Auschwitz Birkenau Tour from Krakow: Guided with Transport

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/12

Duration7h

GroupUp to 30

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

Walk through two camps with a trained guide, entry and transport arranged

A guided tour of Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II Birkenau departing from Krakow, with round-trip transport, pre-booked entry tickets, and a museum-trained English-speaking guide leading groups of 16 to 30 people through both sites. Hotel pickup is available on some options; all tours include the driver's contact details sent the day before. Lunch is not included, though snacks can be brought or ordered in advance. Visitors must bring a passport or ID and wear smart casual dress; large bags over 30cm x 20cm x 10cm are not permitted inside the museum.

Step-by-step itinerary

Auschwitz-Birkenau guided tour from Krakow

Pick up from Krakow hotel or apartment
Travel from Krakow to Auschwitz (1.5 hours)
Meet guide at Auschwitz museum entrance
Tour Auschwitz I museum and exhibitions (2 hours)
Break and transfer to Auschwitz II Birkenau
Tour Auschwitz II Birkenau camp (1.5 hours)
Return transfer to Krakow hotel

The Experience

The tour starts with pickup from your hotel or apartment in Krakow, or from a designated meeting point if your accommodation is in a restricted traffic zone. The drive takes about 90 minutes in an air-conditioned minibus or minivan. You'll receive the driver's phone number and vehicle details the day before, so there's no confusion about meeting. Once you arrive at Auschwitz I, your guide meets you at the entrance—no ticket line, since entry is booked in advance.

At Auschwitz I, you walk less than two hours through the camp with your guide. You see the "Arbeit macht frei" gate, the surviving gas chamber, and exhibitions of photographs and prisoner remains. The guide is trained by the museum and employed by it, so the tour follows the museum's own route and standards. After this section, there's a break before the driver takes you to Auschwitz II Birkenau, the larger camp built by the Nazis. You meet your guide again at the entrance gate and walk for more than an hour through the Death Gate, the unloading ramp where trains arrived, the ruins of gas chambers and crematoria, and the barracks where prisoners lived. The whole experience from pickup to drop-off takes about seven hours.

You'll spend up to 70 percent of your time outdoors, especially at Birkenau, so dress for the weather and bring water. The museum requires a security check at entry, similar to airport procedures. Bags larger than 30cm x 20cm x 10cm are not allowed inside—you can leave yours locked in the vehicle. Eating, smoking, and disruptive behavior are not permitted on the grounds. Photographs are generally allowed except inside buildings with flash. Bring your passport or ID; it may be checked at entry and is required by the museum. The tour operates regardless of weather, and pickup times may shift due to museum regulations and visitor volume, so avoid scheduling other activities that day.

What’s included

Hotel or apartment pickup in Krakow with driver contact details sent the day before.
round-trip air-conditioned transport in a minibus or minvan.
entry tickets to both Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II Birkenau, pre-booked so you skip the ticket queue.
a museum-trained, English-speaking guide at Auschwitz I.
a museum-trained, English-speaking guide at Auschwitz II Birkenau.
drop-off at your hotel or anywhere in central Krakow.
all fees and taxes.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats available

Operated by Welcome in Cracow

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to understand both camps without arranging tickets, transport, or a guide yourself—the museum's own trained guides and the fixed schedule mean the day holds together and you're not navigating logistics on a site that demands your full attention.