LOOKING FOR THE BEST AUSCHWITZ TOUR FROM KRAKÓW?
There are places where only a guided tour will do. Auschwitz- Birkenau is one of those places.
A guide can provide far more context than you can glean from a guidebook. Furthermore, if you join a tour group in Kraków you don’t need to worry about booking a ticket in advance and getting to Auschwitz.
Joining a day tour of Auschwitz was one of the best decisions I made when I visited Kraków.
From budget day trips to private guides, here are the best Auschwitz tours from Kraków.
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My Top 3 Picks: Auschwitz Day Trips from Kraków
Auschwitz Private Tour
Auschwitz Group Tour
Auschwitz & Jewish Ghetto VIP Tour
Auschwitz Trips from Kraków: What You Need to Know
If you only take one day trip from Kraków, make it UNESCO-listed Auschwitz. But whilst a visit to this former Nazi concentration and death camp is informative and a sobering act of remembrance and respect, it can also be emotionally draining.
It is not something to be undertaken lightly.
Auschwitz was, in fact, a collection of camps. It is commonly referred to as Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Your visit will start in Auschwitz I. Formerly, a Polish Army barracks, it has its first intake of political prisoners in June 1940.
Auschwitz II or Birkenau is 20 times the size of Auschwitz I. The remains of its wooden barracks, a gas chamber and Crematorium IV have been left untouched as a memorial to the dead.
A guided tour of Auschwitz-Birkenau takes around three hours. Auschwitz is just over 40 miles from Kraków.
The transfer time from Kraków to Auschwitz is around 90 minutes.
Best Auschwitz Tours from Kraków
1. Auschwitz Group Tour
Best budget tour of Auschwitz from Kraków with transfer
I booked this inexpensive day tour to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau. The guide, organisation and communication were excellent.
As with all of the excursions featured in this review, skip-the-line entry tickets are included in this popular Auschwitz day trip. I recommend choosing the optional transfer – Auschwitz-Birkenau is not the easiest place to get to – and lunchbox.
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What other travellers have said
The tour was sensational. Despite all the weight that history and place bring us, it was very educational, respectful and essential. The guide was exceptional, always available to answer our questions.
Caroline
2. Auschwitz-Birkenau Guided Tour with private transport
Best for the flexibility of a private transfer from Kraków to Auschwitz
One of the downsides of day tours is that you are picked up at a pre-determined time that might not be convenient. If you prefer to select the transfer time that best suits your schedule, choose this Auschwitz excursion from Kraków.
After the private transfer from your hotel, you will join a group tour of Auschwitz-Birkenau.
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What other travellers have said
The whole experience was amazing and emotional. Our driver was cheerful, pleasant and on time. Our guide for the visit was amazing and she was thorough in her explanations and the memory of the visit will next leave us!
Joanna
3. Auschwitz-Birkenau self-guided tour with private transport from Kraków
Best for a self-guided tour of Auschwitz
Guided tours aren’t for everyone. Whilst I value the information and insights provided by my Auschwitz tour guide, it didn’t give me a chance for quiet reflection whilst there.
You can’t have it all I guess.
For a hassle-free Auschwitz day trip from Kraków, this excursion takes care of the logistics, securing tickets and providing a return transfer by car. But once you are there, you are left to your own devices.
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What other travellers have said
Seamless door-to-door tour, pick up from hotel private taxi tickets awaiting on arrival great experience with drop off back to hotel excellent service.
David
4. Auschwitz-Birkenau Skip-The-Line Entrance Tickets
Best for skip-the-line tickets for Auschwitz-Birkenau
But perhaps you are happy to make your own way to Auschwitz and just want someone to take care of booking tickets? This experience pretty much does what it says on the tin.
It gets you entrance to Auschwitz-Birkenau and a guided tour at each site. You’ll also be given an e-book.
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What other travellers have said
AT Kraków is a reliable tour operator with good communication before the tour. Exact meeting location and timing was confirmed again on the day before and easy to find.
GetYourGuide traveler – United States
5. Private Tour of Auschwitz from Kraków
Best Auschwitz private tour from Kraków
This is the Auschwitz-Birkenau tour for you if you want a fully private experience.
You’ll be picked up by car from your hotel in Kraków. Once you reach Auschwitz, you can choose between a shared tour or a private tour.
As a bonus, you’ll receive an e-book.
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What other travellers have said
Fantastic tour with very nice hospitality. Just the right amount of time at each location. Guide was very thorough and helpful with questions and the driver was a lot of fun!
Ciara
6. Auschwitz & Salt Mine Tour
Best for visiting Wieliczka Salt Mine and Auschwitz
This 10-hour tour also takes you to another of Poland’s most popular destinations: the Wieliczka Salt Mine. It’s a great option if you want to visit both of these places but are short on time.
The Wieliczka Salt Mine has been a tourist attraction since the 19th Century and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Almost two- million visitors descend into its salty depths each year.
This tour includes all entrance fees, transfer from Kraków, a guided tour of both sites and an optional sandwich lunch.
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What other travellers have said
I recommend this to everyone. Great organization, great tour guides and the lunch packet was a plus.
Mitra
7. Auschwitz Birkenau and Salt Mine private chauffeur from Kraków
Best for visiting Auschwitz-Birkenau and Wieliczka Salt Mine in comfort
If you want to visit Auschwitz Birkenau and Wieliczka Salt Mine in greater comfort, take a look at this day tour.
After your car whisks you to Auschwitz- Birkenau, you’ll join a guided group tour of both sites. From here, the driver will take you to Wieliczka Salt Mine where you’ll join another tour.
Tickets to both sites are included.
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What other travellers have said
What a wonderful day we had! Barrel is an excellent guide and driver, very accommodating and knowledgeable.
Barbara
8. Auschwitz and Wieliczka Salt Mine 2-Day Combination Tour
Best for relaxed visits to Auschwitz and the Wieliczka Salt Mine
The disadvantage of visiting Auschwitz and this salt mine near Kraków is that it is a long day. You are looking at between 10 and 12 hours.
If time permits, why not spread these visits over two days with this value-for-money experience?
This tour includes hotel pick-up and drop-offs on both days as well as entrance fees. There are guided tours at each site.
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What other travellers have said
Perfect timing, very well organized
Annita
9. Auschwitz-Birkenau Tour with Kraków’s Jewish Quarter
Best for exploring Kraków’s Jewish history
In 1941, Kraków’s Jews were forcibly moved from Kazimierz, the old Jewish Quarter, to a ghetto created in Podgorze. Traces of the ghetto are still visible today and Podgorze is home to Oskar Schindler’s Enamel Factory, immortalised in Steven Spielberg’s film Schindler’s List.
This highly-rated tour gives you the option to visit Kraków’s Jewish Quarter and the Kraków ghetto or Oskar Schindler’s Factory. I like that Polish street food tasting is included in the Jewish Quarter tour.
Private and shared guided tour options are available and the price includes all entry fees and hotel pickup and drop-off.
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What other travellers have said
Our tour guide, was well informed from the moment she picked us up at 0630 until our return to Kraków she continually provided interesting facts and stories of not just Auschwitz, but Kraków as well. She explained things in such detail, that only someone who has studied the material would respect.
Margita
10. Auschwitz-Birkenau and Kraków Jewish Ghetto VIP Tour
Best private tour of Auschwitz-Birkenau and Kraków’s Jewish Ghetto
Immerse yourself in Poland’s Jewish history in comfort by booking this tour.
Your private chauffeur will first drive you to Auschwitz-Birkenau. Then you’ll return to Kraków and take a walking tour of its Jewish Ghetto.
Lunch at a local restaurant is included and you’ll have the opportunity to taste street food on the walking tour. Reviews are stellar.
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What other travellers have said
This tour has it all: Premium transportation to all attractions. The guide was local, extremely knowledgeable, had intimate knowledge of the area and was very personable. Not mono-toned and overly rehearsed like so many other tours. The lunch provided was at an old traditional and unique restaurant. Fantastic.
Darcy835
Visiting Auschwitz from Kraków: Final Thoughts
I hope that this review of day tours to Auschwitz from Kraków helps you decide which is the right one for you. There is something for every type of traveller and for all budgets.
Finally, if you want to make the most of your time in Kraków, take a look at these posts:
