auschwitz concentration camp tour from krakow

• Help Desk & Booking
• [email protected]
• +48 570 599 599
• +48 570 792 792
• Mon to Sun 7:00 - 22:00 CET

• Auschwitz Tours from Krakow
• Krakow Salt Mine Tours
• Auschwitz Birkenau & Salt Mine Day tour
• Auschwitz & Schindlers Factory Day tour
• Salt Mine & Schindlers Factory Day tour
• Krakow Walking Tour
• Krakow sightseeing by electric golf cart
• Vistula River Cruise
• Zakopane Tours
• Schindler’s Factory Tour
• Krakow airport transfer
• Katowice Airport transfers
• Krakow airport to zakopane
• All Transfers
• All transfers
• Business Services
• Tailor Made
• Early booking deals
• Client’s feedback

AUSCHWITZ TOURS FROM KRAKOW

Select tour date:

Choose your type of tour:.

Choose your option:

Visit auschwitz with krakowdirect.

Auschwitz tours to Auschwitz former concentration camp known all over the world as a symbol of the Holocaust.

During World War II, Auschwitz-Birkenau was the largest concentration camp of the Nazis . It was established in the suburbs of the city of Oswiecim (Auschwitz in German), 60 kilometres west of Krakow. It took the lives of about 1.1 million people , mostly Jewish but also Poles, Romani, and Russian. The liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp took place in January 1945. However, before that Nazi authorities tried to destroy as much evidence of massive murders as possible. After the war, the Polish government decided to restore Auschwitz-Birkenau and turn it into a museum . It preserves the memory of Auschwitz-Birkenau and honours the victims of Nazism. Now it is part of the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites , and more than 2 million tourists visit Auschwitz each year.

Private car Auschwitz tours with a shared or private guide

Our Private Auschwitz-Birkenau Tour from Krakow takes approximately 7 hours . We offer door-to-door pickup and drop-off , a private, modern car and a friendly, English-speaking tour leader/driver . We will set up the pickup time based on the hour you have requested and fit it into the entry time options to the Museum to make It as comfortable for you as possible. The journey to Auschwitz takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes each way. In the Museum, you can either join a regular/shared guided tour or book a private guided tour . Private guided tours need to be booked at least 8 days in advance. The sightseeing takes about 3.5 hours —approximately 2 hours in Auschwitz I and 1,5 hours in Auschwitz II Birkenau. You may also consider visiting Auschwitz Birkenau and Salt Mine or Auschwitz Birkenau and Schindler’s Factory in one day to save your precious holiday time. After the tour, we will drop you off at your hotel in Krakow. The tour can be extended upon request for an additional charge.

Our special bonus for this Auschwitz Tour

If you decide to book our Auschwitz Tour, we have got something extra for you. Each day at 19:00, we organise an Evening Walking Tour , which you can join completely for free. It starts at the Jan Matejko Square under the “Grunwald Monument”. You will meet our professional city guide there, who will show you the best of Krakow Old Town. You will walk down the Royal Route and finish under Wawel Castle near the Dragon Monument. It takes about 1 hour. You can participate in this tour on any day of your visit in Krakow.

Shared tours to Auschwitz

Our Shared Auschwitz-Birkenau Tour from Krakow takes approximately 7 hours. We offer door-to-door pickup from any central Kraków accommodation and a meeting point option is also available. We provide a Modern Mercedes Benz vehicle and a friendly English-speaking tour leader . We will schedule the pickup time according to the requested hour, as we aim to optimise the minibus route through the city to ensure maximum comfort for you. The journey takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes each way. The Auschwitz-Birkenau guided tour with a professional English-speaking guide or other language of your choice takes about 3.5 hours —approximately 2 hours in Auschwitz I and 1,5 hours in Auschwitz II Birkenau. You may also consider visiting Auschwitz Birkenau and Salt Mine or Auschwitz Birkenau and Schindler’s Factory in one day to get the most out of your city break in Krakow. After the tour, we will drop you off in Krakow city centre.

Early booking deals - 20% off

€ 53 book now

€ 103 book now

Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum Guided Tour

The former concentration camp in Auschwitz Memorial and Museum is one of the most popular attractions for day trips from Krakow. Tourists from all over the world visit Auschwitz in Poland to pay tribute to everyone who died there. The Museum, located in Oświęcim, preserves the memory of every person sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau and reminds us about the dreadful times of World War II and the Holocaust. It represents extremely important history and should be visited by every adult. Even though the tours to Auschwitz can be emotional and difficult, it is a must during your stay in Krakow.

Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum in Poland

Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum is a museum on the site of former concentration and extermination camp in Oświęcim. It consists of two parts – Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau . Both were developed and ran by Nazi during its occupation of Poland during World War II. The museum was created in April 1946 by Tadeusz Wąsowicz and other former Auschwitz-Birkenau prisoners, acting under the direction of Poland’s Ministry of Culture and Art.

The first exhibition in the barracks opened in 1947 . It presented the history of extermination and the conditions in which the prisoners lived. A new exhibition was opened in 1955. With some changes, it is still in use today. After 1960, some of the camp blocks contained the so-called “ national exhibitions ,” created at the initiative of former prisoners of the largest holocaust concentration camp from various countries who are associated in the International Auschwitz Committee. In 1979, the Museum built on the grounds of former concentration camp of Auschwitz became a World Heritage Site. Today, it is visited by around 2 million people from all over the world every year.

Learn About The History of Auschwitz Concentration Camp

Before the tour begins, it’s very important to read about the Museum and learn more about the history of Nazi concentration and extermination camp. Camp Auschwitz-Birkenau was a complex of over 40 concentration and extermination camps operated by Nazi Germany  in occupied Poland during World War II. At first, it was supposed to be a prison for political criminals from Poland, but soon it turned out that people sent to Auschwitz were mostly civilians of Jewish, Polish and Roma ethnicities.

Construction of the Camp

Construction of the camp began in 1940 , when Auschwitz – the main camp and the administrative quarter of the complex – was built. The first mass transport – of 728 Polish male political prisoners, including Catholic priests and Jews – arrived on 14 June 1940 from Tarnów, Poland. Upon arriving, the prisoners were being registered, given a serial number, tattooed, shaved, disinfected, and given a striped prison uniform. Then they were subjected to excruciating labor and life in horrible conditions .

KL Auschwitz Expansion

In 1941 , it was decided that the KL Auschwitz I needs to be expanded. The same year prisoners of Auschwitz began construction work of Birkenau – additional camp in the town of Brzezinka , about 3 km from Oswiecim. Birkenau consisted consisted mostly of wooden barracks , which were very dangerous to live in, as they didn’t provide much protection from weather conditions (such as intense cold or rain).

That’s why a lot of the prisoners living in Birkenau died out of hypothermia , starvation or exhaustion . It is said that Birkenau held the biggest part of the mass murder apparatus and the majority of prisoners were murdered there.

Life in Auschwitz

Due to many reports of former inmates, we now have a rather broad knowledge about how the life in Auschwitz-Birkenau looked like. We know that the prisoners were divided into categories , based on their nationality , ethnicity , and even sexual orientation or health issues . Each day they woke up at very early hours, used and washed latrines, had a very calories-deficient breakfast and gathered to be counted. No matter the weather, they had to wait for the SS to arrive for the count; how long they stood there depended on the officers’ mood, and whether there had been escapes or other events attracting punishment.

