Auschwitz Birkenau guided tour from Krakow: Skip-the-line entry

Walk both camps with a guide who knows the history, tickets already waiting at the gate

An Auschwitz and Birkenau guided tour departing from Krakow includes skip-the-line entry, hotel pickup, and a 3.5-hour tour led by an English-speaking guide through both memorial sites. The driver collects you from your accommodation between 6 and 10 a.m., and the full day (transport, entry, and guided time) runs about seven hours door-to-door. You bring your ID or passport. Bags larger than 30x20x10cm cannot enter the museum.

Step-by-step itinerary

Auschwitz and Birkenau guided tour

• Pick up from Krakow hotel
• Drive to Auschwitz (1h20m)
• Join English guided tour at Auschwitz
• Visit Auschwitz for about 2 hours
• Visit Birkenau for about 1h20m
• Driver waits at museum parking
• Return to Krakow (arrive 14:30-16:30)

The experience

The minibus picks you up from your Krakow hotel and drives roughly 80 minutes to Auschwitz. Skip-the-line tickets are already booked, so you walk past the queue at the gate. The English-speaking guide meets you at the museum parking lot and leads the group, typically 20 to 30 people, through the camp. You spend about two hours at Auschwitz, then move to Birkenau, the larger killing center about three kilometers away, where the tour continues for roughly 80 minutes. The guide contextualizes what you are standing in front of. You are not walking alone.

The return journey to Krakow leaves in the early afternoon, with drop-off at your hotel between 2:30 and 4:30 p.m. Two days before the tour, the operator sends your exact pickup time. Bring your ID or passport: the guards check it at the entrance and you cannot enter without it. Backpacks and bags must fit within the size limit. Larger luggage can be left at the hotel or stored elsewhere. Groups are capped at 15 people per booking, though the guided tour itself walks with a larger group at the site.

This is a shared tour, not a private one, so you travel and walk with other visitors. The pace is set by the guide and the group size, not by individual preference. If you need flexibility in timing or prefer to move at your own speed, a private option may suit you better. The tour is suitable for all fitness levels, and children must be accompanied by an adult.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Krakow.
• minivan transport to Auschwitz and Birkenau.
• skip-the-line entry tickets to both memorial sites.
• 3.5-hour guided tour in English led by a licensed guide.

Options for this experience

4 options

Hotel pickup with an English-speaking guideUp to 15 people · No fixed timeEnglish-language guided group tour: pickup between 7:00 and 10:00, to be confirmed one day before the tour. Skip-the-line access. Shared group tour with a maximum of 8 people in the minibus, not large coaches carrying 50 passengers. Door-to-door pickup from your hotel or apartment. Pickup and drop-off are included. Pickup is included.

Pickup and skip-the-line access with an English-speaking guideUp to 15 people · Only on 8 Nov · No fixed timeShared group tour; pickup is included

Pickup and skip-the-line access with an English-speaking guideUp to 1 people · Only on 29 Oct · No fixed timeShared group tour; pickup is included

Pickup and skip-the-line entry with an English-speaking guideUp to 2 people · Only on 31 Oct · No fixed timeShared group tour; pickup is included

Options with the same name differ in details you'll see when you check availability.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (5 and older) · Under 5: can't be booked

GroupUp to 30

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effort

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want the history explained as you walk, without arranging tickets or transport yourself. The guide contextualizes what you are seeing, and entry is secured before you arrive. Choose a private tour instead if you prefer to move at your own pace or need flexibility in timing.

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Top questions

How long is the actual guided tour at Auschwitz and Birkenau?

The guided tour itself lasts 3.5 hours in English, split between Auschwitz (about two hours) and Birkenau (about 80 minutes). The full day including transport from Krakow and back runs seven hours door-to-door.

What time does the minibus pick me up from my hotel?

Pickup happens between 6 and 10 a.m. from your Krakow accommodation. The operator sends your exact pickup time two days before the tour, so you will know the precise hour once your booking is confirmed.

Do I need to bring anything to enter Auschwitz?

You must bring your ID or passport: guards check it at the entrance and you cannot enter without it. Bags and backpacks cannot exceed 30x20x10cm in size, so plan accordingly or leave larger luggage at your hotel.

Is this a private tour or do I share it with other people?

This is a shared tour. You travel in a minibus with other visitors and walk the sites as part of a larger group, typically 20 to 30 people at Auschwitz. The guide leads the group together. Individual pacing is not an option.

What is included in the price?

The tour includes hotel pickup and drop-off in Krakow, minivan transport to and from Auschwitz, skip-the-line entry tickets to both camps, and the 3.5-hour guided tour in English. Food, drinks and gratuities are not included.

Can I bring children on this tour?

Yes, children can join, but they must be accompanied by an adult at all times. The tour is suitable for all fitness levels, though the walking and the subject matter should inform your decision about age-appropriateness.