Abstract
This study analysed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the urban transport systems in Lodz and Bratislava, focusing on changes in mobility behaviour, public transport efficiency, and road congestion. To analyse the efficiency of the road network, traffic microsimulations were conducted. For the assessment of public transport efficiency, comparable data on yearly volumes of passengers carried by public transport operators in the two cities were applied. The results confirm that the pandemic triggered significant, though mostly temporary, changes in the use of both personal and public transport. The findings indicate that the pandemic influenced both the organisation and use of urban transport systems. In both cities, public transport ridership declined sharply due to lockdowns and travel restrictions, forcing operators to adjust schedules, reduce service frequencies, and implement additional health measures. Simultaneously, car traffic patterns were also disrupted, with the early stages of the pandemic bringing a reduction in congestion, followed by a return to pre-pandemic levels. The pandemic proved that more emphasis should be placed on developing intelligent transport management systems to better adapt to changing conditions and the preferences of road users.