Kraków cuts annual student transit pass to 365 PLN from 1 November

Fare reduction for university students

Acting Mayor of Kraków Stanisław Kracik signed a mayoral decree reducing the price of the annual public transport pass for university students to 365 PLN. Starting 1 November 2026, the cost will drop by 105 PLN from the current price of 470 PLN, bringing unlimited travel across Zone I down to the equivalent of one zloty per day. The ticket covers all municipal buses and trams in the city network for 365 consecutive days without requiring passengers to renew passes every month. By enacting the change through an executive mayoral order, municipal authorities bypassed the need to convene a special session of the Kraków City Council. City officials presented the discount as targeted financial relief for young people commuting to university classes, employment, and daily activities across the metropolitan area.

We treat students as an important part of our community. Lowering the ticket price is one way we can make their daily life in the city easier.

Verification rules and Kraków Card requirements

The discounted rate applies exclusively to university students who hold a valid Kraków Card (Karta Krakowska) status. Eligibility is open both to permanent residents and to students who relocated to Kraków for their studies without permanent local registration. To qualify, non-registered students must file their personal income tax with a local Kraków tax office and register the city as their place of residence. Applicants can verify their tax filing by presenting the first page of their tax submission receipt or an official certification from the tax office. Verification requests can be processed online or through paper applications. After verification, the Kraków Card profile integrates directly into the mKraków and mKKM mobile apps, allowing passengers to carry transit passes and student credentials on a smartphone.

Mayoral campaign backdrop

The fare reduction emerged from talks between Kracik and Polish senator Monika Piątkowska, who is contesting the mayoral run-off against Łukasz Gibała. Kracik is managing the city administration following the recall of former mayor Aleksander Miszalski in a municipal referendum. Piątkowska pursued the transit pricing agreement ahead of the academic year to ease financial pressures on students returning to Kraków. Piątkowska noted that she sought to finalize the arrangement immediately as the new academic term began in October. Monthly student tickets in the city currently stand at 49.50 PLN, making the 365 PLN yearly pass a distinct reduction over a full calendar year. Public transit fare policy has featured in Kraków electoral debates for over a decade, including earlier proposals by Gibała during the administration of Jacek Majchrowski, who served as mayor until 2024. Miszalski had previously campaigned on a similar 365 PLN annual transit pass proposal before his removal from office.

I was a student myself and I remember that back then every zloty really counted. Today, young people pay enough for renting an apartment, food, and ordinary daily life.