Warsaw has an extensive bus and tram system criss-crossing the city. Over 1,900 buses operate in and around the city, and most run from between 05:00 and 23:00. After that night buses run on most routes twice every hour. All night buses display the letter N, followed by a two digit number.

‘Fast buses’ (marked with red digits) skip the smaller stops. Some buses or trams will only stop on request, so save yourself the hassle of figuring out which ones those are, and just press the stop button when yours is next! 

We could do a rundown of all the bus and tram lines here but it would take up tons of text -- that's how many options there are! We recommend simply using Google maps to figure out which bus and tram are best for where you need to go. As long as you're in the city proper, you'll probably find it takes around 20 minutes to get to your destination. 

Tickets (all valid for use on metro, bus and tram) can be bought from a series of ticket machines with instructions in English dotted around the city, at all metro stations, and some bus and tram stops, with English translations printed on tickets. Tickets can also be purchased from machines on buses and trams, where you can pay by card, or using exact change only. 

Watch out: if you're buying on the tram or bus, buy as many tickets as you need for that ride only. They validate then and there. So you can't use them the next day or even a few hours after you buy them. 

A standard public transport single ticket costs 4.40zł for a 75 min ticket or 3.40zł for a 20 min ticket. If you're just bopping around Warsaw sites (Old Town, Praga, Wola, Centrum, etc.), you can probably get away with a 20 min ticket. It's unlikely you'll need anything more. If your time runs out, you can always buy another ticket on the tram or bus.

Conversely, if you still have time left on your ticket when you get off the bus, you can use the same ticket on another bus. Basically you can ride as many buses or trams as you want until your time runs out! 

These are all the big, important things to know.



Now, cracking our knuckles, let's get into the super details: 

If you’re travelling to the further reaches of Warsaw you’ll be needing a ticket that covers both zones 1 and 2 – these are priced at 7zł. Note that the airport is in Zone 1. Still with us? Good. Tickets valid for 24hrs are priced at 15zł, or 26zł if travelling through both zones. They have also introduced a new weekend ticket (available from 19:00 on Friday till 08:00 on Monday) which costs 24 zł (also a weekend group ticket is available for up to 5 people and costs 40 zł). A 3-day ticket costs 36zł for zone 1 only and 57zł for zones 1 & 2.

Those over 70 ride for free, as do children up until the end of September of the year they turn 7, but you must have photo ID with you (in such cases, to enter the metro, use a 'wejściówka', which is a ticket that allows you to enter the electronic gates - they can be found from wall dispensers next to the gates and used multiple times (hang on to it)). Everyone else pays full fare unless in possession of an ISIC card (in which case you must be 26 and under). This entitles you to buy a reduced ticket (ulgowy) which costs approximately 50% of the full fare.

Once you’ve got a ticket you will need to validate it in one of the box-style kasowniks, thus activating the magnetic strip on the back. It is no longer necessary to buy an extra ticket for animals or large pieces of luggage. Plain clothes ticket inspectors regularly stalk the lines, dishing out 270.40zł (266zł plus a normal ticket price of 4.40zł) for those without valid tickets (we understand quick payment results in the fine being lessened). They often don't look very official and you are within your rights to request identification. They are not lenient and will not let you off the hook for being a tourist.