Poland

Area code 48Common abbreviation PLLast updated 21-2-2009
Road classSyntax explanationAdministrative subordinationSub classesZonesSystemRemarks
European roadE[0-9]<2-3>EuropeSee Europe
Motorway (autostrada)A[0-9]<1-2>{a}nationalIntegrated with national roadsExit (wyjazd) numbers by kilometers
Fast traffic road (droga szybkiego ruchu)S[0-9]<1-2>national
National road (droga krajowa)(DK)[0-9]<1-2>{a}national1-dGrid
2-d
Provincial road (droga wojewodzka)(DW)[0-9]<3>{a}nationalDetermined by first digit
District road (droga powiatowa)([FPW][0-9]<4-5>{O})district (powiat)
Municipal road (droga gminna)([0-9]<1-4|7>{B})municipality (gmina)
General description:
Motorways and motorway-like roads: The only existing motorway numbers are A1, A2, A4, A6 and A12, but the A3 and A8 are planned. The numbers are derived from parallel national route numbers. Each motorway forms one route together with the national road with the same number without 'A', and in some cases with the expressway with an S number.
For example, route 6 has a small section of A6 near Szczecin, a section is called S6 near Gdansk, and the rest is the (DK)6.
There is one suffixed number A4a, which is a spur linking the A4 to road 914 west of Kraków.
There are apparently exit numbers determined by kilometers, but these never appear on maps and could be obsolete.
National roads: 1- and 2-digit numbers are even for east-west routes and odd for north-south routes. This does not seem to hold for 3-digit numbers though there are probably more such numbers satisfying this rule than violating it.
1-digit numbers are the main international routes forming a grid. They all have E numbers, and most of them have exactly the same route as an E road.
Routes 2, 4, 6 and 8 are the main east-west routes, with 2/A2 coinciding with the E30 Berlin-Warszawa (Warsaw)-Minsk. Route 4/A4 is the E40 Dresden-Kraków-L'viv. Route 6/A6 links Szczecin and Gdansk. Route 8 coincides with the E67 Warszawa-Wroclaw-Praha. It crosses the A4 south of Wroclaw.
Odd 1-digit numbers are the main north-south routes, with 1 in the middle (the Polish section of the E75 Gdansk-Katowice-Bratislava), 3 in the west (the E65 Swinoujscie-Szczecin-Praha), 5 a diagonal road coinciding completely with the E261, linking 1 and 3. 7 is the Polish part of the E77 Gdansk-Warszawa-Kraków-Budapest and 9 branches off 7 at Radom, leading to Rzeszów and on to the Slovak border. This one has only recently been designated as E371.
2- and 3-digit numbers are other main roads. Zones for 3-digit numbers range from 1 in the northwest to 9 in the southeast.
Local roads do not appear on signs. There seem to be national systems both for Powiat and Gmina roads but some provinces have a numbering system of their own (with low numbers).
The syntax description given here is based on a sample only and probably incomplete.
Road signs:
Road/destination typeBackgroundTextRoad numbers
ClassShapeBackgroundText
MotorwaysBlueWhiteARectangleRedWhite
Other roadsGreenWhiteNational roadRectangleRedWhite
Local destinationsWhiteBlackProvincial roadRectangleYellowBlack
History: The first Polish motorways were built in the 1930's in areas which were then part of Germany. After World War II, for many years no new motorways were built. Until 2000, only a few small sections have been built. There are plans to build a number of long distance motorways across the country.
After former German areas became Polish, the German road numbers were removed (see also Germany History), and a Polish system with 1- to 3-digit numbers was introduced. In this system, E roads did not have a (signposted) national number.
There were T roads complementing the E numbers, with numbers derived from them: T7 branching off E7, T12 off E12 etc.
The current numbering system was adopted around 1986, in conjunction with the introduction of the new E numbers.
In September 2000, the current system was changed significantly in the following ways:
  1. Many 3-d numbers were upgraded to 2-d numbers.
  2. This was done by extending existing 2-d numbers and adding new ones that did not exist before, but also many 2-d numbers were changed: so many that the zone system no longer applies to 2-d numbers.
  3. All 1-d numbers were retained but route 8 was extended to the Lithuanian border via Bialystok and 5 was rerouted near Wroclaw.
  4. National roads parallel to motorways (e.g. route 4) were given other numbers so that the motorway numbers now form an integrated system with the national roads (e.g. route 2 has a motorway part A2). In general route 9x is the old road parallel to motorway Ax (even if the motorway was built long before the current road numbering system was introduced, and thus the road never had number x).
