Krakow public transport. Public transport in Krakow: fares, where to buy tickets, how to save. Long-term tickets or How to save on transport

What you need to know about public transport in Krakow. How much does it cost to travel, where to buy tickets, how to buy a ticket from a machine, how to get from the airport, how to save on travel. We will talk about this and more in the article. Let's share our experience and practical advice. A trip in Krakow transport is comfortable and affordable. Just get from one part of the city to another. Buses and trams run frequently and on schedule. It is easy for a tourist to navigate the route. In addition, the transport has Wi-Fi and air conditioning.

City transport in Krakow includes trams and buses. The transport network is extensive, connecting the center and suburbs. A single ticket is valid for all types of transport.

Tram.

Getting around Krakow by tram is comfortable and fast. Tram lines have 27 routes, (No. 1 – No. 24, No. 44), two high-speed routes No. 50 and No. 52, two night routes No. 62, No. 64 and No. 69. In Krakow there are two underground light rail stops, Dworzec Główny Tunel and Polytechnika. They are located in a tunnel that is built under the center of Krakow.

Interestingly, the first trams in Krakow appeared in 1882 and were pulled by horses. The length of the route was about 3 km. 12 years later, electric trams appeared. Today in Krakow there are modern and “old”, but quite neat, trams. Not all doors on trams open at stops. When entering/exiting, you need to press the button on the side of the doors so that they open at your stop.

Bus.

There are more than 100 bus routes in Krakow. City “miejskie” lines – start at 100 (No. 100 – No. 194), city express lines “miejskie przyspieszone” – start at 500 , suburban “aglomeracyjne” with a more expensive tariff - on 200 , high-speed suburban “aglomeracyjne przyspieszone” – on 300. P The first digit of city night lines is “nocne” - 600, night suburban routes – 900 . Additional city buses start at 400 .

How to get from Krakow airport to the center.

Krakow is one of the most popular tourist cities in Poland. Now it's easy and affordable to buy Flights to Krakow. Getting from Krakow airport to the city center is also easy:

By bus suburban “aglomeracy” lines. During the day there are routes No. 208 and No. 252, at night route No. 902. The price of a one-time ticket without transfers is 4 zł, for 60 minutes with transfers – 5 zł, for 90 minutes with transfers – 6 zł. Tickets can be purchased at “Ticket machines” - ticket machines in the airport terminal, at the bus stop, at the ticket machine on the bus, and also from the driver.
By train you can get to the main railway station Kraków Główny in 15 minutes and 9 zł, to the town of Wieliczka in 35-40 minutes and 12.50 zł. Tickets can be purchased from vending machines in the airport terminal, from vending machines on the platform, or on the train from the conductor.

Taxi.

There are many taxi ranks in Krakow. All of them have checkered signs with the company name and telephone number. The prices are quite affordable. There is no landing fee. There is a minimum fare for travel - from 6 zlotys, but the counter still starts from zero. The average price for 1 km is 2 zł. It is more profitable to order a taxi by phone. The phone number is indicated on the checkers and on the inscriptions on the car.

Opening hours of public transport in Krakow.

Day routes work starts at 5-00 and ends at 22-00. The movement interval is 10-15 minutes. Working hours night trams and buses from 23-00 to 4-30. The movement interval is 20-30 minutes. Transport runs exactly on schedule. It’s convenient that at the stops there is a table with the traffic schedule and this electronic display. It shows how long you have to wait for your route.

Modern Krakow trams and buses have an electronic display - it’s practically a large screen from a GPS navigator. The board shows the route number, date and time, where we are now, the next stops, a city map, streets. Very comfortable, especially for tourists who are in the city for the first time.

For example, we traveled from Planty Park, Pochtovaya stop, to Ghetto Heroes Square (Plac Bohaterow Getta) on tram number 24. With such a display, it was convenient for us to navigate our way.

Cost of travel on Krakow transport.

The ticket is valid for all types of transport. The price depends on the city zone, travel time, validity period, availability of benefits (for children and pensioners).

Krakow's transport system operates in 2 zones: I zone – “miejskie” lines downtown, II zone- these are suburban routes, they are called “agglomeracy” lines. The tariff for suburban routes is more expensive than for city routes.

Ticket “jednorazowy” valid only for one trip on one type of transport no transfers. There is also a “two-time” ticket for 1 passenger for two trips. For “Bilety czasowe” in the center of Krakow zone I within 20, 40, 60 or 90 minutes you can make an unlimited number of transfers and use different types of public transport. There is also a city pass for 24, 48, 72 hours and a week.

Suburban "agglomeracy" ticket for I+II zones there is also “jednorazowy” and “two-time”, for 60 and 90 minutes, for 24 hours and 7 days. For example, from the center of Krakow by bus get to the Wieliczka Salt Mine, you need to buy a ticket for zone I+II for 4 zł. Krakow Airport to be in zone II, the bus fare will also be 4 zł.

-For family For 2 adults and 1-2 children, a family weekend ticket is valid on Saturday and Sunday. It is important to travel with this ticket only together: adults + children.

– Tickets “normalny” with full price. Discount tickets are called “ ulgowy". Discounts apply to children under 16 years of age, students (if they have an international student standard), and senior citizens over 70 years of age.

See the table for fares for each type of ticket. Prices are current for 2018.

!!! Necessarily compost all types of tickets at the very beginning of the trip. These yellow composters are installed in Krakow transport. The date and exact time will appear on the ticket. The validity period of the ticket starts from this moment. A 1-day, 2-, 3-day or 1-week ticket only needs to be validated once, at the start of your first trip.

