excursions to auschwitz from krakow

• Help Desk & Booking
• [email protected]
• +48 570 599 599
• +48 570 792 792
• Mon to Sun 7:00 - 22:00 CET

• Auschwitz Tours from Krakow
• Krakow Salt Mine Tours
• Auschwitz Birkenau & Salt Mine Day tour
• Auschwitz & Schindlers Factory Day tour
• Salt Mine & Schindlers Factory Day tour
• Krakow Walking Tour
• Krakow sightseeing by electric golf cart
• Vistula River Cruise
• Zakopane Tours
• Schindler’s Factory Tour
• Krakow airport transfer
• Katowice Airport transfers
• Krakow airport to zakopane
• All Transfers
• All transfers
• Business Services
• Tailor Made
• Early booking deals
• Client’s feedback

AUSCHWITZ TOURS FROM KRAKOW

Select tour date:

Choose your type of tour:.

Choose your option:

Visit auschwitz with krakowdirect.

Auschwitz tours to Auschwitz former concentration camp known all over the world as a symbol of the Holocaust.

During World War II, Auschwitz-Birkenau was the largest concentration camp of the Nazis . It was established in the suburbs of the city of Oswiecim (Auschwitz in German), 60 kilometres west of Krakow. It took the lives of about 1.1 million people , mostly Jewish but also Poles, Romani, and Russian. The liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp took place in January 1945. However, before that Nazi authorities tried to destroy as much evidence of massive murders as possible. After the war, the Polish government decided to restore Auschwitz-Birkenau and turn it into a museum . It preserves the memory of Auschwitz-Birkenau and honours the victims of Nazism. Now it is part of the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites , and more than 2 million tourists visit Auschwitz each year.

Private car Auschwitz tours with a shared or private guide

Our Private Auschwitz-Birkenau Tour from Krakow takes approximately 7 hours . We offer door-to-door pickup and drop-off , a private, modern car and a friendly, English-speaking tour leader/driver . We will set up the pickup time based on the hour you have requested and fit it into the entry time options to the Museum to make It as comfortable for you as possible. The journey to Auschwitz takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes each way. In the Museum, you can either join a regular/shared guided tour or book a private guided tour . Private guided tours need to be booked at least 8 days in advance. The sightseeing takes about 3.5 hours —approximately 2 hours in Auschwitz I and 1,5 hours in Auschwitz II Birkenau. You may also consider visiting Auschwitz Birkenau and Salt Mine or Auschwitz Birkenau and Schindler’s Factory in one day to save your precious holiday time. After the tour, we will drop you off at your hotel in Krakow. The tour can be extended upon request for an additional charge.

Our special bonus for this Auschwitz Tour

If you decide to book our Auschwitz Tour, we have got something extra for you. Each day at 19:00, we organise an Evening Walking Tour , which you can join completely for free. It starts at the Jan Matejko Square under the “Grunwald Monument”. You will meet our professional city guide there, who will show you the best of Krakow Old Town. You will walk down the Royal Route and finish under Wawel Castle near the Dragon Monument. It takes about 1 hour. You can participate in this tour on any day of your visit in Krakow.

Shared tours to Auschwitz

Our Shared Auschwitz-Birkenau Tour from Krakow takes approximately 7 hours. We offer door-to-door pickup from any central Kraków accommodation and a meeting point option is also available. We provide a Modern Mercedes Benz vehicle and a friendly English-speaking tour leader . We will schedule the pickup time according to the requested hour, as we aim to optimise the minibus route through the city to ensure maximum comfort for you. The journey takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes each way. The Auschwitz-Birkenau guided tour with a professional English-speaking guide or other language of your choice takes about 3.5 hours —approximately 2 hours in Auschwitz I and 1,5 hours in Auschwitz II Birkenau. You may also consider visiting Auschwitz Birkenau and Salt Mine or Auschwitz Birkenau and Schindler’s Factory in one day to get the most out of your city break in Krakow. After the tour, we will drop you off in Krakow city centre.

Early booking deals - 20% off

€ 53 book now

€ 103 book now

You could also consider

{{contact.responseMsg}}

{{contact.errors}}

Your message has been sent to us. Thank you. We will get back to You in up to 120 minutes within our working hours (Monday to Sunday from 7:00 to 22:00 CET)

Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum Guided Tour

The former concentration camp in Auschwitz Memorial and Museum is one of the most popular attractions for day trips from Krakow. Tourists from all over the world visit Auschwitz in Poland to pay tribute to everyone who died there. The Museum, located in Oświęcim, preserves the memory of every person sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau and reminds us about the dreadful times of World War II and the Holocaust. It represents extremely important history and should be visited by every adult. Even though the tours to Auschwitz can be emotional and difficult, it is a must during your stay in Krakow.

Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum in Poland

Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum is a museum on the site of former concentration and extermination camp in Oświęcim. It consists of two parts – Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau . Both were developed and ran by Nazi during its occupation of Poland during World War II. The museum was created in April 1946 by Tadeusz Wąsowicz and other former Auschwitz-Birkenau prisoners, acting under the direction of Poland’s Ministry of Culture and Art.

The first exhibition in the barracks opened in 1947 . It presented the history of extermination and the conditions in which the prisoners lived. A new exhibition was opened in 1955. With some changes, it is still in use today. After 1960, some of the camp blocks contained the so-called “ national exhibitions ,” created at the initiative of former prisoners of the largest holocaust concentration camp from various countries who are associated in the International Auschwitz Committee. In 1979, the Museum built on the grounds of former concentration camp of Auschwitz became a World Heritage Site. Today, it is visited by around 2 million people from all over the world every year.

Learn About The History of Auschwitz Concentration Camp

Before the tour begins, it’s very important to read about the Museum and learn more about the history of Nazi concentration and extermination camp. Camp Auschwitz-Birkenau was a complex of over 40 concentration and extermination camps operated by Nazi Germany  in occupied Poland during World War II. At first, it was supposed to be a prison for political criminals from Poland, but soon it turned out that people sent to Auschwitz were mostly civilians of Jewish, Polish and Roma ethnicities.

Construction of the Camp

Construction of the camp began in 1940 , when Auschwitz – the main camp and the administrative quarter of the complex – was built. The first mass transport – of 728 Polish male political prisoners, including Catholic priests and Jews – arrived on 14 June 1940 from Tarnów, Poland. Upon arriving, the prisoners were being registered, given a serial number, tattooed, shaved, disinfected, and given a striped prison uniform. Then they were subjected to excruciating labor and life in horrible conditions .

KL Auschwitz Expansion

In 1941 , it was decided that the KL Auschwitz I needs to be expanded. The same year prisoners of Auschwitz began construction work of Birkenau – additional camp in the town of Brzezinka , about 3 km from Oswiecim. Birkenau consisted consisted mostly of wooden barracks , which were very dangerous to live in, as they didn’t provide much protection from weather conditions (such as intense cold or rain).

That’s why a lot of the prisoners living in Birkenau died out of hypothermia , starvation or exhaustion . It is said that Birkenau held the biggest part of the mass murder apparatus and the majority of prisoners were murdered there.

Life in Auschwitz

Due to many reports of former inmates, we now have a rather broad knowledge about how the life in Auschwitz-Birkenau looked like. We know that the prisoners were divided into categories , based on their nationality , ethnicity , and even sexual orientation or health issues . Each day they woke up at very early hours, used and washed latrines, had a very calories-deficient breakfast and gathered to be counted. No matter the weather, they had to wait for the SS to arrive for the count; how long they stood there depended on the officers’ mood, and whether there had been escapes or other events attracting punishment.

They were often counted and re-counted, after which they walked to their place of work with a cheerful melody of Women’s Orchestra of Auschwitz in the background. They were supervised by the kapos and an SS escort. Much of the work took place outdoors at construction sites, gravel pits, and lumber yards. No rest periods were allowed. In the evening the prisoners were counted again – if someone was missing, the others had to remain on site until they were found.

