Are you planning a trip to Krakow and wondering how to visit Auschwitz? Less than 70 km (about 43 miles) from the city, Auschwitz-Birkenau is an essential day trip - heavy with history and emotion. During World War II, Auschwitz was both a concentration camp and an extermination camp, where more than 1.1 million people were murdered, victims of Nazi barbarity... so obviously, it is impossible to treat these camps like a standard tourist site.
Visiting Auschwitz from Krakow is first and foremost a memorial journey into 20th-century European history. Most visitors leave shaken - with a lot to process, and often with a desire to pass on what they saw and understood.
In this guide, I will walk you through the practical planning: which camp to visit, how to get there, whether you should hire a guide, how much tickets cost, and how to prepare for the day.
Visiting Auschwitz from Krakow: key facts
- Distance: 65 km (about 40 miles) - around 1 hr 15 min
- Transportation: bus, train, car, or an organized tour
- Camp tickets: book as soon as sales open (up to 3 months ahead)
- Visit types: guided tour (including French tours) or self-guided
- Time on site: about 4 hours
- Combo day trip: possible with the Wieliczka Salt Mine
- Where is Auschwitz-Birkenau located?
- Visiting Auschwitz from Krakow: guided tour or self-guided?
- How to book a guided tour in English
- How to book a visit without a guide
- How to get to Auschwitz from Krakow
- What to expect during your visit
- Frequently asked questions before visiting Auschwitz
- Final tips before your visit
Where is Auschwitz-Birkenau located?
The Auschwitz-Birkenau camps are in Oświęcim (pronounced "osh-vyen-cheem"), a town about 65 km (around 40 miles) west of Krakow. The drive takes around 1 hr 15 min from Krakow (via the A4 highway). If you are coming from Warsaw, plan closer to 4 hours via the S7 route.
View on the map:
Visiting Auschwitz from Krakow: guided tour or self-guided?
You can visit Auschwitz-Birkenau with a guide or on your own. A guided tour is ideal if you want solid historical context, especially if you are not very familiar with the subject. The museum's official guides are trained and accredited, which helps ensure accurate and rigorous explanations.
A self-guided visit gives you more freedom, but it requires preparation (advance booking is mandatory, and reading beforehand can be helpful).
I explain everything in this detailed guide to visiting without a guide.
Either way, choose the format that best matches your knowledge level, your logistics... and your personal sensitivity when visiting a site of remembrance.
| Guided tour | Self-guided visit | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | First-time visitors or anyone who wants strong historical context | Visitors who already know the history or prefer their own pace |
| Price | €30-50 (with transportation) or ~€15 (official website) (approx. $33-55 / £26-43, or ~$16 / ~£13) | Free (limited off-peak time slots) |
| Booking | 1-2 weeks in advance (agency) or up to 3 months (official website) | Up to 3 months in advance, limited availability |
| Duration | ~3.5 hours (full route) | 3.5 to 4.5 hours depending on season and pace |
In both cases, you will need to book your ticket in advance. Here is how it works depending on the option you choose.
How to book a guided tour in English
If you are visiting Auschwitz from Krakow, you have several options to book a guided tour in English of the memorial:
- Through a travel agency (transportation included from Krakow)
- On the official website (cheaper, but you handle the logistics)
- By booking a private guide (a tailor-made experience)
Here are the recommended booking timelines.
| Ticket type | When to book | Where to book |
|---|---|---|
| 🎫 Guided tour via an agency | 1 to 2 weeks in advance (more in peak season) | Online platforms like GetYourGuide |
| 🌐 Official website | Up to 3 months in advance | visit.auschwitz.org |
| 👤 Private guide | At least 1 month in advance | reservation.office@auschwitz.org |
Option 1 - Book a guided Auschwitz tour from Krakow with an agency
The easiest solution: everything is included (transportation, ticket, guide). Local companies such as Krakow Booking, Poland Explore, or Royal Cracow offer guided day trips to Auschwitz with departures from Krakow (English is the most common language option).
- Krakow Booking tour (with or without pickup)
- Poland Explore tour (hotel pickup or meeting point)
- Royal Cracow tour (central departure)
Some travelers choose to pair Auschwitz with a trip to the famous Wieliczka Salt Mine, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. Combo day trips from Krakow (Auschwitz + Wieliczka) offer a more varied itinerary.
- Auschwitz + salt mine on the same day (Krakow Tours)
- Auschwitz/Wieliczka combo tour with pickup from Krakow (KrakowTouring.com)
Option 2 - Book on the official website
If you prefer to plan your visit independently, you can book directly on the museum's official website: visit.auschwitz.org. It is the cheapest option (self-guided entry time slots are free), but it is also the most technical: reservations open exactly 3 months in advance, tickets sell out quickly, and the interface can be confusing.
English-language guided time slots are widely available compared to other languages, but popular times still sell out fast, especially in spring and summer. You will also need to arrange your own transportation from Krakow.
I wrote a complete step-by-step booking tutorial: when to log in, what to do if it is sold out, and the best alternatives if you cannot get a spot. Everything is explained here: How to book Auschwitz tickets (step-by-step guide).
Option 3 - Book a private guide
For a more personal experience, you can book a private guide through the museum (email: reservation.office@auschwitz.org). This can be a great option for family groups or visitors who want a tailored experience.
📅 Plan at least 1 month ahead. Tour options: 3.5 hours or 6 hours (pricing details in this official PDF).
How to book a visit without a guide
Some visitors choose to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau independently, without a guide. It is possible - and it can even be free if you book an off-peak time slot (early morning or late afternoon). But it requires careful planning:
- Time slots sell out fast (they open 3 months in advance, and you often need to move quickly);
- You must organize your own transportation from Krakow;
- It is strongly recommended to read and prepare beforehand so you understand what you are seeing.
The upside? Total freedom to explore at your own pace, return to certain areas, and reflect in silence. For some visitors, it can feel more intimate and personal.
The downside? You will not get the historical context an accredited guide provides. If you are not very familiar with the history of the Holocaust, a guided visit is usually more informative.
I wrote a complete how-to guide to plan a self-guided visit: how to book at the right time, what route to follow on site, common pitfalls, and how to get there from Krakow. Everything is detailed here: Visiting Auschwitz without a guide: the complete guide.
How to get to Auschwitz from Krakow
Auschwitz-Birkenau is about 65 km west of Krakow (around 40 miles). Here is the key info at a glance to help you choose the best option:
| Option | Time / Cost | My quick take |
|---|---|---|
| 🚌 Bus | About 1h30 ≈ €9.50 round trip (approx. $10 / £8) |
Best value. Direct, and it drops you right at the museum entrance. |
| 🚆 Train | About 1h30 to 2h30 ≈ €8 round trip (approx. $9 / £7) |
Less convenient. The station is about 2 km (1.2 miles) from the camp, so you will need a 20-25 minute walk or an extra local bus. |
| 🚩 Organized tour | Included in the tour | Zero stress. Ideal if you do not want to handle logistics (and it often includes a guide). |
Practical details by transportation option
Recommended company: Lajkonik.
Frequency: Regular morning departures.
How to buy tickets: From the driver (cash) or online on Lajkonik's website to secure your seat.
Important: From the station, you are still about 2 km (1.2 miles) from the museum entrance. You can walk (about 20-25 minutes) or take local buses (lines 3 or 8) to the stop called "Muzeum I".
Tip: Park at the main Auschwitz I lot (around 20 PLN, roughly €5 / $5-6 / £4-5 for the day) and use the free shuttle bus to reach Birkenau afterward.
What to expect during your visit
Visiting Auschwitz-Birkenau is not just visiting a historical site. It is a deeply human experience, sometimes overwhelming, faced with one of the darkest chapters in human history. Even if you think you are prepared, it is hard to fully anticipate the emotional impact until you walk through the gates. The silence, the sheer scale of the place, victims' personal belongings, and the ruins of the crematoria... everything carries a particular weight.
Auschwitz visit options: quick overview
| Visit type | Duration | Sites covered | What makes it different |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🔹 Standard guided tour | ≈ 3.5 hours | Auschwitz I + Birkenau | Main route with a certified guide |
| 🔸 Study tour | ≈ 6 hours | Auschwitz I + Birkenau | Additional areas and themes (including the "Sauna" building), and sections that are not covered on the standard tour |
| 🔹 Self-guided visit | Depends on your time slot | Depends on availability | Explore at your own pace, without a guide |
What will you see on the standard 3.5-hour guided tour?
The standard guided tour lasts about 3.5 hours, split between Auschwitz I (the main camp, now a museum) and Auschwitz II-Birkenau (the extermination camp). A free shuttle bus connects the two sites in about 5 minutes.
AUSCHWITZ I
This is the museum and memorial focused on education and historical understanding of the camp system. Highlights typically include:
- Entering under the "Arbeit macht frei" gate
- Documented exhibitions about the history of the camp
- Collections of victims' personal items: suitcases, shoes, hair
- Block 11 (cells, isolation), and the Death Wall
- The site's first crematorium
AUSCHWITZ II-BIRKENAU
Birkenau was designed for large-scale extermination. Deportation trains arrived here from across Europe, followed by the "selection" process that sent many people directly to their deaths. The site is vast and mostly outdoors, with many ruins and a few reconstructed elements to balance authenticity with the memorial's educational role.
