Warsaw has seen major infrastructural changes over the past few years amidst increased foreign investment and economic growth. The city has a much improved infrastructure with new roads, flyovers, bridges, etc. Public transport in Warsaw is ubiquitous, serving the city with buses, tramways, urban railway and Metro.
Although many streets were widened, and new ones were created, during the rebuilding of Warsaw in the 1950s, the city is currently plagued with traffic problems. The main reason is that in the Communist times, the traffic was small due to the low number of private cars – not only because of the prices of cars, but also because of a hard to obtain special coupon necessary to buy a car. Traffic engineers did not foresee the drastically large increase in the number of cars: in 2022, there were over 2 million cars registered in Warsaw (though some of the cars might be registered in the city yet used elsewhere). An additional problem was the lack of public transport as well as a beltway around the city. Mayor Stefan Starzyński had planned both prior to World War II but never lived to see those plans realized. Today, travelers typically must pass through the center of town for cross-town itineraries. Additionally, there are few parking places in the city center and street works are being carried out throughout the day. One line of the Warsaw Metro is complete and the second line consisting of 13 stations has also been completed. The city’s government also has plans to limit the car traffic in the city center including “Park and ride” car parks and a zone of toll parking). Public transport in Warsaw is ubiquitous, serving the city with buses, tramways, urban railway and Metro.
Roads and highways
Warsaw currently has a highway ring road consisting of 75% of the planned route. S8 (north-west), S2 (south) and S17 (east). The S8 and S2 expressways are finished while S17 is currently in the planning stages. A second ring road bypassing the Warsaw metropolitan area is also in the planning stages. It will consist of the A50 (south) and S50 (north). There are 4 major highways leading in and out of Warsaw connecting it to the rest of Poland. Motorway A2 west towards Łódź, Poznań and the Germany–Poland border, and east towards Siedlce and the Belarus–Poland border. Expressway S8 south-west towards Katowice, Wrocław and the Czech Republic–Poland border and north-east towards Białystok and the Lithuania–Poland border. Expressway S7 south towards Kraków and north towards Gdańsk. Expressway S17 south-east towards Lublin.
There are of streets in Warsaw. The supervising body is the City Roads Authority (ZDM – Zarząd Dróg Miejskich).
The National Roads () running through Warsaw: / – Świecko (German–Polish border)-Poznań-Warsaw-Terespol (Belarussian–Polish border) / – Gdańsk-Warsaw-Kraków-Chyżne (Slovak-Polish border) / – Budziska (Polish–Lithuanian border)-Białystok-Warsaw-Wrocław-Kudowa Zdrój (Czech–Polish border) / – Warsaw-Lublin-Hrebenne (Polish–Ukrainian border) – Warsaw-Łomża-Augustów – Warsaw-Sandomierz-Kraków-Katowice
Bridges
The first bridge existed in Warsaw between 1576 and 1603: King Sigismund II Augustus built it near the north part of the city wall. The bridge was destroyed in 1603 by an ice floe. Nowadays, the Bridge street (ulica Mostowa) exists on this place. Between 1775 and 1794, the next bridge existed south of the Royal Castle. It was pulled down by insurgents of the Kościuszko Uprising to prevent the Russian troops from getting to Warsaw.
In 1864, Stanisław Kierbedź built the first iron road bridge on stone supports. The bridge was then named Most Kierbedzia (Kierbedź Bridge) and was one of the most modern bridges in Europe of that time. In 1915, the retreating Russian army demolished it, then Poles rebuilt it and in 1944 it was demolished again by Germans. In 1949, on the same supports, a completely new bridge was built, which was named Śląsko-Dąbrowski – to commemorate the workers' crews from Silesia.
In 1914, the Poniatowski Bridge was built. Its name derives not from the King Stanisław August Poniatowski’s name, but from the name of his nephew – Prince Józef Antoni Poniatowski who was the Commander-in-Chief of the Army of Duchy of Warsaw and fought at Napoleon Bonaparte’s side. The bridge was also pulled down by Russians in 1915. The Poles rebuilt it only in 1926, then in 1944 Germans demolished it again and one year later it was rebuilt once more.
Between 1985 and 1990, the bridge was being renovated, therefore, soldiers built a substitute bridge ca. to the north of the Poniatowski Bridge. The new bridge was named Mermaid Bridge (Most Syreny). Despite the fact that it was only a temporary bridge, it was not dismantled when, in 1990, the overhaul of the Poniatowski Bridge was completed – traffic had become so heavy that both bridges were necessary. Mermaid Bridge was dismantled only in 2000 when the Świętokrzyski Bridge had been built a few meters to the north.
There are nine road bridges in Warsaw. Listed from the north, these are the following: Maria Skłodowska-Curie Bridge (2012) - long, it will be a part of the northern beltway (OEW). The Warsaw citizens call it Northern Bridge (Most Północny). The article on the "Onet.pl", 2012-03-24 General Stefan "Grot" Rowecki Bridge or Toruński (1981) – long, the most frequented bridge in Warsaw (164,000 cars per day in 2009); part of Trasa Toruńska („Toruń Route”), Gdańsk Bridge (1959) - long, two-level (upper level for cars and buses, lower for trams), Śląsko-Dąbrowski Bridge (1949) - ca. long, Świętokrzyski Bridge (2000) - long, suspended on 48 steel cables and one pylon; the least frequented bridge in Warsaw (ca. 45,000 cars per day), Poniatowskiego Bridge (1913) – long, additionally of viaduct on the left bank, Łazienkowski Bridge (1974) – long, part of the Łazienkowska Route (Trasa Łazienkowska), Siekierkowski Bridge (2002) – long, suspended on 54 steel cables and two pylons; part of the Siekierkowska Route (Trasa Siekierkowska), Anna Jagiellon Bridge (2020) – long,Jarosław Osowski. Najdłuższy, najnowszy i długo oczekiwany. Gazeta Stołeczna, pages 8–9, 18 December 2020. part of the Expressway S2.
