4 Best Day Trips to Auschwitz from Krakow

Discover the history of Auschwitz with guided tours from Krakow. Poignant and thought-provoking visits. Book your ticket here.

4 Best Day Trips to Auschwitz from Krakow

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More about: 4 Best Day Trips to Auschwitz from Krakow

Unfortunately, a place like this needs no introduction. What decades ago was a torture camp today is a historical museum that seeks to explain to the new generations the mistakes of the past, preventing the memory of the victims from being lost.

When we talk about Auschwitz we refer to not one but three different camps: an administrative center (Auschwitz I), an extermination camp (Auschwitz-Birkenau) and a labor camp (Auschwitz III). They are about an hour and a quarter from Krakow and there are different excursions to visit them from Krakow.

  • Auschwitz Day Trip from Krakow
  • From $35.
  • 7h to 8h
  • Includes skip-the-line entrance to Auschwitz
  • Transfer by air-conditioned bus
  • Expert guide
  • Reservation
  • Auschwitz-Birkenau Camp Guided Tour with Transfers from Krakow
  • From $46
  • 7h to 8h
  • Included entrance to Auschwitz I and Birkenau
  • Transfers from Krakow included
  • With hotel pick-up
  • Book
  • Auschwitz-Birkenau Camp Guided Tour with Transfers from Krakow and Optional Lunch
  • From $152
  • 7h
  • Including entrance to Auschwitz I and Birkenau
  • Transfers from Krakow included
  • With optional lunch
  • Book
  • Auschwitz and Wieliczka Salt Mine Day Trip from Krakow
  • From $120
  • 11h
  • Including entrance to Auschwitz and Wieliczka Salt Mines
  • Air-conditioned minibus with WiFi
  • Expert guide
  • Book

1. Excursion to Auschwitz from Krakow

Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial| ©Américo Aperta
Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial| ©Américo Aperta

The most classic and popular option is to book an excursion to Auschwitz, which includes round-trip transportation from Krakow, entrance to both concentration camps and the accompaniment of a professional guide. It is an educational and moving experience to learn about one of the darkest episodes in history.

For about 7 hours, you will visit Auschwitz I, which houses exhibits with photographs, documents and personal belongings of the victims, and Auschwitz II-Birkenau, the largest extermination camp in the complex, where the remains of the crematoria and gas chambers are preserved.

Details of interest

  • Price: from 35
  • Duration: approximately 7 hours
  • Recommended if... you want to get to know Auschwitz in an educational and accessible way**.**

Book a tour to Auschwitz from Krakow

2. Excursion to Auschwitz-Birkenau with pick-up from your hotel in Krakow

Auschwitz-Birkenau| ©Milan Boers
Auschwitz-Birkenau| ©Milan Boers

If you are looking for more comfort, you can book a guided tour to Auschwitz-Birkenau with pick-up from your hotel in Krakow that includes transfer from your accommodation, entrance to the two concentration camps and the company of an expert guide who will delve into the history of this place.

The tour lasts approximately 7 hours and includes Auschwitz I, where you will see the historical exhibits, and Auschwitz II-Birkenau, where you will tour the railway tracks, the barracks and the remains of the crematoria.

Details of interest

  • Price: from 46
  • Duration: approximately 7 hours
  • Recommended if... you want more comfort and direct pick-up from your accommodation.

Book your guided tour to Auschwitz-Birkenau

3. Excursion to Auschwitz-Birkenau with lunch option from Krakow

Visit the camp| ©Jean Carlo Emer
Visit the camp| ©Jean Carlo Emer

For an even more complete experience, you can book this tour to Auschwitz-Birkenau with lunch option that includes transportation from Krakow, entrance to both camps and the option to add a lunch to make the most of the day.

The tour lasts about 7 hours and goes through Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau, accompanied by a professional guide who will explain the history of these places while you visit the most significant points of the camps.

Details of interest

  • Price: from 152
  • Duration: approximately 7 hours
  • Recommended if... you want an organized tour from start to finish.