The photo shows a composter and a mobile ticket machine on a tram.

Where to buy tickets.

Tickets for Krakow city transport can be purchased here:

1.kiosks and points of sale MPK companies;

2.Biletomat At the stop- a special machine for selling tickets for public transport. There are more than 100 of these machines installed at Krakow stops (not all!). Accepts cash and cards for payment.

3.Biletomat on the bus– there are mobile ticket vending machines on buses and trams. There is a sign on transport that informs you that this bus or tram has a ticket machine. Payment by card only. Very convenient, because not all stops have stationary ticket machines. And you don’t have to run around looking for where tickets are sold. “Jumped in” - bought a ticket - you go with a clear conscience)))

How to buy a ticket from a machine. Brief instructions.

It's very simple. The photo of the ticket machine shows the main points when purchasing with colored arrows.

On touch monitor(red arrow in photo) select the language (gender, English, German), then select the option “buy a paper ticket” - “KUP TICKET PAPIEROWY”. Information about the types of available tickets will appear on the screen: “jednorazowy” or “bilety czasowe”.
Select the ticket you need by pressing the button on the monitor.
You pay. There are three payment options at a stationary ticket machine, and at a mobile one (on buses and trams - payment only by card).

Payment options (shown by the corresponding arrows in the photo)

coins
payment card . Insert the card into the reader with the magnetic stripe facing down, then follow the instructions on the monitor.
banknotes in denominations from 10 zlotys. Insert the banknote into the special opening of the ticket machine.

4.Pick up your tickets and change (if purchasing in cash) at window below(marked with a purple arrow).

How to save on travel in Krakow transport.

1.Does a tourist always need to buy a travel ticket for a day or more?

Krakow's Old Town is compact. It is easy to walk. We only traveled by tram a couple of times from/to the Podgórze district (with the Oskar Schindler Museum) and the Kazimierz district. We traveled from the center without transfers, using only disposable “jednorazowy” tickets.

If you are staying in the center, then there is no need to buy a pass for a day or more. After all, in order for a 24-hour tariff worth 15.00 zlotys to pay off, you need to complete at least one day 4 trips around “jednorazowy” ticket with a price of PLN 3.80. Or make 4 trips of 40 minutes, or 3 trips of 60 minutes. Buying daily passes will be beneficial if you are staying in the suburbs of Krakow or plan to really travel around the city a lot.

2. Which is more profitable to choose a ticket for a trip: one-time or temporary.

How to find out in advance the required transport line, schedule, number of transfers and travel time.

*** Let’s share some advice when planning a route around Krakow (and any other city). Use the service Google Maps - Enter the city and the route on the map - from where and where you need to get, click the “bus” sign and then look at the “city transport schedule”. The service will show the traffic schedule, whether transfers are needed along the way, and how much time is spent on the road.

Once you have planned your route from one Krakow attraction to another, see which type of ticket is best for you. If you don’t need transfers and the travel time is more than 20 minutes, buy “jednorazowy” , and for such a trip there and back, “two times”. For a short trip, an inexpensive 20-minute ticket is enough. In case you cannot do without transfers, purchase tickets for 40, 60, 90 minutes - depending on the time required for the journey. If you plan to travel a lot, it is more economical to buy a 24-hour pass, etc. If you are staying in Krakow for a month or more, then a seasonal personalized ticket for a month or longer would be an excellent solution.

Tourist transport.

Or How NOT to save money on travel in Krakow))) For tourists in Krakow, there are many offers to quickly see the sights of the city. These are City Tours. Hop On Hop Off buses travel around the Old Town. And colorful electric cars for 4-10 people can be found on almost every corner.

An original way to experience the atmosphere of Royal Krakow is to ride through the streets of the Old Town on a real horse-drawn carriage. This is a traditional Krakow attraction for tourists.

We hope our information and advice will help you on your trip to Krakow, one of the most beautiful cities in Poland.

We wish you bright travels!

There are four main types of buses in Krakow. Which type is which can be determined by the first digit of the route number: city (regular) with numbers No. 100-199 and 400-499; suburban (for which you need to buy special tickets) with numbers No. 200-299; express trains (przyspieszone) - No. 500-599) and night trains - No. 600-699. There may also be temporary routes (with numbers No. 300-399), and on November 1, All Saints Day, buses carrying visitors to cemeteries (No. 900-999).
There are special boards on the buses, which alternately display the route number, the starting and ending stop, the current time and the birthday people for today.
If suddenly repairs are going on on a street, then often a special lane is allocated for buses, along which only they can travel. This also helps to increase the speed of movement.

I can’t help but add a fly in the ointment to the description of the buses. The city purchased modern Scania cars. They are, of course, convenient when there are few passengers, but during peak hours the width of the passage in the rear is clearly not enough (as in Turkish Mercedes in Moscow). Well, in the summer heat with a large number of passengers, Scania turns into a real gas chamber. Almost no air passes through the tiny cracks of the windows, and the air conditioner (which, according to the description in the catalog, should be there) does not cope with its task.
So Krakow also has its shortcomings, and not everything is as bad here as some of our little-knowledgeable critics write about it ;-).

No one announces traffic stops. (However, from my own experience I can say that you begin to distinguish even individual words in advertisements in an unfamiliar language on about the third day, when you already have time to learn the entire route you need.)
Please note that by 23:00 the transport is no longer running!

Driving at night

At night there are night buses in Krakow.
Their numbers begin with the number “6”, and at stops their number is written on a black plate in white numbers (all other numbers are in black numbers on a white background).

