Travel
You can reach Krakow by:
- airplane (Krakow Balice airport)
- flight to Katowice or Warsaw (Warszawa)
- international train
- car
Polish currency is zloty (PLN). Please be aware that the exchange rate at the city centre is much better than at the airport.
Krakow airport
John Paul II International Airport is located about 15 km from Krakow centre. It has direct connections to various cities. For updated information on flights and connections see the website: http://www.krakowairport.pl/en
Krakow airport has a direct connection to Hamburg (easyJet), London (easyJet, Rayanair) and Geneva (easyJet).
At the airport you can find: exchange offices, bank branch, ATMs, a restaurant, a cafe, post office, information desk, travel agency, 24-hour first aid, duty-free shop, 24-hour car park and car rentals agency (National, Avis, Budget, Europcar and Hertz).
You can reach the city center by:
- quick railway line from the airport (the fare is: 9 PLN, tickets can be purchased on board, travel takes only 17 min. to the main train station - Krakow Glowny (city center) : we recommend you this option (see train time table).
- taxi (approximate price 50-80 PLN) : Kraków Airport Taxi service is the official partner of John Paul II International Airport Kraków-Balice - the fare for a ride from the airport to The Florianska Gate (in the city center) is approximately 80 PLN (i.e. about 17 EUR) and you can pay by cash or by electronic card.There are several taxi companies e.g. Megataxi +48 12 19 625 -> 60 PLN cash i.e. about 14 EUR). They can be identified by the company names or phone numbers (such as +48 12 19*** for mobile phones) marked on the vehicles. You can pay by credit card and, in most of the taxies, also by electronic card. So to be sure, ask about the payment methods while calling or entering a taxi.
- public bus number: 292, 208 or the night bus 902 (the fare is 5 PLN)
Katowice - Pyrzowice airport
The other option is to fly to Katowice-Pyrzowice Airport and take a bus to Krakow. Buses operate regularly, the trip takes about an hour and costs about 50 PLN. More information is available at www.katowice-airport.com.
Warsaw airport
For information about the Warsaw international airport see Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport. To reach Krakow from Warsaw you can: take a domestic flight or take a direct InterCity or Express train.
International train
Cracow is one of Poland's main railroad junctions. It has direct railway links with Berlin, Budapest, Kiev, Prague, Vienna and Warszawa. Cracow Central Station (Kraków Głowny) is situated most conveniently in the very city centre, close to the Old Town historic district.
The schedule can be found here.
By car
The north-south E77 links Krakow with Warsaw and Gdansk in the north and Zakopane and the Slovak border in the south. The east-west E40 arrives from Lviv in Ukraine in the east and then goes west through Wroclaw and Katowice to Dresden in Germany (partly the A4 motorway). To the southwest, the Czech Republic is easily reached via E75.
NOTE: there are no free parking areas in the city centre.
Additional helpful links for travel:
Balice Airport in Krakow - buses and train
Search for connection
Visa
Poland is a member state of the European Union. Citizens of some non-EU countries may need a visa. Relevant information can be found on the website: http://www.mfa.gov.pl/en/travel_to_poland/entering_poland (please check if you need one)
A letter of invitation can be provided upon request for the registered conference participants. Please take visa processing time into account.
