Land surveying in Poland: PUWG 1992 versus PUWG 2000
In Poland the question is not which system, but which system for which job.
Field takeaways
- PUWG 1992 (EPSG 2180) covers the whole country in one slice; mapping and general GIS live there.
- PUWG 2000 consists of four 3-degree slices; cadastre and large-scale work live there.
- Both sit on the ETRS89 datum; the difference is the projection, not the datum.
- Mistaking a 1992 file for 2000 (or the reverse) shifts it by hundreds of kilometres.
- The app opens in Poland with the official system covering the location.
Two systems, two jobs
Poland defines two official plane systems with a clear division of labour. PUWG 1992 (EPSG 2180) covers the entire country in one slice: topographic maps, national datasets and general GIS live there. PUWG 2000 consists of four 3-degree slices: cadastre and large-scale engineering live there, because a narrow slice keeps local distortion small.
Same datum, different projection
Both sit on ETRS89. The difference is a choice of projection, not a datum shift. That is the good news: the conversion is defined and lossless. The bad news is that mixing the two systems' number ranges in one file shifts the map by hundreds of kilometres.
Which file is in which system?
A file from the cadastral office is most likely in the local PUWG 2000 slice; a dataset downloaded from national portals is in 1992. The way to be sure is the metadata — and failing that, a test against a known point.
What the app does in Poland
MapLab Survey opens in Poland with the official system covering the location. PUWG 1992 and the PUWG 2000 slices sit together in the catalogue; you can measure in one, deliver in the other, and compare files from both on one screen. Output goes to DXF or CSV in the system you choose.
The delivery note
Write the system into the file name of a Polish delivery: "PUWG2000_zone6". The recipient's first question will be exactly that; let the file carry its own answer.
Try these steps on your own phone.
MapLab Survey handles RTK/GNSS point capture, drawing, area and volume calculations and coordinate conversion, then exports to DXF, KML/KMZ, GeoJSON, Shapefile, GeoPackage, NCZ or CSV. Capture, calculation and export work offline. Live NTRIP corrections and online basemaps need a connection.
Frequently asked questions
Which system is official in Poland?
Both: PUWG 1992 (EPSG 2180) for mapping and general GIS, the four PUWG 2000 slices for cadastre and large-scale work.
Is there a datum difference between PUWG 1992 and 2000?
No; both sit on ETRS89. The difference is the projection, and the conversion is lossless.
Which system does a cadastral file arrive in?
Most likely the local PUWG 2000 slice; national portal data is usually 1992.
Which system does the app open with in Poland?
The official system covering the location; the catalogue holds both systems and their slices.
Technical references
The field guidance in this article is aligned with the technical and official references below.
Related: Coordinate conversion app · Placing a scanned sheet · Bluetooth RTK GNSS · MapLab Survey