Bicycle touring in Cracow region, Poland

A surprisingly exciting, or may be just exotic trip may be visiting Nowa Huta by bicycle. There is a former cyclepath along the steelworks fence in Igołomska Street (heavy ride, sometimes, due to sand buildup). There are strange views of the Steelworks from the Wisła River bank or streets south to Igołomska Street. East of the Steelworks, there are old roads and railways and a weird and extremely long road tunnel (some 300 metres, good lights are necessary as it is not lit and the roadsurface is cobblestone).

Cracow is the place where two EuroVelo routes meet: N^o. 11 from Athens to Nordkapp and N^o. 4 from Bretany in France to Kiev in Ukraine. Unfortunately, they are not marked and there are almost no facilities for cyclists who wish to follow the EuroVelo itinerary. Below, find some instructions how to enter Cracow on heavily loaded touring bicycles (please, note, maps with itineraries will be provided here later, sorry about this):

EuroVelo 4 from the west: when leaving Oświęcim (Auschwitz) head to Zator and then follow road to Skawina. It is mostly flat and without much heavy traffic. A few kilometres before Skawina, look for Kopanka signs to turn left - there is a picturesque ferry across Wisła river (toll is .50 PLN per person on a bike or so; does not work if there is very high water - you can see it from the road, no detour is needed). On the left bank, you head to Piekary. When entering Cracow, you will see a highway bypass bridge overhead. Ride beneath and turn right immediately, cycling on unpaved path up to the water dam and cross the river. (Alternatively, you can cycle straight ahead, though you may encounter nasty traffic ahead. Beware at junctions - serious accidents happened there. When you arrive at traffic lights and an impossible junction with a high bridge visible ahead, try to choose the cyclepath on the bridge and then follow the greenway on the opposite river bank to the left, below the bridge). In case you turned and crossed the river earlier, right at the highway bypass, descend to the left, following a trail on the dyke. Well: sometimes the trail is so full of grass that loaded touring may be just impossible. A cyclepath will be built there, but do not expect it until 2005 or so. If you feel it is too much effort, choose another way. You can take the road to the right and follow it to first huge junction near the highway access, there turn left and cycle straight ahead. At one place (well, after several kilometres) you will see a nice route to your left along the river bank. Follow it. If you miss it, at the first junction with traffic lights turn left to the visible cycleway and then follow the river bank greenway (under the bridge) to downtown - or right in this case. Pass the next bridge underneath and you will see the Wawel castle on the opposite bank. Cross the Wisła River using the next (third) bridge and head to Wawel castle. Then follow the cycleway signs. Beware at the junction next to the tramways and follow the contraflow lane - you will get to the Market Square. If you want to get to the Kazimierz district, when leaving the third bridge go down to the river and cross the street beneath, then cycle up and choose some tiny streets next to the visible church. Follow them, cross the street with tram tracks and here you are.
EuroVelo 4 from the east: you should keep to the right (southern) bank of the Wisla river. Visit Niepołomice and its forest on the way. When leaving Niepołomice, do not cross the Wisła river as the route through Nowa Huta is either complicated or you will have to use the main road that is extremely busy, with lots of heavy trucks. Follow the local route to Pasternik, Podgrabie, Szczurów (not Staniątki, Podłęże and the main direction to Cracow). It goes closely to Wisła river and will lead you to an industrial southern region of Cracow. At one junction near a church you can choose to cycle to the right to Nowa Huta (at a small roundabout across the river turn left and first right, then look out for a cycleway to the left after some junctions - it will lead you to the centre of Nowa Huta) or downton Cracow. If you choose the latter, you will cycle along a wide, two lane street. At a junction that looks like dead end, you may turn right or go ahead into small streets. If get lost, ask people for Most Kotlarski (Kotlarski Bridge). When you reach a very busy junction with traffic lights, you should see a new wide street with a cycleway along. Follow it and you will get to the Kotlarski Bridge. You can take the river bank cycleway beneath to reach the Old Town or follow the cycleway ahead and whatever follows that cycleway to get to the railway station. In 2006, a good quality cycleway should be there to lead you directly to the railway station platforms.
EuroVelo 11 from the north: head to Ojców and Ojcowski Park Narodowy (a must-see on the way). When in the Park, go to the Brama Krakowska (Cracow Gateway, a monumental rock formation in the south of the valley). Then choose a narrow paved trail to the left (not the cobblestone road going uphill). It is very picturesque and popular with cyclists. At the first junction with public road (very, very steep) turn left and go ahead, following the road signs to Kraków (you will have to turn right twice). The road is sometimes busy, but there are almost no heavy trucks. You will enter Cracow through a small bridge over rail tracks. Follow the main street - wide but without much traffic. It turns twice in a quite wild way. At the traffic lights (multilane busy street) go ahead. Then turn right and follow to next traffic lights. Go ahead. There you will cross railtracks and following the direction (turn left or right intuitively) you will reach downtown area and a narrow street with tram tracks.
EuroVelo 11 from the north - alternative: follow the Dłubnia River Valley, avoiding the extremely busy Warsaw - Cracow road (there is a parallel local road across the river with exception of some parts of the valley and a bicycle route was supposed to be signed or even built). You will probably enter Cracow near a horse-riding centre (then turn right at a T-junction with major road) or near the disused railway station and you will be in northern Nowa Huta district. In the latter case, cycle directly uphill where the housing blocks are visible (not in the direction of rail tracks to the right) and when you see on a bi-level junction, try to descend to the street below and go to the right. Then find a wide pedestrian route between buildings to the left. It will lead you to centre of Nowa Huta. If want to go to centre of Cracow, then skip the pedestrian route and follow the main street to the first huge junction with traffic lights. Cross the street and you will be on a pavement across. Here you will see a lot of Cracow below, as the road is on a kind of a huge edge of a valley. You can take the double lane street that goes downhill (choose right pavement, there's a cycleway farther down the street) and at the second junction with traffic lights (not the one with vast cycleway labirynth) turn right, following the pavement on the left side. You will pass a bridge and then there will be a cycleway to the left. Follow it to the very Old Town.
Eurovelo 11 from the south: this is probably the most complicated access to Cracow. Try to avoid the national road number 4 (E40) and the regional road number 966 is also pretty busy. Wieliczka is a very nice city with the world famous historic salt mines, but is extremely hilly and streets are very steep. Try to cross the national road E40. You can follow some of the local roads north to E40 or a tiny gravel (and bumpy) road along the railway tracks (entrances are near the railway bridge over the E40, visible from distance). When in Cracow, follow all roads going down in the direction of railways and choose the last street that goes along the railways. It is not as busy as the main street several block away. At one point, there is a complicated shortcut between small buildings (the street turns left, many but cyclists will go straight ahead, you probably can ask them for directions or just follow them, otherwise you just have to stick to the main streets). At the end of the shortcut, you are at the Płaszów Railway Station. There is a secret tunnel under the rail tracks (not in the station but some hundred metres before), you can use it if is not flooded; then follow the instructions as for EuroVelo 4, asking for Most Kotlarski. Otherwise, follow the main street - though pavement cycling is an option, as road is extremely busy and bumpy. At some point, there is no pavement.

