Auschwitz-Birkenau tour from Krakow: 7-hour guided visit

Two camps, one morning: Auschwitz then Birkenau, with a licensed guide and headphones

A 7-hour guided tour from Krakow to Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum includes hotel pickup, an English-speaking licensed guide, headphones, and skip-the-line entry to both camps. The tour covers the history and liberation of the Nazi concentration and extermination complex, with a short break between the two sites. Valid ID or passport is required for all participants, and the operator will request full legal names at booking to secure entrance tickets.

Step-by-step itinerary

Auschwitz-Birkenau guided tour from Krakow

• Pick up from accommodation
• Travel to Auschwitz (1h 15m)
• English guided tour of Auschwitz camp
• Short break after Auschwitz visit
• Guided tour of Birkenau camp
• Return to Krakow accommodation

The experience

The day starts with pickup from your Krakow hotel, apartment or hostel between 7:00 and 10:00 am. The exact time is confirmed the day before. The drive to Auschwitz takes about 90 minutes in an air-conditioned minibus shared with up to seven other people. You'll travel with a licensed driver and arrive at the museum ready to begin the guided portion of the tour.

A licensed English-speaking museum guide leads you through both camps over roughly 3.5 hours, and you'll wear headphones so you can hear clearly throughout. Auschwitz I, the original camp, comes first. After a short break of up to 15 minutes, you move to Birkenau (Auschwitz II), built in 1941 under Heinrich Himmler's orders and designed to hold up to 90,000 people. The guide walks you through the barracks, selection areas, and other structures while explaining the history of the camps, the experiences of prisoners, the medical experiments conducted by Nazi doctors including Josef Mengele, and the liberation by Soviet forces on January 27, 1945. A documentary film is available depending on the day's schedule.

After the tour ends, the driver takes you back to Krakow: either to your original pickup location or another address in the city. The entire outing, including travel time, runs about 7 hours. Skip-the-line entry is included, so you move straight into the museum without waiting at the gate.

What’s included

• Hotel, apartment or hostel pickup and drop-off in Krakow.
• shared minibus transport with a licensed driver.
• English-speaking licensed museum guide for both camps.
• headphones for the tour.
• skip-the-line entry to Auschwitz-Birkenau.
• documentary film subject to availability.

Options for this experience

5 options

Special offer English tourUp to 2 people · Available from 18 Jan 2027English tour. We will send you the pickup time one day before your tour. Small bus for a maximum of 8 people. Pickup is included.

English guided tour, meeting pointUp to 15 people · No fixed timeEnglish-language guided group tour. Pickup is between 7:00 and 10:00, confirmed one day before the tour. Skip-the-line access is included. Choose the meeting point that suits you best: Plac Jana Matejki 2, Street Starowiślna 65, Radisson Blu Hotel Straszewskiego 17, Street Wielopole 2.

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

See 2 more options

Last-minute English guided tourUp to 8 people · No fixed timeEnglish-language guided group tour. Pickup is between 7:00 and 10:00, confirmed one day before the tour. Skip-the-line access is included. Shared transport in a minibus holding a maximum of 8 people, not large coaches carrying 50 passengers. Door-to-door pickup from your hotel or apartment. Pickup is included.

English small group, up to 15 peopleUp to 8 people · Available from 4 Dec · No fixed timeEnglish small tour for a maximum of 15 visitors. Skip-the-line access is included. We will send you the exact pickup time the day before the tour. Shared transport in a small van for a maximum of 8 people, with pickup from your location. Pickup is included.

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

GroupUp to 30

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

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 today

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended during pregnancy

Operated by Krakow Auschwitz - Tours

Is this one for you?Pick hotel pickup if you're staying in Krakow's city center and want door-to-door convenience. Choose the meeting point option if you prefer to arrange your own way there and start earlier.

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Top questions

What do I need to bring to enter Auschwitz-Birkenau?

A valid passport or national ID card is mandatory for every participant. The guards will check your documents before you enter the museum, and without them you will not be allowed in. Provide your full legal name exactly as it appears on your ID at the time of booking so the operator can secure your entrance ticket.

How long is the actual walking tour through the two camps?

The guided tour through Auschwitz and Birkenau takes around 3.5 hours. You'll spend time in both camps with a licensed guide who explains the history, the conditions prisoners faced, and the liberation of the complex.

What's included in the price?

The tour includes hotel or meeting point pickup and drop-off in Krakow, transport in a shared minibus, the services of an English-speaking licensed museum guide, headphones for the tour, skip-the-line entry to both camps, and a documentary film subject to availability.

How many people travel together on this tour?

The minibus holds a maximum of 8 people per vehicle. A single booking can include up to 22 participants, in which case multiple vans would be arranged.

When will I know my exact pickup time?

The operator will send you the exact pickup time one day before the tour. Pickups run between 7:00 and 10:00 am depending on your location in Krakow and the number of stops needed.

Is there time to eat or rest during the day?

There is a short break of up to 15 minutes between the Auschwitz and Birkenau portions of the tour. Food and drinks are not included, so you may want to bring water and snacks, or plan a meal stop in Krakow before or after the tour.