- Cultural significance: As a UNESCO World Heritage site, Auschwitz-Birkenau holds immense cultural and historical significance. It's a must-visit for those interested in the past but also for those who wish to build a better future.
- Educational value: Auschwitz-Birkenau offers a unique opportunity to learn about the Holocaust and the atrocities committed during World War II.
- Paying respect: By visiting, you pay your respects to the millions who suffered and perished here. It's a way to honor their memory and ensure that their stories are never forgotten.
- It's a place of reflection: Walking through Auschwitz-Birkenau allows for personal reflection. It’s an opportunity to contemplate the importance of tolerance, compassion, and the prevention of such horrors in the future.
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Auschwitz-Birkenau | Exploring the history of the holocaust
Auschwitz-Birkenau, often referred to simply as Auschwitz concentration camp, stands as the largest Nazi concentration and death camp, where more than one million people, mostly Jews, were killed during the Holocaust. A visit to this site is a deeply somber, emotional, and thought-provoking experience. Read on to find everything you need to plan a visit to Auschwitz.
Why visit Auschwitz?
Things to know before booking your Auschwitz tour
- There are several Auschwitz tour options available, allowing you to select the one that best suits your budget, starting location, and preferred type of experience.
- You can select a tour based on your current location, as there are tours departing from Krakow, Katowice, Warsaw, and Wrocław. All the tours include round-trip transfers in AC vehicles, with options for meeting point or hotel pickup and drop-off. Opt for round-trip hotel transfers for a completely hassle-free experience.
- Almost all Auschwitz tours like Auschwitz-Birkenau guided tour with fast track tickets and Auschwitz-Birkenau guided tour from Krakow offer fast-track entry, allowing you to pass through the security line and start your tour as quickly as possible.
- All the Auschwitz-Birkenau tours are guided experiences with professional Auschwitz guides available in up to 7 languages. However, the languages offered vary depending on the specific tour, so be sure to check the language options available for each tour to ensure a comfortable experience.
- Take a guided tour of Auschwitz sub-camps, exploring lesser-known yet equally haunting sites with profound historical significance. The ticket includes entry fees to all sub-camps and an optional lunch. However, please note that this tour does not cover the interiors of Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camps.
- The Combo tour from Krakow allows you to to go on a guided tour of two UNESCO sites in a day, Auschwitz-Birkenau and the Wieliczka Salt Mine. This ticket provides both value and convenience. You get a full day of historical exploration with an option to choose round-trip transfers from your hotel or a meeting point in Krakow.
- Smaller group sizes of up to 8 people are available for Auschwitz tours from Warsaw, ensuring a more intimate experience. Tours from Krakow, Katowice, or Wrocław may include larger group sizes but maintain high-quality guided service with fast-track entry and round-trip transfers in AC buses.
- The Auschwitz-Birkenau guided tour from Krakow, Combo tour from Krakow, and Auschwitz sub-camps tour offer an option to include lunch in your experience, which can be a great add-on for these long duration tours. Other tours do not include meals, so remember to bring your own food or snacks, especially for full-day experiences.
- Please note that both Auschwitz camps have limited disabled access, and seating options are sparse. Additionally, it's not recommended for children under 14 to visit Auschwitz.
- Bring a valid photo ID with your tickets for entry into Auschwitz. Any official ID with a clear photo will suffice.
Which Auschwitz ticket is best for you?
If you're budget-conscious or short on time
Duration: 3.5 hours
Guide: Yes
- The Auschwitz guided tour with fast-track entry is a time and cost-efficient choice if you're focused solely on Auschwitz-Birkenau without needing transfers or other amenities. The tour is available in 7 languages to help you choose your preferred language.
- For a more in-depth Auschwitz experience in a shorter time, choose the Auschwitz sub-camps tour. It explores lesser-known sites around the camps without taking you inside the camps. Includes round-trip transfers from Krakow and an optional lunch.
Recommended tickets:
- Auschwitz-Birkenau Guided Tour with Fast Track Tickets
- From Krakow: Auschwitz Sub-Camps Guided Tour with Transfers
If you want to explore beyond Auschwitz
Duration: 11 hours
Guide: Yes
- The combo ticket allows you to go on a guided tour of two of Poland's most important historical sites in one day, making it perfect for those who want to make the most of their day.
- This combo ticket provides ultimate convenience during your trip with an English-speaking guide, an option to include lunch, and round-trip transfers from your hotel or a centrally located meeting point in Krakow (based on your selected option).
Recommended ticket:
From Krakow - Auschwitz-Birkenau & Wieliczka Salt Mine Guided Tour
If you're traveling from Krakow
Duration: 7-7.5 hours
Guide: Yes
- These tickets are ideal if you are traveling from Krakow and want a hassle-free experience. Both options include fast-track entry to Auschwitz I & Auschwitz II–Birkenau with a guided tour available in around 7 languages.
