Visiting Auschwitz-Birkenau

Auschwitz Concentration Camp – History of the Memorial

Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum is an institution dedicated to preserving the memory of the victims who suffered genocide at the hands of Nazi Germany in World War II. The exhibits and sites that constitute Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum have witnessed around 1,5 million frightful and horrible deaths. The main objective is to pay tribute to those who died during the Holocaust. This place strives to venerate the victims of World War II to emphasize the mistakes of the past to avoid devastating repetition in the future.

On January 27, 1945, the camp was liberated when the Soviet army entered Auschwitz. However, with Soviet troops approaching, the Nazis tried to remove all the traces by demolishing buildings in Auschwitz II and sending thousands of prisoners to other concentration camps in Germany.

Auschwitz Concentration Camp – a short history of the largest mass murder site in human history

Auschwitz camp was established in 1940 in the town of Oswiecim – initially for a large number of Poles arrested as a result of a wartime attack by the Germans in 1939.

In March 1942, the camp was expanded and enlarged to include a vast new area known as Auschwitz-Birkenau. The expansion aimed to hold 100,000 prisoners and, at the same time, create a mass extermination camp – for Jews. The Auschwitz concentration camp complex was the largest of its kind established by the Nazi regime.

Auschwitz II-Birkenau was both a concentration camp and a death camp. Jewish prisoners were brought in cattle wagons and immediately divided into two separate groups – men and women with their children. They were then forced to go through the infamous “selection” process. Those suitable for work were sent to a camp, while others were gassed.

Auschwitz camps were also places of dehumanizing treatment where Nazi doctors conducted unethical and inhumane medical experiments on Auschwitz inmates. As the largest of six Nazi death camps, Auschwitz is also considered to be the most lethal.

On 27 January 1945, the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp was liberated by soldiers of the Soviet 60th Army of the 1st Ukrainian Front. To commemorate the Jewish victims murdered by the German Nazis during World War II, in November 2005, The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution establishing the International Holocaust Remembrance Day on that day.

Auschwitz tour: How to plan your visit?

The Auschwitz Museum is visited by many tourists every year, so it is essential to proceed with the necessary steps in advance. In addition, the Auschwitz Birkenau Concentration Camp is located in the small town of Oswiecim nearby Krakow in Poland, so reaching this place may pose an issue for first-time visitors.

However, you don’t need to worry about anything because we can easily take care of your comfort and assist you in both logistical and organizational matters. We have excellent news for you if you are travelling on holiday to Krakow, Katowice, Wroclaw, or Warsaw in Poland and are keen to visit the Auschwitz Concentration Camp. You can pay a visit while visiting Prague in the Czech Republic too.

These are the main administrative cities in Poland that we serve in terms of logistics. Our offer includes a comfortable ride to and from Oswiecim, plus additional benefits you may check out below.

Krakow Warsaw Katowice Wroclaw Prague Auschwitz

Auschwitz Birkenau - a place every human being should see

The former Nazi concentration camp has been preserved in the form of the Auschwitz Birkenau State Museum to commemorate the victims of the Nazi regime. Auschwitz Birkenau is the only extermination camp placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Apart from commemorating the victims, it is also a symbol of the Holocaust, evidence of the monstrous crimes which took place during World War II, as well as a warning and lesson for future generations.

Auschwitz Birkenau - a place every human being should see

Have a look at our Auschwitz-Birkenau tours from Krakow

Auschwitz Birkenau & Salt Mine One Day Tour from Krakow Lowest price in 30 days: 83£
from 95£
73£
Auschwitz & Birkenau Tour from Krakow
from 55£
Auschwitz & Birkenau Private Tour
from 269£

Auschwitz Birkenau from Krakow

Auschwitz is located about 70 km from the centre of Krakow, and it takes approximately one hour to get there by car. Krakow is the most popular city near the former Nazi camp Auschwitz Birkenau.

For many people, the primary purpose of their trip to Krakow is to visit and honour the victims of World War II at the Auschwitz Birkenau camp.

The quickest and most comfortable way to reach Auschwitz is to get there by car. The ride takes just over 1 hour. If you decide on a private transfer, you can select the service with entrance tickets to Auschwitz. Travel by bus takes about 2h, and the ticket price is about 20 PLN/person. The trip by train will take you 1h 20 min, but due to the ongoing modernization of the railroad line, it may be longer, or you will be forced to use the substitute bus service. The ticket price is about 15 PLN/person.
If you are interested in visiting Auschwitz-Birkenau and Auschwitz II Birkenau, you should book your tickets in advance because the entrance tickets to the Museum are often sold out a few days or weeks in advance, especially during high season.

To avoid the hassle of sightseeing, we encourage you to book the tours we offer in advance. A regular tour covers transportation, entrance tickets to Auschwitz Birkenau and Auschwitz II Birkenau, an English-speaking guide, insurance and English-speaking driver’s assistance. The price for this service starts from 42 €.

Choosing transport to Auschwitz Birkenau with MrShuttle is not only associated with exceptional comfort but above all the possibility of an unfettered visit (including entrance tickets) due to the option of dropping you off and waiting period, if needed. You can also take the optional extra and broaden your tourist horizons with a visit to the outlandish and world-class salt mine, Wieliczka. All options are displayed on the homepage.

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Railway to the nazi concentration and extermination camp Birkenau at sunset

Auschwitz Birkenau from Katowice

Auschwitz is located about 37 km from the centre of Katowice, and it takes less than one hour to get there by car. Katowice is another popular city near the former Nazi camp Auschwitz Birkenau.

