How to get from Krakow to Auschwitz-Birkenau
The Memorial is in Oświęcim, about 70 km west of Krakow — roughly an hour to an hour and a quarter by road. Every practical way of getting there is below, including the ones we do not sell.
By bus: the simplest way to do it yourself
The Lajkonik bus runs from the MDA coach station in Krakow, next to the main railway station, and sets down at the Memorial car park. No changes and no walk from a distant stop, which is what makes it better than the train.
It takes about an hour and a half and costs around 22 PLN one way. Departures are limited and buses do fill up, so book rather than turning up. Seats sold through Flixbus are on the same vehicle, with a booking fee on top.
By train: cheap, but it does not take you to the door
Trains from Kraków Główny to Oświęcim take roughly an hour and twenty to an hour and forty. The catch is at the far end: the station is about 2 km from the entrance to Auschwitz I, which means a 20–25 minute walk, a local bus, or a taxi.
It is the least convenient option and the one most likely to leave you arriving later than you planned. If you are set on public transport, take the bus.
By car
The A4 motorway and then the DW780. The main car park and visitor entrance are at 55 Więźniów Oświęcimia Street. Parking is paid — around 20 PLN for a car — and there is a free lot roughly 700 m away that is useful when the main one fills up in summer.
Birkenau has its own car park, some distance from Auschwitz I. Which one you should use depends on where your visit starts, so check that before you set off.
Getting between Auschwitz I and Birkenau
The two sites are about 3 km apart and the visit covers both. The Museum runs a free shuttle between them every ten to fifteen minutes; the ride takes under ten. Walking takes about forty minutes.
This is the part of the day that most often goes wrong for independent visitors, because the shuttle serves everyone on site and you travel when there is room. If you are working to a fixed entry time at the second site, build in slack.
Whichever way you come
- Arrive 30 minutes early. The Museum asks for this because of the security check, and in season it is not padding.
- Bag size is enforced. Nothing larger than 35 × 25 × 15 cm may be carried in. Anything bigger goes to the left-luggage point, which means queuing for it twice.
- Entry passes are online only. Since March 2026 nothing is sold at the gate. Book at visit.auschwitz.org, or with an operator who holds allocated places.
- Allow four hours on site. A guided visit of both parts runs to about three and a half hours, and that is before travel at either end.
If you would rather not organise any of it
We run two options from Krakow. From our departure point at Wielopole 2 — the Przystanek Turystyczny stop, a few minutes from the main square — or collected from your hotel, anywhere in Krakow.
Either way the driver is our own, speaks fluent English, and knows the day’s organisation and the Museum’s rules well enough to answer questions on the way. Departure is set from your confirmed Museum entry time, which we send you at least 48 hours ahead.
What that buys you beyond the seat is a host waiting at the Memorial, your bags left on the bus rather than in a locker, and a transfer to Birkenau on our own vehicle instead of the public shuttle.