The Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum is in Oświęcim, about 65-75 km (40-47 miles) west of Kraków depending on the route. Entry to the grounds is free, but every visitor needs a personal entry pass booked online on the museum's official website. Plan a whole day: the journey, the security check, a guided visit of about three and a half hours and the transfer to Birkenau.
This guide collects the practical information you need to plan a visit from Kraków on your own: booking, ways of getting there, the visitor entrance and car park, and how much time to allow. The museum's rules and opening hours change with the season, so for each point we name the official source. The details below were checked on 24 October 2026; check them again before you travel.
Reserve your museum entry first
The first step is the booking, not the transport. The museum states that entry passes are available online only, at visit.auschwitz.org, and that no entry cards are issued at the entrance. Each pass is personal and the number of places is limited, so book as soon as you know your dates, especially if you need a particular time or language.
There are two different things to book:
- entry to the grounds, which is free of charge but still requires a pass for a set time,
- a visit with a museum guide-educator, which is paid. Individual visitors can join a guided tour in the language they choose when booking, if it is available on that date.
Book directly with the museum. Many sellers that advertise a "ticket" are in fact selling transport or a guide service, so check what you are paying for. A car rental company, including ours, does not sell entry to the memorial.
Visiting independently means arranging the transport and the booking yourself. It does not mean entering without a pass: every visitor who arrives on their own also needs a pass booked for a set time.
Getting there from Krakow
The museum is on the edge of Oświęcim. The Visitor Services Center is at ul. Więźniów Oświęcimia 55. Enter this address in your satnav, or the GPS coordinates the museum gives (50.029787, 19.204869), rather than just the word "Auschwitz", because a search may also take you to other places in the town.
Car, bus, train or organised visit
| Option | How it works | Journey (estimate) | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car | you leave when it suits your entry time and park at the museum | about 1 h to 1 h 30 min from Kraków, depending on the route and traffic | route, roadworks, the A4 toll if your route uses it |
| Direct bus | the museum says Lajkonik buses run from Kraków directly to the museum car park; other buses and minibuses stop nearby | according to the timetable | departure and return times, seats |
| Train | to Oświęcim station, about 1,500 m from the museum | according to the connection | timetable and the walk or local bus to the entrance |
| Organised visit | transport from Kraków, often with a guided visit included | set by the organiser | language of the visit, return time, what the price includes |
The bus and the train work well for one person. By car, you choose your departure time around your entry slot, and the cost of the journey is shared between the people in the car. An organised visit takes care of the logistics in exchange for a fixed schedule. We do not quote bus or train fares because they depend on the operator and the date: check them on the operators' websites before you decide.
The route by car. From Kraków there are two main options. The first uses part of the A4 motorway towards Katowice. This is a concession section with toll gates: according to the operator, Stalexport, a car pays PLN 18 at each toll plaza, and the number of plazas you pass depends on where you join and leave the motorway. The second follows national road 44 via Skawina and Zator, without tolls but through more towns and villages. Poland has no vignette for cars, and our rental cars have no toll device, so you pay at the gate or through your own video tolling app. From Kraków Airport (Balice), the museum lists Oświęcim as about 50 km away. A return trip from Kraków is about 130-150 km. Before you set off, check roadworks and traffic on the GDDKiA road information map.
For US readers: Poland drives on the right, distances and speed limits are in kilometres and km/h, and a speed limit sign showing 90 means 90 km/h, about 56 mph.
The visitor entrance and parking
The museum's main car park, free of charge according to the museum, is at the Visitor Services Center at ul. Więźniów Oświęcimia 55, where the visit begins at the former Auschwitz I camp. The museum suggests driving into this street from Legionów Street (regional road 933).
- Arrive at least 30 minutes before the start of your visit, because there is a security check at the entrance.
- Bags may not be larger than 35 x 25 x 15 cm. Larger luggage should stay in your vehicle; keep it out of sight in the boot.
- Your entry pass is personal: bring the booking confirmation on your phone and an identity document.
Travelling between the two sites
The museum recommends visiting both parts of the memorial: Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau, a few kilometres apart, and allowing at least 90 minutes for each. A free museum shuttle runs between the two sites. There is also a paid municipal car park at Birkenau, but the simplest option is to leave the car at the main car park and use the shuttle.