- Opt for meeting point transfers ticket option to start your tour from a pre-decided central meeting point in Krakow or get the hotel transfers ticket option to enjoy door-to-door pick-up and drop-off.
Recommended tickets:
- From Krakow: Auschwitz-Birkenau Guided Tour with Meeting Point Transfers
- From Krakow: Auschwitz-Birkenau Guided Tour with Hotel Transfers
If you're traveling from other cities in Poland
Duration: 7-10.5 hours
Guide: Yes
- Designed for travelers visiting Auschwitz from Warsaw, Wroclaw, and Katowice, these tours include round-trip AC bus transfers, ensuring comfort for the longer journey. Opt for a meeting point or hotel pick-up and drop-off based on your preferences.
- Each tour includes fast-track entry to Auschwitz-Birkenau with expert tour guides available in more than 7 languages, so you can select the one that suits you best.
Recommended tickets:
- From Warsaw: Auschwitz Birkenau Guided Tour with Transfers
- From Wroclaw: Auschwitz Birkenau Guided Tour with Transfers
- From Katowice: Auschwitz Birkenau Guided Tour with Transfers
Cancelation Policy
Most Auschwitz tour tickets can be canceled 24-48 hours before the experience begins. However, some tickets cannot be canceled or rescheduled. Please check your ticket for details at the time of booking.
Auschwitz tour highlights
Auschwitz-Birkenau is made up of three parts: Auschwitz I, Auschwitz II-Birkenau, and Auschwitz III-Monowitz. The first two camps are about 3 kilometers apart, and any Auschwitz tour will take you to both of them. The third camp was a labor camp and there’s nothing left of it currently, save a memorial on the road.
Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum
This holocaust museum showcases the works made secretly by prisoners that showcase their lives in the concentration camps. You will also find works made for the SS for the expansion of the Auschwitz camps and post-war collections. Visitors here will get to explore two main camps: Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau.
Auschwitz I
Auschwitz I, which opened in 1940, was the first concentration camp and headquarters of the SS. You can see the barracks, prison cells, and the black and white photographs of the camp from when it was in operation. You will also learn about the horrifying death statistics and encounter belongings of the prisoners here.
Auschwitz II-Birkenau
Auschwitz II – Birkenau was opened in 1941 to keep up with the large numbers of political prisoners and Jews who were being deported to Auschwitz. See the railway tracks and original cattle cars that were used to transport the deportees, the ruins of the crematorium and barracks, and get a glimpse into the living conditions of prisoners.
Plan your visit to Auschwitz
Auschwitz-Birkenau entrance hours:
- December: 7:30am - 2 pm
- January & November: 7:30am - 3pm
- February: 7:30am - 4pm
- March, October: 7:30am - 5pm
- April, May & September: 7:30am - 6pm
- June, July & August: 7:30am - 7pm
Closed on: January 1, December 25, and Easter Sunday.
Duration: 4-5 hours
Best time to visit: Plan a visit in the morning during the weekday in the months of April to May to avoid the peak crowds.
Address: Ofiar Faszyzmu 12, 32-600 Brzezinka, Poland
Find on Map
Getting there:
- By train: Take a direct train from Krakow Glowny station to Oswiecim station, located 2 km from the Auschwitz concentration camp. The journey will take around 1.5 - 2.5 hours.
- By Bus: From Krakow MDA Bus Station, there are four bus carriers that run between Krakow and Auschwitz and will drop you off at the Auschwitz I camp.
- By Car: You can also arrive by car and park your vehicle in the paid car parking spaces available near the concentration camps.
- Guided Tour: You can also take a guided tour from Krakow to Auschwitz which will take around 7-11 hours and can be completed as a day trip.
Auschwitz-Birkenau has two primary entrances:
- Auschwitz I Main Entrance: This iconic wrought-iron gate, adorned with the chilling words "Arbeit Macht Frei" (Work Sets You Free), marks the entrance to the Auschwitz I camp. It's a poignant reminder of the camp's dark past.
- Auschwitz II Birkenau Hell's Gate: The second entrance leads to the vast expanse of Auschwitz II Birkenau, known for its vastness and solemnity, with the iconic railway tracks leading to the camp.
- Toilets: There are toilets available at both the camps but you need to pay a small fee to use them.
- Refreshments: Auschwitz I camp has a restaurant and a fast-food counter to get food and drinks but there is no food available at Auschwitz II camp.
- Free shuttle bus service: A free shuttle bus is available to travel between the two camps — Auschwitz I and Birkenau.
- Storage room: There is a luggage storage facility available near the main entrance.
- Book shops: You can buy books from the book shops that are open in both the camps. You can also buy these books from the online book shop of Auschwitz.
- Wheelchairs: Wheelchairs are available free of charge at the Visitor Service Centre for differently-abled visitors.