Book your excursion to Auschwitz-Birkenau with lunch

4. Excursion to Auschwitz and Wieliczka salt mines from Krakow

Interior of the Wieliczka Salt Mines| ©Aleksandr Zykov
Interior of the Wieliczka Salt Mines| ©Aleksandr Zykov

If you want to make the most of your day, I recommend booking this combined excursion to Auschwitz and the Wieliczka Salt Mines which includes entrance fees to both sites, the accompaniment of a professional guide and round-trip transportation from Krakow.

The experience lasts about 10.5 hours and combines a visit to the Auschwitz concentration camps with a tour of the impressive Wieliczka Salt Mines, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Details of interest

  • Price: from 120
  • Duration: approximately 10 hours and a half
  • Recommended if... you want to make the most of your day visiting Auschwitz and the salt mines.

Book an excursion to Auschwitz and the Wieliczka Salt Mines


How much does it cost to visit Auschwitz: entrance fees and excursions?

Take your time while visiting Auschwitz| ©Jean Carlo Emer
Take your time while visiting Auschwitz| ©Jean Carlo Emer

If you are wondering how much it costs to visit Auschwitz, you should know that prices may vary depending on which option you choose. If you book a tour to Auschwitz from Krakow, you will pay $35 euros from the Hellotickets website.

For me, this is the most convenient option, since for the little difference in price you can get to the gate of the concentration camp in a private bus and after the visit you will be dropped off back in the center of Krakow, without worrying about waiting times and most importantly, accompanied by an expert guide. Here is an article with all the information about tickets to Auschwitz.

Book a tour to Auschwitz from Krakow

Is it worth booking the combined tour to Auschwitz and the Salt Mines?

Auschwitz Tour| ©Signe Brockman
Auschwitz Tour| ©Signe Brockman

The excursions to the Salt Mines from Krakow are, together with the visit to Auschwitz, the most popular attractions in the country. If you know that you do not want to leave Krakow without visiting both, there is a very convenient option, which is to buy together the excursion to Auschwitz and Salt Mines.

With this option you will save money and time, since you will not have to queue at either of the two sites and you will be accompanied at all times by a guide who will explain everything you see, both in the concentration camp and in the mines.

Book your tour to Auschwitz and the Salt Mines

How to get to Auschwitz?

Visit the Auschwitz camp| ©Jim McDougall
Visit the Auschwitz camp| ©Jim McDougall

It is most convenient to get to Auschwitz concentration camp on a guided tour from Krakow, so you don't have to worry about finding a method of transportation on your own. The tours usually use a private bus or minivan to take you to and from Auschwitz-Birkenau from the center of Krakow.

But if you prefer, you can also go by train, by bus or even by car, if you have decided to rent a car during your trip. I leave you all the details about each option here: how to get to Auschwitz from Krakow.

Book a tour to Auschwitz from Krakow

What are the opening hours of Auschwitz?

Auschwitz watchtower| ©bipolars polaroids
Auschwitz watchtower| ©bipolars polaroids

The Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp is open every day of the week, every day of the year (except Christmas, New Year's Day and Easter Sunday).

In general, Auschwitz opening hours vary depending on the season from winter to summer, but usually open between 8 am and 3 pm in winter and until 5 or 6 pm in summer.

Book a tour to Auschwitz from Krakow

How long are the tours and visits to Auschwitz?

Entrance to Auschwitz| ©steve_w
Entrance to Auschwitz| ©steve_w

Depending on the option you choose (if you do a guided tour or if you do it on your own) you will need more or less time, but calculate that you will need between half a day and a full day to organize the round trip from Krakow and the tour inside the complex.

For example, the excursion to Auschwitz from Krakow offered by Hellotickets takes about 7 hours and you can choose to do it early in the morning or leave later, being the last option at noon. About 6 or 7 hours later you will be back at your hotel.

