27.07.2026 12:32

Trams and metropolitan rail trains join the yellow Transport GZM family

Berlin, Vienna, Prague, Zurich, London or Stockholm – what do these European cities have in common? Each of them has long maintained a consistent visual identity for public transport. A unified colour scheme helps build a strong transport brand and makes life easier for passengers. Now it is GZM’s turn – soon, trams and metropolitan rail trains will join the yellow Transport GZM family.

Around the world, a consistent visual identity for public transport forms the foundation of major metropolitan areas. Built on tradition and often characterised by uncompromising consistency across all modes of transport – from metro systems and buses to public bicycles. The Upper Silesian-Zagłębie Metropolis (GZM) is implementing the same approach. The first trams in the new yellow livery are expected to enter service on the GZM network later this year.

A Natural Evolution

“Following fare integration, including the introduction of common tickets and new purchasing methods, it is time for the next step – unifying the appearance of vehicles. We want the solution that has already proven successful for buses and Metrorower bicycles to be extended to trams and, in the future, to metropolitan rail trains, so that passengers – both residents of our region and visiting guests – immediately recognise that all vehicles within the GZM network form one system, where the same tickets and rules apply. This will significantly improve orientation and mobility across the cities and municipalities of the Metropolis,” says Leszek Pietraszek, Chair of the Management Board of the Upper Silesian-Zagłębie Metropolis.

The tram repainting programme will be introduced gradually by Tramwaje Śląskie. New vehicles will be delivered in the yellow colour scheme, while trams currently in service will receive the new livery during scheduled major overhauls and modernisation works. This will ensure that the entire process is carried out in an economically rational manner and does not generate additional costs related solely to changing the appearance of the vehicles.

“We understand that changing the colour of trams may evoke emotions due to the historical attachment to red. Today, however, we are undergoing a process of change – we are increasingly trying to think of our Metropolis as a single functional and spatial entity. A common fleet colour is one of the visible signs of this integration process. As the Metropolis’ strategic transport operator, Tramwaje Śląskie is an important part of this process. Therefore, we regard the gradual change in colour scheme as a natural stage of development rather than merely an aesthetic decision,” says Krzysztof Mikuła, President of Tramwaje Śląskie.

One Colour, One System

The change goes beyond repainting the vehicles. Trams will also receive new interior and exterior signage based on the bilingual pictogram and graphic information system already used by Transport GZM. As a result, passengers will find the information they need even more easily and will be able to use the entire system intuitively.

A unified visual identity means one system, one passenger information standard and one ticket – regardless of the mode of transport. This solution will make travel easier both for residents of the Metropolis and for those visiting the region for the first time.

With Respect for Tradition

The history of tram transport within the area of today’s Upper Silesian-Zagłębie Metropolis spans more than 120 years. For more than a century, trams have been an inseparable part of the urban landscape, symbolising dynamic industrial development and, over time, the integration of the entire region. Tram depots proudly preserve and restore unique historic vehicles, which serve as living testimony to the transport traditions of Silesia and Zagłębie.

The transition to the unified yellow colours of the Transport GZM brand is an important step towards a modern and coherent transport identity for the region. However, this new era in no way erases the memory of the past. Preserving the history of trams in the region, maintaining historic rolling stock and cultivating traditions that have connected generations of residents remain key priorities.

Three Years of Transport GZM

It is worth recalling that the first vehicles bearing the Transport GZM logo were delivered in mid-2023. These were electric Solaris buses purchased under the GEPARD II Programme. The yellow family of vehicles was subsequently expanded by Metrorower, Poland’s largest public bicycle system. The first rental stations were launched in February 2024.

In the future, the common visual identity will also be extended to metropolitan rail trains. This is a natural direction for the development of the Transport GZM system, in which metropolitan rail is intended to serve as the backbone of regional transport, integrating the region’s key cities and interchange hubs.

Transport GZM is one of the largest public transport systems in Poland, comprising 1,900 vehicles, 500 routes and 7,000 stops. The Transport GZM network serves more than 2.5 million passengers across 56 cities and municipalities.

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28.07.2026 10:48

Free bus lines for GKS Katowice fans. GKS1 and GKS2 will be operational from July 30th

GKS Katowice fans will be able to travel free of charge to matches played at Arena Katowice on special bus lines GKS1 and GKS2. The buses, organized by the Metropolitan Transport Authority and the City of Katowice, will run on home matchdays until May 31st, 2027.

The Metropolitan Transport Authority, in cooperation with the City of Katowice, will launch two special, free bus lines for GKS Katowice fans. Lines GKS1 and GKS2 will begin operating on July 30th, 2026, the day of the first home match of the 2026/2027 season. They will run during all GKS Katowice matches played at Arena Katowice until May 31st, 2027.

The buses will be available to all interested parties – the buses will be free of charge and no match ticket or other travel document will be required.

The GKS1 line will run between the Brynów Centrum Przesiadkowe and Katowice Arena stops. The GKS2 line will connect the Katowice Andrzeja Dworzec and Katowice Arena stops.

According to the adopted guidelines, buses on the GKS1 line will depart every 15 minutes, while the GKS2 line will run every 10 minutes. Both lines will serve passengers for approximately two and a half hours before the match starts and for approximately two hours after the match ends.

