Getting Your Bearings
Szczecin sits on the Oder (Odra) River and the Regalica, a branch of the Oder, with Lake Dąbie to the northeast. For a visitor, the single most useful thing to understand is that the city is split into two halves named for the riverbanks they occupy: Lewobrzeże on the left bank of the Oder, and Prawobrzeże on the right bank of the Regalica. The port lies in between them. The city centre and most of the attractions are in Lewobrzeże, so if you are sightseeing you will spend most of your time on that side.
Trams and Buses
Szczecin's public transport network is extensive and is covered by trams and buses. Both are run under the ZDiTM system, and the two modes work together as a single network, so it is usually easy to combine a tram ride with a bus ride on one ticket.
Tickets are checked by plain-clothed inspectors, and fines are severe and can be a major hassle, so it pays to be diligent. You can buy tickets at newspaper stands, and from the driver after 18:00. If you have a Polish bank account you can also pay by mobile phone. Remember to stamp your ticket immediately after boarding the tram or bus.
You can change freely between lines as long as you stay within your ticket's time limit. The one exception is changing from a normal bus or tram onto an express bus. Express bus tickets cost twice as much as ordinary ones.
Useful things to know about the network:
- Tickets are time-based rather than trip-based, with options ranging from a short hop up to 24-hour, 5-day, 10-day, monthly and quarterly passes.
- A family weekend ticket is available for weekends and covers one or two adults travelling with at least one child up to 16 years old.
- Seniors get a discount from age 67, and travel free from age 70.
- Rush hours are 07:00–08:00 and 16:00–17:00; night hours are between 23:00 and 05:00.
- Line numbering tells you what you are looking at: ordinary trams and buses, express buses (lettered), night buses, free buses serving shopping malls, and replacement buses standing in for trams.
- In July and August, vintage trams and buses run as tourist lines on Saturdays and Sundays. The fare is paid to the driver, and children pay less than adults.
Maps and schedules are published for daytime services, night services and trams separately, and you can also load timetables onto your mobile phone using apps such as MPK Mobile or Transportoid.
Trains Within and Around the City
For some journeys, the train is the fastest option. This is particularly true if you are heading between the city centre — served by Szczecin Główny station — and the districts of Dąbie, Gumieńce, Podjuchy, Zdroje, Zdunowo or Załom, or nearby towns such as Goleniów, Gryfino or Stargard. Note that you need a separate rail ticket for these trips; it is a flat one-way fare regardless of how many stops you travel, with the exception of trains operated by Deutsche Bahn.
Szczecin Główny is also the city's main railway station and the hub for longer-distance travel. Polish State Railways (PKP) connects the city with all major Polish cities, and Deutsche Bahn provides connections from Berlin, Amsterdam, Prague and many cities in neighbouring Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Beyond that, the practical guidance is simply that taxis and app-based ride-hailing are available as a door-to-door alternative to public transport, which is worth considering for late-night journeys or when carrying luggage.
Walkability
The geography works in a walker's favour: because the city centre and most of the attractions are concentrated in Lewobrzeże, much of what a visitor wants to see is on the same side of the river. Bear in mind, though, that the Oder and Regalica divide the city, and the port sits between the two halves, so crossing from one bank to the other is not a casual stroll — plan to use public transport or a taxi for that.
Arriving by Air
Solidarity Szczecin–Goleniów Airport (SZZ) is located near Goleniów, a considerable distance from the city centre. LOT and a few low-cost airlines operate there. You have several ways into town:
- By train: a railway service links the airport terminal directly with Szczecin's main railway station, and also with Kołobrzeg. This is the most convenient option if the timing suits you.
- By minibus: LOT operates a minibus to and from the airport for all LOT flights, free of charge for passengers, leaving from LOT's office on al. Wyzwolenia about 90 minutes before departure. Interglobus runs minibuses for all international flights.
- By taxi: roughly 120 zł.
- By car: the journey can take up to an hour depending on traffic.
Berlin as an Alternative Gateway
Because Szczecin lies close to the German border, Berlin's airport is a viable alternative way in. From Berlin you can reach Szczecin by minibus — numerous Szczecin-based companies, including Atlastransfer and Interglobus, run regular services to Berlin Brandenburg International airport at attractive prices — or by car or train.
If you come by train from Germany, note that the Deutschland-Ticket is only valid on the German side of the border. On the trains or rail replacement buses you can buy a border crossing ticket from the inspector or bus driver. Several German tickets are valid from and to Szczecin and include the entire public transport system in Szczecin, including the Brandenburg-Berlin-Ticket and its night version, the Berlin-Stettin-Ticket, and the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern-Ticket. The Brandenburg-Berlin-Ticket is a particularly cheap option for groups, since it covers up to five people and is valid on local and regional German trains and on local public transport in Berlin, Brandenburg and Szczecin. Groups often form spontaneously before departure or on the train to split the cost.
Be aware that construction work on the rail tracks between Berlin and Szczecin means there are no direct trains between the two cities for a period; coming from Berlin you will need to change to a replacement bus service or a different train at Angermünde.
Arriving by Long-Distance Bus
Szczecin has multiple stops for long-distance buses. The main bus station is the principal stop for Flixbus, and the rail replacement buses to Angermünde also depart from there. A separate DA PKS bus station handles a few Flixbus rides, PKS Szczecin's daily connection with Schwedt in Germany, and Sindbad services. There is also an additional Flixbus stop at the south-western city border. In addition, dozens of minibus operators drive to and from Berlin.