They were often counted and re-counted, after which they walked to their place of work with a cheerful melody of Women’s Orchestra of Auschwitz in the background. They were supervised by the kapos and an SS escort. Much of the work took place outdoors at construction sites, gravel pits, and lumber yards. No rest periods were allowed. In the evening the prisoners were counted again – if someone was missing, the others had to remain on site until they were found.

The prisoners were tortured, ridiculed, and humiliated for no reason whatsoever. Even the most benign of misconduct could earn them beating, punishment in Block 11 or even death. They were also living in constant fear of crematoria , which consisted of a dressing room, gas chamber, and a furnace room . The first gassings at Auschwitz took place in early September 1941, when around 850 inmates – Soviet prisoners of war and sick Polish inmates—were killed with Zyklon B in the basement of Auschwitz I. In the years to follow, the use of crematoria became even more prevalent, with new gas chambers being constructed and many prisoners sent there without ever stepping foot inside the barracks or other living complexes of Auschwitz-Birkenau camp.

The Aftermath of Auschwitz-Birkenau Camp

Today, Auschwitz-Birkenau is known as the biggest Nazi German concentration camp . It’s one of the best-recognized symbols of Holocaust and World War II genocide. Its prisoners were living in terrible sanitary conditions and forced to endure unbelievably hard labor. They were often beaten, humiliated, and treated with no respect for human rights whatsoever. Many died out of exhaustion, starvation, or by suicide. Others were murdered in gas chambers or during medical experiments . The exact number of Auschwitz-Birkenau victims is not known. The historians argue it must have been between 1 to even 3 million people from all over the world (mostly Jews, Ethnic Poles, and Roma).

Visit to Auschwitz – What Can You Expect?

All tours provided by Krakow Direct are with an authorized Auschwitz-Birkenau Guide. You begin your tour with a short introduction about the camp history and the most important rules in force at the museum grounds. A visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau is never an easy experience. The former largest Nazi concentration camp holds many artifacts and displays showing the realities of prisoners’ every-day lives. Among the camps of Auschwitz and Birkenau holdings are personal belongings of the prisoners, such as thousands of pairs of shoes, 3,800 luggage, over 12,000 kitchen utensils, 470 prostheses and orthoses, 397 striped camp clothing, many works of art, and even clumps of hair.

Auschwitz Tour from Krakow

During the Auschwitz tour with KrakowDirect you will visit Auschwitz I Camp and Auschwitz II-Birkenau – two main Nazi concentration camp sites. The whole complex covers an area of nearly 200 ha , and most of the tour of Auschwitz is outdoor. The tour includes seeing grounds of both former camps, as it is crucial to fully comprehend the atrocities that took place there. The first important object you’ll see is the infamous inscription on the entrance gate to the concentration camp, which says “ Arbeit macht frei ” (Work makes you free). This ironic slogan, created by Nazis, begins the Auschwitz Birkenau memorial tour.

In the Auschwitz site, you’ll also see prisoners’ barracks, places of work, and original blocks where they were received punishment. You’ll see railroad tracks that often transported people straight to gas chambers and crematoria used for mass extermination. At the end of the war, the Nazi Germans tried to destroy them by blasting, which is why all that’s left from them are rows of chimneys covering a large surface of the concentration camp.

Auschwitz tours with transfers from Krakow are extremely popular, but keep in mind that they are not a tourist attraction. In fact, they are an opportunity to learn a live history lesson in a place of deep reverence. Visitors need to take under consideration that while many visit Auschwitz for purely historical reasons, some people go there to see the place that took the lives of their relatives, since approximately one in six Jews who died in the Holocaust, died in Auschwitz-Birkenau. Auschwitz tour with KrakowDirect guarantees high-quality service and a hundred per cent satisfaction. We are an experienced company that enjoys recognition as the best in Krakow. We organise daily private and shared Auschwitz tours as well as round-trip transport from Krakow that includes hotel pickup, comfortable vehicles and local guides.

Private Auschwitz tours from Krakow

Due to its facilities, p rivate tours from Krakow to Auschwitz are getting more and more popular. If you wish to visit Auschwitz Birkenau State Museum in a private car and a driver at your disposal, choose our private Auschwitz tour. Our English-speaking driver will pick you up directly from your hotel in Krakow. You can also choose whether you want to visit Auschwitz on your own, with a private guide, or join one of the guided tours in the museum. You should book private guided tours in any available language in advance with us. Walking the camps on your own is possible only between November and March. A guided tour in Auschwitz takes up to 2 hours.

Then visitors proceed to Birkenau, located about 3 km further. This distance will be covered with our car. Between the camps, you may have a quick break. After your Auschwitz tour finishes, our driver will take you back to Krakow and drop you off at your hotel or anywhere in the city centre. If you wish, you can also extend the Auschwitz trip with Schindlers Factory tour. It will save your time and money. What is more, Oskar Schindler’s story is the perfect complement to the thrilling history of the Holocaust.

Shared Auschwitz Tours from Krakow

Our shared Auschwitz tours from the capital of Lesser Poland include door-to-door pickup in Krakow and drop-off, but we also organise stops in each hotel our clients are staying within the city centre. If your accommodation is located in further districts of the city, we can arrange transport from Krakow at the closest pickup point for additional payment. We provide six- or eight-seater cars or minibuses, modern Mercedes vehicles. There are usually up to 20 people on our Auschwitz tours and around 30 on guided tours in the museum. On a way to Auschwitz, we provide a 45-minute documentary film titled „ The liberation of Auschwitz ” screened in our minibus.

Upon arrival at Auschwitz, you will join a tour with an authorized official Auschwitz-Birkenau guide. You can choose whether they will speak English or any another language selected by you. If you choose the group option, upon entering the Museum you’ll receive headphones to hear the guide correctly. Additionally, in the high season, shared guided tours in Spanish, Italian, German and French are available. During our shared tour, you will visit Auschwitz and Birkenau, located within around 3 km distance. The tourists usually spend around 1.5-2 hours at Auschwitz and 1 to 1.5 hours at Birkenau. Duration of the tour is normally about 3 hours. Krakow Direct provides bus transfer between the two camps.

Our driver will be waiting for you after the first part, KL Auschwitz. The ride will take only a few minutes. If time permits, you will have a 15-20 minutes break between the two camps. During the return to Krakow, either group or private, we do not recommend any breaks on your way back, but we can arrange a short stop upon request. We can also provide lunch boxes paid additionally.

Visiting Auschwitz – useful information

If you want to book your Auschwitz trip, please bear in mind that visitors are required to behave appropriately and respectfully. There are also some restrictions regarding entering the sites of Auschwitz and Birkenau. You are generally allowed to take pictures, but only for private use. You can take photos of visited places, except for 2 spots. The maximum size of your carry-on can’t exceed the following dimensions: 30 x 20 x 10 cm. You can leave your larger luggage in the minibus. Food is not allowed while visiting, but you can eat during 15 min break, as it’s a full-day trip.

If you visit Auschwitz with little children, some areas will not be accessible with baby pushchairs. Also, we do not recommend visiting with children under 13 years old due to dreadful character of the place and some of the exhibitions. People with mobility problems should not experience any major difficulties during the Auschwitz tour. Please note that there are mostly dirt tracks in the camps. Also, some spaces (for example, blocks in Auschwitz I) are not accessible for wheelchairs. Museum in Auschwitz can also provide substitute wheelchairs for visitors with mobility problems. If you want to hire a wheelchair, please let us know in advance. Our customer service will help you to arrange it upon your request prior to the tour.

The opening hours of the Museum vary depending on the month. In December the box office is open till 2:00 pm and in June till 7:00 pm. For more info, check the museum’s official website or just ask Us.

