Tatra National Park to pilot shorter horse-drawn route to Morskie Oko

Tatra National Park (TPN) will launch a pilot program on September 1 to shorten the horse-drawn carriage route to Morskie Oko. Under this new arrangement, carriages will travel from Palenica Białczańska only to Wodogrzmoty Mickiewicza, reducing the distance from approximately 6.9 km to 2.9 km.

The initiative aims to reduce the workload on horses by removing them from the steepest and most demanding sections of the trail. The remaining segment toward Włosienica is intended to be serviced by electric transport. TPN currently operates four e-buses and is conducting a tender for 16 additional vehicles to meet high demand.

Climate and Environment Minister Paulina Hennig-Kloska noted that the agreement was negotiated with carriers to balance tradition with environmental and animal welfare concerns. The pilot phase will help test organizational logistics and refine rules for the permanent transition to a hybrid transport model.