Most popular one-day bicycle tours out of Cracow are:

Ojców National Park and Pieskowa Skała Castle: follow the EuroVelo 11 route itinerary as proposed above. From the railway station, there will be a segregated cycleway built to lead you comfortably but do not expect it implemented before 2010. When in Rynek Główny, probably the most comfortable route (although much of a detour) is the mixed traffic route to Azory district. Obviously, you can choose the route along the regular streets, especially on weekends as they are less packed with traffic. Ojców is a good starting point for exploring Jura north of Cracow.
Kryspinów and Skała Kmity (a good starting point for exploring the Jura west of Cracow). Several options are available: 1. you can follow the EuroVelo4 route to the highway bypass as described above (the best way if you live in Podgórze, south of Wisła river and possibly in Old Town) or 2. you can get to the Błonia field and then follow the trail on the Rudawa River dykes. At one point you have to turn left and follow road (ulica Królowej Jadwigi) and follow it to the very end. Third option is to follow ulica Balicka from Widok estates and then near the highway bypass bridge turn left near airport to Kryspinów, go ahead to parts of the Dolinki (Valleys) or turn right to Skała Kmity and Zabierzów.
Niepołomice Forest: follow the EuroVelo 4 itinerary as proposed above. In the summer, the Forest may be plagued with unbelievable numbers of mosquitos. Cycling is OK, but once you stop, you may be very surprised how many tiny insects there are in the air.

These three points (Ojców, Kryspinów and Skała Kmity/Zabierzów) are perfect hubs for further exploration of the regions. In some roads there are tiny markings for bicycle trails, but the quality and consistence of the signage is nil.

Mountain bikers should explore Dolina Mnikowska, Dolina Będkowska and Dolina Kobylańska (if you are alpinist, you will appreciate them, too). When in Skała Kmity, you will reach a junction with the busy Katowice - Krakow road and unfortunately will have to follow it for a kilometre or two. At the church, turn right to the railway station, pass it, cross rail tracks through a small tunnel, turn left then right and there you are: empty roads will lead you to Dolinki. Follow signs and other cyclists, asking for the Valleys (Dolinki) if you get lost (signage is not really good there).

Tenczynek (or Rudno) Castle ruins is a nice picnic destination and the route follows nice cyclepaths in the Krzeszowice Forests. To get there, start in Kryspinów at the junction of the Balice road and head to Cholerzyn and Mników. Mników valley is a very nice ride in almost empty road. Cross the highway bridge and ride into the forest to the left. Then turn left to the narrow asphalt route, signed with tiny bicycles on trees (there is a barrier across to prevent cars from entering the route). This will lead you to the Rudno Castle. When on the way back, watch out for signs. Some bicycle trails will lead you to a very busy Katowice - Krakow main road north of the toll highway.

If planning a trip to south of Cracow, you may want to take a train. It is pretty difficult to exit Cracow southward on a bicycle and the terrain is very hilly, with extremely steep roads. Possible train destinations are Nowy Targ, Rabka, Chabówka, Zakopane, Nowy Sącz or Muszyna. Be careful planning your trip as train service is not frequent and some trains may be suspended for financial reasons.

Bicycle touring in Cracow and the region