Getting Around Lublin
Lublin is a compact, walkable city, and much of what a visitor wants to see — the historic Old Town, the castle, and the main squares — sits close together and is easily covered on foot. For longer hops across the city, or for reaching sights outside the centre, Lublin has a solid public transport network of buses and trolleybuses, plus taxis, ride options, and a municipal bike scheme.
On Foot
In the city centre and the Old Town you can easily reach every place worth seeing on foot. This is the simplest and most rewarding way to explore the historic core, so plan to do most of your sightseeing without needing any transport at all.
Trams and Metro
Lublin does not have a tram or metro system. Getting around the city relies on buses and trolleybuses instead, so don't expect rail-based urban transit here.
Buses and Trolleybuses
The city's public transport is operated by MPK and consists of a large network of bus lines alongside a set of trolleybus lines. There is also commercial city transport running alongside the municipal service — look for buses marked with "Komunikacja prywatna" or "AKL" signs.
- Buying tickets: Purchase tickets in a "kiosk" — these are usually found near bus stops — or on the bus itself, where you'll need exact change.
- Validating: You must validate your ticket immediately upon getting on the bus. Tickets are valid for a single ride only, so when you change buses you need to validate another ticket.
- Day passes: Of particular use to tourists, 24-hour tickets are available.
- Night buses: Night bus routes run throughout the week, but tickets for these must be bought from the driver.
- Route numbering: Normal buses use lower route numbers, mini-buses serving suburban routes use a distinct higher range, trolleybuses use their own range, and night buses are marked with an "N".
One ride worth seeking out is the trolleybus — a distinctly local experience. A special "tourist" trolleybus route connects the Majdanek Concentration Camp with the Old Town and the Chachmei Lublin Yeshiva. In summer, the local transport company runs a special tourist trolleybus line served by a unique Soviet-era ZIU vehicle, with tours departing on Sundays from the bus stop near Kraków Gate and including virtual guide commentary along a route that takes in Majdanek, the cathedral, and other Old Town sights.
Be aware that routes to and from the Railway Station and the Central Bus Terminal are prone to pickpockets, so keep an eye on your belongings there.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxi services in Lublin are quite cheap. Fares are metered, with a starting fee plus a per-kilometre charge, and rates are higher after 22:00, on Sundays, and on public holidays. Several local taxi companies operate, and you can call one of them directly to arrange a pickup.
A word of caution: do not take taxis that are not at official taxi stands, especially near the Bus Terminal and the Railway Station. Non-regulated drivers often wait there and overcharge. It's better to call a taxi company or take a taxi that displays a company phone number on its roof.
By Bike
Lublin has a well-developed system of cycling infrastructure, with a large network of segregated cycle lanes and paths. Most of these are paths independent of road traffic, though the majority lie outside the Old Town and the city centre.
You can rent a bike from early spring to the end of autumn, around the clock, through the self-service Lubelski Rower Miejski system, which uses automatic rental stations across the city. To use it, register online to get an account, make a pre-payment, and then rent a bike at any station — you'll need a mobile phone to do this. The first half hour of a rental is inexpensive, with small charges for each additional half hour and hour after that.
Getting Into the City from the Airport
Lublin International Airport (LUZ) has a train station inside the airport terminal, giving quick and easy access to Lublin's rail network. The train takes you to the main train station, which is around a 30-minute walk from the city centre. That station sits next to a bus terminal with frequent bus connections to nearly everywhere in town, so you can continue your journey by bus from there. Most flights into Lublin are operated by the low-fare carriers Wizz Air and Ryanair, along with the national airline LOT.
You can also fly into Warsaw, Kraków, or Rzeszów and continue to Lublin overland. From both Warsaw and Kraków airports, take a commuter train to the respective city's central railway station, then change to a train to Lublin. From Rzeszów, you'll need to rely on buses and coaches, or take an intercity or regional train to Lublin.
Arriving by Train or Bus
Polish State Railways run services to Lublin from Warsaw and other major Polish cities, including Wrocław, Kraków, Poznań, Łódź, and Gdańsk. There are no Express InterCity connections to Lublin, but the journey from Warsaw takes only about two hours. Most trains start and end at Lublin Main Station.
From the main station, several bus and trolleybus routes connect you to the city centre: buses run to the Kraków Gate, to the Castle (Muzeum Narodowe – Zamek), and to Lithuanian Square (Plac Litewski), while a trolleybus serves the Saxonian Garden (Ogród Saski).
Long-distance and international coaches arrive at the Main Bus Terminal, which sits at the northernmost edge of the Old Town, right next to the castle. From there, buses connect to other parts of the centre — to Lithuanian Square and the Saxonian Garden from one set of stops just outside the terminal, and to the Kraków Gate from another stop a little farther along the same street. A separate Southern Bus Terminal, located right across the square from the Main Train Station, handles regional lines.