The Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial is in Oświęcim, about 70 km west of Kraków. Most visitors travel from Kraków — and there are several reliable ways to get there. To navigate on site and locate yourself open the custom map using the button in the bottom right.

Get to Oświęcim:

By Train — 40 min to 1.5 hours
By Bus — around 1.5 hours
By Car — 1 to 1.5 hours
Buses & trains on e-podroznik.pl

Kraków to Auschwitz by Train

Trains depart from Kraków Główny (the main railway station) to Oświęcim. The journey takes between 40 minutes on an InterCity express and 1.5 hours on a slow regional train. Check the timetable and buy tickets at koleo.pl or look up connections at PKP State Railroads.

From Oświęcim Station to the Memorial

The train station in Oświęcim is 1.5 km from Auschwitz I (where you start the tour) and 1.5 km from Auschwitz II-Birkenau (where you finish). You can walk (about 25 minutes) or take a local bus.

Train station and the bus stop in front of it in Oswiecim

The train station in Oświęcim with the "Dworzec PKP" bus stop in front.

Take bus line 0, 2, 3 or 8 from the "Dworzec PKP" stop in front of the station. After 4 minutes, get off at the "Muzeum I" stop and walk 200 m to the Memorial entrance.

Check nearest departures:

Dworzec PKP → Muzeum I
Muzeum II → Dworzec PKP (all buses go back to the station)
Dworzec PKP ↔ Auschwitz (from April to October, the special M line runs directly)

Kraków to Auschwitz by Bus

The most convenient option is the Lajkonik bus, which runs directly from Kraków to the Auschwitz Memorial. It drops you off at the main parking lot, right next to the Memorial entrance — no transfers, no walking from a distant station.

Lajkonik buses leave Kraków roughly every hour between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. The trip takes about 1.5 hours. Tickets cost 22 PLN one way — pay on board with cash or card, or reserve online at moj-bus.pl.

Timetables

Lajkonik departs from stands G1–G6 at the MDA bus station, next to Kraków Główny railway station. Timetables:

Inside the Lajkonik bus heading from Kraków toward Oświęcim — Auschwitz Memorial.

Inside the Lajkonik bus heading from Kraków toward Oświęcim — a comfortable, direct connection to the Memorial.

Departure Stops

The bus also stops along the route — useful if your accommodation is outside the centre (links to Google Maps):

Plan your trip to the nearest stop with jakdojade.pl/krakow.

Kraków to Auschwitz Distance and Driving

The drive from Kraków to Auschwitz takes about 1 to 1.5 hours (70 km). The fastest is paid A4 motorway — exit toward Oświęcim near Chrzanów. You can also take the national roads: 780 through Liszki and Alwernia, or road 44 through Skawina and Zator.

Parking lots are available at both Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau. The main lot at Auschwitz I is on Więźniów Oświęcimia Street (paid, open till closing time). Click the map icon on the right and select "Parking lots" to see all options.

For detailed parking maps, prices, and alternative lots, see the full arrival and parking guide.

Road sign on the way from Kraków to Oświęcim showing the distance — a straightforward 1-hour drive through the Polish countryside.

Get to Auschwitz From the Kraków Airport

If you are flying into Kraków Balice Airport, take the train to Kraków Główny (20 minutes) and connect from there by train or bus to Oświęcim. There is no practical direct connection from the airport.

Make sure to reserve your entry pass a few weeks before coming — since March 2026, tickets are available only online at visit.auschwitz.org.

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How to Get from Kraków to Auschwitz