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Poland

Warsaw

A capital that rebuilt its old town from rubble. Trams do the heavy lifting; buy your ticket before you board.

Bus (autobus)

Head for the validator by the door the moment you board - that is where a paper ticket gets stamped. There is no tap-to-ride. The blue "L" buses are the exception: no on-board machine, and no short-time tickets.

Updated on August 5, 2026

How to ride

  1. 1
    Buy a paper ticket before boarding
    Buy at a stationary machine by a stop or metro station, at a kiosk, or in an app - those machines take cash and give change.
  2. 2
    Missed that? Use the on-board machine
    The machine takes cards only - no cash at all; look for the pictogram by the second door. The blue "L" buses have none.
  3. 3
    Validate the moment you board
    Push the paper ticket into the validator by the door - a beep and a green light mean it is stamped.
  4. 4
    Signal at request stops
    At a stop marked "na zadanie" raise your hand clearly to be picked up, and press the STOP button to get off.
  5. 5
    Open the doors yourself
    Once the bus has stopped, press the button on or beside the door - it will not open on its own.
  6. 6
    Check your ticket before the zone boundary
    Lines 7xx and 8xx run into zone 2 - hold a zone 1+2 ticket before you cross. On L lines only 24-hour and longer tickets work.

Fares

Single fares3

20-minute ticket
Unlimited rides for 20 minutes from validation; not valid on the blue L-line buses
3.4 PLN ≈ $0.9
75-minute transfer ticket
Zone 1 only, with free transfers inside the window; not valid on the L lines
4.4 PLN ≈ $1
90-minute transfer ticket
Valid in zones 1+2 - the one to buy if you head out of town; not valid on the L lines
7 PLN ≈ $2

Passes & multi-ride4

24-hour ticket
15 zł in zone 1, 26 zł in zones 1+2; 24 hours from validation and valid on L lines
15〜26 PLN ≈ $4–7
72-hour ticket
36 zł in zone 1, 57 zł in zones 1+2; runs 72 hours and is valid on the L lines
36〜57 PLN ≈ $9–14
Weekend ticket
Unlimited travel from 19:00 Friday to 08:00 Monday, zones 1+2, L lines included
24 PLN ≈ $6
Weekend group ticket (up to 5)
For up to 5 people together, 19:00 Friday to 08:00 Monday, zones 1+2, L lines included
40 PLN ≈ $10

Estimates use exchange rates as of November 3, 2026

Payment

Card payment at machines
The operator does not name the brands it accepts
Used to pay at the machines; there is no tap-to-ride anywhere in the city
IC card
The Warsaw City Card only carries 30-day and longer season tickets
App tickets
Buy in one of the approved apps and activate the ticket before you ride
Paper tickets
Magnetic-strip card tickets, stamped once in the on-board validator
Cash
Fine at stationary machines and kiosks; the on-board machine takes no cash

Quick facts

Hours
5:00-23:00, then N lines
Fares from
3.4 PLN+

Heads-up

  • A ticket stamped after an inspection starts is invalid

    Once an inspection starts the on-board validators are locked, and a ticket stamped at that moment counts as invalid. Stamp it the moment you board.

  • Blue L buses do not take the short-duration tickets

    The blue "L" buses run out to neighbouring municipalities and do not accept the 20-, 75- or 90-minute tickets - of the ZTM range only 24-hour and longer tickets work. The carriers running them also issue their own tickets.

  • A broken machine is no excuse for riding ticketless

    A broken machine is no excuse - on-board sales are only a supplement to the fixed sales network, so the rule is to buy before you board.

Timetable

Operating hours 5:00-23:00, then N lines
Typical duration The network that fills in where the metro and trams do not reach - often the quickest way to the Old Town or across the river
Check the official site for the latest times and service status
Editor Naotaka