The prisoners were tortured, ridiculed, and humiliated for no reason whatsoever. Even the most benign of misconduct could earn them beating, punishment in Block 11 or even death. They were also living in constant fear of crematoria , which consisted of a dressing room, gas chamber, and a furnace room . The first gassings at Auschwitz took place in early September 1941, when around 850 inmates – Soviet prisoners of war and sick Polish inmates—were killed with Zyklon B in the basement of Auschwitz I. In the years to follow, the use of crematoria became even more prevalent, with new gas chambers being constructed and many prisoners sent there without ever stepping foot inside the barracks or other living complexes of Auschwitz-Birkenau camp.

The Aftermath of Auschwitz-Birkenau Camp

Today, Auschwitz-Birkenau is known as the biggest Nazi German concentration camp . It’s one of the best-recognized symbols of Holocaust and World War II genocide. Its prisoners were living in terrible sanitary conditions and forced to endure unbelievably hard labor. They were often beaten, humiliated, and treated with no respect for human rights whatsoever. Many died out of exhaustion, starvation, or by suicide. Others were murdered in gas chambers or during medical experiments . The exact number of Auschwitz-Birkenau victims is not known. The historians argue it must have been between 1 to even 3 million people from all over the world (mostly Jews, Ethnic Poles, and Roma).

Visit to Auschwitz – What Can You Expect?

All tours provided by Krakow Direct are with an authorized Auschwitz-Birkenau Guide. You begin your tour with a short introduction about the camp history and the most important rules in force at the museum grounds. A visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau is never an easy experience. The former largest Nazi concentration camp holds many artifacts and displays showing the realities of prisoners’ every-day lives. Among the camps of Auschwitz and Birkenau holdings are personal belongings of the prisoners, such as thousands of pairs of shoes, 3,800 luggage, over 12,000 kitchen utensils, 470 prostheses and orthoses, 397 striped camp clothing, many works of art, and even clumps of hair.

Auschwitz Tour from Krakow

During the Auschwitz tour with KrakowDirect you will visit Auschwitz I Camp and Auschwitz II-Birkenau – two main Nazi concentration camp sites. The whole complex covers an area of nearly 200 ha , and most of the tour of Auschwitz is outdoor. The tour includes seeing grounds of both former camps, as it is crucial to fully comprehend the atrocities that took place there. The first important object you’ll see is the infamous inscription on the entrance gate to the concentration camp, which says “ Arbeit macht frei ” (Work makes you free). This ironic slogan, created by Nazis, begins the Auschwitz Birkenau memorial tour.

In the Auschwitz site, you’ll also see prisoners’ barracks, places of work, and original blocks where they were received punishment. You’ll see railroad tracks that often transported people straight to gas chambers and crematoria used for mass extermination. At the end of the war, the Nazi Germans tried to destroy them by blasting, which is why all that’s left from them are rows of chimneys covering a large surface of the concentration camp.

Auschwitz tours with transfers from Krakow are extremely popular, but keep in mind that they are not a tourist attraction. In fact, they are an opportunity to learn a live history lesson in a place of deep reverence. Visitors need to take under consideration that while many visit Auschwitz for purely historical reasons, some people go there to see the place that took the lives of their relatives, since approximately one in six Jews who died in the Holocaust, died in Auschwitz-Birkenau. Auschwitz tour with KrakowDirect guarantees high-quality service and a hundred per cent satisfaction. We are an experienced company that enjoys recognition as the best in Krakow. We organise daily private and shared Auschwitz tours as well as round-trip transport from Krakow that includes hotel pickup, comfortable vehicles and local guides.

Private Auschwitz tours from Krakow

Due to its facilities, p rivate tours from Krakow to Auschwitz are getting more and more popular. If you wish to visit Auschwitz Birkenau State Museum in a private car and a driver at your disposal, choose our private Auschwitz tour. Our English-speaking driver will pick you up directly from your hotel in Krakow. You can also choose whether you want to visit Auschwitz on your own, with a private guide, or join one of the guided tours in the museum. You should book private guided tours in any available language in advance with us. Walking the camps on your own is possible only between November and March. A guided tour in Auschwitz takes up to 2 hours.

Then visitors proceed to Birkenau, located about 3 km further. This distance will be covered with our car. Between the camps, you may have a quick break. After your Auschwitz tour finishes, our driver will take you back to Krakow and drop you off at your hotel or anywhere in the city centre. If you wish, you can also extend the Auschwitz trip with Schindlers Factory tour. It will save your time and money. What is more, Oskar Schindler’s story is the perfect complement to the thrilling history of the Holocaust.

Shared Auschwitz Tours from Krakow

Our shared Auschwitz tours from the capital of Lesser Poland include door-to-door pickup in Krakow and drop-off, but we also organise stops in each hotel our clients are staying within the city centre. If your accommodation is located in further districts of the city, we can arrange transport from Krakow at the closest pickup point for additional payment. We provide six- or eight-seater cars or minibuses, modern Mercedes vehicles. There are usually up to 20 people on our Auschwitz tours and around 30 on guided tours in the museum. On a way to Auschwitz, we provide a 45-minute documentary film titled „ The liberation of Auschwitz ” screened in our minibus.

Upon arrival at Auschwitz, you will join a tour with an authorized official Auschwitz-Birkenau guide. You can choose whether they will speak English or any another language selected by you. If you choose the group option, upon entering the Museum you’ll receive headphones to hear the guide correctly. Additionally, in the high season, shared guided tours in Spanish, Italian, German and French are available. During our shared tour, you will visit Auschwitz and Birkenau, located within around 3 km distance. The tourists usually spend around 1.5-2 hours at Auschwitz and 1 to 1.5 hours at Birkenau. Duration of the tour is normally about 3 hours. Krakow Direct provides bus transfer between the two camps.

Our driver will be waiting for you after the first part, KL Auschwitz. The ride will take only a few minutes. If time permits, you will have a 15-20 minutes break between the two camps. During the return to Krakow, either group or private, we do not recommend any breaks on your way back, but we can arrange a short stop upon request. We can also provide lunch boxes paid additionally.

Visiting Auschwitz – useful information

If you want to book your Auschwitz trip, please bear in mind that visitors are required to behave appropriately and respectfully. There are also some restrictions regarding entering the sites of Auschwitz and Birkenau. You are generally allowed to take pictures, but only for private use. You can take photos of visited places, except for 2 spots. The maximum size of your carry-on can’t exceed the following dimensions: 30 x 20 x 10 cm. You can leave your larger luggage in the minibus. Food is not allowed while visiting, but you can eat during 15 min break, as it’s a full-day trip.

If you visit Auschwitz with little children, some areas will not be accessible with baby pushchairs. Also, we do not recommend visiting with children under 13 years old due to dreadful character of the place and some of the exhibitions. People with mobility problems should not experience any major difficulties during the Auschwitz tour. Please note that there are mostly dirt tracks in the camps. Also, some spaces (for example, blocks in Auschwitz I) are not accessible for wheelchairs. Museum in Auschwitz can also provide substitute wheelchairs for visitors with mobility problems. If you want to hire a wheelchair, please let us know in advance. Our customer service will help you to arrange it upon your request prior to the tour.

The opening hours of the Museum vary depending on the month. In December the box office is open till 2:00 pm and in June till 7:00 pm. For more info, check the museum’s official website or just ask Us.

Full-day Tour with KrakowDirect

Krakow Direct is a company located in the center of Krakow that provides transportation and guided tours to the Auschwitz-Birkenau. For our Auschwitz tours, we provide modern, comfortable Mercedes Benz vehicles and English-speaking drivers at your disposal throughout the day. We offer door-to-door pickup and drop-off in the city centre. Auschwitz tours from Krakow take approximately 7 hours. One-way drive to Auschwitz from Krakow lasts about 1.5 hours. For our group Auschwitz tours, we suggest pick-up time at 8:30 or 9:30 a.m. or in the afternoon. The itinerary of private tours to Auschwitz is more flexible, and upon request, we can shorten or extend your tour.

There are two payment methods available. You can buy tickets online while booking our Auschwitz tour from Krakow or pay in cash to the driver on the day of your tour. We prefer payment in Polish zlotys. We also accept Euros, Pounds and U. S. Dollars in amount according to the current exchange rate. Our driver will give you the change in Polish zlotys. If you want to visit Auschwitz with little children, we can arrange booster seats or child seats, but please inform us about this need in advance.

