KATOWICE - In Your Pocket

10 ARRIVAL & TRANSPORT
The Train Station By Bus
Public Transport
As far as first impressions
go, Katowice has always
gotten itself off on the
wrong foot with visitors.
That was undoubtedly
the fault of the city train
station - a truly ghastly
abomination sheltering all
manner of strange smells,
dubious characters and
Visualisation of the train
station complex ©PKP
seriously bad juju, instantly giving credence to anyone’s
prior trepidation. Completed in 1972, this concrete
monstrosity was a textbook example of the architectural
trend aptly known as ‘brutalism’ and long divided
locals between those who despised it for being an ugly,
inefficient use of space, and those who regarded the
graceless building as a architectural artefact so unique it
should be forever preserved as a monument to bad taste.
Fortunately the former camp prevailed and designs were
approved for the complete reinvention of Katowice’s train
station. With total investment in the project estimated at
240 million Euros, the new station plans to handle 9 million
passengers per year with 520 trains running through
it every 24 hours. The development will incorporate a
large shopping complex and underground parking lot,
with additional shopping and entertainment venues on
Szewczyk Square. There will also be a re-routing of many
streets in the surrounding area in order to create a fully
integrated transport hub.
What this means for travellers is that the whole area is
going to be a major construction site until the station is
completed, something we’ve been assured won’t happen
in 2012. In the mean time the bulk of the main station
will be closed and a temporary train station (‘Dworzec
Tymczasowy’) within part of the existing complex will
be in use. This can be reached from Plac Oddziałów
Młodzieży Powstańczej (D-2) on the opposite side of the
station from the old main entrance and via Pl. Oddziałów
Młodzieży Powstańczej and ul. Tadeusza Kościuszki. In
the temporary station travellers can find all the same
facilities of the main building - cash machines, toilets,
ticket windows, etc. - albeit crammed into a much smaller
space. As such, we stress that those travelling from
Katowice by train should allow themselves some extra
time to deal with the potential for extended queues,
confusion and disorientation resulting from the construction
works. If pressed for time, remember that tickets
can be bought onboard the train from the conductor for
a small price mark-up.
The sole advantage of Katowice’s train station is its
location, right in the centre of town with taxis and buses
waiting just outside the entrance. Several direct trains
run daily between Kraków and Katowice, taking about
120 minutes to make the journey. It is also possible to
travel between the cities of the Katowice conglomeration
by local train: starting at 05:03 and running until 22:38,
trains run 2 to 3 times per hour from platforms 1 and 2;
the trip to Zabrze is about 25 minutes, to Gliwice 35 minutes.
Station departure boards (odjazdy) are indicated by
their yellow timetables while arrivals (przyjazdy) are white.
Katowice Train Station (Katowice Dworzec
Kolejowy) D-2, Pl. Oddziałów Młodzieży
Powstańczej 1, tel. (+48) 19 757, www.pkp.pl.
Q Open 24hrs. Note that due to system maintenance
seat reservations cannot be made from 00:00 to 01:30.
To call Katowice Bus Station (C-2, ul. Skargi 1) a bus station
is a bit of a misnomer. In reality travellers will find themselves
faced with a small tin shed; give a child ten minutes with
some Lego pieces and they are sure to construct something
more durable. It’s in here you’ll find a small waiting room, a
Eurolines counter and all departures (odjazdy) and arrival
times (przyjazdy) noted up on the board. Outside the few
departure lanes offer no shelter from the elements. At least
you find yourself in the heart of town: all you have to do is
walk forward and take a swift left turn at ul. Mickiewicza
(C-2) and within three minutes you’ll find yourself staring at
the principal main street, ul. Stawowa (C-2). You’ll have to
go further onto the Rynek (C-3) to find the nearest tourist
information point, however. While it doesn’t offer tickets or
phone cards, it does offer maps and advice and there is also
internet there. If you want to buy a phone card or to connect
to the Polish mobile network you’ll need to go to one of the
many kiosks dotted around. For info on local city buses see
Public Transport.
Bus Station (Dworzec Autobusowy Katowice)
C-2, ul. Skargi 1, tel. (+48) 32 258 94 65, www.pkskatowice.pl.
Q Ticket office open 06:15 - 17:45.
