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How to get to Auschwitz from Krakow (Updated 2024) Choose the best way for yourself!

Getting to auschwitz from krakow.

Do you wonder how to get to Auschwitz from Krakow in the way that the most fits your needs? We can imagine your doubts. Auschwitz Tour is treated as Krakow Tour but Oświęcim is actually a different city, where you can use a certain transport to get to. You can choose several ways to get from Krakow to Auschwitz.

We'll make it simple to you to arrange your trip and get essential information. In this article you will find out how to visit Auschwitz with different options of tours, as well as how to get there without an organized tour. 

Find out what thrilling discoveries await you at the museum of Auschwitz-Birkenau and check the possibility to travel to the former concentration camp of Oświęcim on your own.

How far is Auschwitz from Krakow?

The concentration camp of Auschwitz and Birkenau is located in the city of Oświęcim , about 66 kilometres west of Krakow. Auschwitz is a German name of the city and also a component of the name of the infamous concentration camp that was established outside of then-obliging town boundaries in the 1940s.

Nowadays, the " Arbeit macht frei " entry gate is located about 2,5 kilometres from the city centre of Oswiecim.

Buses from Krakow to Auschwitz and return

The bus is the best way to get to Auschwitz. There is an option to book a bus ticket directly to Auschwitz Museum from Krakow Bus Station. It is the easiest way to travel to Auschwitz Museum on your own. If you would like to travel independently by a public bus, this is the solution for you. We provide return tickets for the official carrier - Lajkonik. If it's something you are looking for, check Shuttle Bus to Auschwitz  and return .

 Connection from Krakow to Auschwitz by bus is presented below:

• From : MDA Bus Station Krakow (Lower floor)
• Gate : D10 for all hours except 8:40 which is D9
• Price : 20 PLN for one way ticket
• Travel time : 1:30-2:00h
• Distance to Museum after stop : 1 min by foot
• Current departure times : 6:20, 8:40, 9:40, 11:10, 12:30, 14:45, 15:50, 16:55, 19:05

Please note that if you don't prebook your ticket to Auschwitz Museum your entrance will not be secured.

It is possible to purchase tickets to Oswiecim at the stationary ticket offices of Dworzec MDA on the day of departure, while the drivers of certain carriers also sell them directly if the buses are not crowded. 

ATTENTION : The easiest and most efficient way to get to Auschwitz and make the most of it is to book an organized tour. Take a closer look at these 3 options:

• Guided Tour (Shared minibus transportation, entry ticket, live guide)  
• Guided Tour with Private Transport (Private transport, entry ticket, live guide)
• Guided Tour with Hotel pick-up - NEW

The most popular choices

Train to Auschwitz: the most reliable, yet not direct transportation

Getting to Auschwitz from Krakow is not that difficult after all :)

There are direct railway connections to the city of Oswiecim that leave from Krakow once an hour or two, with a standard journey lasting 1 hour and 40 minutes.

• From : Main Train Station Krakow
• Price : 12,50 PLN for Adult one way ticket
• Travel time : ~1:50h
• Distance to Museum after stop : 20-30 mins by foot, 5-10 mins with bus

Check Auschwitz Birkenau Train Timetable.

The railway agency that operates on this route requires having it purchased at a stationary ticket office or on the Internet (such bought ticket may be printed or downloaded to a mobile device).

Once you get off, you will find yourself at the railway station of Oswiecim , about 1,9 kilometres away from the concentration camp of Auschwitz.

You may take a walk (with 25 minutes expected to cover the distance) or decide to use the transportation company of the town – an urban bus line which has its stop near the railway station and includes the "Muzeum" stop in its timetable (the price for a single ticket is PLN 3,5 and you will pay PLN 2,50 for a reduced one).

How to return:  Walk back to Oswiecim railway station or take a return bus to Krakow. If you are also interested in exploring the town itself, check the local places that are worth a visit here.

Tour to Auschwitz with transportation

If you find all those options too complicated, don't hesitate to ask us for an organized trip with the transport from Krakow to Museum and back.  This is the easiest way if you want to get to Auschwitz. 

Tours include pick-up service  which means that you will be picked up from the pick-up spot in the city center:

After the tour, you can choose where you want to be dropped off, in one of the above pick-up spots or just in the city center. You can also choose the option with direct pickup from the hotel where you are staying. This solution ensures convenience and a worry-free experience. 