For the comfort of tourists travelling with children of less than 2 years old, we recommend private Auschwitz tours from Krakow . This way, it will be easier to arrange as many stops or breaks as needed. Auschwitz tour with KrakowDirect is the best and most comfortable way to visit Auschwitz.

Our company has years of experience and provide always top quality service. It can be also arranged to combine it with a trip to the Wieliczka Salt mine – one of the oldest working salt mines in Europe or Schindlers Factory . It’s a great way to visit not only Krakow and Auschwitz, but also the most valuable sites surrounding this beautiful city. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us and book one of our Auschwitz tours from Krakow!

Visit the former nazi concentration camp at the best price and learn about its terrifying, but incredibly important history from your guide.

Do I need to book my Auschwitz ticket in advance?

Is there a guide in the auschwitz museum, where does the auschwitz tour start, is it safe to visit auschwitz during the covid-19 pandemic.

Krakow to Auschwitz – the transport options

Posted May 5th, 2019 by Krakow Tours

The first thing you need to know is that Auschwitz Concentration Camp is now a museum located in the Polish town of Oświęcim (osh-shwee-en-chim). The name ‘Auschwitz’ is the German name for the same town. Oświęcim is a medium-sized town, with a population of about 40,000 inhabitants, about 50 kilometres west of Krakow, as the crow flies. By road or rail it is about 65 kilometres from Krakow. There are good, regular transport connections between Krakow and Oświęcim, both by bus and train, as well as the convenient options of joining a guided tour to and from Krakow. We’ll cover all these options in greater detail, so you can decide what is best for you.

Krakow to Auschwitz by bus

There are regular buses departing from the main bus station in Krakow. The bus station is right next to the train station, and just 5 minutes’ walk from Krakow’s main shopping mall, Galeria Krakowska. It is possible to turn up and just choose the first available bus, though it might be sensible to check the timetables first. Also bear in mind that in the high season (May to October) there may be less availability for free spaces on the buses. Buses, like all transport in Poland, are good value, though the quality of the vehicles varies a lot. You might get a smart coach with aircon if you’re lucky, or just as likely a rusty old minibus whose best days are behind it.

When you arrive in Oświęcim on the bus, there are 3 bus stops within the town that you might stop at, so make sure to get off at the right one! One stop is called ‘Museum Auschwitz’, which is right at the museum, and your best option. An alternative stop (served by some of the bus companies only) is called ‘Wiezniow Oswiecimia’ and is also good, as it is just a couple of minutes’ walk from the museum. The one you want to avoid is ‘Oswiecim Lodowisko’ which is at the town’s ice-rink and about 4 kilometres from the museum. If you are not sure what stop to get off at, ask the driver who should be happy to assist, and don’t be put off by how complicated it all sounds! Going on your own by bus is a great option if you have plenty of time, enjoy the adventure, and are not on a tight schedule.

Departures from: Main Bus Station in Krakow (also referred to as ‘MDA’ or ‘Malopolskie Dworzec Autobusowy’) Price: 10-14 Polish zloty (PLN) for a single ticket Travel time: 1:40-2:00 hours

A timetable for buses can be found here – https://www.busy-krk.pl/en/oswiecim-krakow/

Krakow to Auschwitz by train

There are quite a lot of scheduled trains between Krakow and Oświęcim, so this is quite a straightforward option. The Main Train Station is within easy reach of the Old Town in Krakow, close to the Bust Station and Galeria Krakowska, the shopping centre. The slight disadvantage of this option is the fact that the train station in Oświęcim is about 20 to 30 minutes’ walk from the Museum at Auschwitz, though there are always local buses which can shuttle visitors to and from the museum for a few zloty (currently 2.70 PLN for an adult, 1.70 PLN per child). This reduces the journey time from the train station to the museum to about 7 minutes.

Train tickets can be purchased at the train station itself (though many of the ticket salespeople don’t speak good English, they normally are able to work things out with visitors), or tickets can be purchased online (see the timetable below, which also has ticket sales). Tickets currently cost 15.60 PLN (about 3 GBP or 4 Euro), one way. If you buy your ticket online, you can download a pdf to serve as proof of payment and as ticket. One thing to bear in mind is that when travelling on a train, you should have your ID, and this should tie in with the passenger name on your ticket. A driving license or passport is fine. The trains themselves are of varying standards, but improving all the time.

Departures from: Main Train Station in Krakow (‘Krakow Główny’ in Polish) Price: 15,60 Polish zloty (PLN) for an adult one way ticket Travel time: 1:30-2:00 hours Distance to Museum from Oświęcim train station: approx 25 mins on foot, about 7 mins by minibus

A timetable for trains can be found here – http://rozklad-pkp.pl/en – (This train booking website is in English, but just remember to choose ‘Oświęcim’ as the destination, when choosing tickets)

Things to bear in mind

If you decide to travel on your own by bus or train, please remember that reaching the museum does not mean you are guaranteed to get in. Although entry to the museum at Auschwitz is free, the number of places is limited, in order to make sure the museum does not become overcrowded. In reality, if you arrive early (before 10 am or later in the day (after 5pm), the chances are that you will be allowed to go in without much wait, if any at all. However, in the high season, if you travel on your own and are not part of an organised tour, you may have to wait some time before being allowed into the Museum. For this reason, we also include the third and most popular option – travelling on an organised tour to Auschwitz

Organised Tour to Auschwitz

Krakow Tours offers a door-to-door tour service to the Museum at Auschwitz from Krakow. Booking guarantees you a pick-up from your hotel, apartment or hostel in Krakow, transport, museum entry plus guided tour on site, and some other extras are included such as a snack and drink. This is the easiest option to arrange (you can do this through this site), and also the most recommended if your schedule is a bit tight. The day is certainly quite long (around 7 hours), but few who take the trip to Auschwitz regret it. It can be a life-changing experience. More information and booking can be found here .

Finding your way around a new city can either be a fun adventure or…

The famous salt mines of Krakow are located in the nearby town of Wieliczka, and a fascinating…

Krakow on a budget can be a truly enlightening experience. It can…

The first thing you need to know is that Auschwitz Concentration Camp is now a museum located in the…

• Polish Pierogi Classes
• Polish Cooking Classes
• Eat with Locals
• Hot Air Balloon
• Krakow City Bicycle Tour
• Krakow Country Bicycle Tour
• Communism & Nowa Huta Tour
• Communism & Nowa Huta Tour (Deluxe)
• Zakopane Tatra Madness
• Ojcow Valley Tour
• River rafting on Dunajec
• Auschwitz Tour
• Wieliczka Salt Mine Tour
• Auschwitz & Salt Mine Tour
• Schindlers List Tour
• Polish Beer Brewery Tour
• Krakow Old Town Walking Tour
• Jewish Kazimierz Walking Tour

Basic information

• Admission to the grounds of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial is free of charge. The entry cards should be reserved on  visit.auschwitz.org . For better understanding the history of Auschwitz we suggest a visit with a guide-educator

• The fees are charged for  engaging a guide-educator . Visitors in groups are required to engage an Auschwitz Memorial guide. There is also possibility for individual visitors to join a guided tour .  

• The Museum  also  organizes  online guided tours   for groups and individual visitors .

• Due to overwhelming demand, please book in advance and arrive at the Memorial at least 30 minutes before the start of the tour due to security checks. The main car park and entrance to the Museum is located at 55 Więźniów Oświęcimia Street .

• Visitors to the grounds of the Museum should behave with due solemnity and respect. Visitors are obliged to dress in a manner befitting a place of this nature. Before the visit please read " the rules for visiting ".

• The grounds and buildings of the Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau camps are open to visitors. The duration of a visit is determined solely by the individual interests and needs of the visitors. As a minimum, however, at least three-and-a-half hours should be reserved.

• The maximum size of backpacks or handbags brought into the Museum can not exceed dimensions: 35x25x15 cm . Please leave your bags in your cars or buses.

Read more...

Multibook - preparing for a visit to the Memorial Site

DEUTSCH   |  ESPAÑOL   |   FRANÇAIS   |   ITALIANO  

Multibook is also available in I nternational Sign language

Guided Tours for Individual Visitors

Individual visitors may tour the Memorial independently or in organised groups with a guide.

