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Voykit pocket guide · Poland
Auschwitz-Birkenau
Go as one booked day from Kraków (about 1 h 15 min by bus or train): reserve the timed entry online 2–3 months ahead, then allow 6–7 h on site for both camps.
Auschwitz-Birkenau is the Nazi camp complex near Oświęcim, 60 km west of Kraków, and since 1947 a state museum on the two surviving parts: Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau. Entry is free but Auschwitz I runs on timed tickets, and in peak season these sell out weeks ahead. Almost everyone visits as a single long day from Kraków; a night in Oświęcim is only worth it if you want two slower visits.
- Country
- Poland
- Best months
- Apr–May, Sep–Oct (cooler, thinner crowds)
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (heat, peak bookings), late Dec–Feb (early dark, cold)
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- PLN
- Money
- Currency is the Polish złoty (PLN, zł). Cards and contactless payment are accepted almost everywhere.
- Daily spend
- Budget 80–150 zł excl. bed · Mid 150–300 zł excl. bed · High 300 zł+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Orange, Play, Plus and T-Mobile sell prepaid SIMs; registration with a passport is required.
- Emergency
- All emergencies 112 · Ambulance 999 · Police 997
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 230 V · 50 Hz · Type E sockets; German type F plugs fit with the hybrid plug most chargers have.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: About 10%; tell the server or add it on the card terminal.; Saying 'dziękuję' when paying cash: Means keep the change — say it only if you mean it.; Taxi: Round up.
- Water
- Tap water is safe. Restaurants sell bottled water.
- Toilets
- Station and mall toilets often cost PLN 2–4.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Bus Kraków–Oświęcim, one way | about 14 zł |
| Train Kraków–Oświęcim, one way | 12–16.50 zł |
| Museum guided tour | 150 zł |
| Guidebook / map at the museum | 5 zł each |
| Parking at Auschwitz I, per day | 20 zł |
| Taxi between the two camps | about 15 zł |
| Coffee or snack at the museum café | 10–20 zł |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- KRK · Kraków John Paul II International
- Main gateway; bus or train to Kraków centre, then onward to Oświęcim.
- KTW · Katowice Wojciech Korfanty
- Closer to Oświęcim by road; useful if you fly into Upper Silesia.
Typical fares
- Bus Kraków → Oświęcim
- about 14 zł, about 1.5 h
- Train Kraków → Oświęcim
- 12–16.50 zł, 45 min–1.5 h
- Taxi between Auschwitz I and Birkenau
- about 15 zł
Get around
Both camps are walked on foot. A free shuttle runs between Auschwitz I and Birkenau (roughly every 8 min in summer, every 20 min in winter); the walk between the entrances is 2.2 km along roads, and a taxi is about 15 zł. Oświęcim train station is about 2 km from the museum, linked by local buses.Both camps are walked on foot. A free shuttle runs between Auschwitz I and Birkenau (roughly every 8 min in summer, every 20 min in winter); the walk between the entrances is 1.4 mi along roads, and a taxi is about 15 zł. Oświęcim train station is about 1.2 mi from the museum, linked by local buses.
See and do
Known for
- Auschwitz I and the Arbeit macht frei gate
- Auschwitz II-Birkenau gate, ramp and barracks
- Holocaust remembrance and the 27 January liberation anniversary
- UNESCO World Heritage site since 1979
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Kraków | Bus from Kraków main bus station basement, or train from Kraków Główny to Oświęcim | About 1.5 h by bus, 45 min–1.5 h by train |
| Oświęcim | Local bus or a 2 km walk/taxi from the museumLocal bus or a 1.2 mi walk/taxi from the museum | 10–20 min |
| Wieliczka Salt Mine | Train or bus from Kraków, about 30 min | About 1 h from Kraków |
| Katowice | Train or bus from Oświęcim, about 1 h | About 1–1.5 h |
Sleep
- Kraków (Kazimierz or Old Town)
- Where most visitors sleep; buses and trains to Oświęcim run from early morning, last return in the evening.
- Oświęcim town centre
- 2 km from the museum; lets you split the visit over two days or arrive at opening.1.2 mi from the museum; lets you split the visit over two days or arrive at opening.
- Museum-area guesthouses (Oświęcim outskirts)
- Walking distance to Auschwitz I; quiet in the evening, few restaurants.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Przepraszampsheh-PRAH-shahm |
| Thank you | Dziękujęjen-KOO-yeh |
| How much is it? | Ile to kosztuje?EE-leh toh kosh-TOO-yeh |
| Can I pay by card? | Czy mogę zapłacić kartą?chih MOH-geh zah-PWA-cheech KAR-tahm |
| Where is the toilet? | Gdzie jest toaleta?gjeh yest toh-ah-LEH-tah |
| One ticket, please | Jeden bilet, proszęYEH-den BEE-let PROH-sheh |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Dzień dobry, handshake; Pan/Pani with surname; avoid: First names with older people too early
- Home visit: Shoes off; bring flowers (odd number) and something sweet; avoid: Chrysanthemums (for graves) and yellow flowers
- Name days: Wish people well on their name day (imieniny); avoid: Ignoring it if a colleague mentions it
- History: Show interest; avoid: Calling Poland 'Eastern Europe' or jokes about WWII
- Queues: Let older people and pregnant women go first where signs ask; avoid: Skipping the queue at the kasa
Scams and watch-outs
- Auschwitz I needs a timed ticket, booked online; in peak months book 2–3 months ahead, tickets are released about 3 months out.
- Midday hours at Auschwitz I are guided-group only; self-guided slots are usually late in the day.
- The museum closes on 1 January, 25 December and Easter Sunday.
- No toilets at Birkenau; use the facilities at Auschwitz I before the shuttle.
- The 15-minute liberation film is graphic; not suitable for young children.
- Last buses and trains back to Kraków leave in the evening — confirm your return before you stay until closing.
The site is safe and well managed; the real risks are emotional strain, summer heat and cold wind at the open Birkenau site, and missing the last bus or train back.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Auschwitz-Birkenau yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Auschwitz I and the Arbeit macht frei gate
- Auschwitz II-Birkenau gate, ramp and barracks
- Holocaust remembrance and the 27 January liberation anniversary
- UNESCO World Heritage site since 1979
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum: www.auschwitz.org/en/
- Wikivoyage: Auschwitz-Birkenau, revision 5311417 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5311417
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Auschwitz-Birkenau
Na ten adres, proszę
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Most embassies and consulates are in Warsaw or Kraków; check your country's list before travelling.
Entry to Auschwitz I is by timed ticket; keep your booking reference and ID with you.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/auschwitz-birkenau). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.