English speaking driver will help you throughout the whole trip assisting you and answering all the necessary questions. You can book such a tour HERE.

• From : One of the above pick-up points in the city center or hotel pick-up (if particular offer chosen)
• Price : From 69 €  for the tour with ticket, live guide, transportation and hotel pick-up (Check here available options)
• Travel time : 1:00h-1:30h (one way)
• Distance to Museum after stop : Direct connection

When to visit Auschwitz?

After you found out a way to get from Krakow to Auschwitz , you need to be sure its open. The exhibitions of Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp are open to visitors daily, with the exceptions of January the 1st , the first day of Easter and the 25th of December , as well as on certain days or hours when official diplomatic delegations are to be hosted there (you may check these special dates when Auschwitz isn't open).

It is possible to visit the museum between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. (December), 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. (January, November), 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. (February), 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. (March, October), 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. (April, May, September) or 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. (June, July, August). The closing hours mentioned above are when the last groups of visitors are admitted inside, having one and a half an hour to complete their visits.

What should I choose?

As a Local, I would say "it depends". But to make it easier for you to choose a way of transport from Krakow to Auschwitz:

• If you hate buying tickets online, arranging transport etc.  -> Choose O rganized regular guided tour
• If you like comfort or travel with family, a group  -> Choose an organized tour with private a transfer
• If you want to be picked-up from your hotel --> Choose a organized tour with hotel pick-up

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AUSCHWITZ TOURS FROM KRAKOW

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Further reading

I published many articles about Poland that you might find useful when planning your trip there. Here are some of them:

• 37 Amazing Things to Do in Krakow, Poland
• 20 Great Places to Visit As Day Trips from Warsaw, Poland
• 17 Amazing Things to Do in Lublin, Poland
• The Complete Guide to Visiting Slownski National Park, Poland
• Visit Grudziadz – One of the Hidden Gems of Poland
• 19 Amazing Things to Do in Gdansk, Poland
• Visit Sandomierz, Poland – One of the Prettiest Towns in the Country
• Visiting Malbork Castle, Poland – the Largest Castle in the World
• 25 Amazing Things to do in Wroclaw, Poland
• and many more!

If you are looking for articles about a specific destination – check out the map with all the articles I’ve published (and their locations). You can also join my Facebook group about traveling in Central Europe and ask your questions there.

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!

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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]).

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Tours & Trips including Auschwitz 2024/2025

Find the right tour for you through Auschwitz. We've got 108 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.

108 Auschwitz tour packages with 1,193 reviews

• In-depth Cultural
• 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

I felt like I was the only person involved in this "group" tour. When I booked this I was under the impression I would be with a group. I never met a consistent guide or any other consistent person on the same activities. It seemed like the accommodations and tours were arranged for me through TourRadar/Euroadventures. But quite honestly, I could have done that myself with better accommodations.

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

It was a pretty good experience and started with excellent tour guide Seweryn Osowski (Krakow Tour Guide) he is a local and speak English so we are kosher with communication. Visiting Auschwitz is astounding and educational seeing the exact concentration camp is mind-blowing. Schindler's factory and artifacts are remarkable. I recommended these areas to be visited by younger generation to learn from history, and avoid the same mistakes Nazi made. By the way St. Mary's Basilica in Krakow square Gothic altarpice is mesmerizing.

• 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

6 days in Krakow and Szczawnica- private exclusive tour for 5-8 people

Highlights of Poland (Classic, 10 Days)

Poland was an amazing country. The people are resilient and welcoming. The itinerary was packed and it might be nice to have a few late mornings. All local experts were knowledgeable, approachable and honest about their country. We were surprised initially that the tour had 40 people, we anticipated “ small group” to mean 10 - 15, however we have made several new friends.

Highlights of Poland

I had a fantastic time on this tour. Our guide Alexandria was wonderful. This tour was absolutely great. Everything was smooth sailing. Well organized.

• 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

I would prefer better meals and better WiFi service on the bus

• Walking Adventure

Best of Poland (11 Days)

Everything was outstanding. Coach, Kate (tour guide), all other guides (except one), hotels, meals, itineraries, driver, sights, tours. Two issues. Our Auschwitz tour guide had a very, very pronounced accent and spoke very quickly making it difficult to understand him. Extremely knowledgeable but needs to slow down his speech. Loved that every tour guide throughout the country was a "local". The other issue was that the optional tours available were charged in Euros and not Polish money. Other than those "minor issues" the tour was truly outstanding, interesting, educational and fun!

