Public transport
The leader of public transport
The Municipal Transport Company (MPK S.A.) is responsible for the purchase of the rolling stock in the city. The activities of the municipal company have been recognized by the Polish Association of Public Transport Employers, which this year awarded the capital of Małopolska the distinction of “Public Transport Leader” in the Ecological Transport category. The statuette was awarded for the purchase of the best and highest rated bus experts. Buses run in Kraków, whose models received the title of “Bus of the Year” in the competition for the best city bus, they are 12 meter electric buses by Solaris (title in 2017) and Mercedes-Benz Citaro city buses (title in 2018).
Expenses on buses
In 2016-2018, almost 350 buses worth nearly half a billion zlotys were delivered to Krakow. Thanks to such changes in the city, regular lines run only with engines that meet at least the Euro 5 standard. Among them are also electric and hybrid, which distinguishes innovative design and driving comfort. Passengers have at their disposal more spacious vehicle interiors, a larger number of seats, as well as an extensive passenger information system presented on high resolution screens. The vehicles are low-floor, equipped with air conditioning, monitoring, ticket machine, USB port for charging mobile devices. Special platforms are installed for disabled people on wheelchairs. Electric buses do not have to go down to the depot to recharge the batteries. They can be supplemented with special pantograph charging stations. The first such station in Poland was launched on June 9, 2014 at Pawia Street. Charging the battery by the pantograph is effective, just a few minutes is enough to recharge it.
Modern trams
Over the next few years, Krakow plans multimillion expenditures on the development of public transport, the construction of new tracks and the replacement of the tram rolling stock. In September this year, the city signed a document on technical dialogue regarding the procurement of 60 low-floor articulated tram carriages (about PLN 550 million), while at the beginning of the year, a contract was signed for the supply of 50 pieces of new tramways from the consortium of Stadler Polska and Solaris Bus & Coach. In 2018-2025, 110 modern low-floor trams can be delivered. These will be low-floor trams, from 30 to 35 meters in length, equipped with air conditioning, a ticket machine with the option of payment by card or coins, a passenger information system, monitoring and a passenger counting system. Low-floor trams will provide greater comfort for passengers, especially for disabled, elderly or parents with children. Trams will have a minimum of six doors and will allow a journey of at least 220 people, of which 35% will be on seats.
New ways to power
In 2020, the first trams will appear in Krakow – 35 pieces. Two new ones from this supply will be equipped with an innovative system that will allow driving with a lowered pantograph, without using the overhead contact line on a section of about 3 km (the remaining wagons will have an installation enabling the system to be installed in the future). This solution is ideally suited to the absence of traction network. Trams will have wider doors than those ordered so far – 1.4 m – which should accelerate the exchange of passengers at stops and increase the pace of travel. Each wagon will be equipped with so-called energy absorbers that will minimize the effects of collision with other vehicles. Following the ecological trend since October this year Krakow residents can use a ticket machine, powered by solar energy. It was installed at the intersection of Komuny Paryskiej and Zawiła streets. The device allows you to pay with coins or a card, records transactions made. It is possible to purchase the six most popular time and one-time tickets (20-minute, one-time city and agglomeration in the normal and concession version). If experience with its use proves to be positive, more devices of this kind will appear on the streets.
MPK S.A. w Krakowie