Entrance to the Museum, to both Auschwitz I and Birkenau parts, is possible only with a personalized entry pass booked in advance. Reservations can be made at visit.auschwitz.org or on the spot at the cashier. The number of entry passes available is limited.

Due to the huge interest, visitors are kindly requested to book in advance at the website visit.auschwitz.org, as well as to arrive at least 30 minutes before the start of the tour. Larger luggage should be left in vehicles in the car park. Before the visit, please read the rules of visiting and the opening hours of the Museum.

HOURS OF THE VISIT CAN BE RESERVED ONLINE: VISIT.AUSCHWITZ.ORG

Online guided tours

The online guided tour lasts about two hours and is divided into two parts – in Auschwitz I and Birkenau. The guide's narration is conducted live. Additionally, the educator uses multimedia materials, archival photographs, artistic works, documents, and testimonies of Survivors. Interaction with the guide and asking questions is also possible. 

GROUPS / SCHOOLS

The tour for groups is available in 7 languages (English, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Polish, and Spanish). Bookings can be made after logging in via a form available on visit.auschwitz.org .

TOURS FOR INDIVIDUAL VISITORS

Individual visitors can join guided tours starting at set times of the day in English, German and Polish.  Entry cards are available at visit.auschwitz.org .

Check the hours of online guided tours for individual visitors . 

Learn more about "Auschwitz in Front of Your Eyes" platform.

Guided tours options. Prices.

We offer visitors several options for guided tours. Each includes tours of Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau.

• General tours (2,5 h) • General tours (3,5 h) • Guided tours for individual visitors (3,5 h) • One-day study tours (6 h) • Two-day study tours (2x3 h) • Online tour (2 h)

Because of a large number of visitors guides should be reserved at least two months before a planned visit.

Plan a visit

In order to take in the grounds and exhibitions in a suitable way, visitors should set aside a minimum of about 90 minutes for the Auschwitz site and the same amount of time for Auschwitz II-Birkenau. It is essential to visit both parts of the camp, Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau, in order to acquire a proper sense of the place that has become the symbol of the Holocaust of the European Jews as well as Nazi crimes againt Poles, Romas and other groups.

The grounds and most of the buildings at the sites of the Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau sites are open to visitors. Some buildings are not accessible to visitors (including the blocks reserved for the Museum administration and its departments). Please familiarize yourself with " the rules for visiting ".

Opening hours

The Museum is open all year long, seven days a week, except January 1, December 25, and Easter Sunday. You can start the visit in the following hours*:

• 7:30 AM - 2:00 PM December
• 7:30 AM - 3:00 PM January, November
• 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM February
• 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM March, October
• 7:30 AM - 6:00 PM April, May, September
• 7:30 AM - 7:00 PM June, July, August

* These are the hours of entrance to the Museum. A visitor may stay on the site of the Museum 90 minutes after the last entrance hour (i.e. 5.30 in February or 8.30 in July) 

"Reserve" buildings available for the visitors

Study tour groups may visit Block 2 and 3 of the former Auschwitz I camp and wooden hospital barracks (B-80 and B-210) at the Auschwitz II-Birkenau camp. Block 2 and 3 are ones of so-called "reserve blocks" of the Museum, maintained and presented in their original condition. Since the liberation of the camp, the interior of the blocks has been preserved almost intact. It comprises rooms for prisoners, a washroom, toilets and other areas, furnished with original strawbeds, bunks and other elements of block furnishing. 

Getting to the Museum

The Museum is located on the outskirts of the city of Oświęcim on provincial road 933. The visit starts at the former Auschwitz I site. The Museum is about 2 km. from the train station and can be reached from there by local buses. (GPS coordinates: GPS coordinates: 19.20363 E, 50.0266 N )

There are PKS and minibus stops adjacent to the Museum, with service to Cracow and Katowice. There are also two international airports within about 50 kilometers of Oświęcim: Kraków-Balice and Katowice-Pyrzowice.

More information for visitors (i.e. transport, weather)

Temporarily closed for visitors

Closed for the visitors:

• parts of the Auschwitz II-Birkenau 

• part of the exhibition in Blocks 4, 5 and 6 in Auschwitz I

• the Russian exhibition in Block 14

• The so-called Central Sauna building in Auschwitz II-Birkenau

• the Slovak exhibition in Block 16

• via @auschwitzmuseum" aria-label="Udostępnij na Twitter">

Images from www.auschwitz.org may be used only in publications relating to the history of the German Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz-Birkenau or the activities of the Auschwitz Memorial. Their use must not tarnish the good reputation of the victims of KL Auschwitz. Any interference in the integrity of the images – including cropping or graphic processing – is prohibited. The use of the images for commercial purposes requires the Museum’s approval and information about the publication. Publishers undertake to indicate the authors and origin of the images: www.auschwitz.org, as well as to inform the Museum of the use of the images ([email protected]).

• South Africa
• El Salvador
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• North Macedonia
• Czech Republic
• Transnistria
• Liechtenstein
• North Cyprus
• New Zealand
• Map with posts
• Alternative Guides
• Architecture Guides
• Cafe Guides
• Itineraries
• Neighborhood Guides
• Travel Guides
• Travel Tips
• Photo Galleries
• Photo Locations
• Solo female travel
• Train Travels
• Work with me
• Privacy Policy

Visiting Auschwitz – How to Plan the Auschwitz Tour

Visiting Auschwitz, albeit a very somber experience, is one of the must things to do in Poland. The largest Nazi Germany concentration and extermination camp during World War II, where over 1,3 million people lost their lives, needs no introduction. Conveniently located near Krakow , Auschwitz can be an easy addition to your Poland itinerary.

It took me almost 37 years to finally visit Auschwitz (although I’ve been to other Nazi Germany camps in Poland), and even if I knew very well what to expect, the place still overwhelmed me with its cruelty and tragedy. And I think everyone should plan a trip to Auschwitz to understand history better and see what people are capable of when the ideology brainwashes them. And, of course, to pay respect to all the unnecessary victims. It’s important to visit places like Auschwitz so we can do our best to prevent similar tragedies from happening in the future.

If you are visiting Poland (especially Krakow , Warsaw , Katowice , or Wroclaw ), I prepared this guide to help you plan your Auschwitz tour without too much hassle. There are different ways to visit Auschwitz, but no matter which one you choose, be prepared for one of the most difficult yet necessary travel experiences of your life.

Table of Contents

Where is Auschwitz

The former Nazi Germany Concentration Camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau, is located in a town of around 37.000 inhabitants called Oświęcim in southern Poland. Krakow is less than 70 km away, and Katowice is 35 km away. Warsaw, the capital of Poland, is around 330 km away from Oświęcim.

A brief history of Auschwitz

Even if Auschwitz is known mainly as the extermination camp, it was established as a concentration camp in mid-1940. It was one of over 40 camps in Poland that were supposed to be a solution to the problem of overflowing prisons full of arrested locals. The first people were brought to Auschwitz on June 14th, 1940, from the prison in Tarnow.

Since 1942 Auschwitz has also been used as the extermination camp where Nazis implemented their plan to murder Jewish people from all over Europe. At the peak of its operation, in 1944, Auschwitz was divided into three parts: Auschwitz I (the oldest one, in the old Polish military barracks), Auschwitz II-Birkenau (the largest one, founded in 1941, the majority of victims were killed here), and Auschwitz III (this was a group of over 40 sub-camps created near industrial plants, made for work prisoners).

Numerous Polish villages were demolished, and locals were evicted to develop such a large institution. The camps were isolated from the outside world. The total area was around 40 square kilometers, including all three Auschwitz camps and the so-called “interest zone” used for the technical or supply background, offices, and barracks for Nazis.

Since Auschwitz had a strategic location on the front line, in August 1944, the camp’s liquidation began – the prisoners were taken to Germany, and the evidence of the crimes was covered up. The liberation of Auschwitz took place on January 27th, 1945, when around 7,5 thousand prisoners were still held there.

