Transport and the shape of the city in Warsaw

Two zones, one ticket

Zone 1 is Warsaw itself plus the near edges of a handful of neighbouring gminas, and zone 2 the ring beyond it. A zone 1 ticket is not valid in zone 2 or the other way round, and you must already hold a ticket valid for the zone you are entering at the moment you cross the boundary; boundary stops are signed as przystanek graniczny, while stops inside zone 1 carry no such marking. One ticket covers the two metro lines, M1 running north to south and M2 east to west, along with the trams, the buses and the SKM commuter trains that reach everywhere the metro does not. Validate on boarding, or at the metro gateline. Luggage and animals travel free.

• 20-minute ticket, zones 1+2: PLN 3.40, or PLN 1.70 reduced.
• 75-minute transfer ticket, zone 1: PLN 4.40, or PLN 2.20 reduced.
• 90-minute transfer ticket, zones 1+2: PLN 7.00, or PLN 3.50 reduced.
• Short stays: 24-hour PLN 15 in zone 1 and PLN 26 for both zones, 72-hour PLN 36 and PLN 57, weekend PLN 24 from Friday at 19:00 to Monday at 08:00, and PLN 40 for a group of up to five at the weekend. Unlike the singles, these also cover L suburban buses, the joint rail offer with Koleje Mazowieckie and WKD, and Park and Ride car parks.

The pass, and the discount you cannot have in year one

A personal 30-day pass costs PLN 110 for zone 1, PLN 112 for zone 2 and PLN 180 for both; the 90-day equivalents are PLN 280, PLN 282 and PLN 460. A transferable bearer pass costs PLN 230 for 30 days and PLN 600 for 90 across both zones, so it only makes sense shared between several people. The Bilet Warszawiaka cuts the both-zones 30-day pass to PLN 98 and the 90-day to PLN 250, with reduced-rate versions at PLN 49 and PLN 125, but you qualify only through permanent meldunek in Warsaw or by living here and filing your income tax return at a Warsaw tax office. Someone who arrived this year has no Warsaw return to show, so budget for the full price until after your first Polish filing.

• Proof for the tax route is the stamped first page of last year's return showing a Warsaw address, or the electronic UPO receipt with that first page, or a certificate from the Warsaw tax office.
• Foreigners applying show a passport or residence card, plus evidence of a PESEL or NIP where the number is not printed on the identity document.
• Apply through the e-POP passenger office with a Profil Zaufany, through the city's Moja Warszawa portal, or in person at a Passenger Service Point or a district Wydział Obsługi Mieszkańców. Renew at any ticket machine using the e-hologram option.
• Long-term tickets are carried on a Warszawska Karta Miejska or another accepted carrier. Tickets are also sold in the mobiWAWA app, at machines on the street and on board, and at Passenger Service Points.

Inspections

Travelling without a valid ticket costs PLN 266, which is 38 times the both-zones single fare. Riding on a concession without the document that proves entitlement is PLN 196, and causing an unjustified stop or diversion is PLN 700. Pay the inspector on the spot and the first two drop to PLN 159.60 and PLN 117.60; pay within seven days and they are PLN 186.20 and PLN 137.20. A replacement contactless card costs PLN 14.

Chopin airport

The airport sits inside the ordinary city fare system, so at least a 75-minute ticket covers the rail and bus links into town. SKM lines S2 and S3 reach the Centrum stop in about half an hour, with interchanges at Warszawa Centralna, Wschodnia, Zachodnia and Śródmieście, and the Koleje Mazowieckie RL line connects Chopin with Modlin. Buses 175 to plac Piłsudskiego, 188 to PKP Gocławek, 148 to Wiatraczna and, on weekday peaks, 331 to Metro Wilanowska cover different parts of the city, and night bus N32 runs to Centrum. For a taxi the airport tells you to use the licensed cars at the rank, whose tariff must be displayed in the window, and Uber has self-service ordering kiosks in the baggage reclaim and arrivals halls; agree the fare or the app price before you set off rather than following a tout.

Driving, if you must

The Clean Transport Zone covers about 37 square kilometres of Śródmieście and the districts next to it, with the boundary streets themselves outside it. Since 1 January 2026 petrol and LPG cars more than 26 years old or below Euro 3, and diesels more than 17 years old or below Euro 5, may not enter, so check a registration on the city's checker before buying a cheap second-hand car. People registered in Warsaw who pay their taxes here are exempt until the end of 2027, as are disabled drivers with a valid parking card and historic vehicles over 25 years old with an expert assessment. Every vehicle also gets four free entries a year, with offences counted from the fifth; the Straż Miejska enforces it and the fine reaches PLN 500.

• Paid parking runs Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 20:00 and reaches well beyond Śródmieście into parts of Praga-Południe, Mokotów, Żoliborz, Ochota and Praga-Północ. It is free on 2 May, 24 December and 31 December.
• Rates are PLN 4.50 for the first hour, PLN 5.40 for the second, PLN 6.40 for the third and PLN 4.50 for the fourth and each hour after it, with a minimum charge of PLN 0.50 for ten minutes. The published tariff carries no effective date, so confirm it before relying on it.
• Pay at a meter, by SMS, or through AnyPark, CityParkApp, Flowbird, moBILET or SkyCash Parking.
• For transport, parking or clean-zone questions the city's contact line is 19 115.