Warsaw SKM City Rail: Lines, Tickets and How to Use It
The essentials: SKM is Warsaw’s urban rail service: four routes totalling over 160 km and more than 23 million passengers a year. Standard ZTM tickets (the same ones used on the metro, trams and buses) are valid on board.
Photo: RAIL P (RAIL.PHOTOGRAPHY), Wikimedia Commons (CC0). An SKM 45WEa electric multiple unit at Warszawa Gdanska station.
Szybka Kolej Miejska, better known as SKM, is Warsaw’s urban rail carrier and, in the company’s own words, the only urban railway operator in Poland. Together with the metro, trams and buses it forms part of Warsaw Public Transport, and its services run under the ZTM ticketing system.
The company was established by notarial deed on 5 February 2004. Its first connection, line S1 between Warszawa Zachodnia and Warszawa Falenica, was launched on 3 October 2005.
Today SKM carries more than 23 million passengers a year on four routes with a total length of over 160 km, linking Warsaw with towns across the agglomeration. Trains run on existing lines managed by PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe.
Because SKM operates within the ZTM system, the tickets and passes used on Warsaw’s metro, trams and buses are valid on its trains, which makes it a practical option for cross-city trips and for reaching outlying districts.
Line maps and timetables are published on the operator’s website, skm.warszawa.pl, which also lists service changes - for example the autumn timetable adjustment on the S40 line that took effect on 30 August 2026.
FAQ
Is SKM the same as the Warsaw metro?
No. SKM is an urban railway running on mainline rail infrastructure, separate from the metro, but it uses the same ZTM tickets.
When did SKM start running?
The company was established on 5 February 2004 and launched its first line, S1 from Warszawa Zachodnia to Warszawa Falenica, on 3 October 2005.
How big is the SKM network?
Four routes totalling more than 160 km, carrying over 23 million passengers a year.
Where can I check SKM timetables?
On the operator’s official site, skm.warszawa.pl, under line maps and timetables.
Sources
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