Altogether, in the almost four years of operation, over 1,3 million people lost their lives in Auschwitz; the majority were Jewish (around 1,1 million), but also Polish (about 150 hundred thousand), Roma people (23 thousand), and other nations.

In 1979 Auschwitz was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List – it is the only former Nazi concentration camp with that title in the world.

How to visit Auschwitz

You can visit Auschwitz two ways: with a tour from where you are staying in Poland (most likely Krakow, Katowice, Warsaw, or Wroclaw) or independently, reaching the site by car or using public transport. Both options are doable; however, the tour is a slightly better one as everything will be taken care of for you.

There is a wide selection of tours to choose from that depart from Krakow as well as other mentioned cities. Most of them cover more or less the same things: pick-up from your accommodation, transportation to/from Auschwitz and back, the entrance ticket to the concentration camp, and the guided tour on-site.

When I visited Auschwitz, I arrived by train from Warsaw, with the change in Katowice. I was at the museum almost an hour before my guided tour of the site was supposed to start, and despite the poor weather (it was raining on that day), there was no place to hide and wait for the tour. Visitors were not allowed to enter the museum until a few minutes before the tour was about to start. Me and a few other unlucky visitors just stood near the trees, hiding under the umbrella and waiting for our time to enter the site. I can’t say it was a comfortable situation (but at least the weather worked perfectly well for such a sad place to visit). Recently, a new visitors center was opened so hopefully the situation is better.

When using public transport, you need to rely on the schedule of trains/buses and, just in case, plan to be at the site with some extra time ahead; hence a tour is a better option. Still, visiting Auschwitz is doable independently – I did it, and once the tour of the site started, it was really good.

Visiting Auschwitz – practical information

Visiting Auschwitz memorial site is free of charge; however, I recommend joining the tour with the educator provided by the museum. They have a huge knowledge of the place and the tragedy that occurred here and can answer all the questions visitors always have. Tours are available in various languages: Polish, English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Czech, and Slovak.

Even if you decide to visit the site independently, you still need to book the entry pass – those with free entrance start in the afternoon. You can buy/reserve your ticket online at the website of Auschwitz Museum here.

Currently, the price for the tour with the educator is 80 PLN for Polish and 90 PLN for other languages. When booking the ticket, you must state your full name and surname – this will be checked later.

Since tickets can sell out quickly, booking one at least a month in advance is recommended. If there are no tickets left for the day you want to visit Auschwitz, you can join the organized tour from Krakow or other cities, as tour operators usually have tickets booked in advance. Due to the sensitive nature of the place, children under 14 years old should not visit Auschwitz Museum.

Once you have your ticket, you need to arrive at the Auschwitz visitors center 30 minutes before your tour starts to go through the security check (it’s rather thorough, similar to the airport), have your ticket inspected (remember to have the ID or passport with you), get the headset for the tour and meet your group. You are allowed to have a bag or backpack with a maximum dimension of 30x20x10 cm; any larger luggage must be left in the paid lockers.

Auschwitz Museum is open every day except January 1st, December 25th, and Easter Sunday. Opening hours vary depending on the month and are as follows:

• 7:30-14:00 in December
• 7:30-15:00 in January and November
• 7:30-16:00 in February
• 7:30-17:00 in March and October
• 7:30-18:00 in April, May, and September
• 7:30-19:00 in June, July, and August

The closing time means the last entrance – after that, you are allowed to stay on-site for an hour and a half. However, if you want to see Auschwitz Museum properly, you need at least 3,5 hours for that – that’s also how long the standard tour with the educator lasts. It is usually divided equally between Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II- Birkenau. A free shuttle bus runs between the two sites every few minutes.

Taking pictures and making videos is allowed in Auschwitz, for individual use, except in two places: the hall with the hair of Victims (block nr 4) and the basements of Block 11. Your educator will remind you not to take pictures there.

Remember what sort of place you are visiting and behave there with respect. It might be obvious for most, but I can’t count how many times I’ve read news about inappropriate behavior in Auschwitz and other similar sites in Poland, so I think it’s worth reminding this is not your typical tourist attraction but a place of one of the greatest tragedy that ever happened in the world.

Getting to Auschwitz independently

If you decide to visit Auschwitz on your own, you must get to the visitors’ center, where your tour will start. The new visitors center, which opened just recently, is located at 55 Więźniów Oświęcimia Street in Oświęcim ( here is the exact location ). If you drive there, there is a large parking lot where you can leave your car before visiting the museum.

If you use public transport, there are both trains and buses you can take to reach Oświęcim. I recommend trains as they are slightly faster and more comfortable; however, some buses stop next to the museum, so that’s convenient. You can check all the connections on this website , where you can also find the location of the bus stop in Oświęcim (there can be three different ones).

The train station in Oświęcim is located at Powstańców Śląskich Street, some 20 minutes walking from the Auschwitz museum. It’s a straightforward way; you can check the map with the directions here . I recommend catching the train that gives you at least an hour between arriving at Oświęcim and when your tour starts.

Auschwitz tour from Krakow

Numerous Auschwitz tours depart from Krakow, so you will easily find the one that suits your itinerary and needs. Here are some recommended ones:

• Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum and Memorial Guided Tour from Krakow
• Auschwitz & Birkenau – Fully Guided Tour from Krakow
• Auschwitz-Birkenau Guided Tour with Private Transport from Kraków
• Auschwitz-Birkenau Guided Tour by Private Transport from Krakow

You can also combine visiting Auschwitz with Wieliczka Salt Mine , another UNESCO-listed site near Krakow and a must-visit place in Poland. Here are the tours that go to both places in one day:

• Day Trip to Auschwitz-Birkenau and Wieliczka Salt Mine from Krakow including Lunch
• Full-Day Tour of Auschwitz and Wieliczka Salt Mine from Krakow
• Auschwitz-Birkenau and Salt Mine Tour with private transport from Krakow
• Combined: Auschwitz Birkenau and Salt Mine private chauffeur from Krakow

If you decide to go to Auschwitz from Krakow on your own, you can take the train from the main train station to Oświęcim. They are rather frequent, more or less every hour, and the journey takes a bit over an hour (depending on the connection, the longest one is 1h20min).

If you want to take the bus, they depart from the MDA bus station, next to the main train station. The price for trains and buses is similar, between 15 and 20 PLN, although trains tend to be cheaper and faster. You can check all the connections and buy a ticket here .

Auschwitz tour from Warsaw

Even if Warsaw, the capital of Poland, is located over 300 km away from Oświęcim, it is possible to go for a one-day Auschwitz tour. However, you can expect a long day, and a large part of it will be spent traveling. But if you are visiting Warsaw only, Auschwitz can be a good addition to your Poland itinerary, so you can better understand the country’s complex history.

Here are some of the recommended Auschwitz tours from Warsaw:

• From Warsaw Auschwitz and Krakow one day tour by train with pick up and drop off
• One day tour to Auschwitz-Birkenau from Warsaw with private transport

Going for the day trip from Warsaw to Auschwitz independently is also possible using trains. You can take the 6 am train to Katowice and then change for the train to Oświęcim, arriving in the town around 10:30. If you decide to do that, you can book your Auschwitz tour for 11:30 or 12:00. On the way back, you can catch the train after 16:00 from Oświęcim to Katowice, and after changing for the train to Warsaw, you will be in the capital after 20:00.

Auschwitz tour from Katowice

Since Katowice is less than 40 km from Auschwitz, it’s easy to go for a day trip. You need to take the local train to Oświęcim, it takes less than 50 minutes, and the connections are more or less every hour.

Or you can go for a tour, here are the Auschwitz tours from Katowice:

• Auschwitz – Birkenau from Katowice
• Auschwitz & Birkenau English guided tour by private transport from Katowice
• Auschwitz tour from Wroclaw

Wroclaw is another popular place to visit in Poland, and since it’s located around 230 km from Oświęcim, you can go for an Auschwitz tour from Wroclaw too. If you decide to do it independently, you can take the train to Katowice and then change for the local train to Oświęcim. A one-way trip should take you less than 4 hours.

Or you can go for a tour; here are the recommended ones from Wroclaw:

• Auschwitz-Birkenau Tour from Wrocław
• Private Full-Day Tour to Auschwitz-Birkenau from Wroclaw

Auschwitz Museum Tour

As for the museum itself, here is what you can expect.

