Transportation in Poland
PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN CITIES
In every city in Poland, you can use buses. There are also trams in larger cities (e.g. Warsaw, Krakow, Wrocław, Gdansk, Poznan). In Warsaw, you can also use two metro lines
The current line schedule, connection maps and the timetable for public transport in Warsaw can be checked on the website of the Public Transport Authority in Warsaw
(the website is also available in English, German and Russian)
In Warsaw, cardboard tickets (for tickets of up to 3 days) or the Warsaw City Card can be used. The card can be obtained at marked ZTM ticket sales points. The first City Card is issued free of charge.
Note! A cardboard ticket should be validated immediately after boarding the bus or tram!
In the case of the City Card, for the new ticket encoded on it to become valid, the card should be brought close to the validator. The same tickets are valid for trams, buses and metro. The ticket also includes luggage (e.g. suitcase, backpack), bicycles and animals.
It’s worth knowing:
- Ticket control: Controllers do not wear uniforms, but inspectors must have a photo ID, ID number and expiration date. Despite the fact that the name and surname of the controller are on the reverse of the badge, the controller is not obliged to provide the passenger with the data. Before controlling tickets, the controllers block validators.
- The penalty for travelling without a valid ticket in Warsaw is PLN 266 (+ the travel fare). The additional fee for travelling without a valid document confirming the entitlement to free or reduced travel is PLN 196. The controller must then issue a document confirming the acceptance of the fee. If the passenger does not want to or cannot pay the ticket on the spot, they receive a receipt with information about the amount due and the date of payment (in this case, the fee can be paid at the ZTM Passenger Service Centre, at the post office or by bank transfer). In this case, however, the controller will require a document confirming the passenger's identity (e.g. passport). If the fee is not paid within the prescribed period, the carrier may bring the case to court.
- In Poland, you cannot smoke at bus stops!
TAXIS
In addition to public transport in Poland, you can use taxis. In Warsaw, the maximum initial taxi fare is approximately PLN 8. The price for 1 km a day is from PLN 1.5 to PLN 3. The price at night may be higher.
There are taximeters in every taxi. Taximeters are used to calculate (according to the established tariffs that must be indicated on the back door of the taxi) for the distance travelled by the taxi and / or for the time of its rental. The taxi driver is obliged to issue a receipt upon our request.
INTERCITY TRAINS
In domestic traffic, the InterCity (IC) and Express (EX) trains are the fastest and most expensive. Fast and TLK trains are cheaper. Passenger trains are the cheapest and the slowest.
Connection prices vary and depend on the type of train and the length of the route. Prices may also be affected by the discounts and promotions currently in force (e.g. weekend tickets; more information on promotions on Intercity and Express trains is available here). As a rule, pupils and students under the age of 26, on the basis of valid ID cards, enjoy a 50% discount on travel.
The ticket can be purchased directly at the station at the ticket office or online for Express, InterCity and TLK trains on the website available here
BUSES
Przedsiębiorstwo Komunikacji Samochodowej (PKS) has branches throughout Poland - there is a bus station in each city.
Bus timetables and ticket prices can be checked at bus stations on information boards, at information points and on PKS websites (PKS has branches in every major city, so when looking for connections, e.g. from Białystok, enter "PKS Białystok" in the search engine).
Tickets can be purchased at the station ticket offices or from the driver directly before departure.
Apart from PKS buses, you can also take advantage of the offer of private bus carriers. Private carriers set their prices freely, so they may vary.
Private carriers offer both suburban, intercity and international journeys.
In the case of suburban journeys, information on carriers should be obtained in the city, e.g. at a bus station. For the types of journeys, the ticket can often be purchased directly from the driver.
Intercity and international journeys are offered, for example, by Flixbus, Agat, Eurolines, Intercars, Sindbad. Bus tickets can usually be purchased at dedicated points at bus stations or on carriers' websites.
PLANES
The largest airport in Poland is Okęcie airport in Warsaw it maintains direct connections with approximately 50 cities in over 30 countries in Europe and around the world. There are also international connections at airports in Gdansk, Katowice, Lodz, Poznan, Szczecin, Wrocław and Krakow.
International airports in Poland:
- Gdansk (Rębiechowo) - Lech Wałęsa Airport
- Katowice (Pyrzowice) - International Airport
- Krakow (Balice) - John Paul II International Airport
- Lodz - Władysław Reymont Airport
- Poznan (Ławica) - Poznan Airport
- Szczecin (Goleniów) - NSZZ Solidarność Szczecin Goleniów Airport
- Warsaw (Okęcie) - Fryderyk Chopin Airport
- Wrocław (Strachowice) - Wrocław Airport
Low cost airlines
It is often profitable to use low cost airlines. Low-cost carriers that offer flights to / from Poland are listed below. On their websites you can check current promotions and discounts on tickets.
Due to the dynamically changing offer of cheap carriers, it is worth looking for connections through search engines such as: