Karta Krakowska: Kraków Resident Card for Foreigners
Short answer: Karta Krakowska is Kraków's free resident card. Registration or a Kraków PIT qualifies, and it unlocks Resident transport tickets such as the 99 zł monthly network pass.
Kraków runs a resident loyalty programme called Karta Krakowska (the Kraków Card). It is free, it is open to foreigners on the same terms as Poles, and its main day-to-day benefit is a cheaper personalised period ticket on city transport, the so-called "bilet Mieszkańca" (Resident ticket). This guide follows the programme's official site at kk.krakow.pl and a city notice from 14 October 2026 about the mobile app change.
Who can get the Karta Krakowska
The programme is for people who meet at least one of two conditions:
- You are registered for permanent residence (zameldowany na pobyt stały) in Kraków.
- You settle your personal income tax (PIT) in Kraków, meaning your tax office is the one for Kraków residents.
The official programme page says children of eligible people also receive the card, up to the age of 18, as do residents, carers and directors of care homes run by or for the city, also up to 18. There is no citizenship test in the rules: a foreigner who is registered in Kraków, or who files a PIT to a Kraków tax office with Kraków as the place of residence, qualifies the same way a Polish resident does.
You apply once you are 16 or older. One practical note for newcomers: people without a PESEL number can only apply on paper, not online, so it is worth sorting your PESEL first (see our PESEL guide).
What the card gives you
The headline benefit is cheaper public transport. With a valid Karta Krakowska status you can buy the personalised Resident period tickets at preferential prices. From the official price list updated 1 August 2024, in Zone I (the city):
- One-line monthly ticket: 72 zł normal, 36 zł reduced
- Network monthly ticket: 99 zł normal, 49.50 zł reduced
- Network half-year ticket (including the 5+1 offer): 515 zł normal, 257.50 zł reduced
- Student yearly ticket: 470 zł reduced
For comparison, a standard network monthly ticket costs noticeably more, so a daily bus or tram user recovers the small effort of applying within the first month. Our Kraków transport ticket guide has the full public price list.
Beyond transport, the city runs a partner scheme: shops, cultural venues, sports facilities and restaurants that join the programme offer discounts to card holders. The list of partners changes, so check the current offers on the programme site.
The card is a status, not just a piece of plastic
This is the part that confuses most people. The Karta Krakowska is technically a "status" recorded on a carrier you choose. The carrier can be:
- The Karta Krakowska card itself, in mobile or plastic form
- A Krakowska Karta Miejska (the regular transport card, mobile or plastic)
- A Małopolska Karta Aglomeracyjna (the regional agglomeration card)
- A Krakowska Karta Rodzinna (family card)
- A student ID used as a ticket carrier
The city recommends the mobile versions: nothing to lose, no duplicate fee, and for registered residents the status renews automatically. If you pick a plastic carrier, you record the status on it at a stationary ticket machine or a service point, depending on the carrier.
How to apply
Applications go through the form on kk.krakow.pl, electronically or on paper, and at the programme's service points (Punkty Obsługi Karty). The online form does not require an electronic signature. The steps, per the official instructions:
1. Register an account on kk.krakow.pl and confirm the activation link sent to your email. 2. Fill in the application. If you are registered in Kraków, tick that box: you will not need to show a PIT, and your status will renew automatically. 3. Choose your carrier: a mobile or plastic Karta Krakowska, or a card you already have. If you use an existing carrier, you skip the photo but must give the client number printed on it. 4. For a plastic card you attach an ID-style photo (evenly lit face, light background, no head covering or sunglasses, face about two thirds of the frame, JPG or PNG). 5. You can add children under 18, including foster children, in Part III of the form; they receive the card if you are eligible. 6. If you ask the transport authority (ZTP) to receive your data, you can buy Resident tickets without an extra visit to a passenger service point.
If you are not registered in Kraków, you prove your PIT instead. The office accepts the first page of your PIT with a tax-office stamp or filing confirmation, the first page with the official receipt (UPO), or a certificate from the tax office. In that case the status is valid for one year from approval and you renew it with a fresh document; for registered residents renewal is automatic.
The mobile app changed in October 2026
The old standalone Karta Krakowska app was switched off on 12 October 2026. The mobile card now lives in the free mKraków app. According to the city's notice of 14 October 2026, you do not need to apply again or change your login details: download mKraków, activate the service, and your existing discounts carry over.
Is it worth it for a foreigner?
If you ride the tram or bus regularly, yes. The monthly network Resident ticket saves a meaningful amount over the standard fare, and the application is a one-off form. Registered residents get the smoothest path: no PIT documents and automatic renewal. If you are not registered, weigh the yearly renewal paperwork against the savings; for many working expats who file PIT in Kraków anyway, it is still a clear win.
Frequently asked questions
### Can a foreigner get the Karta Krakowska?
Yes. The official conditions are registration in Kraków or paying PIT there. Citizenship is not a condition.
Do I need a PESEL number to apply?
Not strictly, but people without a PESEL can only apply on paper. The online form is the recommended route.
How much cheaper is the Resident monthly ticket?
The network monthly ticket in Zone I costs 99 zł with the card (49.50 zł reduced), per the price list updated 1 August 2024.
What happened to the Karta Krakowska app?
It was switched off on 12 October 2026. The mobile card moved to the free mKraków app, with no new application needed, per the city's 14 October 2026 notice.
