Are non-Polish senior citizens entitled to use free public transportation ?

Public transportation is free for senior citizens who are +70. But legally, is it only for polish citizens ? or for all seniors (even senior tourists) ?

It is only for Polish citizens and EU citizen who live in Poland and can prove it (document)

That's a great question. The answer would be YES. Non Polish citizens are entiled to travel on public transit system in Poland by Anyone who travels yousing public transport in Warsaw is entiled to receive neseccary discount or travel free of charge regardless of nationality, as along a passeneger is able to present required I.D.card or Passport, just incase you might end up being asked for by a controller on the bus or subway for age verification. ( I've seen it happening, while I was riding on the subway in Warsaw).

The bottom line is: If you are senior ask for your discount ticket entilement at the customer services centers at designated areas in the city, and they will give you a buspass or entry ticket for the subway.

Very enlightening!

Anyone know or hazard a guess as to whether same applies to the rest of the EU?

Each city has its own regulations on this topic. The age threshold might be different in different cities, there can be special conditions, the public transport for senior citizens may be also not free, but only discounted. You must tell us the city you think about.


If I am not mistaken, you are from Germany... Is public transport free for seniors in Germany? I don't know, but it's likely that it isn't at all, since Germany has a totally different system of discounts in the public transport.

For example in Poland students are entitled to 50% discount in city public transport, and if I am not mistaken, it's guaranteed by the higher education law. Theoretically people from other EU countries shouldn't be discriminated with respect to the Polish citizens, the same rules should apply - but in some cities it's for example required from the foreign students (studying in other EU countries) to carry not only their student ID for the discount to be applied, but also a translation of the ID to Polish, made by a translator authorised for translation of official documents. Although... I have a German student ID, and it doesn't contain almost any text (only the words meaning "student registration number" before the proper number, and the name of the study field). What is more, on the rear side there is a... commercial. Should the commercial also be translated? :) Or for example in Łódź it's required from them to have... an ISIC discount card, which is treated as a student ID. But a competing Euro-26 discount card is not accepted. And it's quite weird to accept just a discount card, which isn't any official document. The same is, by the way, on all the trains within the country (although the discount there is based on other regulations).

And how is it in Germany? I am on a student exchange in Karlsruhe, and the students there don't normally have any discount for public transport, but in the city of Karslruhe, and in the area around, the public transport is free of charge for the students - only for those from the higher education schools in Karlsruhe - on the evenings after 18:00 and on weekends and holidays. And also for one semester for the whole week only for those of these students who live in Karlsruhe. So the system is totally different.

So you must check the regulations that hold in the specific city. This is the only way.

Mostly Warsaw, since my grandpa is gonna visit me there, but also possibly Wrocław and Kraków .

Warsaw: ztm.waw.pl/?c=142&l=1
- any person that is at least 70 years old uses the city public transport for free, ID card or any other document with a photo and the birth date is needed

- pensioners below 70 years old are entitled to a 50% discount, document: pensioner ID or a bank printout showing that the person gets a pension
In both cases it doesn't say that it must be a Polish or Warsaw citizen, so foreigners are also entitled.

Wrocław: mpk.wroc.pl/bilety/prawa-pasazera-i-ulgi
- persons from 70 years old up: travel for free, they need to have an ID card or another document that has a photo and confirms the age

- pensioners (in practice - those below 70 years) are entitled to a 50% discount, but a Polish pensioner ID card is demanded

Kraków: mpk.krakow.pl/pl/bilety2/uprawnienia
- as in both previous cities, persons being at least 70 years old travel for free with a document confirming the age and the identity
- pensioners below 70 years old need a pensioner ID card

So, in all these cities, 70+ members of your family can use the public transport for free with a passport or ID card. Those who are below 70 years old and are pensioners - rather not. Remember that, at the entrances to the Warsaw Metro, there are gates, for which you need a ticket to open them, so if you want to use the Warsaw subway, either enter and exit the station using the elevators (then you omit the gates), or follow this advice:

FYI - Last December we could get free public transport in Budapest if over 65.

what about 70+ years on trains and busses between cities? let say from krakow to warsaw or vice versa?are they entiltel to discount?

30 percent off for seniors on Polish Railways

hi can foreign nationals travel on polish trains and get 30 percent discount ?

If you have appropriate photo ID
intercity.pl/en/site/for-passengers/offers/special-offers-for-domestic-transport/bilet-dla-seniora-en.html

Where do you find the service centers, airport? Ticket offices ? Etc.

In Warsaw?

There are a few offices for the public transport system. You can find them at larger metro stations and in a couple of shopping malls. If you're visiting, you probably won't need to use one. You can buy tickets from machines at every metro station and now they have them on every bus and tram (however the ones on bus/tram only take cards rather than cash).

Thank you, was asking related to passes for Seniors, Is the fare free in Poland? Warsaw, Krakow, and Wroclaw? Travelling in Sept. to these locations. I have been told that fares for seniors are free over 70 years and 50% off for seniors 60 -70. any of this true?

Are non-Polish senior citizens entitled to use free public transportation ?
Yes. In Warsaw. I am not sure about other cities.

This is generally true and that's how it works in Warsaw. For 60-70s, it's hardly worth getting the pass though; fares are very cheap.

Thank you, I understand I will have to get a pass from one of the service centres. I will check out the other cities also.

Here's a list of the Warsaw ones with location:
wtp.waw.pl/en/service-points/

Worth mentioning that in Warsaw a normal one journey ticket is 84 cents (U.S.).

EDIT

A quick look here suggests that over 70s get free travel wherever they're from, however 60-70s have to be Polish citizens. This is just Warsaw; other ciotiss may differ (but probably don't much). All you need is official proof of age like a passport

wtp.waw.pl/en/discount-entitlements/

Where I am over 65's (with local tax returns so.... not for tourists) can get a year long pass for less than 100 zl.