Public Transport in Poland

Public transport in Poland is a big topic — there is a lot to talk about.

What types of transport run in Polish cities? Where can you buy public transport tickets in Poland? What kinds of tickets are there? How to travel without any trouble? In this article, we have gathered useful information and answers to popular questions about the public transport system, its types in various Polish cities, payment methods and travel rules.

What Ukrainians need to know about public transport in Poland

Here is an overview of the key features and advantages of public transport in Polish cities.

1. The most popular types of public transport in Polish cities are buses (firmly in first place), trolleybuses and trams.

2. A common question among Ukrainians — where is there a metro in Poland? The answer: in the traditional sense — only in Warsaw. However, in Kraków and Poznań you can ride a metro-tram — a hybrid between a tram and a metro.

3. Good news for those visiting the country for the first time — in Poland, transport runs on schedule; delays are the exception, not the rule.

4. In large Polish cities, the transport networks are extensive with convenient transfer hubs. Taking the previous point into account, planning journeys with connections is fairly straightforward.

5. Public transport in Poland is inclusive, meaning it is adapted for people with disabilities, parents with young children (including those with pushchairs) and elderly passengers.

What you need to know about tickets in Polish public transport

How much do tickets cost and what types are available?

1. Ticket prices vary from city to city, as each city has different carriers. The fare also differs depending on the mode of transport. For example, a bus and trolleybus ticket may cost the same, while a metro ticket in the same city may be different.

2. In large Polish cities, different fare zones often apply — a journey within one zone will be cheaper than a journey to another zone. You may sometimes also buy a return ticket — it will cost more than a single.

3. Public transport tickets in Poland can be purchased: → in transport apps (SkyCash, mobiWAWA, jakdojade.pl, mPay, zBiletem.pl, etc. — depending on the city/region); → at ticket machines (automats); → at ticket offices at stops.

Do not forget to validate your ticket using the validator when boarding.

4. The standard ticket (normalny) in Polish public transport is a single-person short-duration ticket. It is worth noting that in Warsaw, for example, tickets are available for 20 minutes from validation, 75 minutes, 90 minutes and 24 hours. If the ticket is electronic, the validity period starts from the moment of purchase. The time will be shown on the ticket itself or on the validation stamp.

1. In various Polish cities you can also buy group tickets (for groups of up to 10 people) and family tickets. Notably, children under four years of age travel free on public transport in Poland — and this applies to Ukrainian children as well. To prove the child's right to free travel, you need to show the controller the Ukrainian birth certificate.

6. Reduced-fare tickets (ulgowi) are available in many Polish cities — they allow you to travel at a 50% discount. However, the list of eligible categories may differ. Typically, those entitled to discounts on Polish public transport include children of various ages, students, pensioners, people with disabilities and their companions, and employees of city transport companies. If you belong to one of these categories, you will need Polish documents to confirm it in order to use the discount.

1. If you travel around the city every day (for example, commuting to work), we recommend finding out straight away what season tickets (travel cards) are available in your city. They often represent enormous savings — from 50 to 70%.

2. Travelling without a ticket carries a fine. It is usually 30–40 times the cost of the ticket. Paying the fine on the spot will be cheaper. Bear in mind that evading the fine can lead to serious consequences, including a ban on entering Poland. More about fines in Poland.

Public transport in Polish cities: Warsaw, Bydgoszcz, Wrocław, Gdańsk, Rzeszów, Katowice, Kraków, Łódź, Lublin, Poznań, Szczecin

Links to the websites of public transport authorities in various cities. You will find timetables, prices, routes and other up-to-date information on these resources.

Public transport authority website for Warsaw https://www.wtp.waw.pl/ Public transport in Bydgoszcz https://www.zdmikp.bydgoszcz.pl/pl/transport/rozklad-jazdy Public transport website for Wrocław https://www.wroclaw.pl Public transport in Gdańsk https://ztm.gda.pl/rozklady Public transport website for Rzeszów https://einfo.erzeszow.pl/ Public transport website for Katowice https://www.metropoliaztm.pl/pl/ Public transport website for Kraków https://rozklady.mpk.krakow.pl/ Public transport website for Łódź https://www.mpk.lodz.pl/rozklady/linie.jsp Public transport website for Lublin https://www.ztm.lublin.eu/ru Public transport website for Poznań https://www.ztm.poznan.pl Public transport website for Szczecin https://www.zditm.szczecin.pl/pl

Read more interesting articles about life and work in Poland here.

Looking for a job in Poland? Call us or submit an enquiry now

+38 (050) 334-93-51 or +48 525 275 003