Full-day Tour with KrakowDirect

Krakow Direct is a company located in the center of Krakow that provides transportation and guided tours to the Auschwitz-Birkenau. For our Auschwitz tours, we provide modern, comfortable Mercedes Benz vehicles and English-speaking drivers at your disposal throughout the day. We offer door-to-door pickup and drop-off in the city centre. Auschwitz tours from Krakow take approximately 7 hours. One-way drive to Auschwitz from Krakow lasts about 1.5 hours. For our group Auschwitz tours, we suggest pick-up time at 8:30 or 9:30 a.m. or in the afternoon. The itinerary of private tours to Auschwitz is more flexible, and upon request, we can shorten or extend your tour.

There are two payment methods available. You can buy tickets online while booking our Auschwitz tour from Krakow or pay in cash to the driver on the day of your tour. We prefer payment in Polish zlotys. We also accept Euros, Pounds and U. S. Dollars in amount according to the current exchange rate. Our driver will give you the change in Polish zlotys. If you want to visit Auschwitz with little children, we can arrange booster seats or child seats, but please inform us about this need in advance.

For the comfort of tourists travelling with children of less than 2 years old, we recommend private Auschwitz tours from Krakow . This way, it will be easier to arrange as many stops or breaks as needed. Auschwitz tour with KrakowDirect is the best and most comfortable way to visit Auschwitz.

Our company has years of experience and provide always top quality service. It can be also arranged to combine it with a trip to the Wieliczka Salt mine – one of the oldest working salt mines in Europe or Schindlers Factory . It’s a great way to visit not only Krakow and Auschwitz, but also the most valuable sites surrounding this beautiful city. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us and book one of our Auschwitz tours from Krakow!

Visit the former nazi concentration camp at the best price and learn about its terrifying, but incredibly important history from your guide.

Do I need to book my Auschwitz ticket in advance?

Is there a guide in the auschwitz museum, where does the auschwitz tour start, is it safe to visit auschwitz during the covid-19 pandemic, you could also consider.

{{contact.responseMsg}}

{{contact.errors}}

Your message has been sent to us. Thank you. We will get back to You in up to 120 minutes within our working hours (Monday to Sunday from 7:00 to 22:00 CET)

• South Africa
• El Salvador
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• North Macedonia
• Czech Republic
• Transnistria
• Liechtenstein
• North Cyprus
• New Zealand
• Map with posts
• Alternative Guides
• Architecture Guides
• Cafe Guides
• Itineraries
• Neighborhood Guides
• Travel Guides
• Travel Tips
• Photo Galleries
• Photo Locations
• Solo female travel
• Train Travels
• Work with me
• Privacy Policy

Visiting Auschwitz – How to Plan the Auschwitz Tour

Visiting Auschwitz, albeit a very somber experience, is one of the must things to do in Poland. The largest Nazi Germany concentration and extermination camp during World War II, where over 1,3 million people lost their lives, needs no introduction. Conveniently located near Krakow , Auschwitz can be an easy addition to your Poland itinerary.

It took me almost 37 years to finally visit Auschwitz (although I’ve been to other Nazi Germany camps in Poland), and even if I knew very well what to expect, the place still overwhelmed me with its cruelty and tragedy. And I think everyone should plan a trip to Auschwitz to understand history better and see what people are capable of when the ideology brainwashes them. And, of course, to pay respect to all the unnecessary victims. It’s important to visit places like Auschwitz so we can do our best to prevent similar tragedies from happening in the future.

If you are visiting Poland (especially Krakow , Warsaw , Katowice , or Wroclaw ), I prepared this guide to help you plan your Auschwitz tour without too much hassle. There are different ways to visit Auschwitz, but no matter which one you choose, be prepared for one of the most difficult yet necessary travel experiences of your life.

Table of Contents

Where is Auschwitz

The former Nazi Germany Concentration Camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau, is located in a town of around 37.000 inhabitants called Oświęcim in southern Poland. Krakow is less than 70 km away, and Katowice is 35 km away. Warsaw, the capital of Poland, is around 330 km away from Oświęcim.

A brief history of Auschwitz

Even if Auschwitz is known mainly as the extermination camp, it was established as a concentration camp in mid-1940. It was one of over 40 camps in Poland that were supposed to be a solution to the problem of overflowing prisons full of arrested locals. The first people were brought to Auschwitz on June 14th, 1940, from the prison in Tarnow.

Since 1942 Auschwitz has also been used as the extermination camp where Nazis implemented their plan to murder Jewish people from all over Europe. At the peak of its operation, in 1944, Auschwitz was divided into three parts: Auschwitz I (the oldest one, in the old Polish military barracks), Auschwitz II-Birkenau (the largest one, founded in 1941, the majority of victims were killed here), and Auschwitz III (this was a group of over 40 sub-camps created near industrial plants, made for work prisoners).

Numerous Polish villages were demolished, and locals were evicted to develop such a large institution. The camps were isolated from the outside world. The total area was around 40 square kilometers, including all three Auschwitz camps and the so-called “interest zone” used for the technical or supply background, offices, and barracks for Nazis.

Since Auschwitz had a strategic location on the front line, in August 1944, the camp’s liquidation began – the prisoners were taken to Germany, and the evidence of the crimes was covered up. The liberation of Auschwitz took place on January 27th, 1945, when around 7,5 thousand prisoners were still held there.

Altogether, in the almost four years of operation, over 1,3 million people lost their lives in Auschwitz; the majority were Jewish (around 1,1 million), but also Polish (about 150 hundred thousand), Roma people (23 thousand), and other nations.

In 1979 Auschwitz was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List – it is the only former Nazi concentration camp with that title in the world.

How to visit Auschwitz

You can visit Auschwitz two ways: with a tour from where you are staying in Poland (most likely Krakow, Katowice, Warsaw, or Wroclaw) or independently, reaching the site by car or using public transport. Both options are doable; however, the tour is a slightly better one as everything will be taken care of for you.

There is a wide selection of tours to choose from that depart from Krakow as well as other mentioned cities. Most of them cover more or less the same things: pick-up from your accommodation, transportation to/from Auschwitz and back, the entrance ticket to the concentration camp, and the guided tour on-site.

When I visited Auschwitz, I arrived by train from Warsaw, with the change in Katowice. I was at the museum almost an hour before my guided tour of the site was supposed to start, and despite the poor weather (it was raining on that day), there was no place to hide and wait for the tour. Visitors were not allowed to enter the museum until a few minutes before the tour was about to start. Me and a few other unlucky visitors just stood near the trees, hiding under the umbrella and waiting for our time to enter the site. I can’t say it was a comfortable situation (but at least the weather worked perfectly well for such a sad place to visit). Recently, a new visitors center was opened so hopefully the situation is better.

When using public transport, you need to rely on the schedule of trains/buses and, just in case, plan to be at the site with some extra time ahead; hence a tour is a better option. Still, visiting Auschwitz is doable independently – I did it, and once the tour of the site started, it was really good.

Visiting Auschwitz – practical information

Visiting Auschwitz memorial site is free of charge; however, I recommend joining the tour with the educator provided by the museum. They have a huge knowledge of the place and the tragedy that occurred here and can answer all the questions visitors always have. Tours are available in various languages: Polish, English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Czech, and Slovak.

Even if you decide to visit the site independently, you still need to book the entry pass – those with free entrance start in the afternoon. You can buy/reserve your ticket online at the website of Auschwitz Museum here.

