 eur one way bought in Bohumin, fine. But You say for the other way round (bought in Budapest) it's 6 eur. Why? On the website You say that the discount applies only for return tickets! (and in this case those are obviusly two one-way tickets)

2c.Citystar Bohumin-Budapest. How do You calculte the price? (I understand the second person pays 50% but how come You arrive at 68.8?)

With my way of calculating it almost always gets more expensive than border-border tickets .



3. Seems like we'll slightly revert our plans and go first to Sarajevo then come back from Subotica (both trains direct). The Poland-Budapest stays fixed. Which tickets would You suggest us to buy for Budapest-Sarajevo then Subotica-Budapest (in this case standard ticket for 13eur as You mentioned?) one-way connections? Maybe we can somehow combine them with those for Poland-Budapest part?

Once again many thanks for all those efforts :-)

How do You know the prices of tickets? For example City Star Bohumin Sturovo + Sturovo Budapest that I'm buying in Bohumin? I mean I would like to know where to get those prices so I can look for them on my own later on. Sorry, but "Your" prices I can't get while calculating TCV with jizdenka (where else?) and the official websites of railways do not often specify the international prices, except some main corridors (that's the reason I was always using border-border tickets for price clarity).

We will illustrate )))

As you can see, for 2 passengers via Kuty(gr) as Warsaw-Budapest carriages go via.
And since jizdenka is Czech website quoting fare you get when buying from CD ticket counter, then

If you worry about buying such tickets in Bohumin, you can even print out this scans and show it to the cashier, so he/she will definitely understands what you want  

2a.Like for example You say one way Subotica-Budapest is 13 eur, but jizdenka gives me 19 (60% discount applies only for return connection on this route right?).

Yes, MAV-ZS it's 60% off for return tickets, but it's also 30% off for one way ticket, thus exactly 19 EUR is full SCIC-NRT/TCV fare, but with 30% discount you get 13 EUR.

2b.Again, Sturovo-Budapest is 10 eur one way bought in Bohumin, fine. But You say for the other way round (bought in Budapest) it's 6 eur. Why? On the website You say that the discount applies only for return tickets! (and in this case those are obviusly two one-way tickets)

Your are right, MAV-ZSSK discount is only for return tickets, but nobody forbids you to purchase return Budapest-Sturovo-Budapest and get 60% off Thus in case of any ZSSK-MAV connections, actually return ticket, no matter how illogical it might sound, is cheaper than one way because of this 60% off. If you need to travel only one way, then just don't use the return part of your tickets. But in this particular case, it is also special local cross-border fare apply.
BTW, we just remembered even better trick (so forget buying Budapest-Sturovo RT for 6 EUR), in Bohumin just purchase return ticket Sturovo-Budapest-Sturovo, it will cost only 14 EUR (or 12 EUR for <26) because of special Central-Eastern European Agreement (called "Mnohostranna dohoda" in Czech case), it gives 30% (or 40% for <26) on return ticket of participating members. In your case it will serve you the best. Here how it looks:

3. Seems like we'll slightly revert our plans and go first to Sarajevo then come back from Subotica (both trains direct). The Poland-Budapest stays fixed. Which tickets would You suggest us to buy for Budapest-Sarajevo then Subotica-Budapest (in this case standard ticket for 13eur as You mentioned?) one-way connections? Maybe we can somehow combine them with those for Poland-Budapest part?

Hmm... going one way Budapest-Sarajevo cheaply by rail seem a bit more problematic, because there discounts are given only for return tickets, but since the distance is rather essential in total, then even with discount return ticket gets to cost 58 EUR, which quite a bit for South-Eastern Europe.
Another problem here is that there is basically no long stops in Croatia or BiH (besides border controls), where you can get off and buy ticket (domestic or international). Thus might be the RailPlus is the most visible way to save. Or you can always get off somewhere like Osijek, enjoy a town for a day (Budapest-Osijek ticket cost 24 EUR) and then get on the same Budapest-Sarajevo next day with one ticket bought in Croatia.

Still about that Budapest-Sarajevo route ...

I think we can buy one czech inkarta for 10 eur per yer and it includes railplus then both of us will have railplus. ( budapest beli manastir is already 7 eur cheaper with railplus, and then there is this subotica budapest on our return connection ...)

I think I forgot to mention that we both have ISIC cards, so in principle we get 30% for both croatian and bosnian domestic tickets... Then the border-to -border option seems to be the cheapest option... Maybe for the Budapest-Beli manastir (or Osijek if we will have to stop there for a night due to missing the connection in Budapest) we will use TCV+railpus then continue on domestics. Or domestic Budapest-  Magyarboly then TCV+railplus to Beli manastir?? (2eur) then again domestic ...

Then Slavonski Samac-Samac (Croatian Bosnian border) is 1eur with railplus...

