Krakow Travel Answers

get the train from airport to krakow [new service]3.8 zloty get some money at airport kantor or hole in the wall,you can the get tram 34 for to midowa stop for kazycantspellit mere.get a better hotel in the centre,look on tripadvisor.com how much you want to spend try the new qubus hotel lovely rooms

I can meet you at the aiport if you like i,if i havent got much on, and still here?in sept.getting centre is much easier on the train,and can then walk to the tram stop,but a hotel in the centre is better.i love the new qubos hote its near where the ghetto was and next to the river also short walk to tram stop not far from kazmierz,hotel has a swimming pool on the roof and saunas.I,ll try to get website,it was on special offer 100 euros for room ita 4star going on 5.also dom polonii in the main square is nice,or get a flat on affinityflats.com

Paul. Thanks for that. Is there any particular reason you don't like the Kezmer Hois Hotel? We just fancy being in the Jewish Quarter. We are only there for a couple of days anyway. We like the idea of the concert and dinner eveing that actually takes place in the Hotel. Being as we are only around for a couple of days or so I wanted everything easy and direct even if it was a few zloty more. If I was on my own without my wife and had more time I would be much more adventurous and use all forms of transport. regards, pete

dont understand all forms of transport the pass covers trams and buses.2 days in krakow seems like a waste of time to me,get the 2 day pass then,save a lot of hassle ,if get on wrong bus tram if have buy another bilety[ticket]so a pass is much better.

Hi, It is about 60 zloty to this area - or it was 4 years ago, and then again 1 year ago, so I imagine it hasn't changed that much now. Ask the taxi driver for a price before leaving the airport so he can't overcharge you. I have not been to this restaurant/hotel, but know that Cafe Alef, right around the corner is excellent. Good luck!

I think you'll find the taxis reasonably priced, and the Klezmer-Huis is in a pleasant position (Alef has live music in the evenings too, and the Ariel restaurant next door is also supposed to be good). It would be a bit of trek to walk from the station (perhaps 20 - 30 mins?)to Kazimierz so a taxi seems sensible if you are happy to pay and want to avoid using buses/trams on arrival. Alternatively, train to the station and then taxi to the hotel (a fairly short drive) would be a good compromise. My hotel (in the centre) was quoting 80 zloty to the airport three weeks ago but that may have included some sort of booking premium. I used the ordinary bus from the airport (slow but interesting, 6 zloty for self and bag) and the train/shuttle bus back (4 zloty).

Leics. Thanks for that. Glad the Klezmer Hois is in a good position. We only have a very short time in Krakow so decided to base ourselves in the Jewish Quarter. Due to the shortness of our visit we are more intersted in the quick and convenient factor. In my younger days I would have always used public transport and never use organised tours. We will take a taxi from the airport. Klezmer Hois have arranged it for me. Apparently the taxi driver will hold up a board with our name on. I hope that does happen. They said they think the fare is 60zloty but I will be prepared to pay 70zloty. We will also take one of the tours organised by Krakow-tours to Aushwitz. Of cours, I know , as many have said, I could do this a lot lot cheaper by organising it myself. As mentioned before, I am looking for the convenience factor. The feeder bus will pick us up at 9.05am and also bring us back. I don't have to go hunting and walking around. Especially so if it is raining. We just want a sort of over view of Aushwitz and will revisit Krakow later in the year for a more in depth visit. regards, Pete

mmm pity organised tour you wont get much time there,going on your own early on mini bus you have much more time.has the train from airport gone up was 3.80 when i went last in july

Paul. I appreciate all your useful advice and info etc. As mentioned before I know I can do it all a lot lot cheaper and get more out of the visit. I just want it all to go smoothly for my wife. I don't fancy trudging around looking for the right minibus, fighting for a seat etc. then getting to Auswitz etc and looking for a guide and negotiating prices and getting the blood pressure rising and all that. then transferring to Birkenau and then getting the bus back. What does surprise me is why it is that most people seem to use the organised tours as opposed to doing it all independently. Our reasons are purely due to time and the convenience factor and ease of travel. get up in the morning. Have a leisurely breakfast then walk a couple of minutes to the Ester Hotel to get the coach. Good enough for me.

Sounds good to me too. Check out the Kazimierz travelogue/ytips i'm in the middle of building; it was a very good experience. Yes Paul, the cost of airport train plus bus is definitely 4 zloty; it must have gone up since last July. My tip has a photo of the sign outside the airport.

Leics. I just read your Kazmierez page. Extremely interesting indeed. It is a pity we don't have much time but that's how it goes sometimes. I hope it will not be too crowded in the last week of September. Roughly what I have in mind is to arrive at Hotel about mid-day. Rest a short while then stroll around Kazmirez district. Hope where the hotel is is close to all I should be seeing etc. Have dinner/concert at the klezmer Hois Hotel in the evening. Following morning take Coach tour to Auschwitz and be back about 4pm-ish. rest a while and then stroll to Main Square in Krakow for the evening with dinner somewhere. Sadly following morning will have to leave for airport for flight at mid-day. regards,Pete

You'll have plenty of time; Kazimierz (the centre with all the main places anyway) is really quite compact and your hotel is slap in the middle of it (used to be the ritual baths, according to my guidebook). I doubt it'll be crowded either; it wasn't in the third week of August!

