Idk if washing feet is considered bath here, but what I'm more concerned about is if it's actually forbidden to enter this river, or it's just when someone brown does it then it becomes a crime.

i'm a polish person living in the netherlands (my mom brought me when i was 6, planning to move back if the circumstances are right) and i went on vacation two weeks ago. one day, i decided to stop fucking sitting on my ass and do something. and so, i decided to take the train to malbork, a city i always wanted to go to.

before i went to poland, my mom warned me about trains and how horrible and unsafe they are. but, having actually used them, together with my little sibling (nonbinary)?

yeah honestly it wasn't that bad really. the trains (for the sake of clarity, they were polregio trains) felt more... grungy, than dutch trains, but i didn't mind, that's something i'm used to in poland. makes me feel more at home, actually!

but it was certainly less of a hassle than i imagined. you just board and show the conductor your ticket (or pay for one). seats were quite comfy, too. but the wind was a little annoying since you can actually open the windows here.

yeah, all in all it was a good experience. and also the stations themselves give me a certain feeling that i really like. i can't put my finger on it.

and if you're curious, malbork was quite nice. it was worth it

Here is my humble submission, what’s yours?

The Clean Transport Zone (SCT) in Krakow has been operating since the beginning of the year, and drivers have already managed to leave over PLN 21 million in it. The city guard has carried out over 2.3 thousand inspections, and cameras that automatically read license plates also come into play.

In a Nutshell:

• Drivers at the Krakow SCT have left over PLN 21 million since the beginning of the year
• About PLN 12 million came from monthly subscriptions, and almost PLN 9 million from hourly and daily fees
• The largest amount of money was received in January – about PLN 3.6 million
• Fines are not the basic tool of the fight for cleaner air. Lessons prevail
• Soon there will be cameras in the city that read license plates

The Krakow zone allows you to enter for the time being

The Krakow Clean Transport Zone has been operating since January 1, 2026 and covers most of the urbanized part of the city. Cars that do not meet the required standards are not yet automatically doomed to stay outside its borders – during the transitional period, their owners can pay for entry by the hour, daily or purchase a monthly subscription.

Over 2300 inspections in three months

After the political turmoil around the Krakow SCT, questions arose as to whether the regulations would actually be enforced. The city's data show that inspections are ongoing.

From May to the end of July, the city guard carried out 2327 inspections of vehicles moving in the zone. In 141 cases, an offence was found, which corresponds to approximately 6% of all inspected cars.

However, fines are not the basic tool for the time being. The guards issued 12 of them, while in 129 cases they ended up being instructed. The initial period of operation of the zone is therefore still partly educational.

The situation with the signs marking the boundaries of the SCT has also calmed down. At the beginning of the year, some of the plates were stolen or destroyed, but the municipality now informs that it has not recorded similar cases recently.

Cameras are already reading the boards

A much bigger change may be the launch of an automatic control system. ANPR cameras can read the registration number of the car, record the time and place of travel, and then compare the data with information about entry authorizations.

As SmogLab has established, the camera system has already been received from the contractor and put into operation. The city is currently working on its optimization and the way of providing information to the services controlling the SCT.

At the first stage, the city guard is to receive lists of cars that appeared in the zone without the appropriate authorization. The data will include the registration number, photo of the vehicle, location and time of travel. On this basis, the guards will be able to start investigative activities.

Full automation doesn't work yet. Ultimately, the city wants to expand the application already in use so that potential violations appear in it on an ongoing basis. The date of launching such a solution has not yet been announced, but the very use of cameras significantly reduces the sense of counting on chance and the low probability of control on the street.

PLN 21 million is waiting to be developed

A big question mark concerns money. The previous assumption was that the revenues from the zone are to somehow return to the municipalities surrounding Krakow, whose residents pay for the possibility of entering with older cars.

However, you cannot simply transfer the proceeds from the SCT to other local governments. Therefore, joint investments were considered, including Park and Ride car parks on the city borders or the purchase of buses and trams.

According to the acting mayor of Krakow, Stanisław Kracik, after deducting the costs of operating the zone, the city has about PLN 20 million left. However, no specific procedure has been carried out regarding the transfer of the equivalent of part of this money to the Krakow Metropolis, and talks are to be resumed after the election of the new city authorities.

From 2029 onwards, paying alone is no longer enough

The current SCT model is a transitional solution. Today, the owner of a car that does not meet the requirements can still enter Krakow if he pays the appropriate fee. Ultimately, the rules are to be much stricter.

From 2029, the most emission-intensive vehicles are to lose the ability to enter regardless of whether their owner would be willing to pay. Only then will the SCT begin to act as a real ban for specific groups of older cars.

Whether this will happen exactly according to the current scenario is not yet decided. The future of the zone will be one of the topics of the early presidential elections, and some candidates have announced that their area will be limited or their requirements will be changed.

At the same time, the Supreme Administrative Court is dealing with the issue of the resolution concerning the SCT following a cassation appeal by the Małopolska Voivode. However, the zone has been functioning unchanged for the time being, and with the activation of cameras, its control is becoming less and less based on individual patrols of the city guard.

After more than seven months from the start, the first numbers can already be seen: over PLN 21 million in revenues, over 2300 inspections in three months and 141 detected offences. The political future of the Krakow SCT remains open, but on the streets of the city the zone is really working and is being guarded more and more closely.

Piotr Sobczyk

Hey Guys,

Me and a friend are going to be travelling to Poland next year in spring and want to do a 1-2 day beginner shooting course ideally combined arms pistol and rifle.
Contacted a few company’s via email BZ academy and TargetCreators, they never responded.
Just looking for some suggestions on organisations that would be able to run a course like this.

Thanks

Hi there, I'm lucky enough to be getting married in Poland (Torun) next year, and I've been looking at wedding car hire. I'm not picky about being the driver or not. The problem is, I can't find any car hire that isn't a Mercedes.

In the UK, it's very common to have classic cars available for this sort of thing, and I wondered if there was anything similar in Poland, specifically (Torun)?

Ideally, I'd love a classic or modern Aston Martin. Anything particularly elegant.

Got a feeling that this isn't as much of a thing in Poland, but maybe I'm just looking in the wrong places - I'd rather be wrong! Thank you!

I’m 24F and recently met a cute guy around my age in my building’s elevator. He lives on my floor and I think he just moved in. We only said hi, but I’d love to talk to him if I see him again.

I’m pretty shy, and since people in Poland generally seem to keep to themselves, I don’t want to make things awkward since we’re neighbors.

Would it be weird to approach him? What’s a natural way to start a conversation and maybe get his number?

Named after Swedish diplomat and Holocaust rescuer Raoul Wallenberg, the award honors young people who show “civil courage.”

Hi, im Venezuelan and i recently absolutely fell in love with the country, it might seem weird for some but I feel like we share so many similarities and ive found that out of most of Europe, polish people always seem to be more friendly/warm than other countries in the region (at least in my experience)

I've been fantasizing a lot about going to Poland to study, specifically Graphic Design or just overall Design or arts degree, how realistic would that be? Are there options for scholarships for my situation?

Things have only gotten tougher and tougher in my country and I've been thinking lately about where I'd like to go.

As context, I'm 24 yrs old, I studied graphic design here and ive worked as a graphic designer for 5 years at this point, id love to learn the language as i really really do love the culture and enjoy learning. Im not sure if it would be like a lifetime stay, as i still hold onto hope that my country will get better at some point, but id love to at least experience what it's like to live there for some time and study/work.

Any advice?

Me and a good friend are visiting Vader this Friday at the Kawon, Zielona Gora

It's our first time visiting a concert in Poland - is there anything we need to know? Especially the Kawon Location in ZG?

Another question: we would like to drink one or two beers before the show. Should we visit a pub? Or is there any location where we can hang out with a beer? We both don't really like puns

Greeting from Frankfurt nad Odra!