Night buses run approximately once an hour from 11 pm to 5 am.
If you like night walks, it’s worth seeing if one of the night routes stops near your hotel.

Travel on night buses costs 2 times more. More often on such routes, the driver accepts the money, but if you use a composter, you need to punch 2 regular tickets per passenger.

Please note that if you have a ticket for several days, you can travel on night routes without additional payment!

Late in the evening you can take the trams that go to the depot. Instead of the route they have "Zajezdnia"<название депо>" (for example, "Zajezdnia Podgorze"). They go to the depot with all stops, and if your destination is on the road to the depot, consider yourself lucky.

Rules of good manners

If you want to be polite, know that in Poland, as in Russia, it is customary to give up seats to the elderly, disabled and simply beautiful girls. By the way, if a girl steps on your foot on a tram, this may be a hint that she wouldn’t mind getting to know you.
In conclusion, I can only add that boarding is officially permitted through any doors (i.e., there is no separation between entrance and exit).

Route taxis

Minibus taxis (here they are called “Bus” (BUS)) are similar to Russian ones, only they are produced, of course, not by Gaz or ZIL.
Unlike ours, in Krakow minibuses usually operate on suburban routes, and do not replace poorly functioning public transport. Another difference is that the fare is not higher, but even lower, than on buses and trams. Let it be only 10-15%, but lower, and on suburban lines!
The fact is that high competition forced companies to reduce prices. Here, on each line there is a schedule that is strictly adhered to; a certain number of buses operate on each route - in a word, everything is very strict.
Each minibus is designed for 13 passengers. Tolls are usually paid at the entrance.

Pay attention to how the doors open on Krakow minibuses. We have two doors: one to the seat next to the driver, and the other to the main salon. Minibuses in Krakow look similar in appearance, but in fact the second door serves a decorative function, and the passenger compartment is accessed through the front door.
So don't try to pull the handle of the second door - this door never opens.
Another nice detail is that you can stand upright in the minibuses. So, unlike the Moscow “Gazelles” and “Bychkov”, the one who enters does not need to clear through a row of other people’s legs, showing miracles of acrobatics when the driver suddenly begins to pick up speed. You can calmly go to your place without bowing to anyone.

Interactive schedule of public transport in Krakow

The website of the Krakow City Transport Authority has a very good service that allows you to see all city transport routes with all stops. In addition, you can find all stops with all routes on a specific street, or search for routes by stop name.
And most importantly, you can find a timetable for each stop! If you do not live in the center, or are going to take the night bus, this is very important.

Fare payment

Unlike Moscow, in Krakow you can buy a ticket either for 1 trip (without transfers), or a ticket for a certain time without limiting the number of transfers.
Which ticket to buy depends on the time and route. If you have to travel for a long time without a transfer, buy a regular ticket for 3.80, and if you need to travel only a couple of stops, a ticket for 20 minutes for 2.80 zl, or calculate the travel time (from the moment of boarding to the moment of the last disembarkation) - and buy ticket for 40, 60 or 90 minutes respectively for 3.80, 5.00 or 6.00 zl.
Krakow is also divided into zones - urban and suburban.

The ticket price for 2018 is as follows (prices have remained constant since 2015):

Type of ticket	in the city	city + suburb
ordinary	3.80 zl	4.00 zl
for 2 trips	7.20 zl	7.60 zl
for 20 minutes	2.80 zl
for 40 minutes	3.80 zl
for 60 minutes	5.00 zl	5.00 zl
for 90 minutes	6.00 zl	6.00 zl
for 1 day	15 zl	20 zl
for 2 days	24 zl
for 3 days	36 zl
for 7 days	48 zl	62 zl

Baggage transportation... free! Previously, it was mainly tourists who were caught for non-payment of luggage (even a tourist backpack was considered luggage), and since 2007, the local city transport decided to abolish this fee completely. The funny thing is that if previously you had to pay for luggage measuring more than 20x40x60 cm, now the size of luggage is not regulated at all (neither in the rules of 2007, nor in the new ones of 2012 there is any mention of what maximum luggage can be checked in.

note that a ticket is needed compost immediately after planting, without waiting, like ours, for the next stop. (The inscriptions on the ticket and in the cabin, including those written in “formal” Russian, ask you to do this.)
You need to insert the ticket into the composter strictly according to the arrow drawn on it (arrow up). The date, time and route number are stamped on the ticket. Krakow composters always work, regardless of whether the ticket was inserted correctly, but a ticket with a date stamped “in the wrong place” is considered invalid.
City tickets are valid only within the city; if you are going to travel to the suburbs, buy a special commuter ticket (Aglomeracja Krakowska).
Tickets for night buses (with number 6XX) cost 2 times more - you need to buy special “night tickets” for them. However, the fare is often collected directly by the driver (without additional fees).

Long-term tickets or How to save on transport

A pleasant surprise for tourists: in addition to regular tickets, there are also several types of special ones: tickets for a specific time - 20, 40, 60 and 90 minutes, for 1, 2 or 3 days, and even for a week.

Why do you need a timed ticket? On the one hand, it’s a shame to pay the full price if you only go 2-3 stops. On the other hand, if you have several transfers, you don’t want to buy a separate ticket each time either. Therefore, you can calculate the travel time - and he will buy a ticket for a certain time (of course, it is difficult for a tourist who is using public transport for the first time to make such a calculation, but having traveled along the route at least once, you will know how long your trip lasts).
If you are going to travel a lot during the day, buy a one-day ticket (bilet dzienny [jenna ticket]). It costs 15 zl, i.e. as 4 trips, and is valid all day on the day of composting. In addition, the price includes baggage fees (all luggage you have). So, even having traveled with your suitcase once from the station to the hotel and back, you have already paid for the ticket.
A one-day ticket is only valid if stamped by the composter. This means you must validate it on your first trip.

