Transport: by plane
There are two airports in the vicinity of Kraków: in Balice (Kraków Airport) and Pyrzowice (Katowice Airport).
Balice (Kraków Airport)
www.krakowairport.pl
Kraków Airport in Balice (John Paul II International Airport Kraków–Balice) lies several kilometres west of the city centre.
Address: 32-083 Balice, ul. Medweckiego 1
Airport information:
phone: +48 12 295 5800, +48 801 055 000
Connections from the airport to the city centre:
By rail: Kraków Airport – Kraków Główny – Wieliczka Rynek Kopalnia route; tickets at PLN 12 (Kraków Airport – Kraków Główny) and PLN 16 (Kraków Airport – Kraków Główny – Wieliczka Rynek Kopalnia); available from the ticket machine in the passenger terminal (Eastern section, Level 0), the ticket machine on the railway platform, and on the train (from the machine or conductor). The transport of luggage is free of charge. The shuttle from Kraków Airport to Kraków Główny takes about 20 minutes.
Timetables: www.malopolskiekoleje.pl
By bus: lines 252 and 208, and the 902 night bus operate from a number of stops in the city centre, and leave from the terminal Dworzec Główny Wschód (Main Railway Station East). The airport terminal is situated in front of the passenger terminal of the airport. Regular city tickets are in operation, though the price is higher than in Zone 1 in the city centre: a standard ticket costs PLN 4,60 and reduced – PLN 2,30. There is no fare for luggage. Approximate travel time: 45 minutes.
Timetables: www.mpk.krakow.pl
By taxi: Kraków Airport runs its own taxi services at fixed prices. Reaching a destination in the centre of Kraków, depending on the distance, costs PLN 69 or PLN 89, regardless of the time of day and day of the week. Travelling time ranges from around 20 to 40 minutes.
www.krktaxi.pl
Transfers: individual car or minibus bus rides to any location in Poland (to central Kraków at PLN 78) and even abroad, adjusted to the number of people travelling, can be ordered from the InfoKraków point at the airport. The exact cost of the ride is given when you order the service. Same fees apply irrespective of the time of day and day of the week.
By car: the city centre is accessible along one of the following routes:
- via Olszanica, Chełm, and Wola Justowska, along Olszanicka and Królowej Jadwigi streets, and later along Focha Avenue by the Błonia Green
- via Szczyglice and Bronowice, along Balicka and Bronowicka streets
- via the A4 motorway to the Bielany exit, and later along Księcia Józefa Street towards the district of Salwator
- via the A4 motorway to the Kraków-Północ exit, and later along the No. 7 dual carriageway via Modlniczka and Rondo Ofiar Katynia roundabout.
There is a paid multi-level car park opposite the passenger terminal, where car rental companies also operate.
Pyrzowice (Katowice Airport)
www.katowice-airport.com
Many people arriving in Kraków use the services of Pyrzowice Airport (International Katowice Airport in Pyrzowice), as many popular low-cost airlines (incl. WizzAir and Germanwings) operate from there. The airport is situated approximately 110 km (70 mi) west of Kraków.
Address: 42-625 Ożarowice, ul. Wolności 90
Airport information:
phone: +48 32 392 73 85, +48 32 392 73 24, +48 801 011 752
Reaching Kraków from Pyrzowice Airport:
By bus: first, to the centre of Katowice (timetable on the airport’s website), and later from Katowice to Kraków.
There are private bus and minibus companies offering direct transfers from Pyrzowice to Kraków, yet they require advance booking: online or by phone. Regular operators on the route:
- Pyrzowice Ekspres (www.pyrzowiceekspres.pl)
- Matuszek (www.matuszek.com.pl)
Transfer: – individual transfers from Pyrzowice to Kraków, by car or minibus adjusted to the number of passengers, can be ordered from the following websites:
By car – cars can be rented from one of the offices situated on the premises of Terminals A, B, and C. The quickest access to Kraków is along the S1 Road to Mysłowice, and later along the toll section of the A4 motorway. You can also take a detour from the S1 in Dąbrowa Górnicza, and take the free national road 94 via Olkusz, admiring the scenic landscapes of the Trail of the Eagles’ Nests and the limestone valleys near Kraków en route.