- There is a lot of walking involved. Wear comfortable shoes and carry plenty of drinking water. Both camps have limited disabled access, and there are only a few spots inside to sit and rest.
- Ensure your backpack or handbag does not exceed dimensions: 30x20x10 cm. There are lockers available for a small fee, but they tend to get full during peak season.
- You need to pay 2 PLN to use the toilets inside the memorial.
- If you are not familiar with the history of Auschwitz or any other concentration camp, we recommend that you read about the holocaust before your trip. Here are some books to get started on, and if you like movies more than books, here are some suggestions to help explain this better.
- Visitors can photograph the insides of the Auschwitz Memorial but avoid flat photography and pay attention to the No Photography signs inside.
- It is recommended to not bring children aged 14 and under to the museum as the experience can be too traumatic for them.
Auschwitz I has a cafeteria that provides meals and water, but if you want to explore other options, here’s what we suggest:
- Bistro Bilard: If you are looking to eat some pizza and chase it down with some cold beer, look no further than this no-frills joint across the street from the camp.
- Kebab Pizza Burger Allis: A 12-minute walk away, the restaurant offers a wide selection of Italian, American and Turkish dishes. Their burgers come highly recommended.
- A La Carte: For those looking to enjoy an authentic Polish meal, head on to this restaurant, only 1 km away from the Auschwitz Memorial and Museum.
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Here's a list of hotels near Auschwitz:
- Budget hotels: B&M Guesthouse, Hotel Dąbrowski, Villa Centro apartamenty ze śniadaniami
- Mid-range hotels: Hotel Olecki, Hampton by Hilton Oswiecim, Novotel Katowice Centrum
- Luxury hotels: Hotel Imperiale, Qubus Hotel Bielsko-Biała
Beyond Auschwitz
Wieliczka Salt Mine
Admire the unique statues sculpted in salt, underground chapels, and works of art at Wieliczka Salt Mine, a UNESCO Heritage Site. Explore the miner workplaces and underground salt labyrinth, and marvel at the underground lakes, the numerous chambers carved in salt, and more.
Oskar Schindler’s Factory
Visit Krakow's famed Oskar Schindler’s Factory Museum, where WWII history unfolds. Explore Schindler's heroic acts, saving 1,200 Jews. Immerse in recreated rooms, personal artifacts, and photos. Discover wartime Krakow's story, from prewar life to German occupation and Jewish resistance, through exhibits of photos, artifacts, and documents.
Frequently asked questions about Auschwitz tickets
The Auschwitz tour price starts from zł96.19. This includes fast-track entrance to Auschwitz-Birkenau and a guided tour by an official Auschwitz-Birkenau guide.
The best way to buy tickets to Auschwitz tours is by booking them online. Online booking is easy and convenient as it allows you to avail of exclusive discounts on Auschwitz tickets and reserve your slots well in advance.
Yes, you can buy tickets to Auschwitz tours online. Scroll up to choose from all the Auschwitz ticket and tour options.
- Booking Auschwitz tours online offers many advantages like:
-Skip the lines: Auschwitz is a popular place, especially in peak tourist season, so the lines can get long. Booking your tickets online helps avoid these long entry lines and gives you more time to explore.
-Guaranteed entry: When you book tickets online in advance, you get guaranteed entry upon arrival.
-Choose from a variety of experiences: Make your Auschwitz visit your own by picking the type of visit you like. You can have a guide show you around, or book combo tours to see other attractions.
-Discounts and Deals: When you book online, you can get some great discounts and special deals that you won't find at the ticket booth.
Yes, you can get skip-the-line tickets for the Auschwitz tour and get priority access inside.
Yes, all Auschwitz tour tickets allow entry into the Auschwitz Birkenau Museum.
Yes. Children aged less than 12 years and students with a valid ID can enjoy discounts on the Auschwitz tickets.
Cancellation policy varies based on the type of ticket you select. Some ticket options provide a complete refund if you cancel up to 48-72 hours before your scheduled visit, while others may not allow cancellations. Pease review the specific terms and conditions before finalizing your reservation.
You can buy the tickets to Auschwitz tours on the day but the tickets are subject to availability and you would have to stand in the long queues during peak times. Furthermore, online ticket holders are prioritized at the venue over on-the-spot ticket buyers. Additionally, if you opt to purchase the Auschwitz tickets offline, you would be missing out on discounts and offers as well.
Yes, you will need to bring a valid photo ID along with the Auschwitz tickets to enter. Any official ID with a clear photograph of the visitor will work.
- December: 7:30am - 2 pm
- January & November: 7:30am - 3pm
- February: 7:30am - 4pm
- March, October: 7:30am - 5pm
- April, May & September: 7:30am - 6pm
- June, July & August: 7:30am - 7pm
An Auschwitz tour can last anywhere between 3 to 11 hours, depending on the experience that you have selected.