The launch of these special lines is intended to facilitate fans' access to the stadium and their return after the matches. Convenient connections to key transfer points in Katowice will make traveling to the Katowice Arena possible without the need for a car.

Timetables for the GKS1 and GKS2 lines will be published on the Transport GZM website.

14.07.2026 7:22

73 new electric buses for GZM. Vehicle acceptance has been completed

The Upper Silesian-Zagłębie Metropolis has completed the acceptance of 73 new electric buses. The vehicles have been delivered to four public transport companies and are already strengthening the fleet serving the Metropolis' residents. Along with the buses, GZM has acquired 45 chargers. The total value of the orders is nearly PLN 305 million gross. The vast majority of this amount comes from the National Reconstruction Plan.

The Upper Silesian-Zagłębie Metropolis is consistently implementing a program to replace the rolling stock used in public transport. Following the earlier acceptance of the hydrogen buses, another important stage of this process has been completed – the delivery and acceptance of the electric buses.

"The scale of this purchase demonstrates how much we can achieve by working together as a Metropolis. 73 new electric buses are a real change that residents will see on the streets of our cities. In this way, we support operators in replacing older rolling stock, while also consistently building modern public transport that is more friendly to residents and the environment." It's also important that we have secured significant funding, thanks to which we can implement this change on such a large scale," says Leszek Pietraszek, Chairman of the Management Board of the Metropolis of Upper Silesia and Zagłębie.

"The new electric buses that the Metropolis is providing to PKM Gliwice are good news for passengers and another step towards modern, more eco-friendly public transport. PKM Gliwice currently has 219 buses, 28 of which are electric and 47 are hybrid. This demonstrates that we are systematically increasing the number of environmentally friendly buses. The new articulated Irizar buses will be quiet, comfortable, low-floor, and adapted to the needs of people with limited mobility. Their equipment will also improve safety and travel comfort. I am pleased that we can implement such investments thanks to the support of national and EU funds, including the National Reconstruction Plan. This allows us to develop public transport without placing an excessive burden on the city budget." "This is also an example of good cooperation between local governments in the metropolitan area, which brings real benefits to residents," says Katarzyna Kuczyńska-Budka, Mayor of Gliwice.

In total, as part of three projects co-financed by the National Transport Programme (Hydrogen GZM, Green Transport GZM stages I and II), GZM acquired 73 electric buses (42 manufactured by Solaris and 31 by Irizar) and 45 chargers. The new vehicles were delivered to four public transport companies:

• PKM Świerklaniec – 49 electric buses and 30 chargers,

• PKM Katowice – 9 buses and 5 chargers,

• PKM Sosnowiec – 8 buses and 6 chargers,

• PKM Gliwice – 7 buses and 4 chargers.

The largest fleet expansion was achieved by PKM Świerklaniec, which received two-thirds of all purchased electric buses.

45 Electric Bus Chargers

Along with the new buses, GZM has expanded the infrastructure necessary to service zero-emission vehicles. The chargers were installed primarily at bus depots owned by public transport companies. One is also located at the bus terminus on Kościuszki Street in Będzin.

The infrastructure includes both lower-power chargers, primarily intended for charging buses while parked at depots, and high-power devices, enabling faster recharging.

Another Step Toward Zero-Emission Transport

The purchase of 73 electric buses is the next step in building modern, zero-emission public transport in GZM. By purchasing the vehicles and the necessary infrastructure, the metropolis supports operators in replacing older fleets with zero-emission buses. This is particularly important in central areas of cities, where traffic volume, passenger numbers, and population density are highest. Replacing older vehicles with electric buses reduces local exhaust and noise emissions, thus directly impacting the quality of life for residents.

The new vehicles complement the hydrogen buses that GZM received in January of this year. As a result, the public transport fleet in the metropolitan area is gradually being strengthened with vehicles utilizing various zero-emission technologies.

Over PLN 336 million for buses and infrastructure

The total value of the electric portion of the orders is approximately PLN 304.6 million gross. The purchases were made under three projects:

• the electric portion of the Hydrogen GZM project – PLN 85.5 million gross,

• Green Transport GZM – PLN 133.7 million gross,

• Green Transport GZM – Stage II – PLN 85.4 million gross.

The previously received hydrogen portion of the Hydrogen GZM project had a value of nearly PLN 31.9 million gross.

Support from the National Recovery and Reconstruction Plan (KPO)

The implementation of these projects was made possible thanks to significant support from the National Recovery and Reconstruction Plan (KPO). The total amount of funding awarded for the three projects exceeds PLN 257.3 million, with total eligible costs exceeding PLN 273.5 million.

This means that, on average, over 94% of eligible project costs were covered by funding.

The level of support for individual projects was:

• 95.41% for the Hydrogen GZM project,

• 91.35% for the Green Transport GZM project,

• 96.54% for the Green Transport GZM project – Phase II.

The completion of the commissioning of 73 electric buses is one of the largest stages of the bus fleet replacement implemented by GZM to date. The new vehicles and charging infrastructure will serve residents in various parts of the Metropolis, strengthening the offer of modern, zero-emission public transport.

Foto: GZM/Krzysztof Malinowski