For those who are planning to spend several days in the city, I advise you to purchase tickets for 48, 72 hours (i.e. for 2, 3 days). They cost 15 and 24 zl respectively and are valid, as the name implies, for 48 or 72 hours.
For those who stay in Krakow longer, it is worth buying a ticket for 1 week (bilet na 7 dni [ticket for limited days]) - it costs only 48 zl.

On your first trip, you must validate your ticket and then simply carry it with you.

There are also "family" weekend tickets for two adults and two children. One ticket is valid for two days - from 8:30 on Saturday to 21:00 on Sunday. It costs only 15 zl. But a number of restrictions are imposed on those using it: a “family” ticket is valid only if two or one adult travels on it, and necessarily one or two children. Adults without children, as well as children without adults, do not have the right to travel with such a ticket.
In addition, this is a personal ticket - do not forget to write the adult's name.

For reference: if the composter prints a 10-digit number, then two digits each mean: route number, day, month, hour and minutes.
If the overprint looks like “101201>1234”, then the first digit is the direction of movement (1 - there, 2 - back), then 3 digits are the route number, the next 2 are the day of the month; The time is written after the “>” sign.

(All the above prices are valid from 2015 to 2018. For comparison, in 2009-2010 the fare cost 3.00 zl, in 2004-2005 - 2.40 zl, in 2001-2003 - 2.20 zl, in 2000 - 2 zl, in 1999 - 1.50 zl, before 1998 - 1.20 zl.)

Discounts on tickets

As for benefits and discounts, only local schoolchildren and students, as well as various groups of pensioners and disabled people, can take advantage of them, upon presentation of the appropriate documents. As a foreign tourist, you are not entitled to discounts even if you have an ISIC international student card. The only benefits that foreigners are entitled to: children under 4 years of age and persons over 72 years of age (by presenting any document with a date of birth) travel for free, and children from 4 to 7 years of age purchase a discount ticket with a 50% discount.
In general, Krakow has an interesting system of discounts and long-term travel tickets. But for you, as a tourist, it is absolutely useless.

By the way, in 1999, transport workers decided to cancel discounts for students (in return they were offered free night travel). But students are active people and organizing pickets and rallies for them is not a problem. In a word, the transport leadership first made concessions, and then was forced to completely abandon their plans. Student youth defended their rights.

Where to buy travel tickets

Tickets for 1 trip can be purchased at any newsstand, even if they are not on display. Tell the kiosk guy: “Poprosze jeden bilet MPK” [ask for a jeden ticket em-peh-ka]. Or you can simply show the kiosk your used ticket and he will give you one.
Tickets, as I already wrote, can also be bought from the driver, but for 50 groschen more expensive. Other types of tickets are purchased at specialized kiosks of the MPK (MRK).
In the city center, one MPC kiosk is located to the left of the train station (if you stand with your back to the building), at the tram stop opposite the Europejski Hotel, and the other is at the stop on the corner of Basztowa and Westerplatte streets (from the underpass to the right).
There is a kiosk near the station itself (exit from the underground passage, to the right, on the corner), but long-term tickets are not sold there.
In addition, MPK ticket sales points are scattered throughout the city.

Passage control

There was a noticeable increase in controllers in the mid-2000s. If earlier I knew about their existence only from stories, now I myself finally began to encounter them.
Moreover, they can appear at the most unexpected time in the most unexpected set. For example, late at night, or even on Sunday morning.

Oddly enough, there is almost always someone without a ticket. Usually these are students who claim that they forgot their ticket, or schoolchildren with similar problems.
If you really forgot your ticket at home, you can show your ID (pass, student ID, school card, etc.), and they will issue you a receipt that you can pay for later. In this case, the forgotten ticket will need to be brought to the regional transport department and only the cost of one fare will be paid.
When you do not have money for a fine, you may also be given a receipt, which you can pay later.

Once again I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the ticket must be punched immediately after boarding; don't wait for the next stop!

For “weekly” travel tickets, inspectors usually do not ask for identification, but they always check documents for discount tickets (however, you, as tourists, cannot have them). You don’t have to carry your passport with you at all (pickpockets also exist in Krakow); you can limit yourself to a photocopy of it.

The fine for traveling without a ticket is 240 zl (the cost of 75 trips!) plus the cost of travel.
But if you pay it on the spot, or even within 7 days, you will be charged 50% less - i.e. only 120 zl. But you, as foreigners not residing in Poland, are required to pay a fine on the spot.

By the way, if you have a personalized travel ticket, you forgot it at home, but you have an identification document with you (passport, student or school card) - the controller will write your data on the fine receipt, and with this receipt and travel card you can come up to the city transport department (MPK) and pay only the fare. You won't have to pay a fine.
But again, this method is not suitable for a foreigner.

Our excuse like “I didn’t have time to punch it, I don’t have money, and I don’t have to go to the police” won’t work.
If you refuse to pay, the following system applies: the vehicle stops, the doors do not open, and the police are called over the radio. She comes and picks you up. And then you will have to pay not only a fine, but also additionally for transport delays, etc., etc.... A total of 500 zl!
This is what the Poles told me, and our “knowledgeable” people noticed that local inspectors are people too, and can be satisfied with half the amount without a receipt.
But is it worth saving 40 zl a week (the cost of a ticket for 7 days), and walking under pain of a 240 zl fine?

