The principal
bus station of Krakow is conveniently situated in the city
center, sitting next to
Krakow Glowny central train station.
Its name, MDA, is an acronym which stands for
Malopolski Dworzec
Autobusowy or ‘The Malopolska Bus Station’ (Malopolska
being the southernmost province of Poland, with Krakow as
its capital). The postal address of the MDA is 18 Bosacka
street but nearly everybody accesses the MDA via Galeria
Krakowska shopping mall and the underground train station:
once in the mall, one should get to its subterranean level
and at the northern end of the passage turn right, next
continue straight ahead to exit at a roundabout (a traffic
circle) with entry to the bus station on the right. The MDA
station in Krakow has two levels of covered areas with
multiple stands for long-distance buses so it’s crucial to
know both the number of the departure stand and which floor
it is. Opposite the downstairs departure area, across the
traffic circle, there is a minibus station with minibuses
leaving mostly for destinations in the proximity of Krakow
but also for some places further afield such as the
mountain
resort of Zakopane.
Public Transport in
Krakow
The station
building contains ticket offices, information desk,
fast-food joints, waiting rooms, luggage lockers, and
toilets. The upstairs ticket offices are open 7 am to 7:45
pm while those downstairs open 5 am and close 9:30 pm. The
main passenger waiting room stays open on weekdays 6 am to
10 pm. Otherwise, there is a night waiting room with toilets
accessible 24-7.
The MDA bus
station constitutes part of Krakow’s vital transport hub
situated in the city center and adjoining the
Old Town
historic district. Its key component is Krakow Glowny train
station which also links the city’s central transport
interchange with the
Krakow Airport via shuttle trains.
Multiple local bus and tram stops integrate the area with
the
Krakow municipal transport system. A minibus station provides
connections to towns and villages in the
Krakow region. Vast
car parks on the roofs of the train station and the adjacent
shopping mall offer a lot of space yet inadequate and
congested roads as well as poor traffic organization often
cause massive jams in the area.
Please note: English speakers may be somewhat confused
by the Polish terminology as regards public transport by
road so it’s good to remember that the Polish word ‘bus’
translates as
minibus in English, whereas buses – the local ones as
well as long-distance coaches – are called ‘autobus’
in Polish though some Poles use the word ‘autokar’
when they mean a tourist coach..
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Travel to Krakow
Over four million visitors show up in Krakow every
year. Many arrive by air, but most take advantage of the fact
that Krakow lies at a major European road and rail junction.
Krakow
Glowny central train station
Krakow tours and day-trips
Pleasure rides in Krakow
Driving Car in
Krakow
Parking zones and parking lots in the city center.
Krakow Old Town
Historical District
Poland's prime tourist attraction and a must-see in
Central Europe boasts numerous world-class monuments, charming
vistas, delightful atmosphere, and the best restaurants.
In the proximity
of Krakow
Krakow is Poland's tourist mecca, and also a gateway to
many other must-see sites in the region.
Bicycle in Krakow
Map of the Main
Roads in Krakow
City of Krakow map
Map of the Old
Town Historic District
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