Transportation
Ways of getting around
Warsaw has a great public transport system that’s both comprehensive and affordable, making it easy to get around the city. Here’s a breakdown of your options:
Underground (Metro)
The Warsaw metro is the fastest way to get around when you’re covering a lot of ground. There are two lines with lots of stations located conveniently throughout the city centre.
Buses/trams
Buses are great for getting around Warsaw if you need to cover a lot of ground. They don’t go as fast as the metro or trams, but they’re perfect for shorter trips or getting to the suburbs. They also work really well at night.
Trams are a great option for mid-distance travel and cover a lot of ground across Warsaw. They run frequently and are known for their reliability.
Trams are a great option for mid-distance travel and cover a lot of ground across Warsaw. They run frequently and are known for their reliability.
Urban rail (SKM)
It connects Warsaw with surrounding suburbs, so it’s ideal for people who live outside the city centre but go to the university in Warsaw.
Bike rentals
Warsaw has a growing bike-sharing network called “Veturilo”. It’s a great way to explore the city during warmer months and get some exercise!
Taxi/Uber services
They’re pricier than public transport, but they’re super convenient for getting from A to B, especially at night or with heavy luggage.
Walking
we recommend this way of getting around especially in the city centre, where you can stumble upon various eye-catching monuments and relics.
Ticket types and prices
One of the best things about public transport is that you can get a single ticket for all the different modes of transport.
The most popular options are time tickets and short-term tickets. Don’t forget to take your student ID card with you when you’re travelling, as it gives you 50% off all fares. The figures below show you the reduced ticket prices.
Time tickets
These tickets give you access to buses, trams and metro for up to 20 minutes. This is great when your monthly pass has just ended and you need a single ride to get home. This option costs PLN 1.70 (reduced) or PLN 3.40 (standard).
Single-fare transfer tickets
These tickets work in a similar way to the above option, but they last for 75 minutes. This is plenty of time for a quick trip to the store and back, all for the cost of PLN 2.20 (reduced) and PLN 4.40 (standard).
One-day ticket
This ticket lets you make as many journeys as you like within a 24-hour period from when it’s activated. It’s perfect for a day out in the city with friends. It costs PLN 7.50 (reduced) or 15 PLN (standard), which is great value.
30- and 90-day tickets
You can use these tickets to travel anywhere you like until 11:59 p.m. on the 30th (or 90th) day from when you active them. They’re linked to personalised WKM cards (Warsaw City Cards). However, if you’re a university student, you can use your student ID card as a ticket holder card. Just find a ticket machine, which you’ll often see at metro stations and bus stops, recharge your balance with PLN 55/110 (for a 30-day ticket) or PLN 140-280 (for a 90-day ticket), and you’ve good to go!
It is important to remember that the ticket you buy in the ticket machine near bus/tram stops is not valid until you stamp it in validating machine in your selected means of transport.
That is why you have to always validate your travel ticket (Travel passes such as City Card are an exception - you only need to validate those once) as soon as you get on the bus/tram. If you do not do it and get caught, you will have to pay a fine of several hundred PLN.