Getting around Krakow
Princess Wanda of Polish legend threw herself to
a watery death in the river Wisla. After living in
Krakow for many years we can well understand
why. Apparently she had some problems with her
boyfriend, but we could suspect that her genuine
reason may have been frustration caused by the
traffic situation here. The roads of Krakow seem
not to have been repaired since medieval times
and it could be cheaper and safer to travel by
donkey.
The unwary traveller should be prepared for pot
holed minor roads and deeply rutted major roads.
The damage is often caused by heavily overloaded
lorries. The inside lanes of Polish motorways are
particularly hazardous in the rain, when the ruts fill
with pools of water. Major roads and motorways
here are seldom lit at night, and "cats" eyes' to
reflect the light from your headlights are unheard
of. There is a toll to pay for the use of the A4
motorway between Katowice and Krakow (6.5zl
one-way). The official speed limit, (widely
disregarded), on motorways is 110km/h (68mph).
On major roads the limit is 90km/h (55mph) and
on minor roads 60km/h (35mph).
Parking on the street in Krakow may be difficult as
the roads are generally overcrowded. Krakow
streets are divided into three zones, A, B and C,
with zone A being the most central. Parking in
zone C is possible with hourly (3zl) or half-hourly
(1zl) tickets. You can purchase the tickets from
kiosks or from the parking attendants who work
in the streets wearing luminous yellow vests over
their normal clothes. Circumspection is to be
advised with regard to the safety of your car.
If your car has foreign number plates it may be a good idea to use the "Security Parking" or
"Parking Strzezony" facilities widely available. The
normal cost of this service is 3 to 4zl per hour.
The public transport system within Krakow is very
efficient and there is no problem travelling from
A to B by bus or tram. The tickets are identical for
both forms of transport and can be bought
at kiosks. One standard ticket is used for one
journey and is called a "Bilet Normalny" (2.5zl).
There are often inspectors aboard trams and
buses to check tickets and it is unwise to travel
without one.
With the exception of the inter-city express trains,
the Polish rail system is slow. Rail travel is,
however, a good way to explore Poland and see
the picturesque countryside. It may not be a great
idea to travel with valuable items and you should
keep a close eye on your luggage. Ticket
inspectors on trains here generally don't speak
English. At the rail information service in Krakow
you may find an English speaker, but in smaller
local stations certainly not. There is a buffet
carriage on faster inter-city trains, but never on
the normal, slower trains and passengers should
take their own food and drink.
Beware of travel by taxi as you may be taken by
a rather scenic and indirect route to your destination at great expense. Obtaining the
highest fee possible from bewildered tourists
is a time honoured tradition amongst taxi drivers
here and you should exercise great caution
if placing yourself in their hands.
Unexpected hazards for pedestrians include deep
snow and ice on the pavements during the winter.
Outside the city there are usually no pavements
and pedestrians walk in the road.
Runners in the city tend to congregate around the
Blonia area near Jordan Park, close to the Orbis
hotel. This area is the starting point for the
Cracovia Marathon (6th May). The long flat path
alongside the river Wisla is also a good location for
running as well as roller skating. There are cycle
paths on central pavements in Krakow and there
are some good long distance cycle routes to
locations close to Krakow such as Ojcow. The area
around the zoo, a forest called Las Wolski, is also
a great area for running or cycling. A high level
footpath connects the viewpoint at Kopiec
Kosciuszki with Las Wolski.
Arriving by plane
Krakow-Balice Airport, also known as John Paull II
International Airport, is relatively small but
dynamically expanding airport. Currently it offers
regular connections with 36 cities:
The Airport is located to the west of Krakow, at a
distance of 11 km from the city centre. The airport
can be reached from the centre of Krakow by four
different roads; the airport possesses as well its
own exit ramp from the A4 motorway.
Getting to and from the airport by bus
The bus stop (lines #192 and #208 - timetables
available at www.mpk.krakow.pl) is located
directly at the roundabout, in front of the
passenger terminal. Bus fare is 2.50 zl (one-way).
Tickets may be purchased at newspaper stands in
the passenger terminal and from the driver (with
an additional payment). Travel time to the centre:
35-40min.
Getting to and from the airport by train
The Krakow-Balice Station is located approx. 200
m from the passenger terminal, you can get there
by foot (around 5 min. walk) or take a free shuttle
bus service which operates to and from Krakow-
Balice Station, this is a 3 minute trip from the
airport terminal building. Ticket fare: 4 zl. Travel
time: approx. 15 min. Train arrives at the Krakow's Main Railway Station (five minute walk
to the Main Market Square).
Getting to and from the airport by taxi
Individual passenger transport on a round-theclock
basis is offered by Radio Taxi 9191 - the
official partner of the John Paul II International
Airport Krakow-Balice. Approximately 20 minute
ride to the city centre should cost around 50 zl.
Arriving by train
Because train travel is relatively inexpensive and
therefore crowded, you should consider
upgrading to first class on longer trips.
The cost of one-way ticket from Krakow to
Warsaw (2hrs 40 min) is about PLN 100 (EUR 25).
Selected international train connections include
destinations such as: Belin, Bucharest, Budapest,
Hamburg, Kiev, Kosice, Lviv, Odessa, Prague and
Vienna.
Complete timetable is available
at http://www.pkp.pl/english/index.php
