Although several years have passed since the announcement of the introduction of the Clean Transportation Zone in Krakow, emotions have not waned. The plans outlined back in 2022 have changed several times, deadlines have passed, and in reality not much has changed. What are the reasons for the delays, what problems will it generate for the city's infrastructure, and why is the Clean Transportation Zone still causing such controversy?
Since we reported on the assumptions of the first project to introduce the Clean Transportation Zone in Krakow in 2022, quite a lot has changed. The initial plan to introduce the SCT in two stages (the first in July 2024, the second in 2026) didn't work out. A ruling by the Administrative Court, which ruled in January 2024 that the proposed resolution was unlawful, stood in the way. The city threw the old document in the trash and set about drafting a new resolution on the Clean Transportation Zone. What will be its assumptions?
The Clean Transportation Zone in Krakow vs. the city's infrastructure
© Denys Radionenko | Unsplash Free
When will the Clean Transport Zone take effect in Krakow?
According to the current recommendations of the Krakow ZTP, the Clean Transport Zone in Krakow will probably take effect from December, and not from July 2025, as originally planned. At that time, gasoline cars that do not meet the EURO 4 standard or were manufactured before 2005 and diesel cars that do not meet the EURO 6 standard or were manufactured before 2014 will not enter the city. What should be emphasized here is that we are talking about vehicles that are not registered in Krakow - for residents of Krakow the law will operate under different rules. Cars already registered in Krakow will be exempt from the restrictions, while all newly registered vehicles will have to meet the above standards. Also, non-Cracow residents can count on certain concessions during the transition period, as they will be able to enter the city with cars that do not meet the SCT criteria until the end of 2028 after paying the appropriate fee.
Where will the Clean Transportation Zone in Krakow be located?
According to a map presented by the Public Transport Authority of Krakow, the Clean Transport Zone was originally intended to cover the entire area of Krakow.
The draft assumes that the new zone will cover almost the entire city, except for the areas east of the S7 expressway, i.e. the Combine and surrounding areas. It will also not cover key connectors to the highway bypass, such as Zakopiańska street or al. 29 Listopada, as well as Wielicka Street, to ensure access to important sites (hospitals, Park&Ride parking lots or highway interchanges). Such a compromise avoids inconveniencing residents and businesses, while preserving the SCT's main goal - improving air quality.
However, after the consultations that took place in late 2024 and early 2025, modifications to the original assumptions were proposed - in the coming days Krakow Mayor Aleksander Miszalski will decide on the new scope of the zone. He will choose between a variant that assumes the SCT delineated by the outline of the city's 4th or 3rd ring road.
three satisfactions
It is worth noting, however, that the introduction of the Clean Transportation Zone requires adjustments not only from residents, but also from the city itself, and above all its infrastructure. Restricting accessibility and entry to the center for cars will naturally increase problems in the transportation zone. The city must compensate for the changes with improvements in public transportation, which does not function well in Krakow - the planned subway will not solve these problems for two reasons. The first - an obvious one - relates to the distant (and equally hypothetical) date of delivery of the first line of the Krakow subway, which is planned for 2033. The second problem lies in the characteristics of the transportation mode itself and its development over time. A private car allows you to get directly to your chosen destination. The subway, especially in the early stages of development, will help get from one end of the city to the other quickly, but the chances that a station will be in the place we just need to get to are slim.
Some of Krakow's streetcars are already 50 years old
© public domain
the misery of krakow's public transport
This role in public transport is played primarily by streetcars and buses. In the case of the former, Krakow's infrastructure is not at the highest level - despite the fact that, according to the announcement of the authorities, almost all vehicles from the "previous" era will soon disappear from the streetcar fleet, even the fastest streetcar will not help in a city where crossings and streetcar rails are outdated and in poor condition. Every summer, social media is flooded with photos showing "melting rails," and old turnouts, through which streetcars must pass at minimum speed, also do not inspire optimism. When the SCT is introduced, the occupancy levels of individual lines may also change, which will require quick responses from the Public Transportation Authority, and perhaps even a redesign of public transportation.
The introduction of the Clean Transportation Zone in Krakow will require investment in infrastructure - P+R parking on Górka Narodowa in Krakow.
Photo: Mach240390 © CC BY 4.0 | Wikimedia Commons
Park, or you won't go any further!
Much of Krakow's traffic is generated by vehicles registered in other cities. Owners of cars that will not be able to enter the city after the introduction of the SCT will have to leave them in the suburbs. The solution to the parking problem are facilities called Park+Ride, i.e. parking lots located on the outskirts of the city, close to streetcar stops or loops, providing easy access to public transportation. Krakow currently has 10 such parking lots, located mainly in the north and south of the city. More are already planned, including in Bronowice and Zlocień, but the city will certainly not manage to put them into operation before the introduction of the Clean Transportation Zone.
The state of bicycle roads in Krakow leaves much to be desired
photo: Night Bicycle Roads Authority
shifting to two wheels
Faced with the introduction of the SCT, many motorists will switch to bicycles. This is the direction of changes in residents' habits that have taken place in many European cities where car access to centers has been restricted. Is Krakow ready for an increased number of cyclists? The city's grid of bike lanes is constantly expanding, but there are still many places where cyclists must use the roadway. Where there are bike lanes, other problems arise - for example, high, non-compliant overruns, which Krakow cyclists try to deal with on their own, using home-made methods.
The Clean Transportation Zone in Warsaw has been in operation since last year
Photo: Cybular © public domain
Should one be afraid of the Clean Transportation Zone?
First of all, we should start from the assumption that the introduction of the Clean Transportation Zone in Krakow is inevitable - this is due to both national law and EU directives, according to which every Polish city with more than 100,000 residents must introduce such a restriction in its area. The example of Warsaw, where SCT has already been in effect since last year, shows that limiting the number of older vehicles in the center does not have to be the end of the world. In the case of Krakow, the situation may also look similar - but everything depends not on the resolution itself, but rather on the measures the city will take to neutralize the new problems that will be born with the introduction of the Clean Transportation Zone.
