Public Transport in Poland
Bus, Train, Tram, Car, Taxi & Thumb!
Information
Polish road infrastructure is extensive but generally poorly maintained, and high speed motorways currently in place are insufficient. However, public transport is quite plentiful and inexpensive: buses and trams in cities, and charter buses and trains for long distance travel. You also have the options to travel by car, taxi, bike or thumb!
Przedsiębiorstwo Komunikacji Samochodowej (commonly abbreviated PKS) is a major Polish enterprise dealing with public transport.
It was created as a state enterprise in 1945 in post-war communist Poland. Until recently it had a monopoly on suburban bus transport in Poland. Recently it has been broken up, with many new companies being privatised including:
Szybka Kolej Miejska is a rail operator providing services in the Warsaw metropolitan area. It owns its rolling stock, but uses tracks belonging to Polish State Railways, sharing them with other rail operators. Szybka Kolej Miejska operates a common ticket and fare system with the Warsaw Transport Authority.
Warszawska Kolej Dojazdowa (Warsaw Suburban Railway, WKD) is a suburban light rail line in Poland's capital city of Warsaw. The line, together with its two branches, links Warsaw with the municipalities of Michałowice, Pruszków, Brwinów, Podkowa Leśna, Milanówek and Grodzisk Mazowiecki to the south-west of Warsaw.
Zarząd Transportu Miejskiego (ZTM) is the local authority controlled body managing all means of public transport in Warsaw. They manage the Trams, Buses, Metro and Szybka Kolej Miejska.
Every major city in Poland has a quite good public transportation system.
By Train
In Poland, the national railway carrier is PKP (Polskie Koleje Panstwowe)
Train tickets are quite economical, but travel conditions reflect the fact that much of the infrastructure is rather old.
However, you can expect a fast, clean and modern connection on the new IC (InterCity) routes, such as Warszawa - Katowice, Warszawa - Kraków, Warszawa - Poznan and Poznan - Szczecin. Consider first class tickets, because the price difference between the second and first class is not so big, but the jump in comfort is substantial.
Further information about taking a train to Poland and using trains in Poland can be found in our Train Travel to Poland section.
By Bus
Poland has a very well developed network of private charter bus companies, which tend to be cheaper, faster, and more comfortable than travel by rail. For trips under 100km, charter buses are far more popular than trains. However, they are more difficult to use for foreigners, because they are definitely oriented towards locals.
Each city and town has a central bus station (formerly known as PKS), where the various bus routes pick up passengers; you can find their schedules there. Tickets are usually purchased directly from the driver, but sometimes it's also possible to buy them at the station.
Buses are also a viable choice for long-distance and international travel; however, be aware that long-distance schedules are usually more limited than for trains.
Further information about taking a bus/coach to Poland and using the bus in Poland can be found in our Bus Travel to Poland section.
By Car
Polish road network contains fewer highways and more ordinary two-lane roads than is common in western countries. A lot of these roads are far below capacity for the volume of travel they are carrying and the average quality of the road surface is poor. Detailed information about using a car in Poland can be found in our Driving to Poland section.
By Taxi
Use only those that are associated in a "corporation" (look for phone number and a logo on the side and on the top). Unaffiliated drivers are likely to cheat and charge you much more. Be especially wary of these taxis near international airports and train stations (but then, shouldn't one be wary of them everywhere?). They are called the "taxi mafia".
Because of travellers advice like this (and word of mouth), taxis with fake phone numbers can be seen on the streets, although recently this seems to have decreased - possibly the police have taken notice. Fake phone numbers are easily detected by locals and cater for the unsuspecting traveller. The best advice is to ask your Polish friends or your hotel concierge for the number of the taxi company they use and call them 10-15 minutes in advance (there's no additional cost). That's why locals will only hail taxis on the street in an emergency.
You can also find phone numbers for taxis in any city on the Internet, on municipal and newspaper websites. Some taxi companies, particularly in larger towns provide for a cab to be ordered online or with a text message. There are also stands, where you can call for their particular taxi for free, often found at train stations.
If you negotiate the fare with the driver you risk ending up paying more than you should. Better make sure that the driver turns the meter on and sets it to the appropriate fare (taryfa):
- Taryfa 1: Daytime within city limits
- Taryfa 2: Nights, Sundays and holidays within city limits
- T˛ €a 3: Daytime outside city limits
- Taryfa 4: Nights, Sundays and holidays outside city limits
The prices would vary slightly between the taxi companies and between different cities, and there is a small fixed starting fee added on top of the mileage fare.
When crossing city limits (for example, when traveling to an airport located outside the city), the driver should change the tariff at the city limit.
Every taxi driver is obliged to issue a receipt when asked (at the end of the ride). You can inquire driver about a receipt (rachunek) before you get into cab, and resign if his reaction seems suspicious or if he refuses.
By Bike
Bicycling is a good method to get a good impression of the scenery in Poland. The roads can sometimes be in quite a bad state, but mostly they are ok. The car drivers are careless but most do not necessarily want to kill cyclists on sight which seems to be the case in other countries, especially Germany. Especially in the south you can find some nice places for bicycling; e.g. along the rivers Dunajec (from Zakopane to Szczawnica) or Poprad (Krynica to Stary Sacz) or Lower Silesia (Zlotoryja - Swierzawa - Jawor).
By Thumb
Hitchhiking in Poland is (on average) OK. Yes, it's slower than its Western (Germany) and Eastern (Lithuania) neighbors, but your waiting times will be quite acceptable! Not necessarily a thumb but waving an extended hand is a much better recognised sign that you need a lift in Poland. Use a cardboard sign and write the desired destination city name on it.
Do not try to catch a lift where it is forbidden to stop. Look on the verge of the road and there should be a dashed line painted there, not a solid one. As in any country, you should be careful so take basic precautions and you should be fine.
Map of Poland