Varied Means of Transportation in Krakow
With most landmarks within easy walking distance from one
another, the best way to enjoy the central Krakow is
on foot. The more so that the bulk of
the city’s historic area has been practically turned into a
pedestrian precinct (see a
map). But you can also roam the
Old Town and Kazimierz
historic districts driven in a horse cab, an electric cart
with a taped guide, or a bicycle rickshaw. One may also take
a tour of Krakow in a double-decker
bus.
Public Transport in
Krakow
Getting around in Krakow is
pretty easy. There is no subway in Krakow, nonetheless that
nearly million city has a fairly dense public transport
system which consists of tramways and bus lines that mostly
a municipal company operates and a number of private-owned
minibus fleets. And some suburbanites commute by local
trains.
One-way ticket for a municipal bus or a streetcar (tram) is
6 zloty (an equivalent of roughly euro 1.4).
You can buy it at many newsstands and from ticket machines at
downtown stops and in most buses and tram cars. Immediately after
boarding you should put the ticket yourself through the
ticket puncher and keep it till you reach your destination.
A 20-minutes ticket allowing for changing lines costs 4
zloty (PLN), its 60-minutes equivalent is 6 zlotys (it doubles as a one-way ticket for a single journey without changing vehicles, no matter how long it takes), and a 90-minute ticket has been priced at 8 zlotys.
The price of unlimited-travel passes for all municipal
buses and streetcars have been set at 22 zloty for a 24-hour
ticket. The 48-hour passes and the 72-hour passes cost 35
PLN and 50 PLN respectively. A seven-day unlimited-travel ticket
costs 68 zlotys. Tickets are valid
for the stated period starting with their first punching on
a bus or a tram (don't punch your ticket any more till its
expiration).
Minibuses run by independent companies don't accept the
municipal tickets, the fare - usually five zlotys - to be
paid to the driver on boarding.
Please note: people aged 70 and over may use the Krakow
municipal trams and buses free of charge, however this does
not apply to train services, long-distance buses, and any
minibuses.
Krakow's Taxi Cabs
Taxicabs are plentiful and relatively inexpensive in Krakow –
within the city boundaries the fare should not exceed 30 euro
(in the daytime on a weekday). And you can dial roughly fifteen
different taxi telephone centers, each with its own fleet. Do
not expect an English speaker on the other end of the phone line
but a cab will usually arrive in few minutes to your address if you
manage to give one.
Note:
City Council has set upper limits for taxi fares in Krakow.
The initial charge may not exceed 7 zloties. Maximum rates
per kilometer within main urban zone are 2.8 zloty from 6
a.m. to 10 p.m. and 4.2 zloty between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Kilometers beyond the zone can cost twice as much. Actual
rates may be lower and they vary from cab to cab. Rates per
kilometer and other charges should be displayed clearly on
doors of all taxis so it's advisable to check them in
advance, as it's always prudent to watch the taximeter.
Driving Car in Krakow
Krakow is a modern and busy city of considerable size, so the
rush-hour traffic jams have become common, nevertheless there
seems to be much less congestion here than in most cities in the
world. Yet the acute shortage of parking space in downtown
Krakow (click here to see map) is most
unnerving to drivers, with parking lots rather expensive (euro 2
to 4 for an hour) and insufficient. And although parking in the
streets in the very city center is paid as well in the daytime –
to the tune of 1.4 euro an hour or so – it is hard to find a
free place to leave your car.
See more about driving car in Krakow
Krakow
Commuter Tips
-
Rather than cruising streets Krakow's
taxies wait for cargo to find them at numerous taxi
stands scattered throughout city. But you may hail one
if it happens to pass by you.
-
Watch the taximeter. Fares per one
kilometer should be displayed in the window of the
right-hand rear door.
-
Beware of pickpockets in buses and
streetcars more than anywhere else.
-
If possible leave your car at the hotel
parking lot and take bus or taxi instead. For one thing,
it is difficult to find a place in downtown Krakow to
park; for another, driving after drinking as little as
one beer is an offense in Poland.
-
You need to purchase a ticket from a parking meter to
park your car in the street in the city center between 10 a.m.
and 8 p.m. on weekdays and Saturdays and it's allowed
only in marked out places.
One hour of parking costs 6 zlotys (PLN) in central Krakow and 5 zlotys or 4 zlotys in adjacent districts. The ticket machines don't give the
change so it's advisable to keep exact money in coins. Shiny
steely parking meters are installed at least one per
street or the length of a block.
Note:
The purchased ticket should be left on view behind
the windshield of a parked car. Transgressors can
be fined to the tune of 150 zloties (PLN).
-
Practically all
year round horse cabs and electric carts wait for you on the
central Rynek Glowny (Grand Square)
and at other improvised stands in the Old Town historic
district.
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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
MDA central bus station
in Krakow
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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