Air quality in Ostrava by neighbourhood
Where Ostrava has the least nitrogen dioxide from traffic, where the most, and what that means for choosing a flat.
What we measure
Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) comes mainly from car exhausts, so it shows well how much a neighbourhood is affected by traffic. We take the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute’s five-year average for the 1 × 1 km square each address lies in, and for a neighbourhood the median of its addresses. A single year can be skewed by the weather or a road closure; five years show what a place is really like.
Where the air is cleanest
The least nitrogen dioxide is in Krásné Pole (10.7 µg/m³), Polanka nad Odrou (13.1 µg/m³) and Bartovice (13.8 µg/m³). Half of Ostrava’s 24 neighbourhoods are above 15.5 µg/m³.
Where the air is worst
The most nitrogen dioxide is in Moravská Ostrava (19.8 µg/m³), Přívoz (19.5 µg/m³) and Vítkovice (18.8 µg/m³). Behind the high numbers there is usually the main roads through the city, big junctions and the dense streets around the centre.
Dust and industry
Besides traffic, Ostrava has another source that nitrogen dioxide does not show: dust and benzo[a]pyrene from industry, home stoves and neighbouring Poland. They build up mainly in winter, during temperature inversions, and are usually highest in the east of the city around the steelworks. Read the NO₂ ranking as a picture of traffic, not of the air as a whole; the current dust levels are on the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute’s measuring stations.
What it means for your home
- Courtyard or side street: a flat facing a courtyard or a quiet street breathes better than windows straight onto a busy road, even in the same neighbourhood.
- Floor: next to a busy road the air is worst close to the ground; higher floors are a little better off.
- Greenery and slopes: parks and open hillsides help the air circulate; valleys and enclosed streets hold it.
- Noise goes with it: where there are many cars, it tends to be noisy too. Check the noise map of the address as well.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the cleanest air in Ostrava?
The least nitrogen dioxide from traffic is in Krásné Pole (10.7 µg/m³), Polanka nad Odrou (13.1 µg/m³) and Bartovice (13.8 µg/m³), based on five-year averages from the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute.
Where is the air worst in Ostrava?
The most nitrogen dioxide is in Moravská Ostrava (19.8 µg/m³), Přívoz (19.5 µg/m³) and Vítkovice (18.8 µg/m³). High numbers tend to be along main roads, at big junctions and in dense streets where the air circulates less.
What nitrogen dioxide level is safe?
The legal annual limit in Czechia is 40 µg/m³. The World Health Organization recommends at most 10 µg/m³, and the EU is lowering its limit to 20 µg/m³ from 2030. Half of Ostrava’s neighbourhoods are above 15.5 µg/m³.
