Getting Around Rzeszów
Rzeszów is the largest city in southeastern Poland and the capital of the Subcarpathian Voivodeship. For a visitor, the good news is that the historic core is compact and easy to explore on foot, while a solid network of buses, trains, and taxis covers the rest of the city and the surrounding area. This guide explains the main ways to move around and how to reach the city from its airport.
On Foot
The Old Town in the city centre is small and easily manageable on foot. Rzeszów's Old Town, Main Market Square, churches, and synagogues are among the best preserved in the country, so walking is not just practical but also the best way to see the sights. If you are basing yourself centrally, you can cover most of the historic core without needing any transport at all.
Rail
Rzeszów's main railway station is Rzeszów Główny, served by Polish State Railways. From here there are connections to the majority of Polish cities, though for long-distance journeys you will usually need one or more changes; typically at least one direct train connection exists between Rzeszów and major Polish cities. There are also direct services to Lviv, Odesa, and Kyiv in Ukraine.
Several categories of trains operate, but journey times are broadly similar between them. You can check connections and prices online, but online ticket purchase is only possible for selected trains operated by PKP Intercity (Intercity and TLK). Tickets can also be bought at the railway station. If you want to pay by credit or debit card, ask the cashier before buying whether card payment is possible; otherwise, there is an ATM at or near the station.
Foreign students may be eligible for a discount ticket on each route (51%) if they hold a valid Polish student ID or an ISIC student card. A student ID card from your own university is not valid, and travelling without the correct documentation can result in a fine.
Trams and Metro
Rzeszów does not have a tram or metro network. Getting around the city relies on buses, trains, taxis, cycling, and walking.
Buses and Public Transport
Regular bus services run from the centre to the New Town and the suburbs. Tickets are straightforward to understand:
- Single ticket (bilet normalny): valid for one specific route and one bus on that route — you cannot change buses on the same route.
- One-hour ticket (bilet 1-godzinny): valid for all buses, useful if your trip involves a change.
- Day pass (bilet dobowy): a good option if you plan several journeys in a day.
- Night buses: these run between 23:00 and 05:00 and cost twice as much as daytime tickets.
- Large luggage: must be paid for as an extra.
Tickets are sold in small stalls near bus stops (kiosks) and can also be bought from the driver, though they may cost more that way. Once on board, you must validate your ticket in the validating machine. If you travel by public bus beyond the Rzeszów area, you need a second-zone ticket, which is more expensive. Bus timetables and information are available online.
For trips to other towns near Rzeszów, you can take a bus (if it serves your chosen connection) or a coach. Coaches depart from the Main Bus Station (Dworzec Autobusowy), served by several carriers including PKS Rzeszów and Veolia Podkarpacie, from the Suburban Bus Station (Dworzec Podmiejski), or from other stops. Note that there are two separate bus stations in the city, so it is essential to check which one your bus is arriving at or leaving from.
Cycling
Rzeszów has a well-developed network of cycle paths, though there is a lack of bicycle parking. It is possible to rent a bicycle from commonly accessible bike stands, but you have to register on the provider's website before you can use a bike.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis are available in the city, and the airport works with local taxi companies — Taxi Rzeszów and Super Taxi — whose cars can be found just outside the airport terminal. Be aware that a taxi from the airport into the city is expensive, because most of the route lies outside the city borders where a higher tariff applies. Within the city itself, taxis are a convenient option for trips that are too far to walk, particularly at night or when carrying luggage.
Driving and Parking
Driving and parking in Rzeszów can be difficult, as in most cities. If you are arriving by car, one practical tip is that on ul. Krakowski, less than ten minutes' walk from the centre, there is a small complex with three free car parks (a McDonald's, a supermarket, and a residents' area).
Getting from the Airport into the City
Rzeszów is served by Rzeszów–Jasionka Airport (RZE), located at Jasionka about 8 km north of the city centre. Poland's national carrier LOT Polish Airlines, Germany's Lufthansa, and low-cost Ryanair fly here. LOT operates domestic flights connecting Rzeszów directly with Warsaw's Frédéric Chopin Airport and other Polish cities with a stopover in Warsaw (including Bydgoszcz, Gdańsk, Kraków, Katowice, Łódź, Poznań, Szczecin, and Wrocław). International flights are operated by LOT (with a stopover in Warsaw), Lufthansa (Munich), and Ryanair; Lufthansa flights can connect to many cities worldwide with a stopover in Frankfurt.
Although the airport sits a fair distance north of the city, it is easily accessible by several modes of transport:
- By train: a direct line connects the airport's "Jasionka Lotnisko" station to the city centre at "Rzeszów Główny", served by Polregio. Trains arrive roughly every hour, with breaks at night and between 09:00 and 11:00. The train is modern and disabled friendly. Tickets are inexpensive and can be bought on the website or on the train.
- By bus: there is a bus stop, "Jasionka – Port Lotniczy", just before the airport. Line 51 departs roughly every half hour during the day and takes about half an hour to reach the city centre. Ticket machines are available at the airport; buy an A+B 60-minute ticket, since the airport lies outside the city limits.
- By taxi: the airport is partnered with Taxi Rzeszów and Super Taxi, whose cars wait just outside the terminal. Expect a high fare, as most of the route to the city lies outside the city borders where the expensive third tariff applies.
- By car: there are many car rentals on level 0 or 2 of the terminal, including established brands. All parking lots are paid: P1 is short-term and the most expensive, while P2 and P3 are located further away and cheaper for long-term parking. P1 offers the first ten minutes free of charge if you are being picked up.
If you cannot find a suitable flight, more options can be booked from Kraków, which is only about three hours by train from Rzeszów. Other nearby airports are in Warsaw and Katowice.
Arriving by Train or Car
If you arrive by long-distance train, you will come into Rzeszów Główny, which is well placed for onward travel by bus, taxi, or on foot into the centre. By car, Rzeszów sits on the European route E40 and is easily reached from Kraków, Lublin, and Sandomierz, as well as from the eastern border with Ukraine (E40) and the southern border with Slovakia (road 9 or E371). The city is served by the A4 motorway from Kraków and the S19 expressway from Lublin and the Slovak border. Hitchhiking is also quite popular in Poland; if you try it, prepare a sign with "Rzeszów" written on it, since it is the biggest city in southeastern Poland and drivers will know where you are heading.