Katowice Trip Questions

[alex17595]

Hi All, I'm looking at doing a few days in the Katowice area in Febuary next year but I'm finding information on the transport system not very helpful. I can't download the official app because my device doesn't support it apparently.

For the sake of ease of use I'm planning on getting a 24hr+Railway Ticket every day to cover my travels.


The details on the ZTM website says

'personal ticket valid for 24 hours, pursuant to rules specified in § 3 sub-para 5(5) and § 3 sub-para 6(6), on the entire Transport GZM network and on all railway lines served by the KŚ within the GZM area, and also on the Katowice – Sławków section served by the POLREGIO'

Do I need to pay any extra supplement to cover the bus from the airport? I beleive I can take any 'm' lines into Katowice.
Is it valid on any other train operators than mentioned above?
What is the GZM area? Especially relating to the Trains.
Are these tickets valid on all buses in the area or only certain routes?

Many Thanks
Alex

 

[peterblue]

Hi All, I'm looking at doing a few days in the Katowice area in Febuary next year but I'm finding information on the transport system not very helpful. I can't download the official app because my device doesn't support it apparently.

I also had a lot of trouble getting the ZTM app to work on my phone. I don't think it works for non-Polish cards. In the end, I managed to get a ticket from a machine, though that was also a challenge as a lot of them didn't seem to work either!

 

[rg177]

Without checking I can't be 100% if they cover it - but it's worth looking at the Jakdojade app. It covers an awful lot of different regions and sells tickets for them. Never had an issue.

As for the GZM area - a bit of Googling in Polish has pulled up this map: https://www.metropoliaztm.pl/pl/s/metrobilet. Lines in blue are Koleje Śląskie and the ones in red are Polregio.

 

[Cloud Strife]

What is the GZM area? Especially relating to the Trains.

GZM is the metropolis, so essentially everything covered here - https://rj.metropoliaztm.pl/schemat/

Do I need to pay any extra supplement to cover the bus from the airport?

As far as I can see, no, all the buses are covered by the ZTM-GZM tickets.

Linie na lotnisko · ZTM

Zarząd Transportu Metropolitalnego, Transport Publiczny GZM

www.metropoliaztm.pl

Are these tickets valid on all buses in the area or only certain routes?

Anything organised by the ZTM in the GZM will be covered. I'm not familiar with public transport in the area, but to all practical extents, it'll include all the municipal/metropolitan buses and trams in the metro area. Everything here is included - https://rj.metropoliaztm.pl/ - including buses, trams and Koleje Śląskie trains. It's not very clear about how he tickets are valid on Polregio as it seems that it's only with longer term tickets, so I'd avoid using them if you can.

 

[TravelDream]

Do I need to pay any extra supplement to cover the bus from the airport? I beleive I can take any 'm' lines into Katowice.
Is it valid on any other train operators than mentioned above?
What is the GZM area? Especially relating to the Trains.

A very interesting part of the world to travel to for a transport and industry buff. Few tourists, but certainly a lot to see.

There is no airport supplement. In the olden days, before ZTM, the airport wasn't covered by normal tickets and had a special ticket. That isn't the case now.

The GZM area is pretty massive. It covers around 100 square miles and well over two million people.
ZTM is the public transport operator of the GZM region. Every route here is in the GZM area - https://rj.metropoliaztm.pl/

In terms of trains, it does what it says. All Koleje Slaskie services, and POLREGIO services between Katowice and Slawkow. It doesn't cover PKP IC.

I also recommend the Jakdojade app for timetables and tickets.

 

[railfan99]

A very interesting part of the world to travel to for a transport and industry buff. Few tourists, but certainly a lot to see.

I am considering visiting next year, as Poland has numerous tram networks, of which the Silesian one around Katowice is largest if my limited research is on the right tram. Thus far, I've only done Krakow's.

Accommodation costs are lower than western Europe despite the economic growth Poland has consistently seen.

If these cities like Katowice and even more touristy Poznan have 'few' tourists compared to Venice, Rome, Lucerne, Paris and so on, so much the better.

I assume many Poles under the age of 40 have excellent or passable English.

 

[rg177]

I assume that many Poles under the age of 40 have excellent or passable English.

Generally the case that most younger people speak decent English, particularly in the big cities, though that isn't a given. My ex was from Kraków and she and her siblings were the only ones in the entire family that knew a word of it!

The tram network is one of the largest in the world as it covers a fair amount of Silesia: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silesian_Interurbans

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Generally the case that most younger people speak decent English, particularly in the big cities, though that isn't a given. My ex was from Kraków and she and her siblings were the only ones in the entire family that knew a word of it!

I was surprised on a train through Oświęcim when the guard, spotting I was British, introduced himself in English having spent 5 years working in Reading!
There must be many such returned migrants these days, though not many would be Royals supporters perhaps.

 

[TravelDream]

I assume many Poles under the age of 40 have excellent or passable English.

I'd say it's pretty easy to get around Poland in English. Far easier than Italy, France or Spain IMO.
You'd be surprised at the number of people in fact.
Though it's certainly far from universal. Especially in more rural/ poorer areas and among older people.

The Silesian tram network is a great network to explore being so large and varied. Sadly, it saw incredible decline after the fall of communism. Though there's been quite a bit of investment since joining the EU, there are still a lot of 70s trams on very rickety tracks.
I also recommend a visit to Tychy to visit the Tyskie brewery. No trams there sadly, but they do have a trolleybus system.

 

[railfan99]

The Silesian tram network is a great network to explore being so large and varied.... Though there's been quite a bit of investment since joining the EU, there are still a lot of 70s trams on very rickety tracks.
I also recommend a visit to Tychy to visit the Tyskie brewery. No trams there sadly, but they do have a trolleybus system.

Older trams are a bonus.

Thank you for the brewery tip. It's less than 20 kilometres from Katowice's main station.

 

[riceuten]

Another vote for the Jakdojade app. It doesn't have the full range of tickets on it, but it definitely works with UK registered cards and Apple Pay, and you can buy a day ticket on there.

A very good guide to transport system is here

Katowice – Travel guide at Wikivoyage

en.wikivoyage.org

 

[alex17595]

Thanks all for the advice. As the day draws nearer I have come up with a couple of plans.

I'd like go to Rybnik which is unfortunately not in the area, can I just buy 2 singles from the border station. Which in this Case will probably just be Gliwice as I believe Knurow on has a few trains a day.

Also do the day tickets purchase on the app need validating at all? Or can I just jump on the train, bus or tram.

 

[rg177]

Also do the day tickets purchase on the app need validating at all? Or can I just jump on the train, bus or tram.

On Jakdojade it can vary - but there is usually an option to validate on purchase or later.

In some cities you validate by scanning a barcode when you board. Others you'll self validate but there'll usually be a 60-120 second lag to stop you validating when an inspector rocks up.

 

[alex17595]

Once again thanks for all the advice. I had a great trip visiting the collieries of Southern Poland. Trains were pretty reliable even if they were busy a certain times, especially the one I took between Katowice and Krakow.

I also took the train down to Auschwitz. This route seemed almost painfully slow at times and the units ride quality was awful.

I liked the 1+1 seating on the trams and the buses are all modern and easy to use.

 

[duesselmartin]

not much changed on the Oswiciem route in 25 years then. I remember painfully slow EMUs and a daily Eurocity to Vienna considing of two ÖBB coaches (presumably joining another train en route).