Clean Transport Zone in Kraków – what do you need to know before you start?

All vehicles that meet the relevant emission standards can travel within the Clean Transport Zone without any additional formalities. Owners of newer cars do not need to take any action. It is worth remembering that the minimum requirements for cars in the CTS are: gasoline-powered vehicles must meet the EURO 4 emission standard or have been manufactured in 2005 or later. Diesel-powered vehicles, on the other hand, must meet at least the EURO 6 emission standard or have been manufactured in 2014 or later.

Exceptions for residents of Kraków

Residents of Kraków who own older vehicles that do not meet the standards can take advantage of an exemption from the SCT requirements. To do so, they must meet four conditions: be registered in Kraków (permanent or temporary residence), pay taxes in Kraków, own a vehicle manufactured before June 19, 2025, and register it in the SCT System. Importantly, the applicant will have to verify the vehicle's eligibility at least once a year.

What about vehicles that do not meet the standards?

Owners of older vehicles have three options to choose from. First, they can register an exemption in the SCT System – this applies, among others, to residents' vehicles, motorcycles, quads, mopeds, and vehicles of people with disabilities who have a parking card.

Secondly, they can report their entry to a medical facility on a given day in connection with a health service provided at a specialist facility. Councilor Michał Starobrat asked what the procedure for registering such a visit would be for people living outside Kraków. “The patient or another person on their behalf will have to report such a visit in the SCT system, providing the date, the patient's personal identification number, and selecting a specific healthcare facility

,” explained Łukasz Gryga, Director of Technology at the Public Transport Authority.

The third option is to pay a fee for entering the zone, which will only apply for the first three years of the SCT's operation.

Price list for entry fees

Cars that do not meet the requirements will be able to enter the zone for a fee until the end of 2028. The rates have been set progressively – in 2026, the hourly fee will be PLN 2.50, the daily fee PLN 5, and the monthly subscription (30 consecutive days) PLN 100.

In 2027, the rates will increase: the daily fee to PLN 15 and the monthly subscription to PLN 250. In the last year of the fee system, i.e. in 2028, the monthly subscription will cost PLN 500.

SCT system available from December

From the beginning of December 2025, residents will be able to use the system available at www.sct.krakow.pl on both desktop computers and mobile devices, including the mKraków app. The system will allow users to check whether a vehicle is eligible for entry, submit the relevant applications, report travel to a medical facility, pay for entry, and check the status of their application.

Help for people without internet access

For people who cannot or do not want to use the online system themselves, stationary service points for residents have been set up. They will be available at the ZDMK headquarters on Centralna Street, at the Paid Parking Zone office on Reymonta Street, in the Park and Ride parking building at the Górka Narodowa terminus, and at the main service points of the Kraków City Hall (Powstania Warszawskiego, Wielicka, Osiedle Zgody, Galeria Bronowice, Galeria Serenada).

Special devices resembling parking meters will also be installed on the outskirts of the zone, enabling both cashless and cash payments, including at gas stations.

What will the control system look like?

The control system will be based on 135 existing and 35 new license plate recognition cameras (ANPR), supplemented by four mobile sets supporting the activities of the Municipal Police of the City of Kraków.

During the first six months of the zone's operation, control will focus on repeat offenders, and great emphasis will be placed on informing the public about the regulations. Three to four mobile Municipal Police patrols will be available.

Important: the sticker is not mandatory!

A valid application accepted in the SCT System is equivalent to obtaining the right to enter the zone. The sticker can be issued upon request after paying a fee of PLN 5, but no one will be punished for driving in the SCT for the mere fact of not having it.

Information campaign

The city has prepared a wide-ranging information campaign covering radio, press, internet, outdoor advertising, and public transport vehicles. The campaign is scheduled to peak at the end of November and throughout December. In December, every household and business in Kraków will receive information about the SCT.

Information billboards will appear not only in Kraków, but also in the surrounding towns: Szczyglice, Węgrzyce, Kryspinów, Wielka Wieś, Pobiednik Wielki, Libiąż, Nowy Sącz, and Tarnów.

Where to find information?

Telephone information is provided by the Kraków Contact Center at 12 616 55 55. Comprehensive, regularly updated information will be available at www.sct.krakow.pl and in the mKraków app.

Councilors have given a positive opinion on the draft resolution amending the statutes of the Kraków Road Authority and the Kraków Public Transport Authority in connection with the implementation of the Clean Transport Zone in Kraków (print no. 974) – this means that after the resolution is adopted by the Kraków City Council, all competences related to the management of the Clean Transport Zone will be taken over by the Kraków Road Authority.

The draft resolution on setting out the directions for the Mayor of Kraków to restore the possibility of purchasing tickets for cash on public transport vehicles traveling within District I Old Town (print no. 972) received a negative opinion from the councilors.