Public transport in Cracow
Although most of interesting places are in walking distance from the city center, you may decide to travel around Cracow by public transport. This guide will explain how to not get lost. 🙂
Types of tickets
There are 2 type of tickets:
- Time-limit tickets (20/40/60/etc minutes)
They entitle to ride for specified amount of time with as many changes of lines and type of transport (bus/tram) as necessary. Usual choice, especially for trams that don’t stuck in traffic jams. - Multi-pass tickets. (1/3/5/etc passes)
Entitle to ride in only one line of tram/bus, but without time-limit. So they are good to move from one part of the city to another even with traffic jams.
You can get into most places (for example from the city center to Schindler’s factory) with 20 minute ticket at the price of around 3 PLN for normal ticket, or 1.4 PLN for reduced (seniors, disabled, and infants). If your ride will last longer than 20 minutes, you should buy a single-pass or 40-minute ticket for the price of around 4 PLN each.
If you are planning travel a lot by public transport, we recommend to buy 24-hour tickets for 15 PLN or even 48h ticket for 24 PLN. If you are visiting Cracow with a family, buy a family-weekend ticket (16 PLN). It entitles to travel by public transport 2 adults and 2 children.
Also, tickets are divided into urban (whole Cracow) and agglomeration (Cracow and surrounding cities), which leads us to…
Traveling near Cracow
If you want to get to, let’s say, Wieliczka – the salt mine city 10 km from Cracow – or to the airport by public transport, then you will need an agglomeration ticket. The cost of a single-pass ticket is 4 PLN. The agglomeration buses have numbers that begin with “2”, “3”, or “9”.
Discounts
Children, pupils and students have 50% discount on public transport, but at the time of ticket inspection, they should have a document entitling them to a discount (ID card). Older people, over 65 years old, can travel with concessionary tickets (50% discount). Of course they have to have an ID that
entitle them to the discount. If you are 70 or older, you can travel for free!
Where to buy tickets
Tickets can be purchased at newsstand kiosks (green boxes with the inscription RUCH), in ticket machines located on major bus stops in the city, and in trams and buses.
Ticket machines understand different languages (English, German and some others). Ticket machines at bus stops support coins and banknotes, but those in trams and buses accept only coins.
Luggage, animals, and other accessories
You can transport tour luggage in public transport for free. If you are planning a trip with your dog, your pet should be on a leash and have a muzzle.
Don’t not enter with drinks and/or food into public transport. And don’t ride on roller skates or skateboard in trams/buses. Do that outside as others do. 🙂
Other useful things to know
At almost every tram/bus stop there is a detailed map public transport routes. If you are stuck then just go to krakow. jakdojade.pl and find the best way on-line. 🙂
