This guide on how to get from Krakow to Auschwitz It will help you to organize a visit to one of the most moving places in the world, which we are sure, will not leave you indifferent.
Located 70 kilometers from Krakow, this concentration camp was the largest Nazi extermination center with more than one million people executed, the vast majority Jews, who were killed solely on the grounds of race, political ideas or religion.
Since 1979, a museum has been created here in two of the fields: Auschwitz I and Auschwitz-Birkenau, to remind mankind of what really happened there and try not to repeat it again.
Based on the experience of our visit to this concentration camp, considered one of the best excursions in Krakow, we explain the different options of to get to Auschwitz from Krakow, so you can choose the one that best suits your needs. We start!
How to get from Krakow to Auschwitz with a guide in Spanish
The most interesting way and the one we chose to visit the countryside was booking this excursion to Auschwitz-Birkenau with a guide in Spanish.
Although we usually do most tours for free, on this occasion we believe that it is almost essential to have an expert guide to know the history well and not miss anything important.
This excursion by bus, which leaves early in the morning from Matejko 2 square, very close to the Barbican, lasts approximately 6 hours.
During the one-hour bus ride you will see a documentary about Auschwitz and you will get off at the Auschwitz I concentration camp so once the two-hour visit to this camp is over, take the bus that will take you to the concentration and extermination camp again from Auschwitz II-Birkenau, located 3 kilometers.
Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp
This tour is the most requested in Krakow, so it is highly recommended to book it as soon as possible to avoid running out of seats.
Another highly recommended alternative to visit the countryside is to book this offer that includes a visit to Auschwitz and the Salt Mines in one day, two of the most essential places to visit in Krakow.
You can read our full experience in this post about visiting Auschwitz from Krakow.
How to get to Auschwitz by free
The cheapest way to go from Krakow to Auschwitz is to take a bus at Dworzec MD station, located 10 minutes from Florianska Gate and next to the train station.
This journey of approximately one hour and a half is done by up to 4 companies with an output frequency of 15 minutes and a price of around 4 euros. The Lajkonik company will leave you near the entrance at the Muzeum Auschwitz stop and the others 10 minutes walk from the entrance of Auschwitz I.
Another less advisable option is to take one of the trains that leave every hour from the Central Railway Station in Krakow (Kraków Glówny) for a price similar to that of the bus although with the great inconvenience of leaving you at the Oświęcim stop, located two kilometers away of the entry of Auschwitz I.
Note that the visit to the concentration camp is free before 10 in the morning and after 4 in the afternoon, but between these two hours it is mandatory to hire a guided tour in the same field or online on this official website .
On the same page you have the possibility to book guided tours in Spanish, although they are less frequent and you may have to do it in English or another language.
It should also be noted that the number of visitors is limited, so it is advisable to book the visit with enough time as they sell out quickly, especially if your trip is in high season or weekend.
The visit starts at Auschwitz I and then you can go by free bus to the Auschwitz II-Birkenau camp.
Bunk beds in the barracks of Auschwitz II-Birkenau
