Opening your bedroom window at night reduces the risk of coronavirus infection by 50% – this is the result of research by British scientists quoted by national media. It turns out that poor airflow increases the risk of catching Covid-19. The problem is that the smog season has already begun in the south of Poland when the air quality is deteriorating day by day, so it is not advisable to ventilate the rooms. “The main recommendation at this time is to close the windows at night” – emphasizes Ewa Lutomska from the Krakow Smog Alert.
“The smog season has already begun and one of the recommendations at that time is not to ventilate the apartment”
British scientists are cited by, among others Radio Zet. Researchers point out that poor airflow increases the risk of catching Covid-19. It turns out that airborne Coronavirus particles can travel in microscopic aerosols over a distance of over two meters. The report says that by improving ventilation and increasing air circulation by opening windows, exposure to the virus is cut in half.
The problem is that in many cities and villages – especially in southern Poland – the smog season has just started, their inhabitants burn coal and wood in stoves to heat their homes. This makes the air very polluted again. Representatives of the Krakow Smog Alert (KAS) warn to choose other methods in the capital of Małopolska and neighboring municipalities that will reduce the risk of infection with a dangerous virus than the one suggested by scientists.
The conditions outside the window should be taken into account. Not only in Krakow, but also throughout Poland, because the problem of air pollution affects the entire country. The smog season has already started and one of the recommendations at that time is not to ventilate the apartment when there are high concentrations of suspended dust.
Ewa Lutomska from KAS
Air Quality in Krakow is deteriorating
In fact, the air quality in Krakow has deteriorated more and more in recent days. Particularly at night, the permissible standards are exceeded significantly. The concentration of PM 10 dust has recently been well above 100 micrograms per cubic meter (the acceptable daily standard is 50 µg / m3).
In Krakow, I do not recommend anyone to open windows at night. Air quality is actually deteriorating, the main reason being that residents of neighboring municipalities start heating their homes with coal and wood in the afternoon. And as we know, Krakow is located in a basin, these pollutants flow down to us and the air is of very poor quality at night
Ewa Lutomska from KAS
Invest in air purifiers!
If someone really wants to ventilate the room, it is rather during the day. – But before that, let’s check the air quality. In Krakow, the availability of tools for this purpose is high – emphasizes Lutomska. And he adds that, especially in autumn and winter, it is worth getting an air purifier, which can be an alternative to airing your apartments and houses.
From Gazeta Krakowska (article in PL language) – Nov 16th, 2020.
From Saturday (TODAY!), Krakow and all counties across Poland will be in the yellow zone. This means that the order to cover the mouth and nose will apply to the entire public space.
“From Saturday, the yellow zone will be extended to the entire country. We are obligated to cover our mouth and nose in public spaces, buses, and trams. Already today, we would have about 100 poviats in the yellow zone, i.e. a third of the country, hence such a decision” – Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced at a joint conference with the Minister of Health.
From today, throughout the country, the maximum number of guests at special events is 75 people, and in restaurants – 1 person per 4 sqm.The participation of viewers in cultural events cannot exceed 25%. available places.
The announcement was made Thursday – record increase by 30%
“Thursday (08.10.2020) we had a record increase in infections (4280 – ed.), by 30 % more than the day before. In the case of such dynamics, the doubling of infections will occur every 3 days, which is a very large number and we want it to be limited and flatten out. We want to apply a similar strategy to the one from a few months ago”, announced Prime Minister Morawiecki.
The number of occupied beds for patients with Covid-19 on Thursday was 4138. The total number of beds is 9.5 thousand. “We are conducting activities to increase the number of beds by another several thousand. However, we have free beds at the level of nearly 60 percent, so the situation for patients is safe, but we want to increase the number of available beds throughout the country” – added Mateusz Morawiecki.
“A few months have passed since the introduction of the first restrictions that helped in the fight against the first wave of the pandemic. Now we have the second wave, we have to face it categorically and use the experience so far. We cannot waste these experiences by treating health issues gently”, said the Prime Minister.