Currently, the price for the tour with the educator is 80 PLN for Polish and 90 PLN for other languages. When booking the ticket, you must state your full name and surname – this will be checked later.

Since tickets can sell out quickly, booking one at least a month in advance is recommended. If there are no tickets left for the day you want to visit Auschwitz, you can join the organized tour from Krakow or other cities, as tour operators usually have tickets booked in advance. Due to the sensitive nature of the place, children under 14 years old should not visit Auschwitz Museum.

Once you have your ticket, you need to arrive at the Auschwitz visitors center 30 minutes before your tour starts to go through the security check (it’s rather thorough, similar to the airport), have your ticket inspected (remember to have the ID or passport with you), get the headset for the tour and meet your group. You are allowed to have a bag or backpack with a maximum dimension of 30x20x10 cm; any larger luggage must be left in the paid lockers.

Auschwitz Museum is open every day except January 1st, December 25th, and Easter Sunday. Opening hours vary depending on the month and are as follows:

• 7:30-14:00 in December
• 7:30-15:00 in January and November
• 7:30-16:00 in February
• 7:30-17:00 in March and October
• 7:30-18:00 in April, May, and September
• 7:30-19:00 in June, July, and August

The closing time means the last entrance – after that, you are allowed to stay on-site for an hour and a half. However, if you want to see Auschwitz Museum properly, you need at least 3,5 hours for that – that’s also how long the standard tour with the educator lasts. It is usually divided equally between Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II- Birkenau. A free shuttle bus runs between the two sites every few minutes.

Taking pictures and making videos is allowed in Auschwitz, for individual use, except in two places: the hall with the hair of Victims (block nr 4) and the basements of Block 11. Your educator will remind you not to take pictures there.

Remember what sort of place you are visiting and behave there with respect. It might be obvious for most, but I can’t count how many times I’ve read news about inappropriate behavior in Auschwitz and other similar sites in Poland, so I think it’s worth reminding this is not your typical tourist attraction but a place of one of the greatest tragedy that ever happened in the world.

Getting to Auschwitz independently

If you decide to visit Auschwitz on your own, you must get to the visitors’ center, where your tour will start. The new visitors center, which opened just recently, is located at 55 Więźniów Oświęcimia Street in Oświęcim ( here is the exact location ). If you drive there, there is a large parking lot where you can leave your car before visiting the museum.

If you use public transport, there are both trains and buses you can take to reach Oświęcim. I recommend trains as they are slightly faster and more comfortable; however, some buses stop next to the museum, so that’s convenient. You can check all the connections on this website , where you can also find the location of the bus stop in Oświęcim (there can be three different ones).

The train station in Oświęcim is located at Powstańców Śląskich Street, some 20 minutes walking from the Auschwitz museum. It’s a straightforward way; you can check the map with the directions here . I recommend catching the train that gives you at least an hour between arriving at Oświęcim and when your tour starts.

Auschwitz tour from Krakow

Numerous Auschwitz tours depart from Krakow, so you will easily find the one that suits your itinerary and needs. Here are some recommended ones:

• Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum and Memorial Guided Tour from Krakow
• Auschwitz & Birkenau – Fully Guided Tour from Krakow
• Auschwitz-Birkenau Guided Tour with Private Transport from Kraków
• Auschwitz-Birkenau Guided Tour by Private Transport from Krakow

You can also combine visiting Auschwitz with Wieliczka Salt Mine , another UNESCO-listed site near Krakow and a must-visit place in Poland. Here are the tours that go to both places in one day:

• Day Trip to Auschwitz-Birkenau and Wieliczka Salt Mine from Krakow including Lunch
• Full-Day Tour of Auschwitz and Wieliczka Salt Mine from Krakow
• Auschwitz-Birkenau and Salt Mine Tour with private transport from Krakow
• Combined: Auschwitz Birkenau and Salt Mine private chauffeur from Krakow

If you decide to go to Auschwitz from Krakow on your own, you can take the train from the main train station to Oświęcim. They are rather frequent, more or less every hour, and the journey takes a bit over an hour (depending on the connection, the longest one is 1h20min).

If you want to take the bus, they depart from the MDA bus station, next to the main train station. The price for trains and buses is similar, between 15 and 20 PLN, although trains tend to be cheaper and faster. You can check all the connections and buy a ticket here .

Auschwitz tour from Warsaw

Even if Warsaw, the capital of Poland, is located over 300 km away from Oświęcim, it is possible to go for a one-day Auschwitz tour. However, you can expect a long day, and a large part of it will be spent traveling. But if you are visiting Warsaw only, Auschwitz can be a good addition to your Poland itinerary, so you can better understand the country’s complex history.

Here are some of the recommended Auschwitz tours from Warsaw:

• From Warsaw Auschwitz and Krakow one day tour by train with pick up and drop off
• One day tour to Auschwitz-Birkenau from Warsaw with private transport

Going for the day trip from Warsaw to Auschwitz independently is also possible using trains. You can take the 6 am train to Katowice and then change for the train to Oświęcim, arriving in the town around 10:30. If you decide to do that, you can book your Auschwitz tour for 11:30 or 12:00. On the way back, you can catch the train after 16:00 from Oświęcim to Katowice, and after changing for the train to Warsaw, you will be in the capital after 20:00.

Auschwitz tour from Katowice

Since Katowice is less than 40 km from Auschwitz, it’s easy to go for a day trip. You need to take the local train to Oświęcim, it takes less than 50 minutes, and the connections are more or less every hour.

Or you can go for a tour, here are the Auschwitz tours from Katowice:

• Auschwitz – Birkenau from Katowice
• Auschwitz & Birkenau English guided tour by private transport from Katowice
• Auschwitz tour from Wroclaw

Wroclaw is another popular place to visit in Poland, and since it’s located around 230 km from Oświęcim, you can go for an Auschwitz tour from Wroclaw too. If you decide to do it independently, you can take the train to Katowice and then change for the local train to Oświęcim. A one-way trip should take you less than 4 hours.

Or you can go for a tour; here are the recommended ones from Wroclaw:

• Auschwitz-Birkenau Tour from Wrocław
• Private Full-Day Tour to Auschwitz-Birkenau from Wroclaw

Auschwitz Museum Tour

As for the museum itself, here is what you can expect.

You will start in the oldest part of the concentration camp – Auschwitz I, where the infamous gate with the sign “Arbeit macht frei” (meaning “Work Sets You Free”) is located. Here, you will visit numerous barracks where inmates were kept – now you can see different exhibitions there, showing the reality of Auschwitz and halls with personal belongings taken from arriving prisoners – luggage, shoes, glasses, etc., or hair of Victims. You will learn all about cruel practices here, including medical experiments or torture.

Visiting this part of Auschwitz museum is a very somber experience, and it’s really difficult to comprehend the tragedy that happened in this very place.

Besides the barracks in Auschwitz I, you will also see where the camp commander lived or the first crematorium where Nazis started their experiments with killing using gas. In this part of the Auschwitz tour, you can take pictures everywhere except the two places in Blocks 4 and 11 – they will be clearly marked, and your educator will remind you about this restriction.

The visit to Auschwitz I takes around 1,5 hours. Afterward, together with your group and educator, you will take the shuttle bus to Auschwitz II-Birkenau, located some 3 km away.

Auschwitz II-Birkenau is where around 90% of victims died. It is a huge area that worked kind of like the killing factory, with four gas chambers and crematoriums. This is also where most prisoners arrived – you most likely know the view of the railway tracks and brick gate – that’s Auschwitz II-Birkenau. This part of the visit is mostly outdoors.

