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The Auschwitz Tours
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Top things to do in Krakow

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How Headout makes choosing experiences effortless

We curate the best ways to experience

We research and organise all unique experiences - from tickets to tours to special combos - so you get all the choices without the clutter.

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Every supplier is vetted for quality, reliability, and value so you only get top rated experiences. No surprises, no disappointments.

All the best options, in one place

Each experience is thoughtfully organised to give you maximum availability, great value and an easy way to choose.

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We curate the best ways to experience

Quick overview

  • Ways to explore: Choose guided tours of Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau, with options for multilingual guides, private tours, or small-group transfers.
  • Transfers and meals: Travel from Krakow with round-trip AC transfers, hotel or meeting-point pickup, and lunch or a lunchbox on select options.
  • Beyond Auschwitz: Combine your visit with the Wieliczka Salt Mine or a guided walk through Krakow’s former Ghetto and Eagle’s Pharmacy.
  • Queues and access: Fast-track entry is available on select tours, but all visitors must undergo security checks.
  • When to book: Book ahead to secure your preferred date, language, and transfer option, especially during busy travel periods.
  • Good to know: Inclusions vary by ticket, so check whether your option covers meals, hotel pickup, headsets, and a private guide before booking.
  • Best upgrade: Choose the Auschwitz-Birkenau and Wieliczka Salt Mine combo to visit two major historical sites in one day.

Which Auschwitz tour ticket is best for you?

Ticket typeEntrance usedSecurityIncludesWhy pick this
Auschwitz-Birkenau Guided Tour with Fast-Track Tickets & Transfer Options

Auschwitz I & II-Birkenau

Mandatory

Entry, guide, headsets; select transfers

• Multiple language options • Flexible pickup choices

From Krakow: Auschwitz-Birkenau Guided Tour with Transfers

Auschwitz I & II-Birkenau

Mandatory

Entry, AC transfers; lunch on select options

• Krakow round-trip transfers • Lunch available on select options

From Krakow: Auschwitz-Birkenau Guided Tour with Hotel Transfers

Auschwitz I & II-Birkenau

Mandatory

Entry, AC transfers, guide; lunchbox and private guide on select options

• Hotel pickup options • Private guide upgrade available

From Krakow: Auschwitz-Birkenau Guided Tour

Auschwitz I & II-Birkenau

Mandatory

Entry, AC hotel transfers, headsets, licensed guide

• Transfers for groups of up to 8 • Licensed local guide

From Krakow: Auschwitz-Birkenau & Wieliczka Salt Mine Guided Tour

Auschwitz I & II-Birkenau; Wieliczka Salt Mine

Mandatory

Entry to both sites, guide, headsets; pickup options

• Visits two major sites • Combines history and underground exploration

From Krakow: Auschwitz-Birkenau Guided Tour & Krakow Ghetto Visit with Transfers

Auschwitz I & II-Birkenau; Krakow Ghetto

Mandatory

Guided camp visits, Ghetto walking tour, Eagle’s Pharmacy, transfers, audio headsets

• Adds Krakow Ghetto history • Includes Eagle’s Pharmacy

What to expect at Auschwitz-Birkenau

Visitors walking towards a watchtower at Auschwitz-Birkenau during a guided tour.
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Enter a place of remembrance

Arrive at Auschwitz I, where brick barracks, watchtowers, barbed-wire fences, and the camp gate mark the beginning of a sobering visit to one of the most significant Holocaust memorial sites.

Walk through Auschwitz I with historical context

Explore former barracks and exhibitions documenting the lives of prisoners, Nazi persecution, and the systematic murder of millions. The preserved buildings and personal belongings offer a deeply moving record of individual lives and loss.

Continue to Auschwitz II-Birkenau

Walk past the railway tracks and through the vast grounds of Birkenau, where barracks, ruins of gas chambers, and crematoria bear witness to the scale of the atrocities committed here.

Understand the history with a licensed guide

Guided tours explain the camps' operation, the experiences of prisoners, and the events of the Holocaust. Choose from available languages, with headsets provided on select tours to help you follow the commentary.

Explore at your chosen pace and format

Select tours offer private guiding or small-group transfers, while round-trip transport from Krakow simplifies travel between the city and the memorial. Fast-track entry is available on select tickets, but security checks still apply.

Extend your visit beyond Auschwitz

Some full-day options combine the memorial with the Wieliczka Salt Mine or a guided walk through Krakow's former Ghetto, including Eagle's Pharmacy. These combinations connect the history of Nazi persecution with other important chapters of the region's past.

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.

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-Birkenau Memorial and Museum

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 concentration camps

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.

Auschwitz facts

Plan your visit to Auschwitz

Auschwitz-Birkenau entrance gate with warning sign, part of guided tour from Krakow.

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.

Auschwitz opening hours

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.
Entrance gate with "Arbeit Macht Frei" at Auschwitz-Birkenau, Krakow.

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. 
Auschwitz entrance
Auschwitz tours facilities
  • 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.
Auschwitz Tickets food

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.

Tips & guidelines

  • Plan enough time: Set aside at least 3.5–4 hours to visit Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau, including the transfer between the two sites.
  • Book your preferred option early: Reserve ahead to secure your preferred date, language, and transfer arrangement, particularly during busy travel periods.
  • Carry valid identification: Bring an original passport or other accepted ID, and ensure your booking details match your identification documents.
  • Pack light: Bags larger than 20 × 30 cm are not permitted inside the memorial sites. Check your ticket instructions for current baggage restrictions and storage arrangements.
  • Dress respectfully: Auschwitz-Birkenau is a memorial and former concentration camp. Wear appropriate clothing and maintain a quiet, respectful manner throughout your visit.
  • Prepare for walking: Expect extended periods on foot across uneven paths and open grounds, particularly at Birkenau. Wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for changing weather.
  • Follow photography rules: Respect posted restrictions and instructions from staff, especially in exhibitions and memorial areas. Avoid disruptive behavior and follow designated visitor routes.
  • Choose transport carefully: If travelling from Krakow, consider a ticket with round-trip AC transfers to simplify the journey between the city and the memorial.

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.

Wieliczka Salt Mine tickets

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.

Oskar Schindler’s Factory tickets

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.

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