There are two railway bridges in Warsaw: along the Gdański bridge – former Ring Railway Bridge (1875), serves mainly freight trains and some of the passenger trains, Średnicowy (1933) – serves mainly passenger trains.
Cycling The Veturilo scheme, launched 30 July 2012, aims to provide 5,300 bicycles for rental (2018). Bikes are available at a number of docking stations in central Warsaw. In 2015, the system was used by 375 thousand users: this compares poorly to other major European cities such as Berlin (5 per cent of all journeys are made by bikes), Munich (12 per cent), and Amsterdam (55 per cent) and Copenhagen (36 per cent).
In 2018, the total length of bicycle routes in Warsaw was 585 km, of which 432.5 km were bicycle routes, 74 km were pedestrian and bicycle routes, and 78.5 km were bicycle lanes.
Air transport
Warsaw is served by two international airports: Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport and Warsaw–Modlin Mazovia Airport. The above-mentioned airports served 21,926,557 passengers in 2018- 2019 in total.
Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport
Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport (usually referred to as Okęcie airport) is located just from the city centre. With around 100 international and domestic flights a day and with over 11,206,700 passengers served in 2015, it is by far the biggest airport in Poland. A new Terminal 2 was opened in March 2008 in order to alleviate current overcrowding, and to extend the airport's capacity by another 6 million passengers. In 2010, the designation of terminals had changed and the entire former Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 complex is now designated as Terminal A divided into five check-in areas (A, B, C, D, E) in two main halls. The complex contains 45 passenger gates, 27 of which are equipped with jetways. A rail link has been added to connect the city with the airport in 2012.
Warsaw–Modlin Mazovia Airport
The disused military Modlin Airport, north of the city centre, was converted into Warsaw's second airport, mainly for low-cost carriers. It was opened in June 2012, with the first scheduled flights in July. Warsaw–Modlin Mazovia Airport served 2,588,175 passengers in 2015.
There also are long-term plans to build an entirely new international airport. Its location has been decided to be Baranów and it is part of a wider CPK programme. This was first announced in 2017 and the expected completion dare is 2027.
Municipal transport
Public transport in Warsaw includes buses, trams (streetcars), Metro, light rail Warszawska Kolej Dojazdowa line, urban railway Rapid Urban Railway (Warsaw) and regional rail Masovian Railways (Mazovian Railroads). The buses, trams, urban railway and Metro are managed by the Public Transport Authority (ZTM). Masovian Railways and WKD are owned by Masovian Voivodeship. There are also some suburban bus lines run by private operators. Until 1994, the Warsaw Communication Company (Miejskie Zakłady Komunikacyjne, MZK) was responsible both for the technical service of vehicles (trams and buses) and for the organization of transport (tickets, timetables, routes). In 1992, the Public Transport Authority was established and became responsible for the organization of transport, while in 1994 the MZK was divided into Warsaw Trams (Tramwaje Warszawskie, TW) and Warsaw Bus Company (Miejskie Zakłady Autobusowe, MZA), responsible for technical maintenance of trams and buses, respectively.
ZTM tickets are valid on city and suburban bus lines, as well as trams, Metro, and SKM. Some ZTM tickets are also valid on the WKD and Mazovian Railroads, but only within the city or suburban zone. A given ticket costs the same price within one zone, but if a passenger passes the zone limit, it costs double. Tickets are best bought online, in ticket machines abroad and at various high traffic areas, and at newsagents. ZTM tickets are invalid on PKS suburban and intercity buses and private companies that do not operate within the ZTM scheme.
In Communist times, 90% of people living in Warsaw used to travel by public transport. In the 1990s, when the car became easily accessible and very popular, this number fell to 60%. To counteract this trend, the city’s authority purchased new vehicles, replacing the high-floor ones, many of which are over 30 years old.
There are three tourist routes: "T", a vintage tram running in July and August; bus "100" which runs on weekends and which operates the only double-decker bus owned by the city; and the "180" bus, a regular scheduled service that follows the "Royal Route" from the War Cemetery in the North, near the Old Town and down city's most prestigious thoroughfaresKrakowskie Przedmieście, Nowy Świat and Aleje Ujazdowskieand terminating at Wilanów Palace.
Buses
The Bus Traffic Department was sectioned off in the Tram Company in 1920. However, in the beginning, buses did not serve “common” people, but the soldiers fighting in the Polish-Soviet War – they were carrying them at the front. The first three routes were started one year later. Only one vehicle survived World War II.
The bus transport appeared again on the streets already in April 1945. In the beginning, it was appropriately adopted trucks, which gradually were being replaced by “real” buses (mainly sent as a gift from other European cities – especially, a lot of French Chaussons). In 1946, the first trolleybuses appeared on the streets, in 1951 - the first Hungarian Ikaruses 601, in 1963 – Polish Jelcz buses. These latter were manufactured in the factory placed in the city Jelcz, close to Wrocław. Because of the characteristic shape, the bus was called “cucumber” (Jelcz 272 MEX).