You will start in the oldest part of the concentration camp – Auschwitz I, where the infamous gate with the sign “Arbeit macht frei” (meaning “Work Sets You Free”) is located. Here, you will visit numerous barracks where inmates were kept – now you can see different exhibitions there, showing the reality of Auschwitz and halls with personal belongings taken from arriving prisoners – luggage, shoes, glasses, etc., or hair of Victims. You will learn all about cruel practices here, including medical experiments or torture.

Visiting this part of Auschwitz museum is a very somber experience, and it’s really difficult to comprehend the tragedy that happened in this very place.

Besides the barracks in Auschwitz I, you will also see where the camp commander lived or the first crematorium where Nazis started their experiments with killing using gas. In this part of the Auschwitz tour, you can take pictures everywhere except the two places in Blocks 4 and 11 – they will be clearly marked, and your educator will remind you about this restriction.

The visit to Auschwitz I takes around 1,5 hours. Afterward, together with your group and educator, you will take the shuttle bus to Auschwitz II-Birkenau, located some 3 km away.

Auschwitz II-Birkenau is where around 90% of victims died. It is a huge area that worked kind of like the killing factory, with four gas chambers and crematoriums. This is also where most prisoners arrived – you most likely know the view of the railway tracks and brick gate – that’s Auschwitz II-Birkenau. This part of the visit is mostly outdoors.

You will walk around the area, see the remnants of the camp, visit some barracks inside, and learn all about the horrific tragedy that happened here. When Auschwitz I has a more intimate, even claustrophobic feeling, Auschwitz II-Birkenau can overwhelm you with its scale and enormity.

You will spend around 1,5 hours here, too; afterward, you can take the shuttle bus back to the visitors center when you started your tour.

Final thoughts on visiting Auschwitz

Even though I’ve lived in Poland almost my whole life, and Auschwitz has been a familiar topic since I remember, it took me nearly 37 years to finally visit the place. Before I was in different Nazi Germany sites in Poland, mostly in Majdanek in Lublin, so I didn’t feel the need to visit Auschwitz too. But I don’t regret the decision to go there eventually.

You can read and learn about the place, but nothing can prepare you for visiting Auschwitz. Some areas look familiar (after all, pictures of the “Arbeit macht frei” sign or Birkenau gate are present everywhere), but you will still be overwhelmed by the place and seeing it in real life. It’s hard to comprehend the cruelty and tragedy that happened here, and dealing with all the thoughts invading your mind afterward can take a while. It can be one of the most difficult-to-understand places you will ever visit.

Still, despite it all, I think everyone should go to Auschwitz to see where fanaticism and totalitarianism can lead and why we should avoid them at all costs.

Travel Resources

You can find the best accommodation options at Booking . They have many discounts and excellent customer service. Click here to look for the place to stay in Poland

Never travel without travel insurance , you never know what might happen and better safe than sorry. You can check the insurance policy for Poland here.

I recommend joining organized tours to get to know the place better and to visit more places during your trip. You can find a great selection of tours at Get Your Guide – click here .

For the end I left a few announcements that might interest you:

• Sign up to my newsletter or follow me on Bloglovin to get updates about the new posts
• Join my Facebook group about Eastern Europe, the Balkans and former USSR and connect with fellow travellers and enthusiasts of these regions – just click here!
• I’ve included a few handy links of services and products I personally like and use so you can plan your own trip to Poland too. They are often affiliate links. This means I will get a small commission if you book/purchase anything through my links, at no extra costs for you. Thank you!

LIKED IT? PIN THIS POST FOR LATER!

If you enjoyed that post why don't you share it with your friends? That would mean so much to me! Also be sure to join 30.000+ fellow travelers and follow me on Facebook , Twitter , or Instagram for travel updates and even more pictures! If you don't want to miss new posts sign up to my newsletter or follow on Bloglovin !

No Comments

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Sign me up for the newsletter!

Let’s become friends!

Join me on Facebook for even more travel updates!

Kami and the rest of the world

Full day tour to Auschwitz and Salt Mine from Krakow

• English Guided tour of Auschwitz-Birkenau and salt mine
• Headphones to hear the guide (in Auschwitz)
• Transportation between both Auschwitz camps and Wieliczka Salt Mine
• Transport to and from Krakow
• Comfortable air-conditioned minivan transportation with licensed driver
• Entry/Admission - Państwowe Muzeum Auschwitz-Birkenau
• Entry/Admission - Wieliczka Salt Mine
• Food and drinks
• Extra fee in Wieliczka for taking photos 10pln
• Pick up time is between 07:00-09:00am to be confirm one or two days before the trip. Please remember to take with you some document like ID card, passport or credit card because tickets in Auschwitz-Birkenau camps are registered!!!!!
• Not wheelchair accessible
• Stroller accessible
• Confirmation will be received at time of booking
• Please note that the maximum size of backpacks or handbags brought into the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum can not exceed dimensions: 30x20x10cm
• A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
• A maximum of 8 people per booking
• Most travellers can participate
• Tickets for children (3-11) includes entrance ticket without the receivers and headphones in Auschwitz. If you want your child to visit with headset please book "Youth tickets"
• Youth tickets discount is only with valid student ID card, on the day of the tour. Please ensure to take student ID card with you, otherwise you will need to pay an extra fee for an adult ticket
• This tour/activity will have a maximum of 30 travellers
• For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
• You'll get picked up See departure details
• 1 Panstwowe Muzeum Auschwitz-Birkenau Stop: 3 hours - Admission included See details
• 2 Wieliczka Salt Mine Stop: 2 hours - Admission included See details
• You'll return to the starting point

