Getting Around Poznań
Poznań is a compact city with a decent public transport system, which makes it easy for visitors to cover the main sights without a car. The network is run by the city's transportation authority, MPK, and consists of trams and buses. Because the city is compact, short hops are quick, and a little planning around ticket types will keep your costs down.
Trams and Buses
Trams and buses are the backbone of getting around Poznań. Tickets are time-based rather than distance-based, so you can transfer as many times as you like within the validity period of your ticket. Night buses use the same tickets and fares as daytime services.
Paper tickets are sold in several time bands, and daily and multi-day tickets are also available. A useful quirk for weekend visitors: a 24-hour ticket validated between Friday evening and midnight on Saturday remains valid until midnight on Sunday, effectively becoming a weekend-long ticket. Daily and multi-day tickets are valid on any public transport line without an additional fare.
- Validate your ticket as soon as you board, using the yellow machines with a small thin hole in the centre.
- If your ticket expires mid-journey, you need to validate another one.
- Riding without a valid ticket risks a fine, plus the hassle of paying it.
- As a rough guide, ten minutes on a tram is usually enough for a few stops outside peak hours; for more than five or six stops, choose a longer ticket.
Tickets, Cards and Discounts
Beyond single paper tickets, there are a few options worth knowing about:
- Poznań Card – combines a transport ticket with a discount card, available in one-, two- and three-day versions.
- PEKA card – the city's electronic fare card, with lower fares than paper tickets based on the number of stops taken. You tap in on entry and tap out on exit for buses and trams, after selecting how many normal or reduced fares you need. Bearer PEKA cards can be bought from City Information Centres (CIM); you may have to ask specifically about buying a bearer card.
- Discounts – if you study in Poland and are under 26, or you hold an ISIC card, you are eligible for a discount on every public transport ticket. Public transport is free for people over the age of 70.
- Luggage and bikes – luggage under the stated size limit, wheelchairs and pushchairs travel free. Bicycles are also free, but only in vehicles marked with a bike pictogram at the entrance; bikes must give way to wheelchairs and pushchairs and will be refused on packed vehicles.
For route planning, the internet service Jak dojadę ("How will I get there") finds connections and timetables even if you don't know the city's layout — just enter your start and end points.
Rail and Local Trains
Poznań Główny is the main station, served by virtually all trains from northwestern Poland and the Wielkopolskie region. Be aware that the platform numbering and station layout are not very intuitive, so it is better to arrive early. The station sits above the coach station, and Galeria Avenida has integrated the train and bus stations with a modern shopping mall; several city tram and bus lines stop nearby.
Poznań Garbary is a smaller local station closer to the Ostrów Tumski side of the city, served only by regional and metropolitan rail. For tourists it is often the more useful stop, as it is close to the Cathedral and Citadel Park. In general, some smaller rail stations may be closer to your destination than Poznań Główny; these are often served by public transit with stops including "PKM" in their name, indicating local and metropolitan rail.
The region also has a vast network of local connections operated by Koleje Wielkopolskie and Polregio, with useful routes from places such as Gniezno, Kalisz, Wolsztyn, Wągrowiec and Konin. Frequencies are usually about every one to two hours depending on the time of day.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
In practice, taxis and app-based ride-hailing are widely available in Polish cities, but you should confirm current options and fares locally on arrival.
Walking and Cycling
Poznań is a compact city, and its central sights — the Renaissance Old Town, Town Hall and Poznań Cathedral among them — reward walking. The compact layout also means public transport is best used for longer hops rather than short central trips.
Cycling is possible but mixed. There are only a few bike rentals in the city, and a basic mountain bike costs at least around 100 zł per day, so bringing your own bicycle is worthwhile if you can. A bike makes it much easier to reach the greener parts of the city, including the large lakes and forests, where paths in leisure areas are usually good quality and fast to ride.
- In urban areas, cycling is hit or miss: bike paths sometimes push you suddenly into roads or onto sidewalks.
- Travel is usually easy west–east but can be challenging north–south.
- The best districts for cycling are in the western parts of the city, which have a coherent path network with good signage.
- The worst areas are unfortunately the ones most important to tourists: the Old Town and inner-city districts such as Jeżyce, St. Lazarus and Wilda, where cycling is mostly limited to painted lanes alongside heavy traffic.
- Take care on Głogowska Street near Poznań Main Station: Municipal Guards look for cyclists riding on sidewalks there, which is illegal because the street is unsafe to ride on.
Leaving the city by bike is hard, as there are no good connections between Poznań and its suburbs — you will be forced to ride alongside cars in heavy traffic or on muddy footpaths. That said, this is how you can reach Wielkopolski National Park, which has scenic trails and is one of the best places in the region for leisure cycling.
Getting from the Airport into the City
Poznań–Ławica Henryk Wieniawski Airport (POZ) lies close to the city centre and is easily accessible by public buses 159 and 148.
- Bus 159 goes to the main train station.
- Bus 148 terminates at the Rondo Kaponiera intersection.
- Both buses leave about every quarter of an hour, and the journey takes around 25 minutes.
- There is a ticket machine next to the bus stops; payment can be made by cash or card, and the screen works in different languages.
For more detail on fares and validation, see the public transport section above. Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) is another option for reaching the region, though it is considerably further away.