In principle we could buy all those "TCV-border" things ahead of time in Bohumin or even in Poland but I guess I'm running a bit too much into making things really complicated regarding small amounts I'd save by doing this.   )

After You said that sometimes they may make trouble due to 'illegal' border crossing I think it's nice to pay that little price to validate my presence in the train upon entering the new country... I just don't want to make cashiers furious by bloking the line buying many tickets for 1 eur each between destinations they've never heard about )

I think we can buy one czech inkarta for 10 eur per yer and it includes railplus then both of us will have railplus. ( budapest beli manastir is already 7 eur cheaper with railplus, and then there is this subotica budapest on our return connection ...)

How exactly do you count? Buying things like Budapest-Beli Manastir in Czech Republic?

Then the border-to -border option seems to be the cheapest option... Maybe for the Budapest-Beli manastir (or Osijek if we will have to stop there for a night due to missing the connection in Budapest) we will use TCV+railpus then continue on domestics. Or domestic Budapest-  Magyarboly then TCV+railplus to Beli manastir?? (2eur) then again domestic ...

But on many segments of its route IC #259 Drava is the only train per day, so how exactly you plan to purchase domestic tickets when you will be on board and train doesn't make long stops on the way (besides border checks)? On board from conductors?
Definitely Croatian and BiH domestic tariffs with discounts seem tempting, bu imho, maybe it will make sense to buy something like Beli Manastir-Sarajevo with RailPlus from CD and then in Hungary Budapest-Beli Manastir with RailPlus or Budapest-Magyarboly+cross border, thus you won't have any trouble purchasing anything on the road, but will have all tickets in hands when boarding "Drava" in Budapest. At least you might "weight" such option against possible 'nuances' of buying tickets "on the road" in former Yugoslavia

I just don't want to make cashiers furious by bloking the line buying many tickets for 1 eur each between destinations they've never heard about )

When it's not about their country or the neighboring one, then we don't think they really gone care that much about tricks you plan to do somewhere in Croatia or BiH. Also do you really expect any line at 1am somewhere in Bohumin?

Ok seems like (taking into account the railpluses and isics we will have), the following option is the best one:

1. Budapest - Samac TCV-railplus 29eur per person
2. Samac Sarajevo    Domestic-30% around 7eur + supplement for buing in the train (I expect it 7eur coz its similar distance as sarajevo tuzla, the zfbh doesnt really show samac sarajevo price)

Thats only up to 3 eur more than 'full domestic' variant (even excluding supplements for buying ticket in the train in B.Manastir) but 6 lessthan Budapest-Sarajevo wil TCV-railplus only (excluding supplement in samac) . The TCV for bosnian part seems to be a bit overpriced... (but I don't know the exact price, just estimate it because of Sarajevo-Tuzla)

In case of delay in budapest and missing DRAVA, then we'll do this stuff:

1. TCV+railplus for Budapest-Pec (intercity)-Beli manastir(putnicki)-Osijek(another putnicki)
2.Night in Osijek
3a. domestic till SL.samac + tcv-railplus for Sl.samac/samac (can they refuse to sell me that in Osijek?) + domestic samac/sarajevo
3b. (not a large price difference) tcv-railplus for Osijek/Samac then domestic till Sarajevo.

In the second case (delay in Budapest), we will arrive in Sarajevo earlier (however a day after of course) so we can also catch the train to Mostar, which is actually our destination. However obviously in the 1st case we sleep in Sarajevo then continue to Mostar with domestic ticket (that's why I didnt even ask about it  )


I guess that's the most optimal option for us

Generally your plan seems pretty logic, SCIC-NRT/TCV+ RailPlus will work for you even better than MAV-HZ return 60% discount. So good luck and wait on short report of how you managed all in practice

...the zfbh doesnt really show samac sarajevo price

Probably because of the things between ŽFBH and ZRS, Samac is station belonging to the latter one, but ZRS website is under construction or something at the moment, but roughly full ticket Samac-Sarajevo should be around 20 BAM

Hi again,

Seems that only one of us will get there by train, the other person will be there already before. So i guess the plan for one person is generally same, just except citystar breclav-sturovo I'm buying a regular return TCV ticket, right?

BTW. from the website "55% off Czech Republic - Slovakia connections" I guess it's return only, right?

Thanks :-)

Filip.

So i guess the plan for one person is generally same, just except citystar breclav-sturovo I'm buying a regular return TCV ticket, right?

Well, CityStars CD-ZSSK are sold for one person only as well, so regular RT ticket Bohumin-Sturovo (via Breclav-Kuty) cost 51.2 EUR, while CityStar 37.6 EUR. It is just that with 2 passengers you get even better offer, but for one person CityStar is also an option.

BTW. from the website "55% off Czech Republic - Slovakia connections" I guess it's return only, right?