Małopolska breaks the records!
Małopolska is breaking the record in the daily number of new cases of coronavirus infections overnight. On Tuesday, October 6, the positive result for COVID-19 was confirmed in 273 people, on Wednesday, October 7, it was already 360 people, and on Thursday, October 8, the number exceeded half a thousand. This is another 552 people, including 28 children and 524 adults, most of which is in Krakow – 166 people.
Once a week, the Ministry of Health publishes the current list of poviats and cities that have been qualified to the yellow or red zones. Which of the poviats will go to a given zone is determined by the number of cases in the last 14 days per 10,000. residents.
Masks on!
According to the new rules introduced in both the yellow and red zones, the requirement to cover the mouth and nose will be in force from Saturday 10 October . People without a mask will have to document their choice with a medical certificate this time. From that day on, new restrictions will apply to gastronomic establishments that will close their activities in the red zone at 22.
The police announce a ” zero tolerance ” policy . If someone does not wear a mask when required to do so, they will need to provide a medical certificate stating that they cannot do so for health reasons. If there is no certificate, the police will be able to issue a ticket or take the case to court or instruct the person.
A ban on events
The Minister of Health also announced a ban on making premises available for events. The limits of people at weddings and other special events will also change.
“In the yellow zone we are reducing the number of participants in events from 100 to 75, and in the red zone it remains unchanged, so 50 participants” – informed Adam Niedzielski.
The plans of the Ministry of Health also include informing residents about the introduction of specific zones through the alert system of the Government Center for Security.
Does the metro in Krakow make sense, or do the prefabricated housing estates have a future? what changes in the construction law will come into force any day, how much can be gained from energy-efficient buildings, how to protect tunnels in case of fire – such various topics appeared, in the most recent edition of the Construction Forum organized in Krakow by the Galician Chamber of Construction – its 14th edition.
Nothing could stop this Congress!
“The Coronavirus epidemic did not stop most construction investments in Poland, but the Construction Forum, organized by us every year, took place – like most events in Poland and the world – with a slight delay. They also had to be moved from Zakopane to Kraków, to the hospitable auditorium of the Kraków University of Technology. However, one thing has not changed: the subject and purpose of the meeting. The point is for the construction industry to remain the driving force behind the development of the Polish economy,” explains the president of the Central Bank of GIB, Piotr Hrabia.
New Government Funds!
At the beginning of the Forum, Andrzej Adamczyk, the Minister of Infrastructure, stated that the achievements of the construction industry in Poland made him proud and optimistic. “We were not disturbed by the epidemic, the production and supply chain was not interrupted, which made our neighbors notice this success as well” – said the minister.
He also announced new government funds for infrastructure investments in voivodship cities. The spontaneous reaction of Minister Adamczyk to the speech by Józef Seweryn from SUPO-CERBER devoted to fog technologies of extinguishing fires in tunnels was widespread attention of the Forum participants: during the lecture, Andrzej Adamczyk called his subordinates to make sure what the fire protection in the tunnels under construction in Świnoujście looked like. and on the S3 route.
Prefabricated houses = The future?
During the conference, scientists from the Cracow University of Technology discussed, inter alia, the issue of the functioning of prefabricated housing estates, which in terms of urban planning formed a coherent whole, as a space for residents’ life (Prof. Andrzej Białkiewicz, Ph.D., Eng). Dr hab. Eng. Marcin Furtak pointed out that the technology of energy-efficient construction results in the appearance of a new, different architectural style, characterized by functional and movable elements of the facade – increasing energy efficiency.
Prof. Kazimierz Furtak analyzed the benefits of using 3D printing in construction, which causes 25 to even 40 % savings in materials and from 45 to 80 % savings on labor costs. It also allows the reduction of energy consumption by half and CO2 emissions by 70 percent. Dr hab. Eng. Andrzej Szarata wondered about the purposefulness of building the subway in Krakow, the more so as – as he emphasized – the expected results can be achieved by moving some fragments of the existing tram lines underground.