You will walk around the area, see the remnants of the camp, visit some barracks inside, and learn all about the horrific tragedy that happened here. When Auschwitz I has a more intimate, even claustrophobic feeling, Auschwitz II-Birkenau can overwhelm you with its scale and enormity.

You will spend around 1,5 hours here, too; afterward, you can take the shuttle bus back to the visitors center when you started your tour.

Final thoughts on visiting Auschwitz

Even though I’ve lived in Poland almost my whole life, and Auschwitz has been a familiar topic since I remember, it took me nearly 37 years to finally visit the place. Before I was in different Nazi Germany sites in Poland, mostly in Majdanek in Lublin, so I didn’t feel the need to visit Auschwitz too. But I don’t regret the decision to go there eventually.

You can read and learn about the place, but nothing can prepare you for visiting Auschwitz. Some areas look familiar (after all, pictures of the “Arbeit macht frei” sign or Birkenau gate are present everywhere), but you will still be overwhelmed by the place and seeing it in real life. It’s hard to comprehend the cruelty and tragedy that happened here, and dealing with all the thoughts invading your mind afterward can take a while. It can be one of the most difficult-to-understand places you will ever visit.

Still, despite it all, I think everyone should go to Auschwitz to see where fanaticism and totalitarianism can lead and why we should avoid them at all costs.

Travel Resources

You can find the best accommodation options at Booking . They have many discounts and excellent customer service. Click here to look for the place to stay in Poland

Never travel without travel insurance , you never know what might happen and better safe than sorry. You can check the insurance policy for Poland here.

I recommend joining organized tours to get to know the place better and to visit more places during your trip. You can find a great selection of tours at Get Your Guide – click here .

For the end I left a few announcements that might interest you:

• Sign up to my newsletter or follow me on Bloglovin to get updates about the new posts
• Join my Facebook group about Eastern Europe, the Balkans and former USSR and connect with fellow travellers and enthusiasts of these regions – just click here!
• I’ve included a few handy links of services and products I personally like and use so you can plan your own trip to Poland too. They are often affiliate links. This means I will get a small commission if you book/purchase anything through my links, at no extra costs for you. Thank you!

LIKED IT? PIN THIS POST FOR LATER!

If you enjoyed that post why don't you share it with your friends? That would mean so much to me! Also be sure to join 30.000+ fellow travelers and follow me on Facebook , Twitter , or Instagram for travel updates and even more pictures! If you don't want to miss new posts sign up to my newsletter or follow on Bloglovin !

No Comments

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Sign me up for the newsletter!

Let’s become friends!

Join me on Facebook for even more travel updates!

Kami and the rest of the world

Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial Tour from Krakow

A guided tour of the largest concentration camp of WWII

This three-hour tour will give you the opportunity to visit one of the largest of the former concentration camps, Auschwitz-Birkenau. After you've been picked up from your hotel in Kraków, you'll visit Auschwitz I for approximately two hours and Auschwitz II - Birkenau for approximately one hour. You'll learn more about the prisoners' experience and see the location of the Holocaust. During the tour, your guide will share insights into what life was like in the camps and the site's history.

Throughout the tour, your guide will be on hand to provide compassionate stories and insight into what life was like in the camps. The tour also offers the chance to pay your respects to the people who lost their lives while gaining an understanding of the magnitude of the crimes that were committed during Nazi rule.

• Largest of the former concentration camps
• Chance to learn about the history of Auschwitz-Birkenau
• Insight into what life was like for prisoners within the camp
• Chance to visit Auschwitz l and Auschwitz ll-Birkenau

What's included

• Round-trip transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle
• Hotel pickup

What's not included

• Food and drinks

Restrictions

• Visitors must show a valid photo ID.

Languages spoken by guide

Additional information.

A valid student ID is required to receive a student discount.

This tour can accommodate a maximum of 30 visitors, but smaller groups are preferred. Each car can accommodate a maximum of 8 visitors.

Please bring your ticket with you to the attraction.

Be aware that operators may cancel for unforeseen reasons.

You need to be 18 years or older to book or be accompanied by an adult.

Operated by AT Cracow

User ratings

What guests loved most, frequently asked questions, how do i book a ticket.

Select a date and time.

Choose the number of tickets.

Click through to the next page and enter your personal details.

After entering your personal details, select your payment method and enter your payment details.

Once you’ve entered your payment details successfully, you will be redirected to your ticket page, where you can check the status and details of your reservations.

You'll receive a confirmation email once the reservation is confirmed with the attraction operator. This could take some time based on the supplier.

You can view your tickets in your confirmation email, or in the Booking & Trips section of your account.

When do I pay?

Booking.com collects payment on behalf of the attraction operator when you book your ticket.

How do digital tickets work?

Each digital ticket contains a unique code. This is usually a QR or numerical code, but could be something else and can be found on your ticket or the PDF sent to you.

If your digital ticket contains a barcode or QR code, give it to the staff at the attraction's entrance or ticket collection point so they can scan it.

For those with numerical codes, just show your ticket to staff for verification.

Can I cancel or modify my tickets?

You’ll need to check the policy on the specific ticket you’re booking. Last minute bookings might no longer have free cancellation available.

When will I get my free cancellation refund?

After you cancel, we'll immediately issue a full refund. Depending on your bank or payment provider, it can take 3-10 days for you to be refunded to your original payment method.

Tickets and prices

From Krakow to Auschwitz: 5 Best Ways to Get There

Written by Joni Sweet and Diana Bocco Updated Feb 22, 2024 We may earn a commission from affiliate links ( )

The Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial camps are a somber reminder of the darkest part of WWII. Built as extermination camps and partially destroyed by the Nazis at the end of the war to hide their "Final Solution" plans, the camps have been converted into museums and receive over two million visitors every year. They are located about 70 kilometers away from Krakow and are easy to reach by bus, train, or car or, on an organized tour.

Although entry to the camps is free , Auschwitz limits the number of entry passes per time slot, and advanced reservations are highly recommended, especially during the summer months. You are r equired to book a 3.5-hour tour with a guide-educator if you visit during busier periods, which start at 7:30am and go until the early or late afternoon, depending on the month.

English language tours take place every 30 to 60 minutes. If you prefer to explore on your own, plan to visit late in the day and reserve an entry pass ahead of time. Check the Auschwitz website for the most up-to-date schedule and visitor requirements.

The park opens at 7:30am throughout the year and welcomes visitors as late as 7pm during the summer months. You can stay at the site for up to 90 minutes after the last entrance hour, allowing you to explore until as late as 8:30pm in June, July, and August.

Whether you're planning on visiting the camps on your own using public transportation or you prefer the comfort and convenience of a guided tour, here are the best ways to get from Krakow to Auschwitz.

On This Page:

• From Krakow to Auschwitz by Organized Small Group Tour
• From Krakow to Auschwitz by Private Tour
• From Krakow to Auschwitz by Bus
• From Krakow to Auschwitz by Train
• From Krakow to Auschwitz by Car

1. From Krakow to Auschwitz by Organized Small Group Tour

If you are considering whether to take a Krakow to Auschwitz guided tour or not, consider this: over two million people visit Auschwitz every year. The lines to get in are always long, no matter the season—during particularly busy times, you can easily wait two to three hours just to get in if you haven't reserved an entry pass in advance.

One of the benefits of joining a tour is that there's no waiting time . Tours enter through a side entrance without any wait—plus you don't have to worry about transportation, moving from one camp to the next, or finding the right English-language tour once you get there.