Not only for RT ticket, you automatically get 55% off for Czech segment of any SCIC-NRT/TCV ticket CD-ZSSK (unless there is some other discount available (for instance CityStar), which will give you even more off)

Ok once again change of plans sorry

A. It's only me who travels by train (no change here)
B. I will start my trip in Budapest (until that point my journey is already paid, rest I need to cover myself)
C. I will come back from Bar (Montenegro) to Wroclaw (Poland)

So that's what I need:

A.Budapest-Subotica
(then various local trips in Serbia and Montenegro)
B.Bar(Montenegro)-Wroclaw (Poland) within a month. (I'd avoid pre-booked offers due to uncertainty in exact return dates)

Here is wqhat I have:
A.Railplus
B.30% ISIC discount on local trains in Monteneg and Serbia
C.51% discount in Poland (ISIC)

So that's what I guess...

Correct me if I'm wrong :-)

1. Budapest Subotica bought in Budapest TCV-two-way with 60% reduction gives 15 eur two way right?
(now various local trips until I arrive in Bar...)
2. On Bar-Belgrade I'd like to stop couple of times (for Bilelo Polje - Uzice, I could easily buy TCV as those are two "closest to the border" stations where I will stip) so the best idea is to use local tickets + TCV for my cross-border (Bilelo Polje-Uzice) train?
3. Belgrade - Subotica local ticket (or better make it Bar-Subotica TCV?)
4. Subotica-Budapest already paid in point 1.
5. Budapest-Wroclaw one way? Any easier idea for not using "domestic" tickets? (can be thru Bohumin or Lichkov)

Well, in your case we see a few options, so
Hungary-Serbia-Montenegro RT:
a) don't bother with numerous tickets, but just purchase Montenegro Spezial  Budapest-Bar-Budapest for 66 EUR from MAV. Can be bought any time, thus no need to purchase in advance. If you plan any trips outside of Bar-Belgrade railway, then just purchase local domestic ticket for the trip you want.
b) buy Budapest-Subotica return for 15,4 EUR, then if you plan rather a lot of trips within Serbia and Montenegro it might make sense to buy Balkan Flexi pass. Generally the price of it is rather cheap and totally makes it up if you don't have many travel days.
c) Budapest-Subotica return for 15,4 EUR, then if you plan to make a lot of rather short trips within many travel days (thus undermining Balkan pass use) go with point-to-point ZS domestic using your 30% ISIC discount. But count carefully the sum of tickets for all your legs 
Don't know what exactly you mean by "various local trips until I arrive in Bar", but either Montenegro Spezial or Balkan pass at the end might beat it. Bar-Belgrade SCIC-NRT/TCV in this case cost 21 EUR, thus not that cheap. On the contrary, Uzice-Belgrade cost from 616 RSD to 640 RSD (app.6.3 EUR), while domestic leg fare for Montenegro depends on where exactly you'll start.

3. Belgrade - Subotica local ticket (or better make it Bar-Subotica TCV?)

Definitely domestic ticket with ISIC is much cheaper option (560 RSD - 30%)

5. Budapest-Wroclaw one way? Any easier idea for not using "domestic" tickets? (can be thru Bohumin or Lichkov)

If time of your arrival to Central Czech Republic permits, then we would probably recommend to go via Lichkov. Then you can just catch a train from Budapest to Brno, while from there easily get to Usti nad Orlici and further to Lichkov. While in terms of tickets, then usually would be easier to buy Budapest-Prague 19 EUR SparDay ticket (online in advance from MAV website) for 19 EUR, then just get off in Brno and continue towards Lichkov (full one way ticket 169 CZK). But since you prefer not to purchase anything in advance, then in order to make it cheap, we would go to Esztergom (1100 HUF), cross the bridge to Sturovo, purchase there international ticket till Brno (app. 16 EUR). Here 'break' via Kuty/Breclav doesn't really win a lot if to purchase short cross-border ticket, thus you might just go with ZSSK-CD tariff, it's not that bad.

51% discount in Poland (ISIC)

Hmm... as far as we know, discount with ISIC is granted only for the trains operated by PKP InterCity, but not PKP Przewozy Regionalne. And officially only for Polish students or students studying in Poland, so you you neither, then be ready not to get it

Ok I did not make myself clear :-)

"Small trips" don't really include mainline trains but branch lines and buses (in fact much more buses than trains, so any "pass" will not pay off). In fact, between Subotica and Bar on my way "there", I'll use only the Novi Sad-Belgrade part by the mainline train, so I think we can forget the round-trip ticket too. I guess the "c" version You proposed is a good one for me. (except if I'm lucky and I still get the 19eur Budapest-Praha)

Ticket

I'm Polish, so 51% ISIC always works for me perfectly both in PKP-IC and PKP-PR :-)

However You're right. This ISIC discount in Poland (the same one as for normal Polish students), works only for Polish citizens studying abroad, thus I need to show 3 documents: ISIC card, student card of foreign university, and a document proving Polish nationality. BUT :-) So many times I was buying this ticket for my foreign friends (just visiting Poland) and really really rarely anyone wanted anything more than just the ISIC and it was ok. Sometimes they were just saying next time we should but the full fare (but still ok), and only twice (per dozen maybe) we had to pay the difference between the student and full fare plus the usual 1,5eur fee for the ticket bought in train (per group, not per person as in Czech). Ticket officers just seem not to know or care too often.