WRO-TA Wrocław Tourist Lines - on the road to find our greatness
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03 June 2022On Sunday, 29 May, the Wrocław Tourist Line will set off on its first trip this year. It provides an opportunity to see the city in vintage vehicles with a regular MPK (public transport) ticket. On 27 May a new tourist attraction was inaugurated in the capital of Lower Silesia. Meet WRO-TA - Wrocław Tourist Lines
What are WRO-TA Wrocław Tourist Lines?
Vintage trams have been appearing on Wrocław's streets for years. Although they have a few different owners (e.g. Municipality of Wrocław, Society of Wrocław Lovers (Towarzystwo Miłośników Wrocławia, TMW) or Club of Municipal Transport Enthusiasts (Klub Sympatyków Transportu Miejskiego)), they shall now operate under one name. To ride the trams, all you need is a regular public transport ticket.
WRO-TA is an offer addressed both to tourists and to Wrocław's inhabitants who want to explore the city in an unusual but attractive way - to see its most important architectural and natural monuments (the Odra riverbed admired from numerous bridges on the line; parks such as Szczytnicki and Staromiejski; the Promenade along the city moat) and to visit other attractions (the ZOO, Hydropolis, "Zajezdnia" Historical Centre).
This could prove to be the first step towards the creation of a Museum of Public Transport
- There are nearly 70 vintage public transport vehicles in Wrocław. We hope that through such broad cooperation more and more vehicles will be able to please our eyes. These vintage vehicles are a part of our city - part of Wrocław's history. We hope that one day a true Museum of Public Transport could be created in the city and the WRO-TA project could be the beginning of the process - said Bartłomiej Świerczewski, the director of the Department of Social Affairs of the City Hall.
In 1.5 hours through the most interesting corners of the city
Through the WRO-TA project tourists will be able to see the city's main attractions in the shortest possible time. A return trip with the proposed lines takes about 1.5 hours (in the case of the tram line, depending on the direction of travel, with a short stop at the monument inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, i.e. the Centennial Hall, or in the city centre - at the Opera House, and in the case of the bus line, e.g. at the Hydropolis “Zajezdnia” Historical Centre - Centrum Historii Zajezdnia).
The history of public transport is intertwined with the history of Poland
- In Wrocław the history of transport or the history of technology is very strongly intertwined with the so-called general history of the country. The history of the "Zajezdnia" Historical Centre is a great example of this phenomenon - before the war it was the first depot for electric trams from the late 19th century. After the war, badly damaged, it served as a bus depot. It also became the cradle of the Solidarity movement. It was there that historic events took place," stressed Marek Mutor, director of the "Zajezdnia" Historical Centre.
The project is co-financed from EU funds
WRO-TA Wrocław Tourist Lines is a new tourist product developed as part of the FindYourGreatness Europe's first strategic brand building programme for smart cities under the URBACT III Cooperation Network, co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund.
- Through this project, different communities were able to come together. A local URBACT group was created. This group includes NGOs, the City Council and MPK. All these parties participate in the project. WRO-Ta Wrocławskie Linie Turystyczne - remember this name - we hope that both residents and tourists will use these lines - said Agnieszka Szymerowska, Wrocław Tourist Organisation, Convention Bureau
WRO-TA Wrocław Tourist Lines - Timetable
The historic bus line and the historic tram line will run on Sundays from 29 May to 26 June and on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 2 July to 4 September.
The line will be operated by the Club of Municipal Transport Enthusiasts, the Society of Wrocław Lovers and the "Zajezdnia" Historical Centre in cooperation with MPK Wrocław.
On selected routes operated by TMW, a licensed guide will talk about the monuments and other attractions located along the route. Night runs along the routes that connect landmarks that are spectacularly illuminated will be an interesting addition to the offer. These runs will take place between approximately 9 p.m. and 11 p.m.
- Wrocław as a city can be explored by following the trail of monuments, dwarves, numerous bridges, and - starting this Sunday - it may be explored by following the trail of Wrocław railway tracks. We are glad that MPK can be a part of this project - said Aleksander Łoś from MPK Wrocław.
Historical buses and trams of Wrocław
There are around 70 vehicles of historical value in Wrocław. They belong to: Municipality of Wroclaw, MPK Wroclaw, Club of Municipal Transport Enthusiasts, Society of Wrocław Lovers, Centre for Natural Disasters TRATWA, Centre for Memory and Future (Ośrodek Pamięć i Przyszłość), as well as the Polmat company.
Repairs of vehicles belonging to the Wrocław Municipality
Maximum Tram. The restoration of a tram car of Maximum type from 1901 was completed in 2021. The outcome of the entire project is a fully restored and operational tram car representing a condition as close as possible to the one at the beginning of its operation. At present, the Maximum tram can be used for tourist purposes, during occasional rides and, above all, as an instrument for promoting the city. It will be able to add splendour to various important events in Wrocław.
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