Although the prices for all types of tickets will be increased on 1 January 2013, regular “clients” of the public transport will be the ones least affected by the price increase. The prices of 30- and 90-day personalized tickets will be subject to the smallest increase.
The price of the popular 30-day personalized ticket valid only in zone 1 will rise by about PLN 10. The price of the 90-day personalized ticket also valid only in ticket zone 1 will soar from PLN 220 to PLN 250. Even after the price increase, a passenger would pay slightly over PLN 83 for one month of travel with the 90-day ticket – that is less than for a 30-day ticket prior to the price increase!
If a passenger travelled by public transport within zone 1 twice a day on weekdays, and bought only single tickets after the price increase, he/ she would spend about PLN 176 a month. A passenger would save PLN 76 using a 30-day ticket. He/she would have to spend about PLN 528 for single tickets for three months, which means that the purchase of a 90-day ticket allows him/her to save about PLN 278! In reality, however, these savings can be much greater. The long-term ticket entitles to unlimited number of travels all over Warsaw, and if valid in both zones – in the whole agglomeration. The holder of such ticket may use all means of transport: buses, trams, underground and railway: SKM, Koleje Mazowieckie and WKD (within the scope of the Integrated Ticket). Moreover, the passenger is entitled to use the P + R car parks free of any additional charge.
Additionally, long-term tickets can be purchased almost everywhere. They are available at newsagents and post offices. There are already over a thousand Warsaw City Card encoding facilities. More and more ticket vending machines are being installed throughout the capital and in the suburban areas. In total, their number already exceeds 300. Tickets can also be purchased via the Internet. They can be encoded not only on the Warsaw City Card, but also on a Student Electronic Card, Pupil Electronic Card and on a special Citi Bank payment card.
Many people say that they will stop using public transport and drive their private cars after the price increase because it will be cheaper and faster. It will not be like that! For private car owners the purchase of a long-term ticket is not only a way to save time but also money. Let us do the maths – in the new tariff the price of a 30-day personalized ticket valid in zone 1 will cost as much as 17 litres of petrol (assuming that the price will be PLN 6 per litre). With such amount of petrol in a tank, the driver will not drive very far. The above example of petrol also illustrates the price-effectiveness of the 2-zone ticket, which will “cost” about 33 litres of petrol. A ZTM ticket entitles the holder to an unlimited number of rides. It is possible to commute to work, go to the cinema, go shopping and not to worry about a parking space, change for the parking machine or a safe return home after, for example, a family event or after a meeting with friends.
Since the public transport enjoys preferential treatment, it is much faster than travelling by car, especially due to bus-lanes, a growing number of routes, especially in the city centre. During the construction of the central section of the second metro line and the implementation of other key investments, buses benefit from additional privileges.
On 17 October we will write whether it is possible to combine long-term tickets under the new tariff with the ones from the tariff that is currently effective.
Published 15 October 2012
Last modified 3 June 2019