Is it possible not to pay the fine on the spot at all, but wait until it is sent to your home?- they once asked me after carefully studying the rules for paying for travel.
My answer is: if you come to Poland as a tourist, then you will have to pay right away. But if you live in Poland and you have a Polish document - at least a student card from a Polish university, and even more so a residence permit - you can take advantage of this opportunity. Moreover, if you pay the fine within 7 days, the amount of the fine will be 50% less. Although there are precedents when some Krakow residents do not pay for years!

Commercial advertising:

Suburban routes

Suburban lines are bus routes with numbers starting with “2” and “3”.
To travel on them in Krakow, it is enough to have a regular ticket, but to travel outside the city you need to use special tickets - “agglomeration tickets” (Aglomeracja krakowska).

Tickets cost almost the same (3.40 instead of 3.20), they are valid both in Krakow and in its suburbs (in Polish this is called the “Cracow agglomeration”).
Tickets are sold at newsstands.

Please note that regular long-term city tickets (for several days) are not valid in the suburbs.
Therefore, if you have a ticket for several days, then for trips, for example, to the beach in Kryspinow, or the monastery in Przegożaly (see Wola Forest), you need to buy a separate one-time “agglomeration” ticket, or immediately buy an “agglomeration” ticket for several days .

Taxi in Krakow

There are a lot of taxis in Krakow. According to local residents, even more than necessary, because there is no law regulating their numbers.
Due to very strong competition, prices remain at an affordable level. Given the short distances between the historical center and most hotels (the outskirts, I think, you are not interested in), the amounts are not so large. A taxi can take you even out of town, but at a price that is twice as high.

For reference, prices of popular Krakow taxis (for 2018)

Carrier	Price submissions	Cost per 1 km (day Night)
Eko Taxi	8 zł	1.8 zł
Radio Taxi "DWÓJKI"	7 zł	2.3 zł / 3.5 zł
iCar Taxi	6 zł	2 zł

Arriving in any foreign city, and especially a country, we plan to spend some time exploring certain sights and visiting planned objects. Some people do this by renting a car, others buy ready-made tours or excursions from a hotel or travel agency, and others do it on their own, trying to immerse themselves as much as possible in the atmosphere and ordinary life of the city or country they are visiting.
If you decide to choose the latter method, an important factor will be understanding and knowledge of the features of the urban and suburban public transport network of the city where you are going to visit. This will save you time, take into account various nuances and determine in advance some key points for yourself while moving between objects that are planned for visiting.
Today I will talk about urban and suburban transport in Polish Krakow, which I visited not long ago, having managed to see a lot in two days and collect a huge amount of photographic material for publication. Perhaps someone who is planning a trip to this city will find this information useful

2. Let's start with the suburban network - electric trains and commuter buses.
Krakow's main station is called Dworzec Główny. There is both a railway and bus station here. Trains, commuter trains, and an express train to Krakow International Airport depart from the railway station. Before entering the tunnel, on the right, there is a ticket office. The entrance to the tunnel itself is very reminiscent of our train stations - all surrounded by trays with newspapers and snacks.

3. But as soon as you go down the transition steps, you immediately feel the difference. No shabby walls, dirty bins with constant trash lying around, beggars with guitars and trays of food. Instead of all this, there is a lot of information on the walls of the tunnel and... light.

4. Exit to one of the platforms. Only here you can count 5 fluorescent lamps. There are CCTV cameras everywhere.

5. The appearance of the tracks at the station is a different story. No oil stains or usual debris.

6. Airport express train or rail bus. It runs every 30 minutes and its stop is located 350 meters from the main airport terminal. The journey time to the airport is 20 minutes, the fare is 20 zlotys (about 5 euros)

7. Many vehicles have a manual door opening system. He walked up, raised his hand to the touch or regular button - the door opened. In my opinion, it is very convenient both in winter and in summer. In winter, the inside of the carriage does not cool down, and in summer, cooled, conditioned air does not escape from it. I immediately remember our electric trains with eternally frozen vestibules

8. There is a commuter train on the platform nearby, which in appearance lasts much longer than a modern rail bus. Let's go inside and compare it with our electric trains.

9. Electric train for people. Simple but comfortable. Comfortable soft seats, clean curtains on the windows, small spaces between the doors, only 4 rows of seats

10. The next car.

11. For the convenience of purchasing tickets and avoiding queues at the ticket office, ticket machines are installed everywhere on the platform with detailed instructions on how to correctly select the right ticket and destination, as well as how to purchase it. There are several types of electric trains - some run as express routes, stopping only at the main stations, and some - osobowe - at all stations along the route and go much longer.

12. Help board in crossings at the station

13. Standard scheme for assistance in using transport, which can be found at every step. It tells in great detail about how to get to the airport, there is a map of trains, their schedule and tariff schedule. The tariff is divided into three zones depending on the distance of the trip. Ticket price by zone - 3.5; 6.30 and 8.70 zlotys.
So, a trip to the Wieliczka Salt Mine will cost you 3.5 zlotys (about 1 euro). By the way, tickets have a validity period of 2 hours for the first zone, 4 for the second, 6 for the third. The countdown begins as soon as you have validated your ticket.
Those. you can get off at some station, walk there for half an hour and take the next train further without paying extra. The main thing is to fit in the ticket time.

14. In general, it is worth saying that the information component in Krakow is excellent, as it should be in any tourist city. Lots of signs, pictograms and signs. Everything is clear and precise.

15. Next to the railway station is the central bus station. The building is small, like in any of our cities with over a million people.