Results of the “Construction of the Year 2019” Competition
The participants could also see the results of the “Construction of the Year 2019” competition, in which facilities from Małopolska took first place in several categories. “These were the lookout tower and the treetop path in Krynica, Arena “Jaskółka” in Tarnów, the new University Hospital in Krakow and a residential building in Krakow at ul. Głowacki” – mentioned Dr. Eng. Stanisław Karczmarczyk, vice president of the Małopolska Regional Chamber of Civil Engineers, co-organizer of the Forum.
Safety in the Construction Sites!
In the final speech, Małgorzata Boryczko, the poviat building supervision inspector, spoke about safety at construction sites and during the operation of buildings. She also discussed the amendment to the construction law, which came into force on September 19 and brings many simplifications in both the issuing of building permits and the legalization of lawlessness.
Moving towards the future!
“I am glad that the conference took place despite all the adversities and that the community of entrepreneurs and construction engineers could meet, although in limited conditions. I hope that in a year we will return to our traditional forum formula” – comments Iwona Zapart, head of the Active Group, an institution that has been organizing this conference for years.
Full article in PL language from Gazeta Krakowska can be found here.
On the 2nd of September, the news about the 13-year-old hit by a train in Libiąż (Małopolskie Voivodeship) hit the news. Not only did the girl cross the tracks in a forbidden place, but she was also deeply engaged on her smartphone.
Accidents will happen…
According to Sebastian Gleń, spokesman of the Małopolska police force, the accident took place on Monday. According to the findings of the police, the 13-year-old was walking along the path leading to the railroad tracks, and then – staring at her mobile phone – she wanted to cross the track in the forbidden place.
At that time, the train came. The engine driver – seeing the dangerous situation – tried to warn the girl with sound signals. The girl was hit by the side of the locomotive and then fell onto the railway embankment.
She was taken by the ambulance crew to the hospital. Fortunately, she was not seriously injured. The driver was sober, of course, and in my opinion he should not have any of the blame!
Worlds first mobile phone walking lane!
The unreasonable usage of smartphones leads to more tragedies. Not only in the Małopolska region, but rather in the whole world. Cities all over the globe are trying to fight the phenomenon of “Smartphone Zombies“ in diverse ways.
#DidYouKnow that in Chongqing, China, the government constructed a dedicated smartphone-sidewalk, separating the phone users and the non-phone users. In Hong Kong, they are called dai tau juk (the head-down tribe). The lane built in Chongqing was the world’s first mobile phone walking lane.
Also, Antwerp introduced (even in as early as Summer of 2015) “text walking lanes” for the pedestrians that use their mobile phones – texting while walking!
Smartphones – a growing threat!
The “Smartphone Zombies” pay attention first of all to what they see in front of them on the phone and it often happens that they go out into the street without being sure if they can do it. The drivers in such a situation, apart from trying to brake, can do little more… The young lady (13-year-old) states that the engine driver from the locomotive shouted her and used sound signals. However, the collision was not avoided.
“Put away your smartphone and live” – such an inscription appeared in front of the pedestrian crossing in Mińsk Mazowiecki. The same appeal has been written on many Warsaw streets for several years now.
For Bartosz Grzegolec, a tram driver from Szczecin and the author of the blog “Be careful tram” (PL: “Uwaga tramwaj”), the sight of pedestrians staring at the telephone is an everyday reality. The “zombie smartphone” is an intergenerational and international threat.“Every 3rd teenager often uses the phone on the way to school, and every 4th driver in Poland uses a mobile phone while driving to write SMS or check e-mail” – points out Maciej Dębski, president of the foundation “Dbam o Mój Z@asięg”.
Cities all over the world are fighting the Zombies!
“This plague is not only in Szczecin, but in other cities” – emphasizes Hanna Pieczyńska from the Szczecin Road and Public Transport Authority. And more and more cities around the world are trying to fight this phenomenon in various ways.
