Before Visiting Auschwitz: Key To-Do List
A practical checklist to help you prepare for your visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial.
Quick Reference
- Book your tickets at least 2–3 weeks ahead
- Opening hours: 7:30 year-round till 2 p.m (December) / 7 p.m. (May–August)
- Distance: 70 km from Kraków (~1–1.5 hours)
- Auschwitz ↔ Birkenau Shuttle: free, every 10–15 min (visiting both sites is important)
- Prepare well: it's a long walk on uneven terrain with strict regulations involved
- Luggage storage: 5 PLN (card only)
- available 19 tour languages (if you book early)
Reserve Your Entry Pass
Weeks before your visit
☐ Choose your tour type: self-guided visit in the afternoon or a tour with a guide (standard 3.5h for 150 PLN or extended 6h for 190 PLN)
☐ Book your entry pass at visit.auschwitz.org (the only official reservation system, possible 3 months in advance); summer and weekends sell out fastest
☐ Book early (8 a.m.) or late afternoon for fewer crowds
✗ Avoid third-party resellers — they overcharge for free or low-cost reservations
✗ No on-site ticket sales — since March 2026 online reservation only
Prepare Yourself
Before you go
☐ Visit auschwitz.org for official historical information (avoid fictionalized accounts — even bestsellers like “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” or “The Tattooist of Auschwitz” contain false depictions)
☐ Read basic history — Primo Levi’s “If This Is a Man”, Halina Birenbaum’s “Hope is the Last to Die”, or Elie Wiesel’s “Night”
☐ Review the tour route on visitauschwitz.info/tour to know what you will see — consider a 6-hour study tour for deeper understanding (less-visited areas)
☐ Scan through answers to most common questions at visitauschwitz.info/faq/
What to Pack
Keep belongings minimal
☐ Valid photo ID — passport, national ID card, or driver’s license
☐ Entry pass — printed or digital with barcode (name must match your ID)
☐ Water bottle — staying hydrated is encouraged
☐ Comfortable walking shoes — extensive walking outdoors
☐ Umbrella (against sun or rain) and rain jacket
☐ Warm clothing (November–March) or sun protection (summer)
☐ Earphones with 3.5mm jack — for the guided tour headset
☐ Small bag only — max 30×20×10 cm (roughly a small handbag)
Do NOT Bring
✗ Large bags or backpacks (free lockers at the visitor centre)
✗ Food — eating prohibited inside the grounds (take snacks for afterwards)
✗ Tripods, selfie sticks, or drones
✗ Alcohol, drugs, weapons, knives, or scissors
✗ Political, religious, or nationalistic flags, banners, or symbols
✗ Loud audio devices
✗ Pets (except certified guide dogs with vaccination certificates)
Get from Kraków to Auschwitz
70 km, allow a full day (8+ hours total)
Day of Your Visit
- Store oversized bags in the free lockers at the visitor centre
- Expect airport-style security at the Museum entrance
- Dress modestly and respectfully — no offensive or provocative clothing
- Visit Auschwitz I first — main camp with main exhibition
- Take the free shuttle to Birkenau — runs every 10–15 minutes, ~8 min ride
- Allow at least 3-4 hours for both sites
- Give yourself quiet time after the visit
Photography Rules
- Photography is allowed in most areas
- No photos: Block 4 victims’ hair exhibit, Block 11 basements, security checkpoints
- No flash photography indoors
- No recording of guided lectures
- No tripods or selfie sticks
- Be respectful — this is a memorial site
Children and People with Disabilities
- Recommended minimum age: 14 — parents should consider emotional maturity
- Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult at all times
- Baby carriers required — strollers cannot be used indoors
- Wheelchairs available on site but cannot enter Auschwitz I buildings; uneven terrain at Birkenau
- Disability ID holders with a guardian may receive special entry
- Guide dogs permitted with valid training and vaccination certificates
- Hearing aid devices may not work well with the tour headset