For many people, the primary purpose of their trip to Katowice is to discover the former hub of Polish industry or top-notch City Sports and Recreation Centre “Spodek”. Moreover, tourists decide to take a visit and honour the victims of World War II at the Auschwitz Birkenau camp in Oswiecim, nearby Krakow.
The quickest and most comfortable way to reach Auschwitz is to get there by car. The ride takes just 40 minutes. If you decide on a private transfer, you can select the service with entrance tickets to Auschwitz. Travel by bus takes about 1 h, and the ticket price is about 15 PLN/person. The trip by train will take you 40 min, but due to the ongoing modernization of the railroad line, it may be longer, or you will be forced to use the substitute bus service. The ticket price is about 25 PLN/person.
If you are interested in visiting Auschwitz-Birkenau and Auschwitz II Birkenau, you should book your tickets in advance because the entrance tickets to the Museum are often sold out a few days or weeks in advance, especially during high season.

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Auschwitz Birkenau from Wrocław

Auschwitz is located about 225 km from the centre of Wrocław, and it takes about 3 hours to get there by car. Wrocław is another popular city in the southern part of Poland, close to the Czech Republic.

Wroclaw is a charming administrative city that is famous for its local old town, delicious food and many forms of entertainment for people of all ages. Moreover, tourists decide to take a visit and honour the victims of World War II at the Auschwitz Birkenau camp in Oswiecim, nearby Krakow.
The quickest and most comfortable way to reach Auschwitz is to get there by car. The ride takes around 3 hours. If you decide on a private transfer, you can select the service with entrance tickets to Auschwitz. Travel by bus takes about 5h, and the ticket price is about 40 PLN/person. The trip by train will take you there in 4 h, but due to the ongoing modernization of the railroad line, it may be longer, or you will be forced to use the substitute bus service. Moreover, there is no direct train to Oświęcim. The ticket price is approx. 60 PLN/person.
If you are interested in visiting Auschwitz-Birkenau and Auschwitz II Birkenau, you should book your tickets in advance because the entrance tickets to the Museum are often sold out a few days or weeks in advance.

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Auschwitz Birkenau from Warsaw

Auschwitz is located about 330 km from the centre of Warsaw, and it takes about 4 hours to get there by car. Warsaw is the capital of Poland and the city attracts tourists from different corners of the world.

Warsaw offers a wide variety of entertainment, events, museums and other must-see places. Moreover, tourists decide to go beyond the borders of the city and honour the victims of World War II at the Auschwitz Birkenau camp in Oswiecim, nearby Krakow.

The quickest and most comfortable way to reach Auschwitz is to get there by car. The ride takes around 4 hours. If you decide on a private transfer, you can select the service with entrance tickets to Auschwitz. Travel by bus takes about 6/7 h, and the ticket price is about 89 PLN/person. The trip by train will take you there in 5 h if you decide to take the InterCity high-speed train to Krakow. Then, you need to change a train due to a lack of direct connection. The ticket price is about 120 PLN/person.

If you are interested in visiting Auschwitz-Birkenau and Auschwitz II Birkenau, you should book your tickets in advance because the entrance tickets to the Museum are often sold out a few days or weeks in advance, especially during high season.

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Auschwitz Birkenau nazi concentration and extermination camp

Auschwitz Birkenau from Prague

Auschwitz is located about 470 km from the centre of Prague, and it takes about 5 hours to get there by car. Prague is one of the most popular city in the east part of Europe, and the biggest city in the Czech Republic.

FAQ

Here you can find answers for frequently asked questions.

Before getting into details on how to get to Auschwitz, let's first see where it is located. Many people don't realize that Auschwitz is a German name for the town of Oświęcim located in Southern Poland. Auschwitz Concentration Camp was opened by Nazis on the outskirts of the town during World War II. Oświęcim is situated around 60 km from Krakow and is one of the most popular tours for Krakow visitors. The closest airport to Oświęcim is John Paul II Kraków-Balice International Airport.

On average, the journey takes between 1 and 2 hours. A car ride will be the fastest, while a bus trip may take between 1h 20min to 1h 40min. Getting to Auschwitz by train can take 2 hours and sometimes even more because you have to take into account the additional distance between the Oświęcim train station and the Auschwitz Museum.

Many people may wonder if it is even possible to see Auschwitz and the answer is yes, it is. The former Nazi Concentration Camp has been preserved in the form of Auschwitz Birkenau State Museum in memory of the victims of the Nazi regime. Auschwitz Birkenau is the only death camp inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Apart from remembering the victims, it is also a symbol of the Holocaust, evidence of horrid crimes that occurred in World War II, as well as a warning and lesson for future generations.

Without getting into too many details, an entry pass allows the visitors to access the grounds and most buildings of both Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II concentration camps. During an Auschwitz Birkenau tour, visitors will see hundreds of suitcases, shoes, glasses and other belongings that were confiscated from the victims. In Auschwitz II, it is also possible to see the ruins of gas chambers and crematoria. A general tour of Auschwitz takes approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes.

Auschwitz Memorial is one of the most visited places in Poland so naturally, you can find public transport connections between Krakow city center and Oświęcim. A journey takes between 1h 20 min and 2h depending on the mode of transport. You can get to Auschwitz by bus, train or private car.

The nearest international airport to Oświęcim is John Paul II International Airport Kraków-Balice, located 11 km west of Krakow's city centre, and approx. 60 km from Oświęcim.

The Museum is open on all days of the year except 1 January, 25 December, Easter's first day and March of Living.

When planning a trip to Oświęcim, it is worth staying in Krakow, it is an excellent accommodation base with exciting entertainment and tourist spots.

In terms of clothing options, there is no specific “dress policy” at Auschwitz. Nevertheless, given the history of this place – it is suggested to dress respectfully.

Auschwitz is a name of a former death camp, located in Oświęcim.