A good option is the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum and Memorial Guided Tour from Krakow , led by an English-speaking, professional guide.

On the day of the tour, an air-conditioned minibus and an English-speaking tour guide will pick you up from your hotel or a central city point in Krakow. During the one-hour drive , you'll be able to watch a documentary about the camps, so you can have a better understanding of WWII's Holocaust and what happened at the camps.

Once you arrive, your guide will take you to the main buildings at the UNESCO-listed former Nazi concentration camp complex, including the gas chambers and crematoriums, old prison blocks, and dormitories, and a number of exhibitions documenting the life of prisoners. You'll also see the watchtowers once used by the Nazi officers at Birkenau.

After touring the two camps, your driver will bring you back to 2 Wielopole Street in Krakow.

2. From Krakow to Auschwitz by Private Tour

If you're looking to get a deeper understanding of the WWII events that led to the construction of the camps, the seven-hour Auschwitz-Birkenau Guided Tour by Private Transport from Krakow will give you just that.

This tour starts right at your Krakow hotel, where a driver will pick you up in an air-conditioned vehicle anywhere between 7:30am and 11am, based on your preferences. From there, it's a one-hour trip to the main camp and museum, where you will join an English-speaking guided tour for a 90-minute tour of Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau.

The tours include both indoor and outdoor spaces. You will see the permanent exhibitions and main buildings at Auschwitz I before you move on to Camp II, where you'll see the unloading platform (ramp) and a train carriage, the ruins of crematoria and gas chambers, and the barracks where prisoners lived.

You will be provided with headsets, so you can hear your guide clearly, as the museum requests that people keep their voices down while walking through Auschwitz.

After your tour is over, you'll get a private ride back to Krakow. You will be dropped off at your hotel no later than 4pm.

3. From Krakow to Auschwitz by Bus

If you are planning on using public transportation, buses are the cheapest and easiest way to get to the camps . From the Kraków MDA main bus station, you can catch a local bus in the direction of Oswiecim and get off at the stop called "Oswiecim Muzeum." This is right at the entrance of the Auschwitz Museum.

Make sure you check the bus schedules in advance on the official MDA Bus Transportation website, as not all buses traveling in that direction stop at Auschwitz.

Your other option is the Lajkonik buses . Choose the bus covering the route - Kraków - Chrzanów - Libiaz - Oswiecim, and get off at the last stop, right at the museum. You can book a seat online—a particularly good idea in summer, as the number of visitors increases, and you might not get a space otherwise. The first bus leaves for Auschwitz at 6:20am, and the last one back to Krakow departs from the museum at 6:45pm, so plan accordingly. During operating hours, the buses run roughly every hour to 90 minutes, although more frequent departures occur during the mornings and around noon.

Keep in mind that these buses take you only to Auschwitz-Camp I . To reach the second camp, Birkenau, you can walk the three kilometers that separate the camps or look for the museum shuttles that run back and forth between the two camps . The free shuttle bus runs every 30 minutes between November and March, increasing in frequency to every 10 minutes from April through October.

4. From Krakow to Auschwitz by Train

Kraków Glówny, the main train station near Krakow Old Town, has a number of trains that can get you close to the camps. You can check schedules on the Polish railway website to pick the best option.

Most trains have an average travel time of just over an hour and can get crowded on weekends, so pick an early morning one if you don't have tickets in advance and want to make sure you get a seat.

Trains leave every hour starting around 4 or 5am. For the camps, taking the 6:39am train is the best option, as you'll arrive in Oświęcim just before 8am.

All trains drop you off at Oswiecim's central station, 1,500 meters away from Auschwitz. You can opt to walk to the museum, which takes about 25 minutes or jump in a taxi. Another way to reach the museum from the train station is by boarding the seasonal "M" line bus. It runs every half hour from 9:07am until 4:07pm between April 1 and October 31. You can catch the bus at the Dworzec PKP stop just outside the train station or from the park-and-ride garage to the museum entrance. It takes approximately five minutes.

The last direct train back to Krakow departs at 8:39pm. If you miss that one, there's another that leaves at 8:52pm, but you'll need to transfer at Mysłowice. It takes more than 2.5 hours.

5. From Krakow to Auschwitz by Car

The Auschwitz-Birkenau camp and museum is located in the city of Oświęcim, about 70 kilometers from the center of Krakow . The trip takes about an hour and 15 minutes in normal travel conditions if you take the A4 motorway in the direction of Oświęcim.

Take the exit at Balin and follow signs for Oświęcim to get to the museum. As signs aren't in English here, having a GPS is essential , or you might find yourself taking the wrong turn here or there.

While the A4 is a toll road, light passenger vehicles are exempt from paying the fee as of July 2023. So as long as you're in a regular vehicle, rather than a large van or truck, you should be able to take the A4 on a toll-free basis.

There are paid parking areas at the camps . Both Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau camps have their own parking, but keep in mind that you should start your visit at Auschwitz I, so if you park at the other camp, you will need to walk back to Birkenau or wait for the museum shuttle. The camps are 3.5 kilometers away from each other.

You can also opt to use the multi-story park-and-ride garage next to the Oświęcim train station. From there, you can hop on the "M" line for a five-minute ride directly to the Auschwitz museum. The bus runs continuously from 9am to 4pm, but is only in operation from early April until late October.

MEMORIAL AND MUSEUM AUSCHWITZ-BIRKENAU FORMER GERMAN NAZI CONCENTRATION AND EXTERMINATION CAMP

The post-camp relics are protected by the Museum created in 1947. The Memorial today is i.a. the Archive and Collections as well as research, conservation and publishing center.

• Auschwitz Council
• Preservation
• Historical collection
• Museum Reports
• Projects EU
• Museum Structure
• History of the Memorial
• Photo gallery
• Auschwitz prisoners

KL Auschwitz was the largest of the German Nazi concentration camps and extermination centers. Over 1.1 million men, women and children lost their lives here.

• Home Page - History
• Before the extermination
• Auschwitz I
• Auschwitz II
• Auschwitz III
• Auschwitz sub-camps
• Auschwitz and Shoah
• Categories of prisoners
• Fate of children
• Prisoner classification
• Life in the camp
• Punishments and executions
• Camp hospitals
• Medical experiments
• Informing the world
• The number of victims
• The SS garrison
• Holocaust denial
• Auschwitz Calendar

The authentic Memorial consists of two parts of the former camp: Auschwitz and Birkenau. A visit with an educator allows better understanding of this unique place.

• Home Page - Visiting
• Preparation and summary of a visit
• Reservation
• Rules for Visiting
• Guided tours options
• Opening hours
• Temporarily closed for visitors
• Getting to the Museum
• Virtual tour
• Permanent Exhibition
• National Exhibitions
• On-line Exhibitions
• Plan your visit
• Information plaques

There is no way to understand postwar Europe and the world without an in-depth confrontation between our idea of mankind and the remains of Auschwitz.

• Home Page - Education
• Study visits
• Educational projects
• Conferences
• Thematic sessions
• Exhibitions
• Visiting the Memorial
• Publications
• Volunteer Bureau
• Resources for teachers
• ICEAH – General Information
• Light of Remembrance
• Library - Online Catalogue

"Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away" exhibition in Boston

The travelling exhibition created by the Auschwitz Museum and the Spanish company Musealia was opened at The Castle at Park Plaza in Boston on 14 March. It will be on display there until 2 September.

Evil does not beget good, but good cannot be conquered. 79th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.