• hayleymI3959NJ 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Auschwitz tour Was really impressed a lot better than expected, before the trip Slovak was really helpful and was emailing me up until the day of the trip answering any of my questions, the driver kept us up to date with time we was getting picked up and kept in contact, he even arranged a packed lunch for us which was absolutely gorgeous. The actual tour was brilliant we wouldn’t have known half of the stuff without the tour guide he went into so much detail. Highly recommend using these guys for your trips. Read more Written 18 April 2024
• richardbV5731II 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Great tour very well run Our driver communicated a time the day before by text and offered to provide us with a packed lunch as there is no food there, which we took. It cost 50 plz and was well worth it and highly recommended. We were picked up from our hotel on time at 7am and the drive to the camps was comfortable around 1 hour 20 min. The guide who took us around was brilliant and fully knowledgeable. The driver then took us back to our hotel by 1.30pm. He was really nice and helpful. An extremely well organised tour that I would highly recommend anyone taking. Read more Written 3 April 2024
• Marjoreissaaja 0 contributions 4.0 of 5 bubbles Minibus tour Easy to access with this group. We had a minibus which drove us to Auschwitz. It took about 1 h 10 min. Drive was very good and take good care of us. Our quide was great and easy to follow. First we were in Auschwitz 1 h 30 min and then our driver drove us to Birkenau and we walked 1 hour in the area Read more Written 2 April 2024
• Holidaymakers55 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Excellent trip - driver wonderful Excellent trip - driver on time, really informative and helpful on journey, provide lots of really helpful information and was really knowledgeable and friendly. Prepared us for a tragic place. Lunch ordered was lovely too. Read more Written 17 March 2024
• joshuatX5999HE 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Great experience. Would recommend Collected from our AirBnB on time by a very friendly driver (Konrad). The tour guide was very knowledgable. Overall a very worthwhile trip. Would recommend. Read more Written 13 March 2024
• HayleyD711 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Auschwitz and Burkenau guided tour Our driver was great, received a text the day before informing us of our pick up time, he arrived the next morning on right on time. Really friendly and great English. Our tour guide at Auschwitz and Birkenau was amazing, really knowledgeable interesting and Easy to understand, we didn't feel rushed either. The driver was there after each tour and got us back to our hotel safely. Would highly recommend and really worth the money!! I think our driver was Conrad Read more Written 12 March 2024
• lorend912 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Emotional!! The tour was so emotional but so amazing to see. Our tour guide was absolutely lovely (sorry I don’t remember her name ) our driver Conrad was absolutely lovely and accommodating. Picked up on time and from our hotel ! Would recommend this tour to anyone who comes to Kraków Read more Written 12 March 2024
• 611caitlinf 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Excellent trip We used this company to book our tour of Auschwitz. The communication from booking until the day of the tour was excellent. We received a WhatsApp message 24 hours prior to the trip by the driver to confirm our collection time. We were collected from our hotel at 07.15am. The driver was very friendly throughout the journey. We were given our tickets upon arrival at Auschwitz and the driver stayed with us until we all got through the security check. He allowed us to leave belongings in the car if needed. The first part of the tour lasted 2 hours. We then had a 15 minute comfort break back at the entrance/car park before driving a mile along the road to Birkenau. We had opted to have the packed lunch provided by the company. We were given a brown bag with a fresh ham baquette, crossiant, chocolate bar, fruit, water and apple juice. The lunch provided was lovely however due to having to queue to use the toilet during the short break- this didn't allow us much time to eat our packed lunch. (No fault of the driver) I think next time I would possibly bring something smaller to eat due to time constraints. Overall we would 100% recommend this company. Read more Written 11 March 2024
• bazzall 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Super service What a great service we received ,our driver wojtek was very knowledgeable and professional. We would highly recommend this company as they are very reliable and dont cancel the tour Read more Written 11 March 2024
• Samuel H 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Auschwitz Truly a harrowing experience that shows the extent of brutality. A horrific place but a site of great importance and significance. Would recommend to anyone! Read more Written 8 March 2024
• 878lynseyh 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles A well managed tour and experience Booked the trip a couple of days before we arrived in Krakow. The day before the tour we were emailed with our pick up time. The driver arrived on time and was very friendly. The tour was very informative and emotional, a very respectful way to remember the millions that died. The whole day was was very smoothly managed, we were dropped back at our hotel afterwards too. I would definitely recommend a tour with these guys, you will not be disappointed Read more Written 2 March 2024
• xtinariley 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles A fantastic yet harrowing tour. A highly recommended trip. The day before our tour, we had excellent communication with Tomas, our knowledgeable and friendly tour guide, who confirmed our pick-up time. He went the extra mile and even arranged a delicious packed lunch for us at a very reasonable price. Our journey started on time, and we felt comfortable and safe. During the tour, Tomas provided insightful information about the local area and was there at every step to ensure it went to plan. Auschwitz is an absolute must-see for anyone visiting the city. Read more Written 28 February 2024
• johncE1161KH 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles tragic loss Very informative and interesting. When you get home it sinks in . What a awful sad loss of lives for those poor innocent adults and little children. thinking they were going to a better life . Read more Written 24 February 2024
• Fiona F 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Very informative and interesting Konrad (our driver) collected us from our apartments, he was punctual and very friendly. He chatted to us and offered a lot of information during our travel to and from Auschwitz- Birkenau. Our guide within the camps was excellent. She was very informative and spoke very good English. We would highly recommend this company and guides for this trip. Read more Written 24 February 2024
• Dream692523 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Private car ride to Auschwitz Driver was on time. Clean car. Tour guide was informative and knowledgeable. Overall worth the private car ride to Auschwitz and back to hotel. We had a short amount of time in krakow and it was worth the round trip to get there. Read more Written 23 February 2024

More to explore in Krakow

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

From Krakow to Auschwitz: 5 Best Ways to Get There

Written by Joni Sweet and Diana Bocco Updated Feb 22, 2024 We may earn a commission from affiliate links ( )

The Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial camps are a somber reminder of the darkest part of WWII. Built as extermination camps and partially destroyed by the Nazis at the end of the war to hide their "Final Solution" plans, the camps have been converted into museums and receive over two million visitors every year. They are located about 70 kilometers away from Krakow and are easy to reach by bus, train, or car or, on an organized tour.

Although entry to the camps is free , Auschwitz limits the number of entry passes per time slot, and advanced reservations are highly recommended, especially during the summer months. You are r equired to book a 3.5-hour tour with a guide-educator if you visit during busier periods, which start at 7:30am and go until the early or late afternoon, depending on the month.

English language tours take place every 30 to 60 minutes. If you prefer to explore on your own, plan to visit late in the day and reserve an entry pass ahead of time. Check the Auschwitz website for the most up-to-date schedule and visitor requirements.

The park opens at 7:30am throughout the year and welcomes visitors as late as 7pm during the summer months. You can stay at the site for up to 90 minutes after the last entrance hour, allowing you to explore until as late as 8:30pm in June, July, and August.

Whether you're planning on visiting the camps on your own using public transportation or you prefer the comfort and convenience of a guided tour, here are the best ways to get from Krakow to Auschwitz.

On This Page:

• From Krakow to Auschwitz by Organized Small Group Tour
• From Krakow to Auschwitz by Private Tour
• From Krakow to Auschwitz by Bus
• From Krakow to Auschwitz by Train
• From Krakow to Auschwitz by Car

1. From Krakow to Auschwitz by Organized Small Group Tour

If you are considering whether to take a Krakow to Auschwitz guided tour or not, consider this: over two million people visit Auschwitz every year. The lines to get in are always long, no matter the season—during particularly busy times, you can easily wait two to three hours just to get in if you haven't reserved an entry pass in advance.

One of the benefits of joining a tour is that there's no waiting time . Tours enter through a side entrance without any wait—plus you don't have to worry about transportation, moving from one camp to the next, or finding the right English-language tour once you get there.

A good option is the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum and Memorial Guided Tour from Krakow , led by an English-speaking, professional guide.

On the day of the tour, an air-conditioned minibus and an English-speaking tour guide will pick you up from your hotel or a central city point in Krakow. During the one-hour drive , you'll be able to watch a documentary about the camps, so you can have a better understanding of WWII's Holocaust and what happened at the camps.

Once you arrive, your guide will take you to the main buildings at the UNESCO-listed former Nazi concentration camp complex, including the gas chambers and crematoriums, old prison blocks, and dormitories, and a number of exhibitions documenting the life of prisoners. You'll also see the watchtowers once used by the Nazi officers at Birkenau.

After touring the two camps, your driver will bring you back to 2 Wielopole Street in Krakow.

2. From Krakow to Auschwitz by Private Tour

If you're looking to get a deeper understanding of the WWII events that led to the construction of the camps, the seven-hour Auschwitz-Birkenau Guided Tour by Private Transport from Krakow will give you just that.

This tour starts right at your Krakow hotel, where a driver will pick you up in an air-conditioned vehicle anywhere between 7:30am and 11am, based on your preferences. From there, it's a one-hour trip to the main camp and museum, where you will join an English-speaking guided tour for a 90-minute tour of Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau.

The tours include both indoor and outdoor spaces. You will see the permanent exhibitions and main buildings at Auschwitz I before you move on to Camp II, where you'll see the unloading platform (ramp) and a train carriage, the ruins of crematoria and gas chambers, and the barracks where prisoners lived.

You will be provided with headsets, so you can hear your guide clearly, as the museum requests that people keep their voices down while walking through Auschwitz.

After your tour is over, you'll get a private ride back to Krakow. You will be dropped off at your hotel no later than 4pm.

3. From Krakow to Auschwitz by Bus

If you are planning on using public transportation, buses are the cheapest and easiest way to get to the camps . From the Kraków MDA main bus station, you can catch a local bus in the direction of Oswiecim and get off at the stop called "Oswiecim Muzeum." This is right at the entrance of the Auschwitz Museum.

Make sure you check the bus schedules in advance on the official MDA Bus Transportation website, as not all buses traveling in that direction stop at Auschwitz.

Your other option is the Lajkonik buses . Choose the bus covering the route - Kraków - Chrzanów - Libiaz - Oswiecim, and get off at the last stop, right at the museum. You can book a seat online—a particularly good idea in summer, as the number of visitors increases, and you might not get a space otherwise. The first bus leaves for Auschwitz at 6:20am, and the last one back to Krakow departs from the museum at 6:45pm, so plan accordingly. During operating hours, the buses run roughly every hour to 90 minutes, although more frequent departures occur during the mornings and around noon.

