In the historic parts of towns and cities, motorized traffic is usually
either limited or banned altogether. The Old Town in Warsaw and Cracow, the
Main City in Gdańsk, the area around Main Market Square and the cathedral in
Wrocław, and the old town in Lublin are best explored on foot. Distances
between the historic sights are not great, but the condition of the
pavements may leave something to be desired. Because they are uneven,
tripping and falling or spraining an ankle may be a hazard, especially when
it is so easy to lose oneself and become focused on the beautiful towers of
a historic building high above the ground. Road signs in old towns present
another hazard; some are mounted so low that they threaten the heads of
passing tourists.

It is advisable only to use a taxi from a taxi company – identifiable by roof
signs bearing the company’s name and telephone number. Several such
companies operate in every big town so flagging one down is easy.

There is no extra charge for a taxi ordered by phone. After 10pm, on
Saturdays and Sundays and in remote parts of town, rates per kilometre are
higher. Radio taxis (ordered by phone) are available 24 hours a day. Private
taxis, which do not display a company name and phone number, should be
avoided, as their charges may be several times the going rate.

The most popular form of public transport is provided by the bus network.
Trams also run in many towns. Warsaw is the only Polish city to have a metro. Some towns have a trolleybus service, and in some areas,
minibus transport is a cheap and popular alternative way of getting around
town.

Almost every town – and this is also true of quite a few small villages as
well – has its own system of ticketing. Fares also vary from place to place,
and there may be an extra charge for luggage.

In most towns, tickets are universally valid for travel on buses, trams and
trolleybuses. In Warsaw, tram and bus tickets are also valid on the
metro.

In some cities, such as Gdańsk and Poznań, the price of a ticket depends on
the journey time. There are fares for journeys of up to 10, 30 and 60
minutes. This can be a problem for anyone who is not familiar with the city.
Journey times can, however, be estimated by consulting the timetable.

In big towns it is possible to buy a day ticket, or a group or weekend pass,
which is designed for a group of five people travelling on Saturday and
Sunday.

Reduced fares apply to children between the ages of 4 and 14 – so long as
they appear on their parents’ identity documents – and to holders of
relevant cards. Small children (under 4) and people over the age of 75
travel free. Current fares are posted on special boards in prominent public
places.

Bus, tram and trolleybus tickets can be purchased from newsagents. Passengers
should punch them as they get on board.

Random checks are carried out by ticket inspectors – plain-clothes officials
wearing a conspicuous badge. Passengers travelling without a valid ticket
are fined.

Fines are either payable on the spot or within a week by banker’s order. The
latter option, however, is not applicable to foreign visitors, on the
grounds that they might abscond without paying the fine. Those who refuse to
pay may be taken to a police station.

Passengers on trams and buses should be on their guard against the
pickpockets that operate on certain routes (such as bus 175 in Warsaw),
especially in big cities, where there are many thefts.

Money should be put in a secure place before boarding. Keeping it in an open
bag or pocket is asking for trouble.

Trams are a convenient means of transport, especially during rush hours, when
cars can cause serious congestion. They are also – relative to other road
traffic, at least – quick, cheap and environmentally friendly. Several of
the largest cities have a tram network, and in the Upper Silesian Industrial
Region, trams interconnect the neighbouring towns. Trams also link the
centre of Łódź with four other towns of the Łódź agglomeration –
Konstantynów Łódzki, Ozorków, Pabianice and Zgierz.

Pestka, a fast city tram network with special tramlines, went into service
quite recently in Poznań. A similar tram service is to run between Katowice
and Bytom via Chorzów.

Trolleybuses run in Gdynia, Sopot, Lublin and other big cities. Itineraries
and journey times are similar to those covered by buses. Trolleybuses are,
however, gradually being phased out.

In some towns in Poland, suburban routes are served by minibuses. They provide
a regular service, and the timetables can be found at bus stops. Tickets are
purchased from the driver. Please note that city transport tickets are not
valid on minibuses.

Bus services run even in small towns, although the smaller the town, of
course, the fewer bus routes there are likely to be. Big cities have several
types of bus; the local buses, usually marked with black boards, call at
every bus stop. The fast, or express buses, marked in red, usually serve
long-distance routes. Night buses, which run in big cities, operate between
11pm and 5am. Because fares on the night buses are higher, it may be
necessary to punch more than one ticket. The tickets can be bought from the
bus driver. There is usually one night bus route in every town.

In many towns, the bus fleet has been modernized, and the old buses have been
replaced by modern low-floor buses (see Facilities for disabled
people) that make public transport far easier to negotiate for
disabled people and for those with small children in prams.