Obecnie systemy tramwajowe w Polsce występują w: Częstochowie, Gdańsku, GOP, Gorzowie Wielkopolskim, Krakowie, Poznaniu, Szczecinie, Warszawie i Wrocławiu (1 435 mm) oraz Bydgoszczy, Elblągu, Grudziądzu, Łodzi i Toruniu (1 000 mm). Systemy te można podzielić na odpowiedniki rozbudowane (przynajmniej kilkanaście eksploatowanych linii), jak i niewielkie, liczące po kilka linii. Do pierwszej grupy można zaliczyć: Gdańsk, GOP, Kraków, Łódź, Poznań, Szczecin, Warszawę i Wrocław, a do drugiej: Bydgoszcz, Częstochowę, Elbląg, Gorzów Wielkopolski, Grudziądz i Toruń. Po 1989 r. systemy tramwajowe w Polsce potrzebowały pilnych inwestycji, zarówno taborowych, jak i infrastrukturalnych. Należy dodać, iż wcześniej, m.in. ze względów finansowych, dostęp do nowoczesnych technologii był znacząco utrudniony. W rezultacie większość taboru nie była nowoczesna, a w poszczególnych miastach eksploatowano jeszcze wagony serii N.
Tramways are used in most important cities in Poland, mostly on the
1435 mm gauge, but also the 1000 mm one is used, in Warsaw, Cracow, Gdansk, Szczecin, Silesian agglomeration, Poznań, Częstochowa, Gorzów Wielkopolski, and Łódź, Bydgoszcz, Toruń, Elbląg, Grudziądz, respectively. The process of modernization the tramway infrastructure and purchasing modern rolling stock was accelerated after accession of Poland to EU in 2004. In addition, new tramway manufacturers were established, like Pesa, Solaris, Cegielski, Modertrans and Protram, and the communist-era producer of tramways – the Konstal company changed its profile production and was taken over by Alstom. Others tramway manufacturers also sold modern rolling stock for many tramway operators in Poland, like Bombardier, Siemens, and Skoda. For now, several hundreds of modern tramways are exploited in cities in Poland, usually equipped in three-phase electric traction engines, low-floor, air-condition,
etc. However, many tramways were bought as second-hand vehicles
from Germany, the Netherlands and Austria. In opposition of communist times, when in fact only one tramway manufacturer was present in Poland, now every city uses different to others its rolling stock. Parallel to purchasing of modern rolling stock, the process of modernization of existing tramway infrastructure is carried out and new lines are also built. The city authorities of Olsztyn has decided to reactivate the tramway system (it was liquidated in 1965 in Olsztyn). EU strong promotes the city railway or the tramway system (significant financial support is provided), as the real solution for decreasing of high private vehicles traffic in city centers.