Keep in mind that these buses take you only to Auschwitz-Camp I . To reach the second camp, Birkenau, you can walk the three kilometers that separate the camps or look for the museum shuttles that run back and forth between the two camps . The free shuttle bus runs every 30 minutes between November and March, increasing in frequency to every 10 minutes from April through October.

4. From Krakow to Auschwitz by Train

Kraków Glówny, the main train station near Krakow Old Town, has a number of trains that can get you close to the camps. You can check schedules on the Polish railway website to pick the best option.

Most trains have an average travel time of just over an hour and can get crowded on weekends, so pick an early morning one if you don't have tickets in advance and want to make sure you get a seat.

Trains leave every hour starting around 4 or 5am. For the camps, taking the 6:39am train is the best option, as you'll arrive in Oświęcim just before 8am.

All trains drop you off at Oswiecim's central station, 1,500 meters away from Auschwitz. You can opt to walk to the museum, which takes about 25 minutes or jump in a taxi. Another way to reach the museum from the train station is by boarding the seasonal "M" line bus. It runs every half hour from 9:07am until 4:07pm between April 1 and October 31. You can catch the bus at the Dworzec PKP stop just outside the train station or from the park-and-ride garage to the museum entrance. It takes approximately five minutes.

The last direct train back to Krakow departs at 8:39pm. If you miss that one, there's another that leaves at 8:52pm, but you'll need to transfer at Mysłowice. It takes more than 2.5 hours.

5. From Krakow to Auschwitz by Car

The Auschwitz-Birkenau camp and museum is located in the city of Oświęcim, about 70 kilometers from the center of Krakow . The trip takes about an hour and 15 minutes in normal travel conditions if you take the A4 motorway in the direction of Oświęcim.

Take the exit at Balin and follow signs for Oświęcim to get to the museum. As signs aren't in English here, having a GPS is essential , or you might find yourself taking the wrong turn here or there.

While the A4 is a toll road, light passenger vehicles are exempt from paying the fee as of July 2023. So as long as you're in a regular vehicle, rather than a large van or truck, you should be able to take the A4 on a toll-free basis.

There are paid parking areas at the camps . Both Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau camps have their own parking, but keep in mind that you should start your visit at Auschwitz I, so if you park at the other camp, you will need to walk back to Birkenau or wait for the museum shuttle. The camps are 3.5 kilometers away from each other.

You can also opt to use the multi-story park-and-ride garage next to the Oświęcim train station. From there, you can hop on the "M" line for a five-minute ride directly to the Auschwitz museum. The bus runs continuously from 9am to 4pm, but is only in operation from early April until late October.

APRIL SALE:   Discover and book at   up to 60% off!

Tours & Trips including Auschwitz 2024/2025

Find the right tour for you through Auschwitz. We've got 106 adventures going to Auschwitz, starting from just 3 days in length, and the longest tour is 28 days. The most popular month to go is August, which has the largest number of tour departures.

106 Auschwitz tour packages with 1,107 reviews

• In-depth Cultural

Krakow & Auschwitz

Did their Krakow, Poland trip in December during the Christmas markets. Really a great trip and experience. Everything was very organized, had really good hotel near the square/old town (I booked the 3-star hotel, private room option with my husband), guides were very good & knowledgeable and the excursions/tours were very good. We also received a lot of extra information and recommendations for things to do and places to go (food and drink too) in our free time which was really nice and helpful. I was a bit nervous reading a few of the reviews here on Yelp but our experience was fantastic and nothing like what some others wrote in their reviews. Krakow was an amazing city and one of the most beautiful in Europe. Definitely recommend this trip and company.

• Christmas & New Year

Krakow, Auschwitz & Wieliczka Salt Mine - 4 Days

If you want to experience all krakow has to offer have plenty of free time and don’t want to worry about all the booking and planning this is the trip for you!

Krakow, Auschwitz, Enamel Factory & Wieliczka Salt Mine - 4 Days

Fantastic tour although the Salt Mine I would skip on my next trip. Our guide Seweryn was the best. He made everything so real and down to earth. He gives you so much information. I Would recommend him to everyone. Twice as good with him as our guide Great trip we visit again.

• Coach / Bus

Highlights of Southern Poland

The Poland tour was excellent! The group leader Beata was awesome and all guidance, planning and itinerary was wonderful. Totally recommended!!

• Sightseeing

Pearls of Poland (for couples)

I think this tour is just right for covering the best sites in Poland in a week's time. I doubt few travelers know anything about Poland's history. So a brief outline of the essentials at the start of the tour would facilitate understanding in Warsaw and Krakow. Our guides were excellent, but if they had structured their presentations, they would have communicated the details at the sights visited much better. Since we two were the only tourists on this tour in this Covid-marred year, we traveled with a driver (Piotr) who was tops.

6 days in Krakow and Szczawnica- private exclusive tour for 2 people

7 days in Krakow and Szczawnica- private exclusive tour for 3-4 people

Highlights of Poland (Classic, 10 Days)

Exceeded our expectations! Our introduction to beautiful Poland was thorough and at a pace that suited everyone on the bus, from young juniors to the seniors. The regional taste treats along the way added to the fun and local info guides made us aware of Poland’s stunning history and the grit and determination of the Poles.

Highlights of Poland

Thanks for a great trip, we thoroughly enjoyed it. It was my first time with Explore, and I was impressed. Already looking at booking one with you for next year.

• 10% deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

Tailor-Made Private Trip to Southern Poland with Daily Departure

• Book With Flexibility This operator allows you to rebook your dates or tours with them for free, waiving change fees.

Portrait of Poland

The hotel In Gdansk was awful There were hotels near town that were the same rate and we could have gone into old town after dinner. I didn’t like not having a choice for dinner. We all ate the same. The hotel in Krakow was close to a Shopping center not close to what makes Krakow special. The hotel in Krakow could have been a whole lot better . We spent 3 nights there but we were not close to go to old town after dinner

• Walking Adventure

Best of Poland (11 Days)

We were shown all around Poland in a very comfortable coach. The hotels were nice and in great locations, making it easy for us to find our own activity if we did not choose to do the optional excursion. Wonderful trip!

• €100 deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

Best of the East

Such a fun and alternative trip to take! We went to Prague, Poland, Budapest, and Austria. Even though it was one of the coldest weeks, our tour guide made it beyond enjoyable. She had so many suggestions of places to go and all were great. My favorite stop was Krakow, Poland, what a beautiful city and so much fun. I had an absolute blast while on this trips, the tour guide were energetic, fun, and knowledgeable, the trip was well run and flexible which I enjoyed, the company had optional activities set up for us which was nice to not feel pressured to do them if you wanted to explore on your own. The accommodations were always comfy and clean and the buses we took for all the trips were enjoyable and filled with fun movies to watch. I would highly recommend traveling with Euroadventures, their attention to detail, responsible yet fun guides, and flexible, activities filled schedule are all beyond worth it.

Tailor-Made Private Poland Tour with Daily Departure

Highlights of Poland (Small Groups, 10 Days)

What people love about auschwitz tours.

Did their Krakow, Poland trip in December during the Christmas markets. Really a great trip and experience. Everything was very organized, had really good hotel near the square/old town (I booked the 3-star hotel, private room option with my husband), guides were very good & knowledgeable and the excursions/tours were very good. We also received a lot of extra information and recommendations for things to do and places to go (food and drink too) in our free time which was really nice and helpful. I was a bit nervous reading a few of the reviews here on Yelp but our experience was fantastic and nothing like what some others wrote in their reviews. Krakow was an amazing city and one of the most beautiful in Europe. Definitely recommend this trip and company.

Seweryn was a fantastic tour guide and very knowledgeable about Krakow's history. I enjoyed learning about the many historical and religious details we saw around Krakow. He also went above and beyond to help me when I had trouble purchasing train tickets, and when I got sick offered to reschedule one of the tour days. I really enjoyed his tour and would highly recommend it.

I had a great first time experience of Krakow through this tour. My tour guide Seweryn was very friendly, flexible, organised and helpful and made the whole process very smooth. The trips to the mine, factory and camps were well laid out and gave me plenty of time for independent sightseeing and fun. If you want to come to Krakow I would highly recommend you do a trip this way!