Most visitors to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial travel from Kraków. The town of Oświęcim, where the former camp is located, lies about 70 kilometres west of the city, and a visit takes most of a day. This guide explains how to get there, how to book entry, how much time to plan, and what to know before you go.
How far is Auschwitz from Kraków?
The Memorial is about 70 kilometres from Kraków. By car or minibus the journey takes about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes each way, depending on traffic. Together with the guided tour of about 3.5 hours, a visit from Kraków takes 7 to 8 hours in total. Plan a full day and do not schedule anything else that requires an early return.
Ways to get from Kraków to Auschwitz
| Option | Travel time one way | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Organised tour with transport | about 1.5 hours | Transport, entry booking and guide arranged for you; hotel pick-up often available |
| Bus | about 1.5 hours | From the main bus station (MDA) next to Kraków Główny; check that your bus stops at Oświęcim Muzeum |
| Train | about 1.5 to 2 hours | To Oświęcim station, then a local bus, taxi or a walk of about 2 km to the Memorial |
| Car | about 1.25 to 1.5 hours | Paid car park at the Memorial; you still need to book entry yourself |
Organised tour from Kraków
For most visitors this is the simplest option. A tour takes care of the three things that are hardest to arrange independently: transport, the entry booking and a licensed Memorial guide. In the high season guided entries are often sold out weeks ahead, and tour operators book them in advance.
Poland Travel Tours offers a group tour to Auschwitz-Birkenau from Kraków with hotel pick-up in the city centre or meeting points in Kazimierz and the Old Town, an air-conditioned vehicle, entry to both Auschwitz I and Birkenau, and a guided visit of up to 3.5 hours with headsets. Tours run in English and several other languages, and private tours can be arranged on request. The whole trip takes up to 8 hours.
By bus
Buses to Oświęcim leave from the main bus station (Małopolski Dworzec Autobusowy, MDA) at ul. Bosacka 18, right next to the Kraków Główny railway station. Several private companies operate the route, and the journey takes about 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes. Not every bus stops at the Memorial: look for buses to the stop “Oświęcim Muzeum”, otherwise you may end up at the bus station on the other side of town. Tickets are usually bought from the driver or at the station.
By train
Trains run from Kraków Główny to Oświęcim, with a journey time of roughly 1 to 1,5 hours. The station in Oświęcim is about 2 kilometres from the Memorial; you can take a local bus, a taxi or walk. The train is cheap but less convenient than the bus, because of the extra transfer at the end.
By car
The drive from Kraków takes about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes. There is a paid car park next to the Memorial at Auschwitz I. If you drive, you still need to book your entry or guided tour online in advance.
Booking entry to the Memorial
Entry to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial is free, but every visitor needs a personal entry pass booked in advance at visit.auschwitz.org. Passes are not available at the entrance, and their number is limited.
You can visit in two ways:
- With a Memorial guide (educator). This is strongly recommended, and in the busiest hours it is often the only way to get in. A standard guided tour lasts about 3.5 hours and covers both Auschwitz I and Birkenau. Guided tours are paid.
- Without a guide. Free entry passes are available for certain hours, mostly early in the morning and later in the afternoon. They run out quickly in the high season.
The Memorial advises booking guided tours well in advance, ideally two months before your visit in spring and summer. Arrive at least 30 minutes before your booked time because of the security check.
Opening hours
The Memorial opens at 7:30 every day except 1 January, 25 December and Easter Sunday. The last entry time depends on the month:
| Month | Last entry |
|---|---|
| December | 14:00 |
| January, November | 15:00 |
| February | 16:00 |
| March, October | 17:00 |
| April, May, September | 18:00 |
| June, July, August | 19:00 |
Visitors may stay on the grounds for up to 90 minutes after the last entry time.
How much time do you need?
Plan about 90 minutes for Auschwitz I, the former main camp with the exhibitions in the brick blocks, and about 90 minutes for Auschwitz II-Birkenau, the vast area of barracks, the unloading ramp and the ruins of the gas chambers. The two sites are about 3 kilometres apart, and visitors move between them by shuttle bus or by tour vehicle.
Read more about the two sites in our article on the three main camps of Auschwitz.
Practical tips for your visit
- Bags. Only small bags up to 35 × 25 × 15 cm may be taken into the Memorial. Larger bags should be left in your vehicle.
- Clothing. Most of the visit is outdoors, and Birkenau is large and exposed. Wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather; in winter it can be very cold, in summer there is little shade.
- Food and drink. Bring water. There are cafés and a restaurant near the entrance to Auschwitz I, but not inside the former camp.
- Children. The Memorial does not recommend visits for children under 14, because of the nature of the exhibitions.
- Photography. Photography for private use is allowed in most places, but not in the room with the hair of the victims or in the basement of Block 11. Many visitors choose not to photograph at all in some places.
- Behaviour. This is a place of memory and a cemetery. Visitors are asked to behave with dignity and respect.
When is the best time to visit?
The Memorial is busiest from April to October, especially in July and August and around midday. If you travel independently, the first entry slots in the morning are the quietest. In winter there are fewer visitors and the atmosphere in Birkenau, under snow, is particularly moving, but the days are short and last entry is early in the afternoon. Around 27 January, the anniversary of the liberation, the Memorial may hold commemorations; read more about the liberation of Auschwitz.
Before you go: learn about the history
A visit is easier to understand with some knowledge of what happened there. Our short history of Auschwitz-Birkenau and our article on the victims of Auschwitz are good places to start. Current visiting rules are published on the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial website.
Many visitors also read a survivor memoir before their visit; see our list of books about Auschwitz by survivors, and read how the site became the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial.
Frequently asked questions
About 70 kilometres. The journey takes about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes each way by car, bus or tour minibus.
Plan a full day: about 3.5 hours at the Memorial plus around 3 hours of travel, 7 to 8 hours in total.
Yes. Entry is free, but every visitor needs a personal pass booked online at visit.auschwitz.org. Passes are not available at the entrance.
An organised tour with transport, entry booking and a licensed guide included, with pick-up in Kraków.
Plan your visit to the Memorial
Visiting Auschwitz-Birkenau in person is the most powerful way to understand its history. Join a guided tour from Kraków with transport, entry and a licensed Memorial guide included. See the tour from Kraków