In Honolulu, for example, texting at a pedestrian crossing can be fined – up to $ 35. Japanese Yamato completely prohibits the use of smartphones during walks – not only on the road but also on the sidewalk. In South Korea, the traffic lights are placed there not on poles, but on the road.
Szczecin used a similar idea. The LED strip turns from green to red before the passage. “We already know that it works. The strips have saved someone’s life more than once”, convinces Pieczyńska. But as practice says, these are only ad hoc measures. They won’t help everyone.
“We adults very often forget that our children learn from us by imitation. It would be a pity for us to wake up only when we get a call from the hospital, that our child had an accident because he used a mobile phone” – points out Maciej Dębski.
How about you? Are you a “Smartphone Zombie”? Do you know one? Is the city you live in adapted to the walking corpses deeply into their social media items on their phones? Would love to hear your take on this topic!
In September 2017, Massive Dynamic AG Polska (a branch of Massive Dynamic AG based in Switzerland) submitted a proposal to build an underground metro network for Krakow and the Krakow agglomeration for about 45 billion PLN on the basis of a public-private partnership. Its representatives resent the president of Krakow and his subordinate officials that for three years their actions have only discouraged the investor from actions that would largely solve transport problems in the capital of Małopolska and neighboring municipalities.
What would the project mean?
The undertaking would consist in the fact that Massive Dynamic AG will design, build and finance the metro network, then use it and earn money on it until the return on investment (analyzes have shown a return on the investment after 22 years), and then it will hand over the property to the city.
The concept proposed by Massive Dynamic AG assumed the construction of 5 metro lines with a total length of over 170 km (139 stations and 19 park & ride parking lots with a total capacity of about 6,100 parking spaces). It would be a subway network that would connect Krakow with the adjacent municipalities. 4 lines would run radially with a common point at the Main Railway Station, and 1 line would be a circumferential line.
The Numbers
It was noted that, according to preliminary arrangements with the provincial conservation authorities, the metro could run at a depth of at least 20 meters. The first 2 lines would be built within 3 years. The following ticket prices were adopted: tourists staying up to 3 days: 72-hour ticket – 54 PLN; tourists staying over 3 days: 7-day ticket – 74 PLN; students from outside the commune: monthly ticket – 82 PLN; students living in Krakow: monthly ticket – 65 PLN; people commuting to work from outside the commune: monthly ticket – 129 PLN; Krakow residents: monthly ticket – 92 PLN.
What happened?
The case was transferred to the Municipal Economy Department of the Krakow City Hall. “There, after the initial meeting, I was informed about the need to be patient. From the beginning of December 2017 to the end of March 2018, I was disposed of for all kinds of contacts with the Municipal Economy Department because of the lack of time for meetings regarding the metro” – admits Marcin Boroń, president of Massive Dynamic AG Polska.
In connection with the situation, in June 2018, Massive Dynamic AG submitted a petition to the Krakow City Council, in which it renewed its proposal to build the metro. As a result, there was finally a meeting with the management of the Municipal Economy Department, where president Marcin Boroń presented the concept of the metro to officials. He declared that the company had adequate financial resources and was in talks with companies involved in tunneling (Herrenknecht), rolling stock production (Siemens), and train traffic control systems.
Officials pointed out that a Study for Collision-Free Transport in Krakow is being developed, its effect may be the construction of the 1st metro line, therefore any works related to the construction of the metro line would have to be carried out in parallel and completely independent of the route of the metro in the eastern corridor analyzed in the Study West. Officials also pointed out that 3 metro lines were planned in the Krakow Development Study. The concept would, therefore, have to be adapted to this document or changed. The representatives of the city hall also expected more specific analyzes and documents confirming the investor’s financial capacity.
In October 2018, Massive Dynamic AG submitted to the office the preliminary analysis of the investment, and two months later it sent documents confirming the financial capacity. In order to read the documents sent, including agreements with foreign partners, the investor expected the city to sign a confidentiality agreement. The contract template was sent to the office at the end of 2018.
