Krakow Cloth Hall on the main market square

Krakow

Poland's intact royal capital, with a salt mine and Kazimierz on the doorstep.

Photo: Andrzej Otrębski (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Currency
Polish zloty (PLN)
1 USD = 3.88 PLN
Emergency number
986
112 / 997 / 998 / 999 also works
Advisory level
Normal precautions
U.S. Department of State and 3 other governments
Language
Polish
Local transport
Tram & walk
Old town is car free
Yellow Fog Warning issued for Poland - Warmińsko-mazurskie Province Piski County

Yellow Fog warning · Area: Warmińsko-mazurskie Province Piski County · From 2026-10-16T19:00:00+00:00 · until 2026-10-17T09:00:00+00:00

Yellow Fog Warning issued for Poland - Warmińsko-mazurskie Province Węgorzewski County

Yellow Fog warning · Area: Warmińsko-mazurskie Province Węgorzewski County · From 2026-10-16T19:00:00+00:00 · until 2026-10-17T09:00:00+00:00

Yellow Fog Warning issued for Poland - Warmińsko-mazurskie Province Gołdapski County

Yellow Fog warning · Area: Warmińsko-mazurskie Province Gołdapski County · From 2026-10-16T19:00:00+00:00 · until 2026-10-17T09:00:00+00:00

Good to know

You can travel without a visa to the Schengen area, which includes Poland, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period…

Poland follows Schengen area rules. Your passport must have: have a ‘date of issue’ less than 10 years before the date you arrive – if you renewed your passport before 1 October 2018, it might have a date of issue that is more than 10 year…

The European Union’s (EU) new Entry/Exit System (EES) is now being implemented across the Schengen area…

There are strict rules about goods you can take into and out of Poland. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty…

Exercise normal security precautions. Latest change: The Health section was updated - travel health information (Public Health Agency of Canada).

Polen: Reise- und Sicherheitshinweise

The airport train reaches Krakow Glowny in about 20 minutes and runs every half hour.

The main market square is the largest medieval square in Europe. Prices on it are double those two streets away.

Kazimierz, the old Jewish quarter, is a 15 minute walk south and is where the best food and bars are.

Local knowledge

Contributed by guides, operators and creators on the ground. Community advice, kept separate from official sources.

Eat two streets off the main square

Rynek Glowny prices are double. Walk into Kazimierz or towards Grodzka's side streets and the same meal costs half.

Local guideAgnieszka Nowak
Book Wieliczka and Auschwitz weeks ahead

Both run on timed entry and sell out in summer. Auschwitz needs a full day, so pair Wieliczka with a Krakow morning instead.

DMOKrakow Tourism

Frequently asked questions

The airport train takes about 20 minutes to Krakow Glowny and runs every 30 minutes.

Three days: one for the old town and Wawel, one for Kazimierz, and one for Wieliczka or Auschwitz.

Yes. The guided route runs 135 metres down past carved chapels and takes around two hours plus travel.

Yes. It is about 90 minutes each way and entry is by timed ticket, booked online in advance.

There are strict rules about goods you can take into and out of Poland. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty. Source: UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.

U.S. Department of State currently advises normal precautions (level 1 of 4). Advice differs slightly between governments, so check your own country's advisory before you travel.

For tour operators

Run tours in Krakow? Publish them everywhere from one place.

Tourpublish takes the tours already in your reservation system and publishes them to your website, social channels, messaging apps, AI assistants and marketplaces.

Sources and freshness

Travel information last reviewed 16 October 2026. Compiled from European Commission Newsroom, IATA Timatic, Open-Meteo and Tourpublish Travel Intelligence. Always confirm entry rules and safety guidance with official government sources before you travel.

Advisories, entry rules and alerts apply to Poland as a whole.

Aggregated from official sources. Content is never rewritten — always display the publisher, publication time and original source link.

Photography: Andrzej Otrębski (CC BY-SA 4.0); Jorge Lascar (CC BY 2.0); C messier (CC BY-SA 4.0).