How many bridges are there in Kraków? Bridges over the Vistula — history and list
There are 19 crossings over the Vistula in Kraków: 12 road bridges, 3 railway bridges and 4 pedestrian and cycle footbridges (as of October 2026). The newest, the Kazimierz–Ludwinów footbridge, opened on 4 October 2026, and the longest is the Cardinal Franciszek Macharski Bridge on the ring road. Here’s a short history of Kraków’s bridges and a guide to the most important ones.
How many bridges are there in Kraków? From west to east
- the Kościuszko weir with a footbridge,
- Zwierzyniecki Bridge, Dębnicki Bridge, Grunwaldzki Bridge, Józef Piłsudski Bridge,
- Father Bernatek Footbridge, Kazimierz–Ludwinów Footbridge (2026),
- Powstańców Śląskich Bridge,
- the railway bridges at Zabłocie with the Grzegórzki–Zabłocie footbridge,
- Kotlarski Bridge, the railway bridge at Dąbie, the bridge on the Dąbie weir, Nowohucki Bridge, Wanda Bridge,
- Cardinal Franciszek Macharski Bridge (S7), the railway bridge at Przylasek Rusiecki and the Kraków–Niepołomice bridge.
From fords to wooden bridges
The oldest traces of people in Kraków are about 200,000 years old. Settlement was helped by the Vistula, which once split here into several branches — so the first crossings were fords, shallow spots where you could walk or ride across. As the settlement beneath Wawel grew in importance, wooden bridges appeared. They were easy to destroy: in 1657, as they left the city, the Swedes burned all of Kraków’s bridges.
Nature fought the wooden bridges too. Charles Bridge, opened in 1802, was swept away by a flood in 1813. In 1844–1850 the Podgórze Bridge was built between Kazimierz and Podgórze — then a separate town. It was dismantled in 1925 because of its poor condition, but its stone abutments survived: in 2010 the Father Bernatek Footbridge was built on them. In January 1945 the retreating Germans blew up several Kraków bridges, including Dębnicki and the railway bridge at Zabłocie.
The most important bridges today
The Cardinal Franciszek Macharski Bridge on the S7 expressway, opened in 2017, is the longest bridge over the Vistula in the Małopolska region — two carriageways about 706 and 696 m long.
Closest to the historic centre are the Dębnicki, Grunwaldzki and Józef Piłsudski bridges. Dębnicki Bridge was built low so as not to block the view of Wawel — during the 2010 flood the water almost reached its spans. Piłsudski Bridge, opened in 1933, is listed in the municipal register of historic monuments and was renovated with new lighting in 2019–2020.
The newest crossing, the Kazimierz–Ludwinów footbridge, opened on 4 October 2026, is about 130 m long, has no piers in the river and links Inflancki and Wołyński boulevards. Earlier, in 2023, the Grzegórzki–Zabłocie footbridge was built alongside the rebuilt railway bridges at Zabłocie.
More crossings are planned, including a bridge at Pychowice as part of the third ring road.
Where to stay in Kraków
The closest base for the Vistula boulevards and bridges is Kazimierz — Hotel Regent at Bożego Ciała 19 is a few minutes from the Bernatek Footbridge and the new footbridge to Ludwinów. In the Old Town, about 500 m from the Main Square, there’s Best Western Plus Kraków Old Town at Świętej Gertrudy 6.
Frequently asked questions
How many bridges are there in Kraków?
There are 19 crossings over the Vistula in Kraków: 12 road bridges, 3 railway bridges and 4 pedestrian and cycle footbridges (as of October 2026).
What is the longest bridge in Kraków?
The Cardinal Franciszek Macharski Bridge on the S7 — two carriageways about 706 and 696 m long.
What is the newest Vistula crossing in Kraków?
The Kazimierz–Ludwinów footbridge, opened on 4 October 2026.
Updated in October 2026.