“After sending these documents, the Municipal Economy Department began to act very slowly. After many phone calls and messages sent by e-mail, a meeting with the vice-president of Krakow, Andrzej Kulig, was finally arranged on February 12, 2019, i.e. after more than 16 months from the moment our company submitted the proposal to build the metro“ – emphasizes President Marcin Boroń. “At the meeting attended by other representatives of the office, the scope of the project was initially discussed and it was agreed that a confidentiality agreement would be prepared. Later, the office again acted very sluggishly, in my opinion, so as to discourage us from further action in this matter”.
2019 & The Mayor of Krakow
In April 2019, Massive Dynamic filed a complaint against the work of the vice-president of Krakow, Andrzej Kulig, and the Municipal Economy Department. The Mayor of Krakow, Jacek Majchrowski, found it unfounded. In response, he recalled that the proposed solutions for the metro were not in line with the spatial development study for Kraków. The president also emphasized that although the president of Massive Dynamic Polska had sent documents confirming financial credibility, officials could not read their content, because they were secured with a password along with the information that they could be read after signing a confidentiality agreement.
The president also asked attention that the proposed routes of the metro lines should be verified by professional analyzes and forecasts of traffic, as well as the locations of transfer stations/nodes so that they do not conflict with the existing development. The president also noted that the city could not afford to cooperate with one entity selected without respecting the provisions related to public procurement.
Lack of interest…
“If it were an investment under a public-private partnership, the city could have prepared a tender and started a technical dialogue with our company” – says President Marcin Boroń. “We presented the general concept of the metro lines, which could be detailed at subsequent stages of the works to meet the city’s requirements. However, about PLN 20 million would be needed to conduct detailed analyzes. We could not afford such an expense without any agreements, especially non-disclosure agreements. It is difficult to imagine that without it, we would disclose all the financial secrets of our company to the office” – he adds.
Massive Dynamic AG also submitted complaints to the Krakow City Council and tried to present its vision to the councilors at the RMK session. “Until today, however, we have not obtained consent for it” – says President Marcin Boroń.
On the other hand, the chairman of the Krakow City Council, Dominik Jaśkowiec (PO councilor), informed Gazeta Krakowsa that he would look at the matter. “We have not recently invited guests to the meetings of the Krakow City Council due to the coronavirus pandemic. If epidemiological conditions make it possible, a presentation of the subway project could be organized in September” – explains Dominik Jaśkowiec.
Krakow voted in favor of having a metro line!
In May 2014, the inhabitants of Kraków voted in favor of building the metro in a referendum. In September 2018, the city signed an agreement with ILF Consulting Engineers Polska to develop a study for collision-free transport, including metro, for 9.4 million. The contract includes a deadline for the completion of the works by the end of 2019. Just before that date, the Krakow authorities informed that the document would not be prepared on time, as the proposals for the location of underground stops for the metro (planned on the Nowa Huta – city center – Bronowice route) were negatively assessed by the conservation authorities.
Initially, the Małopolska Voivodship Conservator of Monuments Monika Bogdanowska agreed only to the metro stop at the Nowaka-Jeziorański Square, so in the vicinity of the Main Railway Station. There was no consent for stops at the Mogilskie roundabout, the intersection of Dunajewskiego, Karmelicka and Podwale streets, and the square between Karmelicka and Dolnych Młynów streets, where there is now an above-ground parking lot and a municipal park is to be built. The contractors of the study proposed new solutions for the stops and the conservation authorities approved two of them: in the area of the Mogilskie roundabout and ul. Karmelicka, but with conditions. In the case of the Mogilskie roundabout, the recommendation was that the stop should not collide with the remains of the former fortification buildings.
Half a year ago, it seemed that both parties would be able to complete all the details efficiently and by the end of June this year, the authors of the study would be able to complete the necessary work. However, there are further delays and so far the Study has not been presented…
For more details on how the proposed 5 metro lines would look like, please do check the Gazeta Krakowska article and photos.