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

Best of the East

It was good we enjoyed

Tailor-Made Private Poland Tour with Daily Departure

Highlights of Poland (Small Groups, 10 Days)

What people love about auschwitz tours.

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.

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.

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!

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Visit Krakow & Auschwitz

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We're sorry, this deal is expired.

• Flight included
• Accommodation
• Transfer included
• Activity included
• total price from £ 338.00
• price based on: 2 adults

We know plans can change. Our Flexible holidays let you rearrange your trip

Choose from any alternative available dates. Includes refundable options. T&C's apply

Explore world history in with a Krakow city trip. Incl. up to 5 nights in Krakow, choice of hotel, breakfast, flights & an Auschwitz excursion

Take a trip to the historic city of Krakow. Spend a few days getting to know the city before heading out to experience history with your own eyes on an included excursion to Auschwitz - the deadliest concentration camp of WW2. Stay in Krakow for up to 5 nights and contrast brutal history with an exploration of the beauty and culture of Poland's southern city. From the well-preserved Medieval architecture in the Market Square to the 14th Century St. Mary's Basilica, from the charming shopping streets to the trendiest neighbourhoods: Krakow is much more than Auschwitz. With breakfast, flights, an excursion and your choice of hotels - the hardest decision you'll have to make is how long to go!

2, 3, 4 or 5 nights in Krakow

Return transfer airport - hotel

Excursion to Auschwitz incl. English-speaking guide and transport

Return flight from to Krakow

Historic Krakow

Poland’s renowned second city boasts a fascinating and turbulent past with historic treasures around every other corner. The Old Town is certainly one of the most beautiful in the world, with its cobbled streets and majestic buildings which house cosy cafes, restaurants and shops. In the main market square you can take your place on one the terraces and watch the world go by whilst enjoying a bite to eat. History buffs will be sure to want to explore Kazimierz, the city's Jewish quarter which was destroyed during World War II. Throughout the neighbourhood you will discover traces of its heartbreaking history and it is also possible to visit Oskar Schindler’s factory which now features an exhibition dedicated to Krakow during the Nazi occupation. What also makes Kazimierz such a special neighbourhood is that is has now become a bohemian hotspot, bursting with bars and cafes which are the perfect place to while away an evening.

We work with our trusted partners in the region to offer you the best possible stay.

When you plan your trip, after you've selected a date, we will show you all the information about the hotel you will be staying at.

Benefits of all the hotels

Auschwitz excursion.

During this included excursion on Day 2, you visit one of WW2's most notorious concentration camps: Auschwitz-Birkenau. More than 1 million people lost their lives in Auschwitz, and Auschwitz-Birkenau stands today as a powerful memorial to the camp's victims and to one of history's darkest chapters. Auschwitz was listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979.

During the excursion, you will visit Auschwitz I, which served as the administrative centre for the entire camp. Here you will embark on a 2-hour tour with an English speaking museum guide. The next visit is Auschwitz II - Birkenau, 2 kilometres away, and served as a concentration camp. Here you spend 1.5 hours, where you are once again shown around by an English speaking guide. You will arrive back at the hotel, around 16.30. The excursion takes place on day 2 of the trip, lasts a total of 8 hours and takes place in a group of up to 30 people.

Please note that this excursion is not recommended for children under 14 years. You will receive more information about the final pick-up time and location upon arrival at the hotel.

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Auschwitz trip cancelled - Krakow Forum

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Auschwitz trip cancelled

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Our pre-booked trip has been cancelled for tomorrow advising ‘civil unrest’, we are wondering whether to try a different operator or if the museum is closed? Thank you

2 replies to this topic

Polish farmers will block main roads with tractors in protest against the uncontrolled inflow of agricultural products from Ukraine. Use train.

What is the purpose to open next thead ?

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g274772-i961-k14705616-Auschwitz_tour_just_cancelled-Krakow_Lesser_Poland_Province_Southern_Poland.html

I also had my trip for tomorrow cancelled as well. Specifically came here to do this tour. Am on standby list with two other tour groups so fingers crossed.

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