By Car
Poland is one of Europe’s leading nations in road fatalities,
a statistic that will surprise few who have had the pleasure
of using the roads here. A lethal combination of poor road
surfaces, networks unsuited to the volume of different traffic
and, most of all, frustrated and aggressive driver behavior
result in the common sight of mangled wrecks around the
country. Be cautious and keep a safe distance between
you and the vehicle in front. The speed limit in Poland is
generally50km/hr in cities (60km/hr between 23:00 and
05:00), 90km/hr outside urban areas, 120km/hron dual
carriageways and 140km/hr on motorways. All cars must
have their headlights
switched on at all times and carry a red warning triangle, first
aid kit, replacement bulbs, a national identity sticker and
proper registration and insurance documents. Poland also
has strict drunk-driving laws: 0.2% is the maximum blood/
alcohol limit, so forget about having even a single beer. You
can use your home driving license or an international driving
permit for six months from the entry date on your passport.
Carry your license and passport at all times when driving.
Katowice is a straight 75km drive west from Kraków along
the A4 highway, one of the better stretches of road in the
country, but it’s smooth asphalt doesn’t come free. Toll gates
can be found at either end at which you will need to pay 9zł
if driving a car. This brings you in on Al. Górnośląska (F-5).
The other major route in will bring you along route 79 onto
ul. Chorzowska (B-1). Driving around Katowice can be a bit
hellish for those uninitiated to the complexity of the city’s oneway
streets and the constant presence of roadwork, so we
recommend you ditch your vehicle at the earliest opportunity.
Car crime is not unheard of and you’ll be safest leaving your
ride in one of the guarded parking lots listed below. Street
parking is also available and generally operates under the
control of a local parking warden. He will be wandering along
his patch wearing a bib of some colour and will charge you
around 1.50zł per hour to park.
Guarded Parking ul. Wojewódzka, tel. (+48) 500
04 51 98.
Guarded Parking C-4, Al. Roździeńskiego 16 (Novotel
Katowice Centrum), tel. (+48) 32 200 44 44.
Katowice In Your Pocket katowice.inyourpocket.com
An extremely well developed system of trams and buses
operated by the wonderfully named KZK GOP provide a
simple and fast way of getting around Katowice and its
surrounding towns. The tickets for the network are valid
for both buses and trams. A three-zone system is used, of
which Katowice is in zone-one and Chorzów in zone-two.
Accordingly, a one-zone ticket is required for the former
and a two-zone ticket for travelling between the two. A
one-zone ticket costs 3.00zł and now also serves as
a 15min ticket allowing you to swap forms of transport
(bus to tram and onto a different tram for instance) within
that time period. A two-zone ticket costs 3.60zł and also
serves as a 30min ticket. There is also a three-zone/onehour
ticket available for 4.40zł. A 16zł 24hr ticket allows
travel within all three zones, though it’s hard to imagine
getting your money’s worth out of this without spending
the whole day on the tram. Okay, we admit, there’s not
much reason to get off.
Almost all travel within Katowice and Chorzów can be accomplished
using trams, most of which run through the
stop at the Rynek. Tram number 6 runs between the Rynek
and Chorzów via thePark of Culture & Recreation and is the
most useful tram for getting there and back. Tickets can
be bought from any kiosk, or from bright yellow machines
found at many tram stops around the city. Make sure you
validate your ticket when entering the tram or bus. The
penalty for riding without a validated ticket is 90zł (plus the
price of the ticket) on the spot.
Katowice Public Transport Company (KZK GOP),
tel. (+48) 32 743 84 46, www.kzkgop.com.pl.
The Airport
Katowice International Airport is located 34km north
east of Katowice in Pyrzowice, with frequent shuttle
bus connections to and from Katowice. Two terminals,
A and B, are situated side by side. Both feature spotless
toilets, money exchange counters, ATMs, refreshment
stops, pharmacy and car rental counters. There is an
airport information point on the ground floor of terminal
A. Phones can be found in terminals A and B and you
can buy cards for them at the Relay news kiosk there.
Taxis wait directly outside and can deliver you to Katowice
for 100-150zł. ‘Airport Bus Service’/’Matuszek’
shuttle service makes the same journey for only 25zł
(to Kraków for 50zł), and departure times from in front
of both terminals are coordinated with flight arrivals.
Dropping off at Pl. Andrzeja (D-2), you can pay cash to
the driver on the spot or book ahead on their website:
grey.turystyka.com.pl. ‘Pyrzowice Express’ is the
shuttle service bearing the Wizz Air logo, but they only
go to Katowice by request (Kraków for 55zł).
While the train station is under construction buses to
the airport will leave from Pl. Andrzeja behind the station
on the hour, every hour between 02:15 and 23:30.
Full schedules for flights, as well as other essential
travel information can be found at the user-friendlywww.
katowice-airport.com.
Katowice International Airport (Miedzynarodowy
Port Lotniczy Katowice) ul. Wolności
90, Pyrzowice, tel. (+48) 32 392 73 85, www.
katowice-airport.com.
katowice.inyourpocket.com
ARRIVAL & TRANSPORT
98
July - October 2012
11