The Warsaw tram network is a The figure given in the source is of single track in passenger service. It is assumed that the length of all routes (nearly all of them being double track) is about half that figure. tram system serving a third of Warsaw, Poland, and serving half the city's population. It operates 726 cars, and is the second-largest system in the country (after the Silesian system). There are about 25 regular lines, forming a part of the city's integrated public transport system organized by the Warsaw Transport Authority. Since 1994, the system is operated by the municipally owned company Tramwaje Warszawskie sp. z.o.o.
History
Horse tram
The history of tram transport in Warsaw dates back to 1866 when a long horse tram line was built to transport goods and passengers between the Vienna Railway Station and the Petersburg and Terespol railway stations across the Vistula River. This was in order to circumvent limitations imposed by Russian authorities, which prevented the construction of a railway bridge for strategic reasons. In 1880, a second line was constructed with the help of Belgian capital, this time intended as public transit within the city. The Belgian company quickly expanded its own lines, and in 1882 took over the line between the railway stations, which had lost most of its original purpose after a railway bridge was finally built in 1875. In 1899 the entire tram system, by then of tracks with 234 tram cars and 654 horses operating 17 lines, was purchased by the city. By 1903, plans were drafted to convert the system to electric trams, which was done by 1908.
Interbellum
The development mostly stagnated for the next 10 years with only a few short stretches built. After World War I, the network developed rapidly handling increased traffic and extending to the outskirts of the city with the network reaching the length of and 757 tram cars in 1939. In 1927, a privately owned light rail line called EKD (today Warszawska Kolej Dojazdowa) was built, connecting several neighboring towns with the center of Warsaw using electric motor coaches similar to trams, only faster, larger and more massive, with frequent stops and tracks running along the streets in city; however the system was incompatible with the Warsaw trams as it used standard gauge tracks while the city network still used Russian gauge left from Russian times. In 1925, the company operating the Warsaw trams decided to construct an underground system. Preliminary boring started, but the work was suspended because of the Great Depression; the idea resurfaced in 1938, but was again buried with the outbreak of World War II.
Second half of the 20th century
The tram system remained operational, although gradually deteriorating, during most of the Nazi occupation until the Warsaw Uprising in 1944, after which all the infrastructure was systematically destroyed. After the war it was rebuilt relatively fast. As the system was practically built from scratch the occasion was used to convert it to standard gauge. During the 1950s and 1960s, the network was extended to newly built districts of soviet style panel houses and industrial plants and newer trams based on the design of Presidents' Conference Committee were introduced. Due to the city's lack of a metro system and restriction on car ownership, the tram system remained the backbone of Warsaw's transport system. In the 1960s, however, a political decision was made to increase the dependency on oil imported from Russia, while Polish coal was to be exported to Western Europe in exchange for hard currency; as a result, newly developed districts were connected with the city center by buses rather than trams, and some of the existing tracks were closed.
Present situation After 1989, the tram system in Warsaw initially received little investment with a large part of the city's budget spent on the construction of the first Warsaw Metro line. However, since 2005, the situation has been changing with the purchase of new rolling stock, modernization of key tram lines, and deployment of a passenger information system. Plans also include extension of the network and an "intelligent" traffic management system which is to prioritize trams at traffic lights. In August 2008, a tender for delivery of 186 low-floor, air-conditioned trams was launched, allowing for a dramatic overhaul of the look of the tramway system.
In 2014 a first entirely new line since a quarter century was opened, connecting Tarchomin, a quickly growing remote residential district on the north-eastern outskirts of the city, with the existing tram network and the M1 metro line. The route underwent further expansion with the latest long segment finished in September 2021 after multiple delays. More new lines are being planned: one with of new tracks to Gocław, and another to the eastern parts of the Białołęka district. The construction of a new tram route to Wilanów was launched in August 2022 and was completed in October 2024. It is unclear when work will start on the line to Gocław.
Rolling stock Image Tram car type Low-floor Number of cars DescriptionKonstal 105Na250 cars (123 two-car sets + 4 retired cars)An evolution of the earlier Konstal 13N.