Yours truly,
The Twisted Red LadyBug bringing you the Krakow News
In the coming days, Krakow will most likely be in the yellow zone, where additional restrictions are in force due to the Sars-CoV-2 pandemic. The number of infections per 10,000 people is decisive for hitting a given zone mark.
Krakow hitting the yellow mark!
The fact that Krakow may end up in the yellow zone has been unofficially talked about for several days and such information also came from government circles. This is indicated by the growing number of infections in the Małopolskie Voivodeship and in Kraków itself.
Data per 19 August 2020: “In the last 24 hours, there were 140 new cases of coronavirus infection in Małopolska, 37 of which in Kraków alone. This is more than the previous day when 134 new cases were confirmed”.
Numbers as of 19th August 2020
Since the beginning of the epidemic in Małopolska, 5,838 people with confirmed infection have been confirmed, of which 2,212 have been cured. The number of so-called active infections exceeds three and a half thousand and is currently exactly 3514. In Krakow, since the beginning of the epidemic, we have already had 1070 cases, 22 people died, and we had 351 convalescents. All this means that Krakow is approaching the border, after which the yellow zone is being introduced. This is determined by the number of cases per 10 thousand residents. The yellow zone is valid for the 6-12 index. In Krakow, it is already 6.03 (19 August 2020).
Division of Poland in zones
Along with the further development of the coronavirus pandemic in Poland, the Ministry of Health in August decided to regionalize the level of coronavirus risk and decided to introduce green, yellow and red zones for individual counties. The former are safe poviats, where the number of infections is low and there are nationwide, increasingly milder restrictions.
The situation is different in other zones. “Red” counties are those in which the rate of increase of new cases per 10 thousand inhabitants exceeds 12 in the 14 days preceding the publication date. In turn, poviats (regions) in the range from 6 to 12 cases are marked in yellow.
Rules for the Yellow & Red Zone
In the Yellow Zone, a maximum of 100 guests may participate in weddings. Mass events are forbidden in red. The number of wedding participants is limited to 50. Only half of the seats are available on public transport. The organization of fairs and cultural events is forbidden. Sanatoriums are closed, and sports events are held without fans. Gyms and cinemas remain open with additional security measures.
In the red zone, it is obligatory to wear masks everywhere in public spaces, also in the streets and parks. The yellow mask is worn as it is now, i.e. in means of collective public transport, in workplaces and public utility buildings, in commercial or service facilities, or in the course of religious worship.
Letter of intent regarding the creation of the “Museum – Memorial Site of KL Plaszow in Krakow. German Nazi labor and concentration camp (1942-1945) ”was signed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and the City of Krakow. The new museum will cover an area of about 40 hectares and will be a self-government cultural institution of the Krakow City Commune co-run by the Ministry of Culture.
The signatories of the letter are the deputy prime minister, minister of culture and national heritage prof. Piotr Gliński – represented by Jarosław Sellin, secretary of state in the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and prof. Jacek Majchrowski, president of Krakow.
Due to the situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the document was signed electronically.
What is this Letter of Intent?
Letter of intent regarding the creation of a new cultural institution called “Museum – Memorial Site of KL Plaszow in Krakow. German Nazi labor camp and concentration camp (1942-1945)” is a declaration of the joint will of the signatories for the proper commemoration of the victims of the German Nazi labor and concentration camp Plaszow by covering the area where the camp was located, institutional protection and establishing a Museum – Memorial Site.
The letter of intent is another important stage in actions taken to commemorate the former German labor and concentration camp in Plaszow. It was preceded by an agreement signed on January 26, 2017 between the City of Krakow, the Jewish Religious Community in Krakow and the Historical Museum of the City of Krakow, constituting a declaration of cooperation between the parties for a dignified commemoration of KL Plaszow. The ordinance of the city president also set up a task force for the KL Plaszow camp coordinating work on the creation of this Memorial Site.
When will the new Museum start operating?
It is planned that “Museum – KL Plaszow Memorial Site in Krakow. German Nazi labor and concentration camp (1942-1945)” will start operating on January 1, 2021, and will be a self-government cultural institution of the city of Krakow, co-run by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. The content of the letter assumes the cooperation of the parties to create the Memorial in both financial and substantive terms. It is anticipated that the Krakow City Council will establish a new institution by the end of 2020.
What are the next steps?
In the next stage, an agreement will be signed between the city and the ministry, which will determine the principles of co-running a new museum institution. The estimated time necessary to complete the work on establishing the Museum – Memorial Site and permanent exhibition is estimated at about five years.
Where will the Museum be built?
The Museum – Memorial Site of KL Plaszow will be built on land belonging to the Municipality of Krakow, the Jewish Community in Kraków, and the Treasury. It will cover an area of approx. 40 hectares, which has been entered in the register of monuments kept by the Małopolska Provincial Conservator of Monuments since 2002, and an adjacent area of approximately 3 hectares.
How will the Museum look like?
The Historical Museum of the City of Krakow, as a substantive supervisor, developed the script for the new Museum – Memorial Site and conducted archeological research in the post-camp area.
According to the scenario, “historical stops” will be created in the post-camp area, ie boards with an archival photo and a short commentary in English. Polish, English, and Hebrew and in the Memorial building a permanent exhibition, thanks to which visitors will learn, among others what historical events led to the creation of concentration camps; learn the history of the liquidation of the Krakow ghetto and the founding and organization of KL Plaszow. The everyday life of prisoners will also be shown. Educators attach great importance to preserving the authenticity of the commemorated place.
Yours sincerly,
The Twisted Red LadyBug, Always Bringing You The Most Up-To-Date Informations About My Beloved Krakow
Holidays began, more and more people in the mountains. Experienced tourists wander the trails, but also those who are just beginning their adventure with the mountains. They should remember that everything is not allowed in the mountains. There are prohibitions for which you can pay a penalty ticket. This will be issued to us by the Tatra National Park Guard. When breaking several bans, hiking in the mountains can be extremely expensive for us. See what not to do so that you don’t get a ticket.
Everyone who loves the mountains and has been to the mountains at least once in their life knows that this is rule number 1: DO NOT LEAVE THE TRAIL!
Same goes for Tatra Mountains: stick to the marked hiking trails and don’t go all brave and adventurous. Don’t show off on the mountain or else the mountain will fight back! The mountains are home to wild animals and you need to understand that and protect their homes! The Tatra National Park Guard (PL: Straż Tatrzańskiego Parku Narodowego) always pays attention so do not break the rules!
2. Don’t make loud noises!
Noises are not allowed in the mountains – no shouting, no loud singing, talking loud on the phone, or listening to music with speakers at high volume. This can bother other tourists but will also frighten away wild animals. Pay respect to nature! The deers and squirrels don’t go partying in your home – neither should you party in theirs!
3. No swimming in the lakes or rivers in the Tatra Mountains!
This ban is broken every year and many pay huge fines, so this rule makes the top 3 – we know it is hot outside and you wish to cool down, but use the shade of the trees and drink some water. Do not take a bath in the nearby stream or lake! You are disturbing the fragile ecosystem with your bodily odors! Besides that, if you are overheated and you jump in the cool water you might even get a thermal shock – and even die due to that!
4. Using drones in the Tatra mountains is forbidden!
Every year, there are people who want to take drones to take photos or films of the Tatra peaks. It is forbidden. Drones fly at low altitudes, make noise, and scare away the animals. This is not allowed, so if you wish to take photos and videos bring your own hand-held camera.
5. Do not open fire in the Tatra Mountains!
It is forbidden to create an open fire (smoke bonfires included) in the Tatra Mountains as – uncontrolled – it can quickly spread and pose a threat to the flora and fauna of the mountains.
6. Dogs are not allowed in the Tatra Mountains!
Dogs are not allowed in the Tatra National Park. People are not allowed to walk with their dogs, no matter how thoroughly trained they may be. We don’t know how our quadrupeds will react at heights. In addition, they can pose a threat to wild animals living in the Tatra Mountains.