16. But the inside of the station is quite different. The first thing that caught my eye was that there was no usual crowd in the hall or near the ticket counters.

17. Information board with flight schedules. To say that there are many of them is to say nothing. There are simply a huge number of them

18. Photo to understand the size of the schedule.

19. There is another information board nearby; it displays the nearest departing flights.

20. Cash desk.

21. The cash desk works very quickly; there is an information board above the window, which displays information about upcoming flights. Since we are going to go to Auschwitz, we purchase a ticket for the nearest bus. The ticket costs 12 zlotys (about 3 euros)

22. Boarding platforms are located on two tiers: the upper one - at the level of the bus station building and below it. Short-haul flights depart from here. Buses are usually small in size and only buses to the Zakopane ski resort are all large, because... An almost continuous stream of people with a lot of equipment and luggage goes there.

23. Our bus to Auschwitz. Ordinary minibus. By the way, many people do not buy a ticket at the box office, but buy it directly from the driver. This is worth considering. If you have a ticket, you need to push through the crowd of students and locals, showing your ticket, to be the first to enter. Otherwise, you might end up standing.
The driver, when selling a ticket, issues a receipt from a small terminal installed on the dashboard, and not like ours, he simply puts the money in his pocket, actually deceiving the employer.

24. In Krakow, public transport is represented by buses (120 routes), trams (23 routes) and taxis.
Traffic starts around five o'clock in the morning and ends a little after eleven in the evening.
However, there are also night buses on some routes.
Traffic intervals on weekdays usually do not exceed 15 minutes. Transport moves at a fairly high speed. The city authorities have adopted the concept: “higher speed - fewer rolling stock.” So remember to hold on to the handrails, especially when turning.

25. The urban transport network is quite dense. At each stop there is a timetable for each route.
When a tram stop is located before a fork in the tracks, the signs with route numbers are grouped depending on where the trams then turn, and a sign with an arrow indicating the direction of travel is placed next to it. Very convenient for orientation.
By the way, the city transport schedule can also be found on the Internet on the website of the Krakow city transport company. The schedule is very detailed and clear, so you can plan your trips in advance, linking them on the map with the desired sites to visit

26. Information board indicating how many minutes are left before the arrival of a particular route. Very comfortably. You know in advance that you have 15 minutes to, for example, buy a bottle of water in a shop near the bus stop

27. Stops, like railway platforms, are equipped with ticket machines

28. At each stop there is a map of city transport, a schedule for each route on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays with holidays. This schedule is always strictly followed. However, sometimes delays do occur due to traffic jams in the city center.
In addition to the departure time, the schedule also indicates the main points on the route.
There are four main types of buses in Krakow. Which type is which can be determined by the first digit of the route number: city (regular) with numbers No. 100-199 and 400-499; suburban (for which you need to buy special tickets) with numbers No. 200-299; express trains (przyspieszone) - No. 500-599) and night trains - No. 600-699.
There are special boards on the buses, which alternately display the route number, the starting and ending stop, the current time and the birthday people for today.

29. Information about ticket prices. In Krakow, you can buy a ticket either for 1 trip (without transfers), or a ticket for a certain time without limiting the number of transfers. Which ticket to buy depends on the time and route. If you have to travel for a long time without a transfer, buy a regular ticket for 3.80 zlotys, and if you need to travel just a couple of stops, a ticket for 15 minutes for 2.80, if you need to travel for about an hour with transfers, take a ticket for 5 zlotys. There are also tickets for the whole day, for three days and for a week. Time begins to count from the moment of composting directly inside the tram or bus.
Krakow is also divided into zones - urban and suburban. Suburban fares are higher

30. Detailed bus schedule on weekdays, weekends and holidays. The schedule is followed very strictly.

31. The rolling stock of Krakow public transport is in very good condition. At least I didn’t see a single frankly old tram or bus

32. Inside a Krakow tram car. It is immediately apparent that it is not very designed to carry a large number of standing passengers.

33. Information board that displays the route number, the current stop and the next two. No one announces the stops here, so you need to control where to get off on your own.

34. A composter that stamps the ticket when you have registered it as used. If you bought a timed ticket, the countdown begins from that moment.

35. A ticket vending machine is installed in each tram and bus salon. Unlike those at the bus stop, mobile machines do not accept paper money, only coins. You need to be prepared for this.
When there are few passengers, not all doors on trams and buses open automatically. Then to exit or enter, press the button located on the side of the doors. There is no need to wait until the tram stops; the automation will remember the press made in advance.
The same applies if you are waiting for a tram at a stop. He will stop with the doors closed. To enter, you need to press a button near the door or raise your hand to the sensor.

36. Another type of urban transport is electric tourist cars. You can ride along the main tourist routes of the city accompanied by an audio narration from a guide.

37. Underground passages also deserve special attention. Just like at the station in the tunnels, it is clean here, without homeless people and beggars.

38. Entrance to the public toilet in the underground passage.

39. In conclusion, a few words about the terminal for domestic flights at Krakow airport. Unlike the international terminal, it's just a large hangar with waiting areas, a couple of kiosks and a clock.
5 19 am, we are waiting for a flight to Warsaw.

40. Shuttle to the plane. There are few passengers on the morning flight to the capital.

41. A small Embraer of Polish Airlines will take you to the capital - to the Chopin International Airport in half an hour..

The partner of the two-day tour to Krakow was a tourist resource

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Briefly about the main thing

Single ticket;
Transport operates at night;
The city is covered by a tram network, including an underground one.
Modern new buses - no minibuses;
Single ticket - 3.80 PLN;
Monthly ticket for all lines - 89.00 PLN.