Used in sets of two. Single units and Sets of three had been used in the past, but they were replaced by new low-floor trams.Konstal 105N2k/200062 cars (31 two-car sets)105Na with a new front. Produced from 2000 to 2001. Only used in sets of two.HCP 123N30 cars (15 two-car sets)Based on 105Na. Produced in 2007.Konstal 112N1A single prototype Konstal 112N, partially low-floor, two-section articulated tram based on 105Na, built in 1995.Konstal 116N/116Na29Vehicles feature three sections and a larger percentage of low-floor area (approx. 60%), designated 116N/116Na, produced between 1998 and 2000.Pesa 120N15Pesa 120N was the first tram in Warsaw with 100% of low floor. It was bought in 2007 to operate a modernized route in the city center.Pesa Swing(120Na)180In 2009 186 vehicles (120Na) were purchased to operate a planned new line and to replace some of the oldest trams.Pesa Swing (120NaDuo)6At the request of the city, the last 6 units were manufactured as bi-directional, designated 120NaDuo, to allow using them on a partially built line with no balloon loop.Pesa Jazz Duo (128N)50In 2013 50 bi-directional trams of a new design were purchased from PESA to be delivered in 2014, planned to allow operating on possible new lines during their construction and sections of existing tracks during maintenance works that made balloon loop inaccessible. PESA 134N30Ordered in January 2014 from PESA in Bydgoszcz They are used on less loaded lines. They were bought to replace old single cars from Konstal. Hyundai Rotem 140N 85 Bi-directional, articulated, five-section vehicles, ordered in June 2019, to be delivered by April 2023. Hyundai Rotem 141N 18 Unidirectional version of 140N, ordered in June 2019, to be delivered by April 2023. Hyundai Rotem 142N 20 Short (three-section) version of 141N, ordered in June 2019, to be delivered by April 2023. Total number of sets:603 Percentage of low-floor sets:71,2%
Tram depots DepotAddressPhotoYear est.LinesZET R-1 WolaMłynarska 219039, 10, 11, 13, 14, 20, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28ZET R-2 PragaKawęczyńska 1619253, 6, 7, 9, 13, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28ZET R-3 MokotówWoronicza 2719551, 4, 7, 9, 10, 14, 15, 17, 18, 25, 31, 33, 35ZET R-4 ŻoliborzZgrupowania Kampinos 1019631, 2, 4, 6, 11, 15, 17, 18, 22, 24, 26, 28, 33, 35ZET R-5 AnnopolWarszawskich Tramwajarzy 120241, 3, 4, 25
Historic fleet Sources: ImageModelTram car typeYear of manufactureFleet numberAFalkenried/MAN190743LwLinke-Hoffman Werke1925541CLilpop, Rau i Loewenstein1925257K1940403-11940445?1940446N Konstal19496071951734 ND Sanocka Fabryka Wagonów195116204NKonstal19618734ND196018114Nj195783813N19595031967407196846219697951969821+818102N19695102Na197142105N19751000, 1001105Na19881252+1251
Tickets
There is a single fare system for every mode of transportation. Tickets can be purchased at ticket machines and newsagents all over the city, as well as using a mobile app.
Route list
This is a list of Warsaw Tramway lines. As of 2015, there were several track closures all over the tramway system, due to the construction of the second metro line. This list shows tram lines operating as of 26 October 2024 and the routes they operate on as of the same date.
Daily 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 33 Weekdays 25, 31Tourist (May-September)36, T
Route numberDescriptionMap(Żerań Wschodni) Annopol ↔ (Banacha) P+R Aleja KrakowskaAnnopol – Rembielińska – Matki Teresy z Kalkuty – Odrowąża – rondo Żaba – Starzyńskiego – most Gdański – Słomińskiego – rondo Zgrupowania AK „Radosław” – Okopowa – Towarowa – rondo Daszyńskiego – Towarowa – plac Zawiszy – Grójecka – plac Narutowicza – Grójecka – (Stefana Banacha) - Aleja KrakowskaWinnica ↔ Metro MłocinyŚwiatowida – Kuklińskiego – most Skłodowskiej-Curie – Zgrupowania AK „Kampinos”Annopol ↔ GocławekAnnopol – Rembielińska – Matki Teresy z Kalkuty – Odrowąża – rondo Żaba – 11 listopada – Targowa – plac Wileński – Targowa – Zamoyskiego – GrochowskaWyścigi ↔ Żerań WschodniPuławska – plac Unii Lubelskiej – Marszałkowska – plac Zbawiciela – Marszałkowska – rondo Dmowskiego – Marszałkowska – plac Bankowy – aleja Solidarności – most Śląsko-Dąbrowski – aleja Solidarności – Jagiellońska – Ratuszowa – Targowa – 11 Listopada – rondo Żaba – Odrowąża – Matki Teresy z Kalkuty – Rembielińska – AnnopolGocławek ↔ Metro MłocinyGrochowska – Zamoyskiego – Targowa – plac Wileński – Targowa – Ratuszowa – Jagiellońska – Starzyńskiego – most Gdański – Słomińskiego – Międzyparkowa – Andersa – Mickiewicza – plac Inwalidów – Mickiewicza – plac Wilsona – Słowackiego – Marymoncka – Zgrupowania AK „Kampinos”Kawęczyńska-Bazylika ↔ BanachaKawęczyńska – Kijowska – Targowa – aleja Zieleniecka – aleja Poniatowskiego – most Poniatowskiego – Aleje Jerozolimskie – rondo Dmowskiego – Aleje Jerozolimskie – plac Zawiszy – Grójecka – plac Narutowicza - Grójecka - Stefana BanachaGocławek (Wiatraczna) ↔ P+R Aleja Krakowska Grochowska – aleja Waszyngtona – aleja Poniatowskiego – most Poniatowskiego – Aleje Jerozolimskie – rondo Dmowskiego – Aleje Jerozolimskie – plac Zawiszy – Grójecka – plac Narutowicza – Grójecka – aleja KrakowskaOsiedle Górczewska ↔ Wyścigi