Day trips from Kraków compared: getting there and prices per person (2026)

Short answer: on your own you can easily reach Wieliczka (train about 25 min, 7.50 zł), Bochnia (21–28 min), Oświęcim (train 39–46 min, from 28 zł) and Zakopane (train about 2 h). Public transport is hard for Dunajec rafting (changes, season until 31 October), Ojców (no reliable line out of season) and Częstochowa in the morning (direct trains only in the afternoon). Our private tours cost per person from €35 (Wieliczka) for 8 people; the price covers transport with a driver, and you buy entrance tickets yourself.

Comparison table

Destination	Distance, drive	On your own by public transport	Our tour: price per person	Included besides transport	Best for
Auschwitz-Birkenau (Oświęcim)	68 km, about 1 h 05 min	train 39–46 min, from 28 zł, about 1.5 km from the station; or a bus from MDA to the museum	€50 for 8 · €100 for 2 · €170 for 1 person	transport only; entry free with a reservation, educator paid at the museum	Families, a visit with no changes
Wieliczka Salt Mine	13 km, about 20 min	train about 25 min, 7.50 zł, about 300 m to the Daniłowicz Shaft	€35 for 8 · €70 for 2 · €120 for 1 person	transport only; you buy the mine ticket	Families with small children
Auschwitz and Wieliczka in one day	Oświęcim and Wieliczka are on opposite sides of Kraków	possible, but with several changes and a tight plan	€75 for 8 · €140 for 2 · €250 for 1 person	transport only	Short stays in Kraków
Bochnia Salt Mine	48 km, about 40 min	train 21–28 min, from 19 zł, about 1.3 km to the Campi shaft	€40 for 8 · €80 for 2 · €140 for 1 person	transport only	An alternative to Wieliczka
Zakopane and the Tatras	106 km, about 1 h 40 min without traffic	train about 2–2 h 40 min, from 49 zł; buses from MDA about 2–2 h 30 min	€80 for 8 · €165 for 2 · €290 for 1 person	transport only; cable cars paid on site	Several Tatra stops in one day
Zakopane with thermal baths	as above	as above + getting to the baths	€90 for 8 · €180 for 2 · €305 for 1 person	transport only; baths paid on site	Families, in winter
Dunajec rafting and Zakopane	117 km, about 1 h 50 min	no direct link, change in Nowy Targ; rafting only 1 Apr – 31 Oct	€80 for 8 · €200 for 2 · €350 for 1 person	transport only; rafting ticket paid on site	Spring to autumn
Ojców National Park	28 km, about 40 min	seasonal weekend line, or a bus plus a 30–60 min walk	€40 for 8 · €75 for 2 · €125 for 1 person	transport only	Off season and on weekdays
Częstochowa, Jasna Góra	152 km, about 1 h 50 min	train 1 h 26 min – 1 h 38 min, but direct ones only from 14:55; in the morning with a change	€85 for 8 · €210 for 2 · €375 for 1 person	transport only	Leaving in the morning, back the same day
Nowa Huta	8 km, about 15 min	tram about 20–30 min from the centre	€35 for 8 · €60 for 2 · €95 for 1 person	transport only	Several stops in the district with a driver
Schindler's Factory and Kazimierz	3 km, about 7 min	tram 7–8 min or a walk	€35 for 8 · €60 for 2 · €95 for 1 person	transport only; museum ticket paid on site	People who find long walks hard

Tour prices in the table are per person: for 8 people, for 2 people and for one person (the whole car). Prices for 3–7 people are on each tour page.

Where a train or tram is enough

Wieliczka: the Koleje Małopolskie train from Kraków Główny takes about 25 minutes and costs 7.50 zł, and the station is about 300 m from the Daniłowicz Shaft. Bochnia: 21–28 minutes by train. Kazimierz and Schindler's Factory: a few minutes by tram or a walk. Zakopane: about 2 hours by train; at weekends the train is more predictable than the bus, which gets stuck in traffic on the "Zakopianka". For these places a tour with a driver mainly makes sense for families and groups, or when you want to combine several stops in one day.

Where a driver saves the most

Dunajec rafting: no direct public transport, and rafting runs only from 1 April to 31 October.
Ojców: out of season we found no reliable line; you are left with a bus and a 30–60 minute walk.
Częstochowa: in the morning only connections with a change (about 2 h 30 min); direct trains leave in the afternoon.
Auschwitz and Wieliczka on the same day: by public transport that means several changes and the risk of missing your entry time.

Auschwitz: entry and hours

Entry to the Memorial is free, but you need a named entry card booked online at visit.auschwitz.org (online only since 1 March 2026). Without a guide you can only enter in the afternoon (e.g. from 16:00 in October, 14:00 in November and January, 13:00 in December); earlier only with a museum educator, paid at the Memorial. Your entry time drives the whole day, so book it before the transport. We do not sell tickets or skip-the-line entries.

Prices are in euros. You can also pay in złoty at the NBP average rate of the day (on 27 October 2026: €1 = 4.4056 zł).

Frequently asked questions

How much is a private Auschwitz and Wieliczka tour for 4 people, and are tickets included?

€90 per person, €360 in total for four. The price covers private transport with a driver, waiting and the return. Tickets are not included: entry to Auschwitz is free with a reservation at visit.auschwitz.org (the educator is paid at the Memorial), and you buy the Wieliczka mine ticket yourselves.

Is the driver a guide?

No. The driver takes you there, waits and brings you back, but does not give a guided tour. At the museums you use the guides on site.

Sources and date checked

We checked timetables and fares on 27 October 2026 (PKP PLK timetables via europodroze.pl, operator and museum websites). Timetables change on 13 December 2026 and PKP Intercity fares are dynamic, so check with the operator before you go. Distances: OpenStreetMap (OSRM). Our tour prices are per person and depend on group size (1 to 8 people); they include private transport with hotel pickup, waiting on site and the return.

Day trips from Kraków: on your own or with a driver