On 27 January 2024, twenty Auschwitz and Holocaust Survivors took part in the commemoration of the 79th anniversary of the liberation of the German Nazi concentration and extermination camp. The event was held under the honorary patronage of the President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Duda.

"To reach people in the most remote corners of the world". The launch of the online tours of the Auschwitz Memorial.

"Auschwitz in Front of Your Eyes" is an application through which millions of people from around the world will gain access to education conducted directly from the authentic Memorial Site. It allows an online guided tour of the former German Nazi camp. Reservations: visit.auschwitz.org .

New online bookstore of the Museum

The new online bookstore of the Museum is now available at books.auschwitz.org . In addition to printed publications in many languages, ebooks are also available on the website.

New research laboratory of the Museum conservators

A new research laboratory was opened at the Auschwitz Museum. It will allow specialized research on objects from the German Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz. 

The new laboratory is equipped to carry out physicochemical research and molecular biology analysis, including microbiology and genetics.

Today, once again, comes the time for essential human choices. 78th anniversary of liberation of Auschwitz.

On January 27, a group of 18 Auschwitz and Holocaust Survivors met at the former Auschwitz camp to commemorate the 78th anniversary of the liberation of this German Nazi concentration and extermination camp.  The main theme of the anniversary was the process of planning, creating and expanding the system of dehumanisation and genocide at Auschwitz, which was particularly strongly defined by the words of survivor Marian Turski 'Auschwitz did not fall from the sky'.

ONLINE LIVE GUIDED TOURS OF THE AUSCHWITZ MEMORIAL   FOR GROUPS AND INDIVIDUAL VISITORS

Memoria Magazine no. 78

Prof. Marc van Berkel appointed Honorary Consul of the Auschwitz Memorial in the Netherlands

Call for participants of the German-Polish seminar “How to Deal with Difficult Past?”

Camp chess pieces found in one of the historic buildings

Volunteers from the Brynek Forestry Technical School help protect the Museum's green spaces

Memoria Magazine no. 77

"A piece of the world surrounded by barbed wire..." The fate of Polish citizens in KL Auschwitz - a new temporary exhibition

The fate of the Sinti and Roma in KL Auschwitz - free study visits for young people

"The film would not have been possible without the Museum's cooperation.” Polish premiere of “The Zone of Interest".

Online educational session "The Image of Auschwitz in Mass Culture" – 29 February 2024

• Nasz profil na facebook
• via @auschwitzmuseum"> Udostępnij na Twitter
• Nasz profil na Pinterest
• Nasz profil na YouTube

Auschwitz Memorial / Muzeum Auschwitz

Wyświetl ten post na Instagramie. "Come here you free citizen of the world, whose life is safeguarded by human morality and whose existence is guaranteed through law. I want to tell you how modern criminals and common bandits have betrayed the morality of life and nullified the postulates of existence." - Zalman Gradowski, member of Sonderkommando at Auschwitz, murdered during the uprising on October 7, 1944. Auschwitz I. Block 27. Shoah exhibition. --- Photo by @tofudonbe --- #Auschwitz #Birkenau #AuschwitzMemorial #Nazi #Germany #concentrationcamp #extermination #genocide #history #Holocaust #Shoah #Jews #Poles #Roma #people #life #death #humanity #humiliation #dehumanization #remembrance #commemoration #memory #museum #Poland #igerspoland #UNESCO #worldheritage #worldHeritagelist @unesco #photography Post udostępniony przez Auschwitz Memorial and Museum (@auschwitzmemorial) Paź 27, 2019 o 11:17 PDT

Images from www.auschwitz.org may be used only in publications relating to the history of the German Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz-Birkenau or the activities of the Auschwitz Memorial. Their use must not tarnish the good reputation of the victims of KL Auschwitz. Any interference in the integrity of the images – including cropping or graphic processing – is prohibited. The use of the images for commercial purposes requires the Museum’s approval and information about the publication. Publishers undertake to indicate the authors and origin of the images: www.auschwitz.org, as well as to inform the Museum of the use of the images ([email protected]).

• Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum

Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum tours

• Lowest price
• Highest price

Auschwitz and Birkenau self-guided tour with transfer from Krakow

Self-guided tour to UNESCO museums Auschwitz and Birkenau including guidebook in 19 languages and transport to the museums from Krakow city center.

en,  it,  fr,  es,  de,  +11  pt, ru, nl, ja, no, pl, sv, fi, da, zh, ko

Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum and Memorial guided tour from Krakow

Book a guided tour to Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum and Memorial from Krakow. Follow a licensed guide and visit the concentration camp.

Auschwitz-Birkenau skip-the-line entrance ticket and official guided tour

See the horrors of Auschwitz-Birkenau and attend the fully guided tour at Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II Birkenau.

Auschwitz-Birkenau tour from Krakow with hotel pickup

Learn about the enormity of the human tragedy and the lives of prisoners in the Auschwitz Birkenau concentration camp. Take part in a guided tour and organized transport from Krakow.

Auschwitz - Birkenau guided Memorial tour from Krakow

Book your tour from Krakow and visit Auschwitz Birkenau, a former concentration camp with a professional English-speaking guide.

Auschwitz-Birkenau Skip-the-Line Entry Tickets

Visit Auschwitz Birkenau, a former concentration, camp with an official museum guide-educator. Book your tour from Krakow.

en,  it,  fr,  es,  de,  +1  pl

Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum guided tour

Visit the Auschwitz-Birkenau complex, the largest of the Nazi concentration camps, and learn more about the everyday life of prisoners from a licensed guide.

Auschwitz-Birkenau guided tour with transport

Book the guided tour to Auschwitz-Birkenau with a transport service from Krakow. See the Holocaust memorial and learn about the story of WWII.

Auschwitz-Birkenau fast-track entry pass and guided tour

Visit the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial. Save time at the entrance thanks to the fast-track entry and visit the venue with a professional guide.

Auschwitz-Birkenau and Wieliczka Salt Mine in one day tour

Visit Auschwitz-Birkenau and the Wieliczka Salt Mine in one day! Make most of your time with this fully organized day trip from Krakow.

Auschwitz Birkenau and Wieliczka Salt Mine in one day from Krakow

Visit Auschwitz Birkenau, a former concentration camp with a professional English speaking guide and Wieliczka Salt Mine registered on the UNESCO list.

Auschwitz Shuttle

Use a convenient shuttle bus and visit Auschwitz - Birkenau Concentration Camp by yourself. It is the fastest and the most comfortable way to get there from Krakow,

Top attractions in Krakow

You might also like

Schindler's Factory Museum skip-the-line ticket

Skip the line and visit the former Schindler Factory, made famous by the movie Schindler's List, now home to an exhibition about Krakow during WWII.

Krakow Auschwitz-Birkenau self-guided tour

Visit the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum and follow a self-guided audio tour through the camp.

en,  it,  fr,  es,  de,  +12  pt, ru, nl, ja, no, pl, sv, fi, da, zh, ko, he

Krakow evening boat trip with a glass of wine

Book tickets for a Krakow evening cruise including one drink.

en,  es,  de,  pl 

Krakow's Old Town from the Underground Museum to St. Mary's Basilica

Discover medieval artifacts in the heart of Krakow, visit the most famous church in Krakow, take an afternoon stroll through the streets of Krakow.

Guided E-Scooter tour of Krakow with food tasting

Book an eco-friendly scooter tour of Krakow with food tastings. Cover more ground and explore the top attractions of the Polish capita - in a relatively short amount of time.