Oh.......and Chlopskie Jadlo (3 restaurants in Krakow, including one at the top of Ulica Grodzka (9)next to the Main Square) is apparently really good for traditional Polish food & hospitality. You get to it through the reception passage of the Hotel Rt Rezydent, so there's no frontage; look for the sign just above the doorway (it's fairly obvious). I didn't try it myself (no appetite on the night I'd planned to go, sadly) but definitely intend to next time.

Hi there, Krakow is really big city so it is almost never overcrowded (excluding traffic jam). Now because of the low-cost airlines it is very popular, but still has a full of space. All the Kazimierz quarter is not too big, maybe 2 kilometers width and lenght, so you can stroll it around in 2-3 hours (without spending time in museums, synagogues, churches and cafes). More info and tips you will find on my webpages. Please, do not hesitege, if you will have any additional questions. Have a nice time in Krakow. Marek

mmm not many in man square at this moment hang on I,ll just look out of the window ,no only a few and them bloody horse and carts just arriving,and windy to or it might be them horses

Just got back from this hotel. Have posted a review of the Hotel on this site.

Hi Peter, Am going to Krakow on the 13/10/06 and really fancy the Klezmer Hois Concert & meal. Did you book it in advance? Via which website and roughly how much did it cost for the meal and concert? Did you book the private tour by car to Auschwitz with Krakow Tours for 160 Zlotys for 2? Did that include a guide and did you get enough time there.

you can go on the bus from bus station for 7 zloty[you get much longer going on your own]] organised tours are overpriced you get train into krakow then tram to midowa buy 3 day pass when getting tram 25 zloty

Janal. We actually stayed in the Klezermer Hois Hotel. We did however book the concert through a tour company point.travel.pl/e/ind_kra.ht... We decided just to book a table at the concert rather than have the dinner included. We prefered to go a la carte in case we did not fancy the set menu. It was full in the room the night we went. I would imagine it is always like that. Good atmosphere. As regards the cost it is better to book on-line and get a 10% discount. We paid , I think, 20PLN each for the concert which was well worth it. The following night we ate at the Arial restaurant close by to Klezmer Hois. They also have concerts and we paid 20PLN each on the night. We did , however, book a table in the morning. I would recommend doing that if you go to Arial as well. I felt the food and service was much better at Arial. Don't get me wrong-- at klezmer Hois it was very nice as well but I prefered Arial. We also booked our tour to Auschwitz on line at the web site above. We paid 108PLN each with the on-line discount. If the private car is 160PLN for the two of you then I would say that would be a better deal. I had no complaints whatsoever about the coach tour. We were picked up on time outside the Ester Hotel which was very nearby the Klezmer Hois, at 9.05. It then does a couple of other stops picking people up. The guide on board was very good as well. We had a change of coach at about 9.30am and then we were on our way. Took about one and half hours to get to Auschwitz. They played the video on the coach which saved time having to see it at the Camp. A very good idea that. Sit nearer the front if you can but we were towards the back and still saw the screen and heard the soundtrack OK. On arrival at Auschwitz we were kept together as a group and introduced to our guide for the day. You won't see everything in Auschwitz but quite frankly, I don't think I wanted to see every gory detail anyway. In my view, you see just about enough. Takes a couple of hours in Auschwitz. After a bit of free time it is back on the coach for the short journey to Birkenau. Spend about an hour there which is more than ample. back on the coach and then back sipping a lovely beer in the Main Square at about 4pm. I did not feel as though I was being rushed around the place. The place does get quite crowded with tour groups etc so a certain amount of control is needed in order to get the best out of the day. When we got home we rented out the DVD 'Schindler's List' which helped bring everything home to us.

last time i saw shindlers list was in the enamel factory,

Just wanted to thank you for your very informative message. I should really be writing now to review our trip which was to have taken place on Friday 13th (yes we should have known better!). Our flight was unfortunately cancelled by the airline due to fog so after checking in, going through security and even arriving at the gate we were sent home very disappointed I can tell you. Anyway we have re-scheduled everything again for next weekend and live in fear of a repeat scenario! We have booked the Klezmer concert and will check out the Arial. In my previous message I made a mistake by saying the Auschwitz tour was 160 PLN for 2 when it is in fact 160 PLN each. I will report back if we ever manage to get to Krakow - fingers crossed!

mad going on a tour when its so cheap and easy to go on the bus from the bus station and you have a longer day its 7 zloty for the bus you get the same thing includes the film which is free anyway.

I don't agree Paul. It is not all about saving money. It is about convenience etc. Why have all the hassles in a foreign environment of chasing around for buses etc. You may have to join a guided tour at Auschwitz which one has to seek out and pay for. Unless, of course, one is a cheapskate and just attaches themselves and has not worry about their credibility etc. Getting across to Birkenau. you'll have to wait for the hourly service which can be extremely crowded. One then has to get back to Krakow. is it REALLY worth saving a few zloty?