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Statistics
Status as at January 2024
Cycling routes and trails in Małopolska Region
There are currently almost 1000 km of cycling infrastructure of a very good standard in the Małopolska Region. They consist mainly of the VeloMałopolska route and routes such as the Polish section of the Cycling Route Around the Tatras, the route around Lake Czorsztyńskie or VeloKrynica, where:
- 53% is routed on roads separated from motorised traffic,
- 31% on local roads with subdued traffic,
- 16% gravel roads.
In addition, Małopolska has approx. 3000 km bike trails with varying degree of difficulty. The best known include the Around the Cycling Route Around the Tatras, the Trail of the Eagles’ Nests, the Mineral Water Trail and the Carp Valley Bicycle Trail.
Małopolska has a well-developed infrastructure for mountain biking - MTB, including its extreme varieties Enduro and Downhill.
- 9 bike parks: Bike Park Kasina, Bike Park Kluszkowce, Bike Park Mosorny Groń and Babia Góra Trails, Bike Park Słotwiny Arena, PKL Palenica/Szczawnica Bike Parks, Gorlickie Ścieżki,
- over 450 pump tracks,
- basins of mountain biking trails e.g., MTB biking trails in Krynica - Zdrój (created as part of local government activities).
VeloMałopolska project
VeloMałopolska is a large cycling project consisting of eight routes that will run through every region of the voivodeship and connect the largest cities. The eight routes are: Vistula Cycle Route, VeloDunajec, EuroVelo4/VeloMetropolis, EuroVelo11/ VeloNatura, VeloPrądnik, VeloRaba, VeloRudawa, VeloSkawa.
As part of the VeloMałopolska cycling route network, around 670 km are already passable, with a target of 1,000 km planned, including:
- 520 km was built by the Małopolska Region - the Regional Roads Authority in Krakow, the remaining sections were built by the municipalities through which the routes run,
- bicycle service points (MOR) have been created along VeloMałopolska routes built by the Regional Roads Authority - currently there are 27 of them. There are more than 1000 other shelters providing resting places for cyclists along the routes,
- over 2250 objects certified as Cyclist-Friendly Areas (MPR) in Małopolska.
The following VeloMałopolska routes are most advanced in construction:
- VeloDunajec: 205 km completed out of the planned 240 km
- Vistula Cycle Route: 223 km completed out of the planned 230 km
- VeloRaba: 50 km from the planned 130 km
- Eurovelo11/VeloNatura: 92 km from the planned 115 km
Explanation for the statistics
The figures present information regarding the routes from the VeloMałopolska project and the VeloCzorsztyn, VeloKrynica and Polish section of the Cycling Route Around the Tatras - together, presented on the map bit.ly/velomalopolska. The statistics include what is important from the point of view of a recreational cyclist, without including purely traffic routes in large cities such as Krakow or Tarnów. The aggregated kilometres do not distinguish between individual investors or administrative/ local government boundaries.
Brief overview of the statisticsk
As presented in the charts above, more than half (53%, 550 km) of these rideable sections are segregated, wide and tarmac cycleways, 17% (170 km) are sections also without motorised traffic but with gravel/cobblestone surfaces. There are 320 km (30%) of sections where the routes have been created on public roads with low car traffic.
The table summarises the kilometres of sections that are currently under construction, with commissioning dates scheduled for 2024/25 (over 12km in total).
Important note, a significant part of the routes that are being built outside the VeloMałopolska project will complement it very well. Exceptionally good infrastructure is being created, for instance, in the vicinity of the Vistula Cycle Route (on the Łączany Canal in the Skawina municipality) or next to the planned sections of the VeloRaba (a path on the Zaklińska Bay). There are 160 km of sections that are currently at the stage of developing design documentation and collecting construction permits (with completion dates for this stage in 2022/2023). Their construction, as well as the rest of the Velo Małopolska sections planned for later years (more than 110 km) is waiting for the new financing period from the European Union planned for 2021-2027.
Other important figures
- 40 - number of completed, larger and smaller pedestrian/bike-only bridges built/adapted for cycling,
- 2 - number of pedestrian and large bicycle bridges currently under construction,
- 3000 - number of kilometres of recommended cycling trails.
Map showing progress of works and type of pavement