Time needed and what to bring
Keep the whole day free. The time by which you must start your visit changes with the month: according to the museum, the last entry is at 3:00 pm in November and January, 2:00 pm in December and 4:00 pm in February, and visitors may stay on the grounds for 90 minutes after the last entry time. The museum is closed on 1 January, 25 December and Easter Sunday, and may close temporarily during official visits or ceremonies. Check the opening hours for your date on the official website.
According to the museum, the standard guided tour lasts about three and a half hours. Before you leave, check that you have:
- the booking confirmation with each visitor's name and the time of the entry slot,
- a bag within the permitted size, or no bag at all,
- comfortable shoes and warm, waterproof clothing: much of the visit, especially at Birkenau, is outdoors, and November is usually cold and damp,
- water and something to eat before or after the visit.
This is a place of remembrance. The museum asks visitors to behave with due solemnity and respect and to dress appropriately; the detailed rules are on its website.
An example of a day by car in November, with an entry slot at 10:00:
- leave Kraków at about 8:00, with time to spare for morning traffic,
- arrive at the car park at about 9:15-9:30 and go through the security check,
- a guided visit of about three and a half hours, first Auschwitz I, then Birkenau,
- a break and the drive back to Kraków in the early afternoon, before it gets dark, which in November happens early.
Planning a separate visit to Wieliczka
We do not recommend adding the Wieliczka Salt Mine on the same day. A visit to the memorial takes most of the day and needs time and attention, and in winter the last entry is early. If your stay allows it, plan Wieliczka for another day: it is only about 15 km from the centre of Kraków, and the official tourist route takes 2-3 hours on average, according to the mine.
If you still want to combine the two, book both entry times first and check the opening hours of each place for your date. Do not plan the memorial as a quick stop between other sights.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau take?
According to the museum, the standard guided tour lasts about three and a half hours and covers Auschwitz I and Birkenau. Add at least 30 minutes before your slot for the security check, plus the journey from Kraków and back. In practice it is a full day.
Do I have to pay to enter the memorial?
Entry to the grounds is free, but a personal entry pass is required and can be booked online only, at visit.auschwitz.org. Visits with a museum guide-educator are paid. The number of passes is limited, so book in advance.
Where do I park if I go by car?
At the museum's main car park, free of charge according to the official website, at the Visitor Services Center, ul. Więźniów Oświęcimia 55, Oświęcim. There is a paid municipal car park at Birkenau. Enter the exact address in your satnav rather than the word Auschwitz.
How do I get from Auschwitz I to Birkenau?
The two sites are a few kilometres apart. The museum runs a free shuttle between them. The simplest option is to leave the car at the main car park and use the shuttle.
Is the A4 motorway to Oświęcim a toll road?
Only the concession section of the A4 between Kraków and Katowice has tolls: a car pays PLN 18 at each toll plaza, according to the operator Stalexport. National road 44 via Skawina and Zator has no toll. Poland has no vignette for cars.
Can I visit Auschwitz and Wieliczka on the same day?
It is possible on paper, but we do not recommend it: the memorial visit takes most of the day and needs time for reflection. Winter opening hours are short, with the last entry at 3:00 pm in November. If you still try, book both entry times and check the opening hours of each place.
Is it better to go by car or by bus?
For one person, the bus or train is usually simpler and cheaper. By car, you choose your departure time around the entry slot and share the cost between passengers, which suits families and small groups. An organised visit includes transport and often the guide, with a fixed schedule.
Check availability and the price in a few seconds. Pick-up at our pick-up point at ul. Opolska 12, at your address in Kraków or at the airport.
- Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum: visiting, entry passes and rules (read 24.10.2026)
- Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum: getting to the museum, car park and shuttle (read 24.10.2026)
- Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum: opening hours (read 24.10.2026)
- Official booking of entry passes
- Stalexport Autostrada Małopolska: A4 Kraków-Katowice tolls and payment, in Polish (read 24.10.2026)
- Wieliczka Salt Mine: Tourist Route (read 24.10.2026)
- GDDKiA: road information and roadworks, in Polish
