Trams in Warsaw


The Warsaw tram network is a tram system serving a third of Warsaw, Poland, and serving half the city's population. It operates over 750 cars, and is the second-largest system in the country and one of the biggest in Europe. 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 horsecar line was built to transport goods and passengers between the Vienna Railway Station and the Wilno and Terespol 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 has 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 was built, connecting several neighboring towns with the center of Warsaw using electric railcars similar to trams, only 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 broad gauge left from Russian times. In 1925, the company operating the Warsaw trams decided to construct a rapid transit system. Preliminary boring started, but the Warsaw Metro was postponed 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 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 new line was open connecting 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 is currently undergoing further expansion and is to be completed in the spring of 2017. As of November 2016, two more new lines are being planned: one to Gocław, and the other to a southern suburb of Wilanów; these should be completed in the years 2020-23.

Rolling stock

Tram depots

Historic fleet

Tickets

There is one ticket tariff for every mode of transportation. Tickets can be purchased at ticket machines all over the city.

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 which are operating as of 4 September 2019 and the routes they operate on as of the same date.
LineDescriptionMap
1Annopol ↔ ↔ Banacha
Annopol – 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 – Banacha
2Nowodwory ↔ ↔ Metro Młociny
Światowida – Kuklińskiego – most Skłodowskiej-Curie – Zgrupowania AK „Kampinos”
3AnnopolGocławek
Annopol – Rembielińska – Matki Teresy z Kalkuty – Odrowąża – rondo Żaba – 11 Listopada – Targowa – plac Wileński – Targowa – Zamoyskiego – Grochowska
4WyścigiŻerań Wschodni
Puławska – plac Unii Lubelskiej – Marszałkowskaplac 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 – Annopol
6GocławekMetro Młociny
Grochowska – Zamoyskiego – Targowa – plac Wileński – Targowa – Ratuszowa – Jagiellońska – Starzyńskiego – most Gdański – Słomińskiego – Międzyparkowa – Andersa – Mickiewicza – plac Inwalidów – Mickiewicza – plac Wilsona – Słowackiego – Marymoncka – Zgrupowania AK „Kampinos”
7Kawęczyńska-BazylikaP+R Aleja Krakowska
Kawęczyńska – Kijowska – Targowa – aleja Zieleniecka – aleja Poniatowskiegomost PoniatowskiegoAleje Jerozolimskie – rondo Dmowskiego – Aleje Jerozolimskie – plac Zawiszy – Grójecka – plac Narutowicza – Grójecka – aleja Krakowska
9Gocławek ↔ ↔ P+R Aleja Krakowska
Grochowska – aleja Waszyngtona – aleja Poniatowskiego – most Poniatowskiego – Aleje Jerozolimskie – rondo Dmowskiego – Aleje Jerozolimskie – plac Zawiszy – Grójecka – plac Narutowicza – Grójecka – aleja Krakowska
10Metro MłocinyWyścigi
Młociny – Powstańców Śląskich – Połczyńska – Wolska – Skierniewicka– Kasprzaka – Prosta – aleja Jana Pawła II – Chałubińskiego – aleja Niepodległości – Nowowiejska – plac Politechniki – Nowowiejska – plac Zbawiciela – Marszałkowska – plac Unii Lubelskiej – Puławska
11Rondo Daszyńskiego ↔ Piaski
Rondo Daszyńskiego – Prosta – Kasprzaka – Skierniewicka – Wolska – Połczyńska – Powstańców Śląskich – al. Reymonta – Broniewskiego
13Kawęczyńska-BazylikaCmentarz Wolski
Kawęczyńska – Kijowska – Targowa – plac Wileński – aleja Solidarności – most Śląsko-Dąbrowski – aleja Solidarności – Wolska
14BanachaMetro Wilanowska
Banacha – Grójecka – plac Narutowicza – Filtrowa – Krzywickiego – Nowowiejska – plac Politechniki – Nowowiejska – plac Zbawiciela – Marszałkowska – plac Unii Lubelskiej – Puławska
15Marymont-PotokP+R Aleja Krakowska