Self guided tour with interactive city game of Krakow

Explore Krakow in a unique and affordable way. A self-guided city trail will guide you to the best spots in the city while playing fun riddles and assignments on your smartphone.

en,  it,  fr,  es,  de,  +1  nl

Wieliczka Salt Mine Tour

Visit the Wieliczka Salt Mine near Krakow with an expert tour guide, and admire this UNESCO World Heritage site.

Chopin concert in Krakow

Book a concert ticket in Krakow and listen to the masterpieces of Fryderyk Chopin, one of the best pianists in history.

Wawel Castle's Greatest Exhibitions with English Guide

Explore the Royal Wawel Castle, one of the most spectacular castles in Europe, with an expert English-speaking guide and learn about the history of Polish Kings.

Wieliczka Salt Mine guided tour with hotel transfers

Explore caves and chambers carved out of the rock at Wieliczka Salt Mine and visit one of the original World Heritage Sites listed by UNESCO. Book your tour online and enjoy private transportation from Krakow.

en,  it,  fr,  es,  de,  +1  ru

Guided Krakow self-balancing scooter tour of the old town

Book your Guided Krakow self-balancing scooter tour of the old town to experience the UNESCO World Heritage site, the Wawel Castle, the Sukiennice Museum, St. Mary's Basilica and many more with a local guide.

en,  ru,  pl 

Schindler's Factory Museum guided tour

Visit with a guide Schindler's Museum in Krakow, dedicated to the history of World War II, of Holocaust and the factory of Oskar Schindler.

One-day tour of Dunajec river gorge and thermal baths from Krakow

Head to southern Poland's most picturesque district for a rafting trip on the Dunajec River.

Extreme off-road quad bike tour from Krakow

Book an adrenaline-pumping, off-roading quad bike tour with transportation from Krakow. Ditch the asphalt roads and set off on different tracks through forests and fields.

The inside story

The Auschwitz-Birkenau complex has left its inglorious mark on human history. A symbol of the Holocaust, during its five years of operation over a million Jews, along with Poles, Romani and other groups, were systematically killed by German Occupiers in WWII. Confronting and emotionally charged, a visit to the complex is an essential part of the human experience.

Composed of two sections, Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau, together they convey the magnitude of the compound. Auschwitz I was the main site opened in 1940 with the now infamous sign on its gate Arbeit macht frei (‘Work sets you free’). It held the first camps, the offices of the SS and was where criminal medical experiments and the first gassings using Zyklon B took place. Auschwitz II-Birkenau came later and for all intents and purposes became an extermination camp. The remains of its gas chambers and crematorium, along with primitive barracks, can still be seen.

Since 1947 this site has become a memorial and museum dedicated to the many victims of Auschwitz. Both camps require at least 90 minutes each to gain a comprehensive understanding of the events that took place here. With over two million visitors per year, it’s well advised to book in advance.

How to get there

What to expect inside the Auschwitz Birkenau camp?

Things to do in Krakow Krakow Tickets Landmarks in Krakow Inside Auschwitz Birkenau

Walking into the gates of Auschwitz, you are met with a deep silence. The large brick buildings around you stand quiet now, but they are powerful reminders of the terrible events that happened here. Yes, this is the same place where over one million lives were lost during the Holocaust.

If you're getting ready to visit the Auschwitz Concentration Camp, this guide will tell you what to expect and help you prepare for the experience.

What is the Auschwitz Concentration Camp?

The Auschwitz Concentration Camp was a complex of over 40 camps, including Auschwitz I, Auschwitz II-Birkenau, and Auschwitz III-Monowitz. Birkenau housed the largest gas chambers and crematoria, where over 1.1 million people, mostly Jews, were systematically murdered. On your tour, you can walk through the haunting barracks, see the rail lines that brought prisoners to their final destination, and stand before the chilling gas chambers. Many films, such as "Schindler's List" and "The Pianist," have immortalized the horrors of Auschwitz.

A guided tour is highly recommended to fully understand the history and significance of this place. Knowledgeable guides will walk you through its history and answer any questions you may have. Be prepared to spend a full day exploring the grounds, as there is much to see and process.

Inside Auschwitz-Birkenau Camp

Entrance and auschwitz i.

The entrance to Auschwitz I is marked by the chilling "Arbeit Macht Frei" sign, which translates to "Work Sets You Free". This camp, originally a Polish military barracks, was converted into a concentration camp by the Nazis. It's now a museum dedicated to the memory of those who suffered here.

1 Auschwitz Block 11

Block 11 was known as the "Death Block" where prisoners were starved, and executed in the basement cells. The "Black Wall" was the site of mass executions by the firing squad.

2 The Execution Wall

At the Execution Wall, countless individuals faced their final moments. This poignant spot is a somber area for reflection on the value of human life. Visitors often leave tributes or light candles in honor of those who perished.

3 Exhibition Halls

The barracks have been transformed into galleries that exhibit the chilling array of belongings taken from prisoners—shoes, spectacles, luggage, and even locks of hair—providing a stark glimpse into the lives that were mercilessly cut short.

Auschwitz II-Birkenau

A short drive from Auschwitz I is Birkenau, the largest part of the Auschwitz complex. Birkenau, significantly larger than Auschwitz I, served primarily as an extermination camp. Here, the infamous train tracks end at what is now the International Monument to the Victims of Auschwitz.

1 Auschwitz Block 4

As you step into Block 4, you see rows upon rows of Zyklon B canisters, the lethal pesticide used in the gas chambers. If you walk even further, you’ll see piles of human hair that was used for textiles.

2 The SS section

The Nazi officers were called Schutzstaffel who were initially a small guard unit known as the Saal-Schutz (SS). They had their own quarters inside the camp. The SS quarters were surrounded by double electric fences and beyond this barrier towards the right was the mansion of the camp’s main officer Rudolf Höss.

3 Timber Warehouse

The Timber Warehouse, another site within Auschwitz, was also known as the "Kanada" because of the vast amount of looted possessions stored there. Prisoners were allowed to bring up to 45 kg of belongings with them, which were then confiscated upon arrival.

4 Central Camp Baths

The Central Camp Baths were where prisoners underwent delousing procedures under the guise of sanitation. After these procedures, many were sent to work under grueling conditions, or worse, directed towards the gas chambers.

5 Remains of Gas Chambers and Crematoria

The remnants of the gas chambers and crematoria at Birkenau are stark evidence of mass murder. They were blown up by the Nazis in an attempt to conceal the evidence of their atrocities just before the liberation of the camp by the Soviet army.

The rows of barracks, many of which are mere remnants, show the living conditions of prisoners. Some of these barracks have exhibitions and displays that provide further insight into life and death in the camp. The barracks' displays also include heart-wrenching personal stories and testimonies of survivors and victims.

7 Memorial Site

At the end of the camp, there is a memorial site, with plaques in various languages, commemorating the victims. This area provides a space for quiet reflection and to pay respects.

Recommended tours of Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp

Rohit Jadhav

More of a mountain person than beach, more of a culture-trip person than just visits! Having travelled to most of North India when I was a kid to backpacking across South India in my adulthood, I learnt that you often find your 'self' in the most unpredicted of places. And that is my inspiration to travel. To connect with nature, people and cultures. Books are my companion and I find my soul in trees. Music, yoga and literature is my passion. I often dream of attending a Peruvian wedding or living in a quaint Hungarian town for a while. When I am not writing, I would love to go hiking or explore the hidden valleys of Himalayas. Until then, some running and some literature is enough for me to get by!

Be a smart traveler

The first to know about trending destinations, travel deals, tips and all things travel.