You will typically see:
- The arrival railway ramp
- Barracks (bunks, latrines)
- Watchtowers and barbed wire
- The ruins of the gas chambers and crematoria
Throughout the tour, you will be given an audio headset so you can hear the guide clearly even if you are at the back of the group. This is not an "audio guide" in the sense of a self-guided narrated route: it is your guide's live commentary, transmitted to your headset.
What extra do you visit on the 6-hour study tour?
The 6-hour study tour covers additional areas and exhibitions that are not included in the standard route, such as:
- Blocks dedicated to specific national groups (depending on the day and access).
- The "Sauna" building, where prisoners were registered, tattooed, and stripped of their personal belongings.
- The ruins of Crematoria IV and V.
Frequently asked questions before visiting Auschwitz
If you are planning your day trip to Auschwitz from Krakow, here are answers to the practical questions I get most often - everything you need to know to prepare for this visit in the best possible conditions.
Planning your Auschwitz visit
| Month | Opens | Entry closes | Latest exit |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:30 a.m. | 3:00 p.m. | 4:30 p.m. |
| February | 7:30 a.m. | 4:00 p.m. | 5:30 p.m. |
| March | 7:30 a.m. | 5:00 p.m. | 6:30 p.m. |
| April & May | 7:30 a.m. | 6:00 p.m. | 7:30 p.m. |
| June, July & August | 7:30 a.m. | 7:00 p.m. | 8:30 p.m. |
| September | 7:30 a.m. | 6:00 p.m. | 7:30 p.m. |
| October | 7:30 a.m. | 5:00 p.m. | 6:30 p.m. |
| November | 7:30 a.m. | 3:00 p.m. | 4:30 p.m. |
| December | 7:30 a.m. | 2:00 p.m. | 3:30 p.m. |
👉 Everything you need to plan that self-guided option: Visiting Auschwitz without a guide
Frequently asked questions about the visit
A paid cloakroom/lockers service is available for larger luggage (up to 30 kg / about 66 lb), with three locker sizes: 90 x 50 x 30 cm (about 35.4 x 19.7 x 11.8 in), 60 x 50 x 30 cm (about 23.6 x 19.7 x 11.8 in) and 90 x 65 x 50 cm (about 35.4 x 25.6 x 19.7 in).
Restrictions: Flash, tripods, and drones are not allowed. Any commercial use of images requires prior authorization.
Frequency: every 10 minutes from April to October, and twice per hour from November to March.
Restrooms: available at Auschwitz I (near the entrance and by Block 18) and at Birkenau (near the entrance and behind the victims' memorial monument). Some restrooms are paid and require 1-2 zlotys, while those inside the sites are free.
Where people usually leave them:
- At Auschwitz I, between Blocks 10 and 11.
- At Birkenau, you have more freedom: along the railway tracks, near the crematoria ruins, or at the memorial monument.
Avoid: flip-flops, very short shorts, and very short skirts.
Families, visitors with disabilities, and relatives of former prisoners: what to know
A few practical points to consider:
- Strollers are not allowed inside the buildings.
- There is no dedicated changing area for babies.
- The visit can be distressing for some children and teenagers.
Tip: If you are coming with kids, prepare them with age-appropriate books. Ideally, come with another adult so one parent can enter a block first and decide whether it is suitable for the child to see.
At Auschwitz I:
- Stairs at the entrance of many blocks.
- Gravel and dirt paths, which can be muddy.
- Narrow interiors that make movement difficult.
- Some buildings may be manageable for visitors who can take a few steps, while others remain inaccessible.
At Auschwitz II - Birkenau:
- Flatter overall, but with uneven gravel and sometimes mud.
- Human assistance is strongly recommended, especially for manual wheelchairs.
Tip: Contact the Auschwitz Museum in advance for guidance specific to your situation.
Final tips before your visit
I hope this guide has answered your questions. I update it regularly to keep it as accurate as possible, so feel free to let me know if you spot an error or if anything important is missing.
To continue your trip in Poland, you can also visit other sites of remembrance in Krakow, such as Oskar Schindler's Factor, the Plaszow labor camp, or the Jewish museum in the Kazimierz district. Other camps can also be visited in Poland, including Treblinka (north of Warsaw) and Majdanek (near Lublin).
If you want a clearer sense of what to expect, the museum offers a virtual tour and an online guide in English - useful resources to explore before your visit.
Auschwitz is a place that stays with you. The museum team does remarkable work to welcome visitors in the best possible conditions and to pass on history with care, accuracy, and respect.
If you have questions before your trip, feel free to ask in the comments (you will not be the first!). And if this article helped you, please share it - it may be useful to someone else planning their visit.