  5. Some 2-d numbers were downgraded to 3-d numbers.
  6. A few 3-d numbers were changed to other 3-d numbers.
The following table shows all known road number changes:
Index150100200300400
500600700800900Bottom
Old numberNew numberSection
191Piotrkow Trybunalski-Srock
186Siewierz-Tychy
292Wrzesnia-Konin
494Bytom-Krakow
477Radymno-Przemysl
428Przemysl-Medyka-UKR
534Dobromierz-Swiebodzice
535Wroclaw-Swiebodzice
1218Entire route
1412/14Sieradz-Lask
151Entire route
188Warszawa-Bialystok
1819Bialystok-Hrodna (BY)
198Bialystok-Suwalki-LT
2120Miastko-Szczecinek
2325Entire route
3412Nielubia-Jarocin
34298Klobuczyn-Nielubia
4211Poznan-Pleszew
4212Pleszew-Sieradz
4311Entire route
4412Entire route
4945Opole-Raciborz
5022Entire route
5215Entire route
6665Entire route
7114Entire route
7646Entire route
8010Bydgoszcz-Torun
8212Entire route
8477Stalowa Wola-Nisko
8674Entire route
9094Entire route
9178Entire route
9244Entire route
9381Katowice-Skoczow
9547Entire route
9652Entire route
9749Entire route
9828Entire route
9975Entire route
100
104109Trzebiatow-Mrzezyno
111106Entire route
11610Entire route
11713Entire route
11831Entire route
12426Mysliborz-Schwedt (D)
124128Mysliborz-Lawy
12923Entire route
13222Entire route
13322Kostrzyn-Waldowice
13324Waldowice-Skwierzyna
144106Entire route
145144Entire route
14920Entire route
17420Entire route
200
20620Miastko-Bytow
20920Bytow-Koscierzyna
22020Koscierzyna-Gdynia
24356Koronowo-Trzeciewiec (5)
24510Entire route
25615Entire route
25762Entire route
25915Entire route
26562Kruszwica-Brzesc Kujawski
27062Brzesc Kujawski-Wloclawek
27432Entire route
27529Slubice-Polupin
27532Polupin-Zielona Gora
28427Entire route
29712Szprotawa-Dziecmiarowice
29730Pasiecznik-Jelenia Gora
29812Entire route
29912Entire route
300
32436Rawicz-Ostrow Wielkopolski
33594Chojnow-motorway A4/A12
33694Entire route
33736Entire route
34394Entire route
34436Entire route
35630Entire route
3715Entire route
37435Swiebodzice-Walbrzych
37735Entire route
3785Entire route
38133Klodzko-CZ
38439Lagiewniki-Strzelin
39739Strzelin-Brzeg
400
40446Entire route
40846Klodzko-Nysa
40841Nysa-Prudnik
40840Prudnik-Kedzierzyn-Kozle
41240Entire route
41341Entire route
41838Entire route
42440Entire route
44015Entire route
44625Entire route
45142Namyslow-Kluczbork
45339Entire route
45694Entire route
46972Konin-Uniejow
47283Entire route
47372Uniejow-Balin
48642Dzialoszyn-Radomsko
48842Entire route
48943Entire route
49042Entire route
500
50454Braniewo-Mamonovo (RUS)
50822Old motorway section
50854Between old motorway and Braniewo
51455Entire route
54558Jedwabno-Szczytno
55767Wloclawek-Lipno
56950Entire route
57985Between 7 and 62 (former 623)
58957Entire route
59858Zgnilocha-Jedwabno
59957Entire route
600
60158Szczytno-Wolka Prusinowska
60259Entire route
60358Entire route
60859Entire route
61058Ruciane-Nida - Szczuczyn
61158Entire route
61750Plonsk-Ciechanow
62362Entire route
62462Entire route
62850Entire route
62960Lochow-Minsk Mazowiecki
62962Wyszkow-Lochow
63762Wegrow-Anusin (19)
64463Entire route
65765Entire route
66016Pockuny-LT
66316Entire route
66965Entire route
68063Entire route
68966Zambrow-Bielsk Podlaski
69266Entire route
69662Lochow-Wegrow
700
70160Entire route
70972Entire route
71171Entire route
71471Pabianice-Rzgow
71750Entire route
72379Warszawa-Sandomierz
72948Potworow-Glowaczow
73148Glowaczow-Kozienice
73848Kozienice-Bakowiec
73948Entire route
74048Klwow-Potworow
74191Entire route
74642Konskie-Rudnik
74942Radomsko-Konskie
75977Entire route
76578Jedrzejow-Chmielnik
77275Entire route
77779Sandomierz-Krakow
800
80376Wilga-Stoczek Lukowski
80463Entire route
80676Stoczek Lukowski-Lukow
81268Entire route
81674Hrubieszow-Komora
81763Entire route
82248Entire route
82348Entire route
83182Entire route
84774Entire route
85874Szczebrzeszyn-Zamosc
85977Entire route
86277Entire route
8714Entire route
89184Entire route
900
90394Entire route
90878Tarnowskie Gory-Gliwice
91078Entire route
91845Entire route
94469Entire route
95044Tychy-Zator
95028Zator-Wadowice
95244Entire route
96987Nowy Sacz-Stary Sacz
97087Entire route
99273Pilzno-Jaslo
Index150100200300400
500600700800900Bottom
Sources and links: various maps and atlases

    Official sites:
  1. GDDKiA
    Other links:
  2. przezautaszybe
  3. New road numbering system
  4. www.autostrady.com: Motorways
  5. Former Reichsautobahnen in Poland
  6. Maps
  7. Road pictures
  8. Historical topographical maps
    Specific roads:
  9. A2
  10. Autostrada A2
  11. Autostrada A4
  12. A4 plans
  13. Droga Krajowa 22
  14. DK81
    Other pages within this site:
  15. Europe
  16. Germany

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