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Public transport in Krakow

As we have already said in the article, Krakow is attractive as a potential place to move and often ranks high in rankings. The only downside is local air quality issues.

The cultural capital of Poland boasts a reliable transport system - extremely friendly to citizens and visitors.

The tram and bus network in the Krakow municipality is maintained by one company - Miejskie Przedsiębiorstwo Komunikacyjne w Krakowie - City Public Transport Enterprise in Krakow. Or MPK for short.

Additionally, some bus routes in Krakow are run by the private company Mobilis. This practice is popular in Poland. But it is quite difficult to distinguish their buses from “real” city ones.

Click on the topic you are interested in to go to the corresponding section:

Types of tickets in Krakow transport

As in other Polish cities, tickets in Krakow are divided into "normal" And "ulgowe". A discount ticket is used, for example. students, including non-Polish ones, until they turn 26 years old.

In addition, tickets are divided into city and agglomeration (1st and 2nd zones), as well as the territory itself served by the Krakow MPK:

Strefa I - the city of Krakow itself;
Strefa I+II - Krakow + neighboring communes.

If you are traveling outside the 1st zone, for example to the airport on line 208, make sure to buy an agglomeration ticket for both zones - Strefa I+II.

Let's look at the prices for several standard tickets for the 1st zone:

single ticket – PLN 3.80;
20 minutes – 2.80 PLN;
60 minutes – 5.00 PLN;
24-hour – 15.00 PLN;

Some agglomeration tickets for zones I+II are slightly more expensive:

single ticket – 4.80 PLN;
24-hour – 20.00 PLN;

A complete list of tickets and their prices can be found on the Krakow City Transport website.

Krakow City Card - KKM

If you are not only passing through Krakow, but plan to stay longer, then a more profitable solution would be to purchase monthly tickets, which can be encoded onto a special card - Krakowska Karta Miejska (KKM).

This can be done, for example, in numerous KKM machines. You can also purchase standard tickets from these same ticket machines.

Buses in Krakow are new. 100% of buses in Krakow have low floors. Many are equipped with map displays and air conditioning - an MPK standard on new buses. The traditional colors of this type of transport are white and dark blue.

For problem areas with large traffic jams, Krakow authorities are trying to create dedicated lanes for transport - "buspasу". You cannot drive on such a lane in a personal car.

The numbering of regular buses in Krakow starts at 1xx, agglomeration buses at 2xx, and express buses at 5xx. At night public transport also operates, but runs somewhat less frequently, approximately every half hour. Night buses in Krakow are numbered 6xx, and trams are numbered 6x.

Koleje Małopolskie. Airport connections

Since 2014, the SKA - Szybka Kolej Aglomeracyjna sinter railway project has been operating in Krakow. As part of the project, residents of Krakow, Nowy Sacz and the surrounding area are served by 2 carriers - KMŁ (Koleje Małopolskie) and PolRegio/Przewozy Regionalne.

The SKA routes can be found on the Malopolska Railways website.

This will take you by train to Krakow-Balice Jan Paul II Airport. The KMŁ train will take you to the station Kraków Główny in 17 minutes. And if you want to see the famous salt mines, then go to the suburban Wieliczka. Ticket prices - 9 PLN and 12.50 PLN respectively.

Tickets for KMŁ trains can be purchased from a “ticket machine” in the airport terminal, on the station platform, or from KMŁ employees on the train. At the machines you can pay by card, but KMŁ employees can only accept cash.

If you choose a bus, there are several lines from the airport. So, as an airport in the 2nd zone (II strefa), then you get agglomeration ticket(Strefa I+II). As we indicated above, a one-time ticket costs 4.00 PLN.

No one announces traffic stops. (However, from my own experience I can say that you begin to distinguish even individual words in advertisements in an unfamiliar language on about the third day, when you already have time to learn the entire route you need.)
Please note that by 23:00 the transport is no longer running!

Driving at night

Night buses run approximately once an hour from 11 pm to 5 am.
If you like night walks, it’s worth seeing if one of the night routes stops near your hotel.

Travel on night buses costs 2 times more. More often on such routes, the driver accepts the money, but if you use a composter, you need to punch 2 regular tickets per passenger.

Please note that if you have a ticket for several days, you can travel on night routes without additional payment!

Rules of good manners

Route taxis

Minibus taxis (here they are called “Bus” (BUS)) are similar to Russian ones, only they are produced, of course, not by Gaz or ZIL.
Unlike ours, in Krakow minibuses usually operate on suburban routes, and do not replace poorly functioning public transport. Another difference is that the fare is not higher, but even lower, than on buses and trams. Let it be only 15%, but lower, and on suburban lines!
The fact is that competition forced companies to reduce the price from 2.50 zl, which was a couple of years ago to 2.00 zl. (Perhaps the price would have dropped further, but 2.00 is a very convenient round number)
Each minibus is designed for 13 passengers. Tolls are usually paid at the entrance.

Interactive schedule of public transport in Krakow

Fare payment

A travel ticket purchased at a kiosk costs 2.50 zl; purchased from the driver - 3.00 zl. (all prices are valid in 2008-2009)
In addition to one-time tickets, there are also temporary tickets - for an hour, a day or several days (read about them below).