If you opt for the combined visit to Auschtwitz and the Salt Mines, the excursion time is inevitably longer, but it will allow you to do both visits in one day. Estimate the total duration to be between 10 and 11 hours. See my article on Auschwitz tour duration and Auschwitz tours to better organize your day.

Book a tour to Auschwitz from Krakow

What will you see in Auschwitz?

The barbed wire fences surround the entire Auschwitz camp.| ©Tomas Forgac
The barbed wire fences surround the entire Auschwitz camp.| ©Tomas Forgac

During your visit to Auschwitz you will see:

  • Iron Gate of Auschwitz I: On this gate you can read in German the macabre phrase "Work will set you free".
  • Auschwitz I: The visit begins at this concentration camp built in 1940 by the Nazi regime to house between 15,000 and 20,000 prisoners.
  • Auschwitz II: Auschwitz II Birkenause was built later, increasing the number of prisoners to 90,000. The latter is where the gas chambers were located, which were destroyed at the end of the war by Nazi officials in an attempt to hide their crimes.
  • Auschwitz Birkenauwatchtowers.
  • Documentary: With a duration of 15 minutes, it is projected in the visitor center and will orient you contextually through the history associated with the site.
  • Firing Wall.
  • Main building leading to the gas chambers.
  • Chimneys.
  • Barbed wire fences.

If you want to know more details about what to expect from your visit, here is my article about what to see in Auschwitz.

Book a tour to Auschwitz from Krakow

Practical tips for your visit to Auschwitz

Luggage taken from Auschwitz prisoners| ©Fred Romero
Luggage taken from Auschwitz prisoners| ©Fred Romero

In any other excursion, the recommendations that can be given before leaving are usually more practical: what to take in your backpack, what kind of shoes you need, where to eat, where to take the best pictures... However, the first recommendation should be of an emotional nature. I leave you here a step ahead, but you can consult this article with 10 tips to visit Auschwitz from Krakow.

The most emotional part

There are many who question the visit to the Auschwitz camps because they consider it morbid. However, if done with due respect, it is a valuable history lesson to preserve the memory and remembrance of the victims.

By this I want you to keep in mind that Auschwitz is not an amusement park or a place to take pictures; always try to conduct yourself with the utmost respect. Also, the Auschwitz tour may be hard for the more sensitive and is not recommended for children.

Printed guidebook

The printed guidebook that you can buy at the entrance in different languages for less than 3 euros is essential to orient you during your visit. As for how to get there, if you do not have a private transfer, you can take a train from Krakow's main station which takes about two and a half hours.

Book a tour to Auschwitz from Krakow

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How much does it cost to visit Auschwitz on a tour?

    From about 41€ you can take an excursion to Auschwitz from Krakow.

  • How long are the excursions to Auschwitz from Krakow?

    Most excursions to Auschwitz last approximately 7 hours, including transfers to and from Krakow. If you choose the combined option with the Wieliczka Salt Mines, the experience is extended to about 10.5 hours.

  • Is it advisable to visit Auschwitz on your own or with an organized tour?

    It is always more advisable to do it with an organized tour, as it includes transportation, entrance fees and the company of an expert guide who will provide you with the historical context necessary to understand the magnitude of what happened there. In addition, you avoid logistical complications.

Reviews from other travellers

4.7
· 6401 Reviews
  • J
    J. E.
    5
    (0 Reviews)
    Everything went as planned and the guide was very informative and helpful
  • Q
    Q. Z.
    4
    (0 Reviews)
    The tour was enriching and emotional, but would benefit from more time to explore at our own pace.
  • D
    D. F.
    5
    (0 Reviews)
    The tour was an unforgettable experience combining the breathtaking beauty of the salt mines with the profound historical reflection in Auschwitz.
  • H
    H. E.
    5
    (0 Reviews)
    I loved visiting these historical sites, it was a very educational experience. I recommend wearing comfortable shoes, I walked a lot that day.
  • L
    L. X.
    4
    (0 Reviews)
    The excursion to the salt mines and Auschwitz is incredible, it teaches you a lot. Don't miss it, it's worth it.