The 15th season of the Warsaw Tourist Lines will begin on 1 May. Vintage buses and
trams will return to the streets of Warsaw. The two banks of the Vistula will be linked
by ferries, and on sunny Saturdays an Ikarus bus will take you to a railway station,
from where you can take a ride on a narrow-gauge train.
A ride on a vintage bus or tram and the views of Warsaw streets from their windows is a wonderful combination, and a perfect idea for a leisurely weekend. A sentimental ride on a tram from the 1940s and 1950s is a great attraction on the T tram line, while the Green Żoliborz, post-war Muranów and MDM (Marszałkowska Housing District) stops are some of the highlights on tram line 36 served by trams from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s – the 13N, 102N and 105N. Not forgetting the 100 bus line using old buses, which connects some of Warsaw’s top attractions.
On a hot day, a cruises on the Vistula river is a splendid idea – the right and left banks will be connected by three ferries: the Wilga, Pliszka and Słonka. The Zefir boat will take you on a trip down the Żerański canal to the Lake Zegrze reservoir.
On Saturdays, bus line 51 will retrace of a defunct trolleybus line, taking you to the Piaseczno-Grójec narrow gauge railway station. And then hop on a train.
Detailed routes, timetables and planned services will soon be available in a dedicated section.
T tram line
For Warsaw’s older generation, a nostalgic trip down the memory lane is provided by the T tram line, which will be served by classic carriages. This season the line will connect two fairly distant districts – Praga-Północ and Ochota. Towards Praga district, the tram will traditionally set off from Plac Narutowicza, down Grójecka Street, Jerozolimskie Avenue and Targowa Street. From there it will go back to Ochota along the W-Z (East-West) route, Marszałkowska and Nowowiejska streets. Selected services will run to the Banacha final stop. On your way you will catch a glimpse of the Royal Route, the National Museum, Vistula boulevards, Praga Museum, the Old Town, the Palace of Culture and Sciences, MDM (Marszałkowska Housing Estate) and the old Filtry waterworks.
The line will run on weekends and public holidays from 24 June to 3 September. It will be served by two sets of vintage trams – both with a vehicles staff on board.
The T line made its first run on 20 April 1996, Warsaw’s 400th anniversary as Poland’s capital. Just like then, the tram sets off from Plac Narutowicza. The carriages travelled to Praga district via the historic Poniatowski bridge and returned via the Śląsko-Dąbrowski bridge and Marszałkowska street. The route has changed over the years. This season the line will follow the same route as 27 years ago.
Żoliborz and Ochota from the windows of a 13N ‘sausage’ tram
The picturesque parks and elegant villas of Żoliborz and the Ochota residential district will be connected by the 36 tram line. The historic carriages from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s – the 13N popularly known as a sausage because of its characteristic elongated rounded shape, the box-shaped 102N, and the 105N – will traditionally start their route from Plac Narutowicza. From there it will take you past the Filtry waterworks, the Warsaw University of Technology, MDM (Marszałkowska Housing District), Rotunda, the Saski Gardens, Muranów estate, the leafy pre-WWII Żoliborz district, reaching the Marymont estate.
The line will run every 30 minutes on weekends and holidays from 1 May to 24 September. It will be served by three sets of trams. In addition, from 26 June to 3 September, the 36 line will also run every hour on weekdays – served by two sets of carriages.
The 36 line was started in the 1960s, when first ran from Potok, down Żoliborz and Śródmieście to Plac Unii Lubelskiej. The route remained largely unchanged for 50 years, almost always reaching the Potocka final stop. Under the Warsaw Tourist Lines banner, it was inaugurated in May 2019.
By Jelcz and Ikarus
The 100 bus tourist line will be of interest to both those into old buses and visitors wishing to enjoy the sights from the comfort their seats. The line will start from the Central Railway Station (Dworzec Centralny bus stop). From there it will take you to Mirów, the Warsaw Rising Museum, the site of the former Kercelak street market, the POLIN Museum, Muranów district, the Multimedia Fountain Park, Praga district, the ZOO, Praga beach, Vistula boulevards, the Copernicus Science Centre, Powiśle district, the Royal Route, the Royal Łazienki Park, the MDM (Marszałkowska Housing District) and the Plac Konstytucji.
The line will run every 45 minutes on weekends and holidays from 1 May to 24 September. It will be served by two buses: a Jelcz and an Ikarus.
The 100 line was a bit different from other Warsaw bus lines which rolled down the streets of the rebuilt capital, in that it was a circular line. As of 1949, it was operated respectively in a clockwise and anticlockwise direction, as the 100L (left circular) and 100P (right circular). The first and final stop was Plac Unii Lubelskiej. The 100 line returned as a Warsaw Tourist Line again in 2018.
By narrow-gauge train, ferry and boat
Those taking a walk down the boulevards on the right bank of the Vistula will be able to use three ferries – the Wilga, Pliszka and Słonka. The Wilga will connect Podzamcze at the foot of the Royal Castle with the beach by the ZOO, the Pliszka will run between the Poniatowski Bridge with Poniatówka beach, the Słonka will connect the Cypel Czerniakowski with Saska Kępa.
Ferries will run on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from 1 May to 24 September and on 2 May and 9 June. During holidays, from 1 July to 31 August, crossings will operate daily. Cruises will be free of charge and bicycles and pets can be taken on board.
》Check for details
Those into sailing will also be able to enjoy a full-day boat trip to Serock on board the Zefir, complete with a grill and a selection of hot and cold drinks. In Serock, those on board will be able to take an approximately two-hour break for a walk or spend some time relaxing on a beach.
Cruises will take place on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from 1 May to 24 September and on 2 May and 9 June. Tickets should be bought in advance at a dedicated point of sale or online.
》Check for details
Rides on the Piaseczno-Grójec narrow-gauge railway will take place every Saturday from 1 May to 24 September. The number 51 bus, which will take you to the Piaseczno Miasto railway station, will depart from the Centrum terminal. After a three-hour ride on the narrow-gauge train, passengers will take the bus back to Warsaw.
Tickets should be purchased online in advance.
》Check for details
Detailed routes, timetables and planned services will soon be available in a dedicated section.
Warsaw Tourist Lines are organised
by ZTM (Warsaw Public Transport Authority)
and KMKM (Association of Public Transport Fans in Warsaw)
in cooperation with Tramwaje Warszawskie and Miejskie Zakłady Autobusowe.
