Koleje Małopolskie (Lesser Poland Railways, KMŁ) is a regional rail operator in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship of Poland. The company operates regional trains as well as buses that connect railway stations with towns not directly served by rail. Nearly all KMŁ trains start or end in Kraków. On some routes, trains are operated jointly by Koleje Małopolskie and Polregio.
Koleje Małopolskie also runs train services from Kraków to the Kraków-Balice International Airport. A separate fare applies to airport trains, and tickets are relatively expensive.
The company was founded on 2 December 2013 and is owned by the Lesser Poland Voivodeship to serve local passenger transport needs. It began operations on 6 November 2014, primarily to relieve congestion on the Kraków–Wieliczka line. In the following years, most railway lines in the voivodeship were modernized. Trains now run frequently and quickly, and many people prefer commuting by train instead of driving or taking overcrowded buses. As a result, trains are often very crowded during peak hours. (Photo from the Kraków – Oświęcim train on Facebook)
Koleje Małopolskie operates regional trains on popular among tourists routes: Kraków – Wieliczka and Kraków – Oświęcim (Note: This route has two variants – via Trzebinia, which is significantly faster, and via Skawina.)
Tickets for Koleje Małopolskie trains can be purchased:
– from ticket machines onboard and at stations
– at KMŁ ticket offices in Tarnów and Oświęcim
– at the customer service center at Kraków Główny station
– at ticket points in Skawina and Kraków Airport (Balice)
The best offers for tourists
Koleje Małopolskie currently accepts Polregio’s network tickets: REGIOkarnet – the network ticket valid for 3 days of travel within 2 months on Polregio and several other regional rail operators and Bilet Turystyczny (Tourist Ticket) valid from 18:00 on the day before a holiday until 06:00 on the day after the holiday (typically from Friday 18:00 to Monday 06:00). These are affordable tickets, but in the future, Koleje Małopolskie may stop accepting them.
Bilet Turystyczny – up-to-date information, validity and prices (Polregio)
REGIOkarnet – up-to-date information, validity and prices (Polregio)
The best offer for those, who want to explore Lesser Poland Voivodeship by trains and buses operated by Koleje Małoplskie is the Małopolski Bilet Zintegrowany (Lesser Poland Integrated Ticket). It’s a network day ticket valid on KMŁ trains and buses within the voivodeship. It is divided into zones depending on the area of travel.
Małopolski Bilet Zintegrowany – up-to-date information, maps and prices
Passengers who want to travel trains operated by Koleje Małopolskie and for example Koleje Śląskie in Silesian Voivodeship can use an offer Wspólny Bilet Samorządowy (Joint Regional Government Ticket) – a 24-hour ticket valid on nearly all regional trains operated by eight Polish rail carriers. However, it is not valid on PKP Intercity or Polregio, which may require purchasing an additional ticket for parts of longer journeys.
Wspólny Bilet Samorządowy – up-to-date information, validity and prices (Koleje Dolnośląskie)
Rolling Stock
KMŁ trains are modern, with two toilets on board, nearly all air-conditioned, and accessible for passengers with wheelchairs.
Main Train Routes Operated by Koleje Małopolskie
SKA1: Wieliczka Rynek-Kopalnia – Kraków Główny – Kraków Airport (Balice)
SKA2: Kraków Główny – Miechów – Sędziszów
SKA2: Kraków Główny – Skawina – Oświęcim
SKA3: Kraków Główny – Tarnów
SKA3: Kraków Główny – Trzebinia – Oświęcim
Kraków Główny – Nowy Sącz / Jasło (mostly weekends)
Kraków Główny – Zakopane (weekends)
Muszyna – Poprad-Tatry (seasonal)
Koleje Małopolskie also operates a significantly larger number of bus routes.
The company is rapidly expanding, so the number of served routes is expected to grow in the future.
Koleje Małopolskie – official website
Related articles:
Train travel in Poland – a comprehensive guide
One-day train trips from Krakow
