Touring the Old Town on Wheels.
Krakow’s landmarks are situated mostly within easy
walking
distance from one another and the bulk of
the city’s historical area
has been turned into a pedestrian precinct (click
to see map).
But you can roam
the Old Town district driven in a carriage, an electric cart
or a cycle rickshaw. And some opt for freedom a rented
bicycle in Krakow
allows.
Museums on Wheels.
An old streetcar, turned into a mobile
cafe, cruises Krakow's historic city center from
time to time.
Other vintage trams run round
the Old Town historical district
and alongside Blonia common in July and August.
Also, there are organized rail journeys in period trains
pulled by a steam engine between Krakow and the Railroad
Museum Park in Chabowka, some sixty km south.
Sailing through Krakow.
Wisla (Vistula) river is Krakow’s sole waterway. Spring
through autumn pleasure boats navigate it upstream through
picturesque landscape to
Bielany and
Tyniec.
Other affordable option is a river bus ('tramwaj wodny")
that takes just several passengers.
Horse Cabs.
Day and evening, open carriages await passengers at Krakow’s
central Rynek
Glowny grand square, practically all the year
round. They queue alongside the square’s northern edge. The
fare is around an equivalent of euro 30-40 per hour (half
the amount for a half hour) and you may bargain. Customer
determines the route.
Electric carts.
Electric carts are available early spring through late
autumn. They are parked on the corner of Plac Mariacki and
Florianska street by the basilica of the
Virgin Mary (Kosciol Mariacki) at Krakow’s
central Rynek
Glowny grand square as well
as other places in the Old Town. Taped guided tours
are most popular with customers but you may also hire a cart
and ask the driver to follow your own route. One may circle
the Rynek Glowny square for an equivalent of roughly two
euro. A half-hour ride costs an equivalent of some ten euro,
while an hour’s one is 15 euro or so.
Pleasure boats.
May through September small double-deck pleasure boats leave
from landings on the Wisla river bank near the
Wawel Royal Castle. Between 9:30 a.m. and 5:30
p.m. on weekdays, and from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends,
the vessels take passengers for an hour-long excursion
upstream by the
St. Norbert’s Convent towards the
Tyniec Abbey and the
Bielany Monastery atop hills on opposite banks of
the Wisla river. And occasionally a jazz band may entertain
those onboard with New Orleans’ standards.
River bus
In summer river buses (called 'tramwaj wodny')
navigate on Wisla river between Dabie and Tyniec Abbey with
stops at Zablocie, Galeria Kazimierz
shopping mall, Wawel, and Tor Kajakarswa kayaking
course. The entire ten-kilometer or so voyage upstream takes
some ninety minutes, the same the way back downstream, but
passengers may get off at any stop. River bus leaves from
the Dabie landing at 10 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 5 p.m. It sails
back from the Tyniec stop at noon, 3:30 p.m., and 7 p.m.
Krakow Afoot
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.
Driving Car in
Krakow
Parking zones and parking lots in the city center.
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