Skip to content
Krakow Airport to the City Center

From Krakow Airport to the City Center: All You Need to Know

    Krakow is well connected with major European cities, and its Kraków John Paul II International Airport is located just 15 km from the city center. Getting from Krakow Airport to the City Center is pretty easy, you have a wide choice of options depending on your needs. Here you will find all the useful information you need.

    What you will find in this guide on how to go from Krakow Airport to the City Center:

    Krakow airport: useful information for travelers

    Krakow Airport is well connected to the City Center. In about 20-30 minutes you can easily reach the Krakow Old Town. The airport is open 24 hours a day, however for those arriving at night there are fewer options available, because trains don’t run at night (from midnight to 5.30) and night buses run less frequently than during the day, so it could be advisable to book a private transfer in advance, which is a comfortable and inexpensive solution (starting at only € 4-5 per person) and takes you directly to your hotel.

    If you want to go from Krakow Airport to the city center on your own, the fastest way is by train (about 20 minutes). Public buses take around 50 minutes to reach Krakow Main Station.

    The cheapest way is to go from Krakow Airport to the city center by bus (starts from 4.60 PLN). The train ticket is also quite cheap, starting from 12 PLN per person, one way.

    Many people arrive at Katowice Airport instead of Krakow John Paul II International Airport (also called Krakow Balice Airport). Katowice Airport is located approximately 105 km from Krakow City Center, approximately 1.5 hours drive. In this case the best and cheapest solution is to book a private transfer.

    From Krakow Airport to the City Center by Bus

    The cheapest way to get from Krakow Airport to the City Center is by bus. However, it is also the slowest and least comfortable way, especially if you are traveling with your family and with heavy suitcases.

    Public transport buses depart from a stop located just outside Arrivals. When you exit the main terminal building you have to go to the right, until you meet the separate lanes of the bus and taxi stop.

    Tickets can be purchased from the ticket machines located in the Arrivals Hall and at the bus stop. You can recognize your ticket machine by the inscription “Krakowska Karta Miejska” and the name of the public transport company MPK SA. The ticket machine also accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards, which is handy if you haven’t changed your coins yet. In Poland, the official currency is the Złoty. Euro is not accepted!

    The ticket you need to go to Krakow’s City Center is the regular Agglomeration Zone I + II ticket, single journey (50 minutes), as the journey time from Krakow Airport to the City Center is approximately 50 minutes. The ticket price is 4.60 PLN. If you have the Krakow City Card you can take the bus for free. This card is very convenient, as it allows you to take all public transport and visit all the Krakow Museums for free.

    Between 5.20 and 21.30, Bus 208 departs hourly for Dworzec Główny Wschód, which is the main bus stop in the City Center, right next to the Krakow Main Station and within walking distance of the Krakow Old Town. This is the last stop, so you don’t have to be worried about getting off at the wrong place. You can check the timetable here.

    Between 11.25pm ​​and 4.55am you can take the Night Bus 902, which departs hourly for Dworzec Główny Wschód. There are no buses between 9.30pm and 11.25pm. You can check the timetable here.

    The 252 bus, which also runs from this stop, does not take you to Krakow City Center, so you have to avoid it.

    From Krakow Airport to the City Center by Train

    The train is a cheap and fast way to go from Krakow Airport to the City Center. The train station is located near the passenger terminal. From the Arrivals Hall you can simply follow the signs in English for “Train to city”, a footbridge directly connects the station with the terminals.

    Tickets can be purchased from the ticket machines located in the Arrivals Hall and at the station. In the Arrivals Hall, the ticket machines are to the left of the currency exchanges. The right ticket machine is the one with the “Małopolska Karta Aglomeracy” sign.

    You can select the language you prefer (including English) and you can also pay by Visa or Mastercard credit card. The ticket from Krakow Airport to Krakow Main Station costs 12 PLN.

    Trains run between 05.25 and 24.39 and take approximately 20 minutes from the Airport to the City Center. The trains are modern and comfortable. You can find the timetables here.

    Transfer from Krakow Airport to the City Center

    The most convenient way to get from Krakow Airport to the City Center is to book a private transfer in advance. Transfers in Krakow are quite cheap, so they are a great choice, especially if you are traveling as a couple or as a family.

    The most important thing is to book your transfer from a reputable, fully licensed and legal operator. This is because it is the only way to avoid running into scams and unpleasant situations.

    We advise you to book with the most popular agencies, such as Civitatis and GetYourGuide, which offer the best value for money and guarantee the safety and quality of service, as well as excellent assistance.

    Your driver will pick you up directly at the airport, will be waiting for you in the Arrivals Hall with a sign with your name on it, and will take you in the shortest possible time directly to your hotel or place of your choice in Krakow. The drivers are licensed professionals, speak several languages ​​and drive new and comfortable cars.

    And if you are a large group, no problem: in addition to cars you can also book minibuses and coaches at unbeatable prices.

    From Krakow Airport to the City Center by Taxi

    Another common option for getting from Krakow Airport to the City Center is by taxi, of course.

    Official taxis have a dedicated lane right in front of the terminals building. As soon as you go outside the Arrivals Hall, just go left and it will be the first thing you will see.

    Kraków Airport Taxi runs a flat-rate with set prices, and the fare from the airport to the city center is 89 PLN (roughly 20 €). This is because if you want to go by taxi, it may be better to book a private transfer in advance, which is more convenient.

    Rent a Car at Krakow Airport

    If you want to visit the wonderful region around Krakow and drive to some of the most famous locations, such as Zakopane, Sandomierz, Katowice or Auschwitz, you could hire a car.

    There are several car rental companies at Krakow Airport, located on the top floor of Arrivals. Just follow the signs that say “Rent a Car” and “Travel Agencies”. It is advisable to book in advance, in order to obtain much cheaper rates. You can find the best and cheapest car rentals on popular websites like Discovercars.com and Rentalcars.com.

    Renting a car in Krakow can be quite cheap, and is a great choice if you want to make the most of your holidays in Southern Poland. Here you can find our guide on how to choose the best car rental in Krakow.

    Useful Tips for Your Trip to Krakow

    Here you will find ALL the advice you need about the Best Things to Do and See in Krakow and unmissable day trips, such as the one to Auschwitz and the one to the Wieliczka Salt Mines.

    Planning your trip to Krakow? These are our in-depth guides with everything you need to know to plan an amazing trip to Krakow: