Controversy around prices on the way to the Sea Eye. MP PiS thunders about the “Tusk Road”, PPN sprinkles its head with ash

• The case of electrical buses, which began regular courses on the way to the Marine Eye on May 1, became an chance for a political attack by a PiS MP on Donald Tusk's government
• One of the leaders of the Law and Justice in Małopolska — Łukasz Kmita — notes that the tickets for the vehicle that TNP advertises as its “new educational attraction” are very expensive
• The parliamentarian rightly notes that after the introduction of buses, people with disabilities had to spend a lot more money to get over the Marine Eye than it had cost them so far.
• As Onet calculated, in the long weekend the journey over the pond for a wheelchair and its guardian cost 300 PLN in 2 directions. Before that, specified a individual could drive in his own car for PLN 100
• More akin texts can be found on the main page of Onetu

It was expected to be a large success... and then a false start came out. As we wrote in the text "Tourists amazed the bus prices on the way to the Sea Eye. “They won” horses, but the Highlanders are not happy.”, on the long May weekend in the Tatras a regular electrical bus connection was launched. Connection in the first 3 days of May But it was not very interesting.. At a time erstwhile around 4,000 people took the ride on the same route, 110 people took the bus.

Electric buses rode 3 variants of the route:

1. From Zakopane over the Marine Eye itself and back (cost PLN 300 for a individual with wheelchair disability plus its guardian and PLN 150 for another passengers)
2. From Białczańska to Włosienica (2 km in front of the pond) price 100 PLN up and 60 PLN down
3. From Zakopane to Włosienica — in the price of PLN 100 up and PLN 90 down

Such ticket prices were valid for a long weekend on net sales. If individual wanted to buy them at the office of the Tourist Point of TNP, they had to pay 10 PLN more each time. However, as the park notes, there is already a ticket to the park, which presently costs PLN 11 for adults and PLN 5.5 for children.

“Tuska Road” in Tatra Mountains

Although the prices for the e-bus were comparable to what tourists paid for the ride on the same way with a horse car (it is present 100 PLN up and 70 PLN down plus ticket to the park) many people were very amazed by the price list of Tatra National Park. There were quite a few entries in the network that said that the Tatras had entered the "treasure" and it was signed by the state institution.

The same opinion is taken by the Malopolska MP of PiS Łukasz Kmita, who served as the Małopolskie Voivodeship from 2020 to 1923. On Sunday and Monday (4–5 May), the MP published a series of tweets, the Ministry of Climate and Environment and Donald Tusk in his X account.

— Oh, this mayday, the road, if you went to the Tatras and wanted to enjoy the fresh attraction of electrical buses on the Zakopane — Palenica — Marine Eye line, we can hear on the video recorded by Kmita. — Imagine that tickets for a four-man family, 2 adults and 2 children and defeating the episode from Białczańska Palenica to Italianica and back is $640. This is truly scandalous! Tusk’s government is liable for the price - he added.

A twelve hours earlier, the same MP Kmita had warned that the crossing of the buses that TPN had to bought (from the budget reserve of the Ministry) climate and environment minister Paulina Hennig-Kloska, is very costly besides for people with disabilities.

MP Łukasz Kmita noted that the journey for a individual with mobility disabilities and its guardian on a longer way from Zakopane is simply a cost of 300 PLN on both sides.

"As you can see, the ministers of Donald Tusk's government and his administration are more delicate to the needs of animals than people," the opposition MP ironized, reminding that electrical buses had entered the Tatras to replace horses that, according to pro-animal organizations, worked on the way to the Marine Eye above their forces (mountains and many vets had a different opinion).

We did. People with disabilities will actually pay much more

Kmit's words in the second case are hard to deny. The introduction of electrical buses on the way to the Marine Eye caused people with disabilities in May for the chance to visit the Marine Eye to pay much more money than 12 months earlier.

Until now, the CPN offered people with disabilities during the summertime period (from 1 May to 31 October) the chance to buy a circumstantial pass, which authorized them and their families to enter the way to the Marine Eye with their own car. To reduce traffic on the trail, specified passes were issued no more than 4 a day. They cost PLN 50 (car to 5 passengers) and PLN 100 (car to 9 passengers) respectively, erstwhile the car could only scope Italian or likewise PLN 100 and 200 if individual wanted to drive almost to the most popular Tatra pond.

To these amounts, each of the passengers of specified a car with the issued pass had to buy an additional admission ticket, but after summing up, it turned out that 1 individual taking a journey to the Marine Eye along with a individual or persons with disabilities (it cost no more than a fewer twelve zlotys).

Ziobrowski: we cannot pay for buses

Does this mean that people with disabilities who want to visit the Eye of the Sea will feel the full revolution promised on the way most in their pockets? The park assures you absolutely not.

Szymon Ziobrowski, manager of TPN in an interview with Onet admits that electrical buses were introduced on the way besides to limit traffic on the mountain road of all another cars (there are besides park guards, foresters, shelter service in the Sea Eye and food suppliers for his needs). Therefore, the park will gradually reduce the number of entrances issued in the following weeks.

In parallel, the park itself admits that the price of PLN 300 for a individual in a wheelchair plus a guardian was a mistake and a mistake. That is why it was corrected in a moment. Anyone who already on Tuesday, May 6 would like to buy a akin ticket for a couple with disabilities plus a guardian, will pay only 150 PLN for a ticket for specified a duo.

— We talked a lot about the prices of electrical bus tickets and after the experience of the long weekend we have first conclusions, says Ziobrowski. “These buses can’t carry people to the mountains for a “half-gift” due to the fact that our goal is not to supply mass transport. In addition to offering educational service, we want to make it possible to scope the Eye of the Sea for people who have difficulty getting there on their own. We tested a akin solution a fewer years ago and enjoyed large interest. At the moment, people with disabilities can inactive usage paid entrances. In return, however, we want to give them the chance to transport from Zakopane to the Sea Eye itself for a fee not exceeding 40 PLN. However, we must balance the full thing out. simply put, you gotta cover your operating costs. Park can't pay for this service. We besides request to have more of these vehicles,” adds the manager of TPN.

It besides recalls that erstwhile a fewer years ago the park changed its policy of renting parking places on the way to the Sea Eye, many people besides shouted "scandal and expensive". Today, in Ziobrowski's opinion, prices for all-day parking at the level of 70 PLN do not shock anyone. marketplace law worked due to the fact that there's quite a few request for these places.

— Let us remember that it is piloting, testing, listening to remarks due to the fact that there are faults, making adjustments. We give people an alternative, but we encourage first of all to wander around the Tatras, due to the fact that it is hiking that remains the best way to experience the mountains,” the manager of TNP says.