Mickiewicza – plac Wilsona – Mickiewicza – plac Inwalidów – Mickiewicza – Andersa – Pl.Bankowy – Marszałkowska – rondo Dmowskiego – Marszałkowska – plac Konstytucji – Marszałkowska – plac Zbawiciela – Nowowiejska – plac Politechniki – Nowowiejska – Krzywickiego – Filtrowa – plac Narutowicza – Grójecka – aleja Krakowska
17Tarchomin Kościelny ↔ ↔ PKP Służewiec
Światowida – Kuklińskiego – Most Skłodowskiej-Curie – Marymoncka – Słowackiego – Popiełuszki – aleja Jana Pawła II – rondo Zgrupowania AK „Radosław” – aleja Jana Pawła II – rondo ONZ – aleja Jana Pawła II – Chałubińskiego – aleja Niepodległości – Rakowiecka – Boboli – Wołoska – Marynarska
18Żerań FSOPKP Służewiec
Jagiellońska – Starzyńskiego – most Gdański – Słomińskiego – Międzyparkowa – Andersa – Pl.Bankowy – Marszałkowska – rondo Dmowskiego – Marszałkowska – plac Konstytucji – Marszałkowska – plac Zbawiciela – Marszałkowska – plac Unii Lubelskiej – Puławska – Woronicza – Wołoska – Marynarska
20BoernerowoŻerań FSO
Kaliskiego – Dywizjonu 303 – Obozowa – Młynarska – aleja Solidarności – most Śląsko-Dąbrowski – aleja Solidarności – plac Wileński – Targowa – Ratuszowa – Jagiellońska
22WiatracznaPiaski
Grochowska – Zamoyskiego – aleja Zieleniecka – aleja Poniatowskiego – most Poniatowskiego – Aleje Jerozolimskie – rondo Dmowskiego – Aleje Jerozolimskie – plac Zawiszy – Towarowa – rondo Daszyńskiego – Towarowa – Okopowa – rondo Zgrupowania AK „Radosław” – aleja Jana Pawła II – Broniewskiego
23CzynszowaNowe Bemowo
Czynszowa – Stalowa – 11 Listopada – Targowa – Ratuszowa – Jagiellońska – aleja Solidarności – most Śląsko-Dąbrowski – aleja Solidarności – Młynarska – Obozowa – Dywizjonu 303 – Radiowa – Powstańców Śląskich
24GocławekNowe Bemowo
Grochowska – aleja Waszyngtona – aleja Poniatowskiego – most Poniatowskiego – Aleje Jerozolimskie – rondo Dmowskiego – Aleje Jerozolimskie – plac Zawiszy – Towarowa – rondo Daszyńskiego – Towarowa – Okopowa – aleja Solidarności – Młynarska – Obozowa – Dywizjonu 303 – Radiowa – Powstańców Śląskich
25AnnopolBanacha
Annopol – Rembielińska – Matki Teresy z Kalkuty – Odrowąża – rondo Żaba – 11 Listopada – Targowa – plac Wileński – Targowa – aleja Zieleniecka – aleja Poniatowskiego – most Poniatowskiego – Aleje Jerozolimskie – rondo Dmowskiego – Aleje Jerozolimskie – plac Zawiszy – Grójecka – plac Narutowicza – Grójecka – Banacha
26KołoWiatraczna
Powstańców Śląskich – Połczyńska – Wolska – aleja Solidarności – most Śląsko-Dąbrowski – aleja Solidarności – plac Wileński – Targowa – Zamoyskiego – Grochowska
27Cmentarz WolskiMetro Marymont
Wolska – aleja Solidarności – Okopowa – rondo Zgrupowania AK „Radosław” – aleja Jana Pawła II – Popiełuszki
28Dw. Wschodni Piaski
Kijowska – Targowa – plac Wileński – Targowa – Ratuszowa – Jagiellońska – Starzyńskiego – most Gdański – Słomińskiego – rondo Zgrupowania AK „Radosław” – aleja Jana Pawła II – Broniewskiego
31Metro WierzbnoPKP Służewiec
Woronicza – Wołoska – Marynarska
33KieleckaMetro Młociny
Rakowiecka – aleja Niepodległości – Chałubińskiego – aleja Jana Pawła II – rondo ONZ – aleja Jana Pawła II – rondo Zgrupowania AK „Radosław” – aleja Jana Pawła II – Broniewskiego – Wólczyńska – Nocznickiego
35Nowe BemowoWyścigi
Powstańców Śląskich – Reymonta – Broniewskiego – aleja Jana Pawła II – rondo Zgrupowania AK „Radosław” – aleja Jana Pawła II – Stawki – Andersa – Pl.Bankowy – Marszałkowska – rondo Dmowskiego – Marszałkowska – plac Konstytucji – Marszałkowska – plac Zbawiciela – Marszałkowska – plac Unii Lubelskiej – Puławska
36Metro MarymontPl.Narutowicza
Filtrowa - Nowowiejska - Pl.Konstytucji - Marszałkowska - Pl.Bankowy - Andersa - Mickiewicza - Słowackiego
41Żerań WschodniPKP Służewiec
– Annopol – Rembielińska – Odrowąża – Starzyńskiego – Most Gdański – Słomińskiego – al. Jana Pawła II – Chałubińskiego – al. Niepodległości – Rakowiecka – Boboli – Wołoska – Marynarska

The standard headway is every 8 minutes during peak hours and every 12 minutes off-peak, but the trams on lines 1, 9, 17, 31 and 33 run every 4–6 minutes. Line 2 has the most frequent service with trams running every 2 minutes during peak hours.