When you consider that it’s the second largest city in Poland, it’s not much of a surprise that Krakow is easy to get to. You’ll find this fantastic city in the southern part of Poland, ready and waiting to steal your hearts.
There are four easy ways to get to Krakow, and once you arrive, there are diverse public transport options as well as hiring a car. Let’s walk through the ways to travel in Krakow.
Getting to Krakow
By plane
The quickest way to get to Krakow is by flying to John Paul II International Airport. Located 11km from the city centre, there’s no need for a long journey once you touch down. There are many flights from big international airports around Europe, like Amsterdam, Athens, Barcelona, Berlin, Dublin, London, Madrid, Paris and more.
Hire a car and you’ll be in the heart of Krakow in 15 to 20 minutes. Alternatively, you can hop on either the 208, 252 or one night bus after purchasing a ticket at the machine. It’ll only set you back about £1. The train is faster and only costs £2, or you can jump in a taxi for about £15.
If you can’t find a suitable flight straight into Krakow, there are also airports in Warsaw and Katowice. Just catch the train, bus or rent a car when you arrive to continue travelling to Krakow.
By train
Trains are a fast option, but don’t expect them to be quite so comfortable as other railways in Europe. Some trains can be slow, stopping every five minutes, but if you want to travel cheaply to Poland, this might be the best option. Nicer trains are faster but more expensive.
You can get to Krakow from every city in Poland, with particularly easy connections from Warsaw or Poznan. You can also take express trains from cities like Berlin, Prague, Budapest or Vienna.
By coach
Bus is the cheapest and slowest option to get to Krakow. The most popular bus company is PolskiBus, which you can take from many cities in Poland, as well as Prague or Berlin. I’ve taken this bus many times, so I can highly recommend it from experience. Yes, it takes some time but the seats are nice, the AC or heating will be on and you have free wifi on board. The other main carriers are UNIBUS, NEOBUS or INTER, but I’ve never travelled with any of those.
Getting around in the city
Transport in Krakow is highly organised. You can get anywhere quickly and without any problems. Again, here are four of my favourite options for travelling once you’re in the city.
By car
Like so many other large cities, if you travel by car, prepare to get stuck in traffic. Of course you won’t be dealing with the massive queues that spring to mind when you think of New York or London, but it’s still better leave your car at home. Finding parking in Krakow isn’t too easy, either. Also it is important to note that you won’t be able to drive through the city center, unless you decide to take one of the electric golf carts or a horse and buggy.
By city bus and tram
A key feature of the Krakow public transport system are many different routes and lines on buses and trams around the city. You can get tickets for one-time use, for a time value, for one day or even several. The bus and tram run 24 hours per day. Tickets are available from machines or small shops.
By taxi or Uber
Taxis are expensive in Poland but in comparison to other European cities, they’re much cheaper. You won’t find them difficult to spot or be waiting long for one.
By bike
Krakow offers many different bike rentals, with plenty of roads that are safe for cyclists.
Great guide!!
Thanks for the guide. I personally find it best to walk a lot when I travel, but when the distances are far, transport is of course needed as well 🙂 And I do agree, the PolskiBus is very convenient getting between cities!
I love how great public transportation is in Europe. I do usually prefer to walk, but every once in awhile I’ll use an Uber or metro to save some time.
-Kristin
countdowntofridayblog.com
Super helpful guide, so good to know transport there is so well organised and hassle free. I can’t wait to go!
I’ve been to Krakow last year. I loved it. What a beautiful city. I went there by plane. And traveled from Krakow to Warsaw by train. I really liked the train. It was quite expensive, but the trip was great.
Krakow is one of my favourite cities in Europe! I lived there for a couple of months and can only say great things about the public transport! Totally recommend using the trams. It’s transportation and a city tour wrapped into one! 🙂
Krakow is one of my favorite cities in the world! This is a great guide for visitors. We arrived by plane and took taxis, but I do wish we’d rented bikes and explored a bit more of the city.
I’d love to visit Krakow. It has been on my to-travel list for years! Thanks for the great guide!
I would love to visit Krakow and some other cities in Poland, hopefully soon. Will have to reference this post when I plan my trip. The tips are so helpful
This is super helpful. Thanks for sharing its good to know that there are so many options/ways to get to this amazing city.
It seems that it is really easy to travel to and inside Krakow. I like the idea of going around town in a golf cart. I love driving those. The price for the airport bus is great as well! There aren’t many places where you can still take an airport bus for £1.
Great guide, I havent been to Poland yet but I feel well armed with transportation info now, thank you. I love how well connected public transport is in Europe!
I love exploring a city by bike. You can really see a lot, come across hidden gems and get a workout at the same time.
This is super helpful. I didn’t know the city center is for horse-and-buggies!
Great to know there are safe streets for cyclists! Where would you rent a bike?
Thanks for all the info! I feel like these sort of posts are so important… most blogs skip over logistics and go straight to wanderlust photos. You really did all the hard work for us!
Wow, that is one thorough and detailed list of ways to get to Krakow! Definitely very useful! Thank you for sharing!
I never thought of Poland as a travel destination but this looks really interesting, thank you for sharing!
Wonderful post and so timely! Everyone told us to go to Warsaw but we are determined to spend more time Krakow, thanks for the share.
I love Krakow! I’ve been there a few times but only for a day and I explored the city just walking around. Good tips!
I love Krakow! One of my favorite cities in Europe, it’s really quite beautiful. And odd timing, I just wrote about it for my blog for next week, more on things to do in Krakow. I’ll link to this post to mention how to get there and transport.
Excellent guide on how to get to Krakow, everybody is telling to go there once in Poland and i will sure use your tips.
[…] Wondering how to get around when taking in Krakow’s sights? Check out my handy guide to the city’s transport options here. […]
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Thank you for your guide – I usually use public transport as it is the best way to get in touch with locals. Keep up the good work.