A separate ticket is required for each piece of baggage (over 20x40x60 cm in size). (Almost any tourist luggage exceeds these dimensions.)
note the fact that the ticket must be validated immediately after boarding, without waiting, like ours, for the next stop. (The inscriptions on the ticket and in the cabin, including those written in “formal” Russian, ask you to do this.)
You need to insert the ticket into the composter strictly according to the arrow drawn on it (arrow up). The date, time and route number are stamped on the ticket. Krakow composters always work, regardless of whether the ticket was inserted correctly, but a ticket with a date stamped “in the wrong place” is considered invalid.
City tickets are valid only within the city; if you are going to travel to the suburbs, buy a special commuter ticket (Aglomeracja Krakowska).
Tickets for night buses (with number 6XX) cost 2 times more - you need to buy special “night tickets” for them. However, the fare is often collected directly by the driver (without additional fees).

Long-term tickets or How to save on transport

A pleasant surprise for tourists: in addition to regular tickets, there are also several types of special ones: tickets for 1 hour, for 1, 2 or 3 days, and even for a week.

Why do you need a 1 hour ticket? It is needed if you are going to travel with transfers - it costs only 60 gr more than the usual one, but you can travel on it within an hour from the moment of composting on any routes.
If you are going to travel a lot during the day, buy a one-day ticket (bilet dzienny [jenna ticket]). It costs 10.40 zl, i.e. as 4 trips, and is valid all day on the day of composting. In addition, the price includes baggage fees (all luggage you have). So, even having traveled with your suitcase once from the station to the hotel and back, you have already paid for the ticket.
A one-day ticket is only valid if stamped by the composter. This means you must validate it on your first trip.

For those who are planning to spend several days in the city, I advise you to purchase tickets for 48, 72 hours (i.e. for 2, 3 days). They cost 18.80 and 25 zl respectively and are valid, as the name implies, for 48 or 72 hours.
For those who stay in Krakow longer, it is worth buying a ticket for 1 week (bilet na 7 dni [ticket for limited days]) - it costs only 38 zl.

Please note that tickets for 24, 48, 72 hours and tickets for 7 days can travel without baggage charges, as well as on night lines without additional payment.

On your first trip, you must validate your ticket and then simply carry it with you.

There are also "family" weekend tickets for two adults and two children. One ticket is valid for two days - from 8:30 on Saturday to 21:00 on Sunday. It costs only 10.40 zl. But a number of restrictions are imposed on those using it: a “family” ticket is valid only if two or one adult travels on it, and necessarily one or two children. Adults without children, as well as children without adults, do not have the right to travel with such a ticket.
In addition, this is a personal ticket - do not forget to write the adult's name.

For reference: if the composter prints a 10-digit number, then two digits each mean: route number, day, month, hour and minutes.
If the overprint looks like “101201>1234”, then the first digit is the direction of movement (1 - there, 2 - back), then 3 digits are the route number, the next 2 are the day of the month; The time is written after the “>” sign.

(All the above prices are valid from 2006 to 2009. For comparison, in 2004-2005 the fare cost 2.40 zl, in 2001-2003 - 2.20 zl, in 2000 - 2 zl, in 1999 - 1.50 zl , before 1998 - 1.20 zl.)

Discounts on tickets

By the way, in 1999, transport workers decided to cancel discounts for students (in return they were offered free night travel). But students are active people and organizing pickets and rallies for them is not a problem. In a word, the transport leadership first made concessions, and then was forced to completely abandon their plans. Student youth defended their rights.

Where to buy travel tickets

Passage control

There has been a noticeable increase in controllers recently. If earlier I knew about their existence only from stories, now I myself finally began to encounter them.
Moreover, they can appear at the most unexpected time in the most unexpected set. For example, late at night, or even on Sunday morning.

Once again I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the ticket must be punched immediately after boarding; don't wait for the next stop!

The fine for traveling without a ticket is 100 zl (the cost of 40 trips!) plus the fare.
But if you pay it on the spot, or even within 7 days, you will be charged 30% less - i.e. only 70 zl. (for this amount you can buy tickets for a whole week). You, as foreigners not residing in Poland, are required to pay a fine on the spot.
By the way, the fine for unpaid luggage is only 75 zl (or 53 zl taking into account the “discount”)!

Our excuse like “I didn’t have time to punch it, I don’t have money, and I don’t have to go to the police” won’t work.
If you refuse to pay, the following system applies: the vehicle stops, the doors do not open, and the police are called over the radio. She comes and picks you up. And then you will have to pay not only a fine, but also an additional 375 zl for transport delays, etc., etc.... A total of almost 500 zl!
This is what the Poles told me, and our “knowledgeable” people noticed that local inspectors are people too, and can be satisfied with half the amount without a receipt.
But is it worth saving 25 zl a week (the cost of a ticket for 3 days), and walking under pain of a 100 zloty fine?

Is it possible not to pay the fine on the spot at all, but wait until it is sent to your home?- they once asked me after carefully studying the rules for paying for travel.
I’ll answer again, the rules say that the controller can issue you a receipt to pay the fine later. And if you pay within 7 days, then the amount of the fine is reduced by 30%, but you can delay payment. There are precedents when some Krakow residents do not pay for years! But you, as a foreigner, are required to pay immediately.

Suburban routes

Tickets cost almost the same (2.60 instead of 2.50), they are valid both in Krakow and in its suburbs (in Polish this is called the “Krakow agglomeration”).
Tickets are sold at newsstands - only they cost 2.60 instead of 2.50.

Taxi in Krakow

Prices from different companies are approximately the same, and are:
- around town:
2.30 zl/km from 6:00 to 22:00 on weekdays
3.50 zl/km from 6:00 to 22:00 and on weekends
- In the countryside:
4.60 zl/km from 6:00 to 22:00 on weekdays
7.00 zl/km from 6:00 to 22:00 and on weekends.

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