7. Do not litter!
The Tatra Mountains have a ban on littering.
You must not leave garbage on or off the trails. There are no trash cans on the Tatra National Park. Therefore, there are rules in the mountains that what we bring to the trails, we bring back with us.
There are no trash cans because the packaging for food products attracts wild animals – e.g. bears. Romania has plenty of bears, for example, coming to the cities/towns near the forests, and eating away from the trash bins…
8. Do not pick mushrooms!
In the Tatra National Mountains it is prohibited to go on mushroom / blueberry picking trips. Collecting undergrowth is prohibited in the mountains. It is an area of strict protection, and therefore mushrooms are protected.
9. No night-travel in the Tatra Mountains!
From March 1 to November 30, it is forbidden to walk the trails at night. When we think of animals leading a night life, we usually imagine owls and bats. Meanwhile, the list of “nocturnal” species is very long. Among them are also those that we see during the day: most rodents, martens, stoats, weasels, shrews, hedgehogs, badgers, wolves, bears, wild boars, roe deer and deer. For “daytime” species, including the majority of passerine birds, the night is sometimes not only rest, but also increased vigilance due to natural hazards (high level of predation). In this situation, a particularly important task of the Park is to provide wild animals with the best possible protection against people disturbing their peace. In the early spring period, the issue of protection is even more important!
10. Scooter ban – as of June 2020
This is the latest ban that came into force in June 2020. The ban applies to the entire Tatra Mountains, although it actually comes down only to the road to Morskie Oko, where it would be possible to move on an electric scooter. According to the park, electric scooters on this route may pose a threat above all to others moving along this route.
So if you are planning on visiting the Tatra Mountains make sure you respect the 10 Tatra Mountain Commandments above, else you will get a fine! Respect the mountains, dress accordingly(comfortable and according to the temperature in the mountains – do some background check of the weather forecast), bring plenty of water (hydration is important), and have a great time!
No need to walk – a bus can take you to Morskie Oko now
Tourists spending their holidays in Białka or Bukowina Tatrzańska will find it easier to reach Palenica Białczańska, where the trail to Morskie Oko begins. The commune of Bukowina Tatrzańska is launching new bus lines that will take tourists to the beginning of the trail from various parts of the commune.
Why was the bus line instated?
This is to meet the difficult situation on the access road to Łysa Polana and further to Palenica Białczańska, which is formed in almost every summer season. Whenever it is a clear day, giant traffic jams and congestion form on the access road.
It comes as the result of increased interest in Morskie Oko (one of the easiest routes in the Tatras). In addition, most tourists try to get there in their own car. Limited number of parking spaces = tourists’ cars do not fit, resulting in parking on the side of the road, narrowing the passage. As a result, the road from Wierch Porońca to Łysa Polana is often stuck in traffic jams.
The solution is for tourists to choose public transport more often. It’s just that there must be such options available. Until now, buses mainly run from Zakopane. It will change now.
As of 1st July 2020, bus lines to Palenica Białczańska started running
From July 1, three bus lines will be launched in the Bukowina Tatrzańska communes, which will take people to Palenica Białczańska. Running from Białka Tatrzańska, Gliczarów Górny and Bukowina Tatrzańska the buses will drive through Głodowski and Spiski Wierch, as well as through Rusiński Wierch.
“They will be connected to alternative parking lots for tourists, located at the ski station on Rusinski Wierch and at Kotelnica Białczańska in Białka Tatrzańska. Tourists will be able to leave their cars there and take buses, which will have stops at parking lots” – says Andrzej Pietrzyk, head of the commune of Bukowina Tatrzańska. Parking lots will be free. Tourists will have to pay for buses back and forth.
The courses will take place every hour before noon and every hour afternoon. New connections were co-financed by the commune office in Bukowina Tatrzańska.
Yours truly,
The Twisted Red LadyBug With The Daily Malopolska News 🙂
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