Planning a nice autumn tram ride to Bronowice? We’ve got some bad news…

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Krakow’s public transport bureau ZIKiT has announced that the tram tracks going northwest from Teatr Bagatela to Bronowice will be under extensive renovation starting in late September or October, causing temporary closure of the line.

This will prevent trams 4, 8, 13, 14, 24, and 44 from going to their usual stops Batorego, Plac Inwalidów, Urzędnicza, Biprostal, Uniwersytet Pedagogiczny, Głowackiego, and Bronowice/Bronowice Małe. The construction will likely last around a year, about 10 months of which the line will be down – probably starting this October after some preparatory work.

During that time, trams coming from the city center will be diverted at Teatr Bagatela, and buses will pick up some of the slack. (We recommend using jakdojade or Krakow’s official public transport site to find up-to-date schedules and the best route for you.)

The tracks are among those in Krakow overdue for replacement. Tram drivers have been warning for months that the combination of boosted tram frequency and track degradation has created a situation which makes it increasingly difficult for them to maintain their schedules at a safe speed.

According to Polish-language news outlet Dziennik Polski, construction on the line to Bronowice is beginning later than expected due to wrangling over the price and contract terms with the contractor ZUE. Initially ZIKiT budgeted 60 million PLN for the project, but now ZUE is requesting over 98 million PLN.