Those who follow me know that I particularly appreciate the city of Krakow. I had the opportunity to go there several times and tell you about it in my guide to the city of Krakow. Today I am talking to you about the Krakow city pass, a tourist "pass" that will allow you to fully enjoy Krakow and its visits.
The Krakow Card includes a large number of visits and entries as well as a transport pass facilitating travel in the city.
In this article dedicated to the Krakow city pass, you will discover the activities, museums, religious buildings, excursions and transport included in this Krakow Card.
We will also discuss practical issues such as prices, collection points and validity periods.
Krakow City Pass:
- Introducing the Krakow Card: Krakow's city pass
- What does the Krakow Card include?
- Practical information: prices, withdrawal, period of validity
- Limits and alternatives to the Krakow Card
- My opinion on the Krakow city pass
Book your Krakow city pass by buying the Krakow Card online before your trip to take full advantage of its benefits as soon as you arrive. Buy the Krakow Card
Introducing the Krakow Card: Krakow's city pass
Before getting to the heart of the matter by telling you about the activities included in the Krakow city pass, here is a short presentation of the pass for those who are not familiar with city passes.
City passes are tourist passes, cards that allow you to access many museums, places or excursions of all kinds without paying for each entry.
Once the city pass has been purchased, you will be able to access the places included in it freely and free of charge. Many cities offer this kind of pass which greatly facilitates visits.
Most tourist passes of this type include, in addition to visits, access to city transport. Some only offer access to the bus, metro or tram, while others add transport to and from the airport and sometimes even access to the city's bicycle service.
The vast majority of passes are created to save you a few euros compared to buying single tickets, but above all to make your life easier when visiting the city. For example, you won't have to worry about buying a metro ticket each time you travel.
The Krakow Card, Krakow's city pass, works on this model by including many accesses to the city's museums, religious buildings as well as to the city's transport. We will see in detail a little further down the visits and transport included in this pass, its limits and the alternatives.
Read the article: What to do in Krakow?What does the Krakow Card include?
Now let's move on to the most important subject, the activities, transport and visits included in this city pass.
We have divided them into 3 categories: main activities, “secondary” visits, then transport.
- Main activities included in the Krakow city pass
- Other museums, religious buildings and places of interest
- What transport is included in the Krakow Card?
Main activities included in the Krakow city pass
Here is a list of the main activities included in the Krakow Card. Most of the city's central monuments can be visited free of charge with the city pass. This list is the essentials to visit with the Krakow Card.
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Usine Schindler
Oscar Schindler's factory is certainly the best known in Krakow. The story of this entrepreneur was highlighted in the famous film "Schindler's List" retracing the rescue of thousands of Jews by this boss hiring them to avoid a tragic end. The factory has been preserved and is now used as a museum. The museum traces the dark history of the city during the Second World War. You'll also have the opportunity to stroll through Oscar Schindler's former office, seen in the film.
Attached to this museum is the MOCAK, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Krakow. This museum is also included in the Krakow city pass.
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Main Market Square Underground
Created in 2010, this underground museum is located under Krakow's central square. The entrance is at the Rynek, the old cloth hall located in the middle of Krakow Square. This museum traces the history of the city, particularly during the Middle Ages. Many objects from the time are on display and help us understand life at that time. In addition to the objects, there are also many stagings as well as interactive desks that allow you to soak up the atmosphere of the time.
A part is also dedicated to the excavation work carried out during the work on Krakow Square. -
City Hall Tower or Cloth Hall
Originally built in the 1960th century, this tower was rebuilt in the XNUMXth century and then renovated in the XNUMXs. The tower, located in Krakow's main square, is the only remaining monument of Krakow's Old Town Hall. It once housed the city archives, the treasury, the wheat warehouses as well as the court and the chancellery. The tower now belongs to the “Historical Museum of Krakow”. Entrance to the tower is included in the Krakow Card and its ascent is definitely worth the detour. The view from its summit on the square and on the Basilica of Saint Mary is breathtaking.
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Basilica of Saint Mary
Certainly one of Krakow's most recognizable buildings, St. Mary's Basilica is one of the must-sees of a stay in the city. The church, built in the XNUMXth century, became a basilica after the arrival of Pope John Paul II. The particularity of this basilica lies in its two asymmetrical bell towers. It is possible to visit the basilica, you will notice its amazing ceiling. After visiting it, don't forget to climb to its summit to gain height and enjoy a unique panorama of the city.
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The Barbican
Built at the very end of the XNUMXth century, the Barbican is a fortified gate that was originally part of a set of medieval fortifications.
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The Eagle Pharmacy
Located in the heart of the former Krakow ghetto, the Eagle Pharmacy is one of the places that have marked the history of the city. This pharmacy, held by a non-Jew, was authorized to continue its activity during the Nazi occupation. As a result, it was used to hide Jews but also to send messages outside the ghetto. A place not to be missed.
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The Jewish Museum of Galicia
This Jewish museum created in 2004 retraces the history of the Jewish populations during the Holocaust. Different panels tell us, in pictures, the story of these people during the darkest years of Poland.
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Kosciuszko mound
Erected in 1823 in honor of Tadeusz Kosciuszko, the Kopiec Kosciuszki is an artificial mound of earth that rises to 326 meters.
A path takes you to its summit and offers you a nice view of the surroundings.
The Kopiec Kosciuszki is located about 5km east of Krakow.
Other museums, religious buildings and places of interest
In addition to the activities presented just above, you will have access to the list below:
- The Palace of Bishop Erazm Ciołek
- Szolayski's house
- The Emeryk Hutten-Czapski Museum
- The house of Józef Mehoffer
- The center of European culture – EUROPEUM
- The old synagogue
- The Hipolit House
- The story of Nowa Huta
- Zwierzyniec art fair
- The Archeology Museum
- St. Adalbert Church
- Seweryn Udziela Ethnographic Museum
- The Museum of Urban Engineering in Krakow
- The photography museum
- The Archdiocesan Museum
- The Polish Aviation Museum in Krakow
- The Rydel Regional Museum
- The Museum of the Academy of Mines and Metallurgy
- The Benedictine abbey of Tyniec
- The National Army Museum
- Jan Matejko's house
- Palais Crystophores
- Celestat
- Cricothèque
- The Stanislaw Lem Experience Garden
What transport is included in the Krakow Card?
The Krakow Card offers, in addition to access to these 38 museums, churches and places of interest, unlimited access to the city's public transport. The period of validity of this free admission depends on the period of validity of the city pass you choose. If your card is valid for 48 hours, you will then have unlimited access to city transport for 48 hours from the date and time of activation of the card. This is activated when you pass it for the first time in transport or at the entrance to a museum.
If you are staying in the city center of Krakow you won't really need to take transport except for the airport and the salt mines.
In addition to having unlimited access to city transport, you can take advantage of bus transport to and from the airport for free.
The bus taking you to the salt mines, located about ten kilometers from the center of Krakow, is also included in this city pass.
Practical information: prices, withdrawal, period of validity
- How much does the Krakow Card cost?
- Where can I pick up the Krakow Card?
- Validity period of the Krakow city pass
How much does the Krakow Card cost?
The price of the Krakow city pass depends on the period of validity. Three durations are available:
- Pass 24h : 20 €
- Pass 48h : 26 €
- Pass 72h : 31 €
Where can I pick up the Krakow Card?
Once your card has been purchased, you will receive a voucher that you will have to exchange at the various tourist offices in the city. They are numerous and spread throughout the city.
- InfoKraków Wyspiański Pavilion - Tourist Information: pl. All Saints 2
- InfoKraków ul. st. Jana 2 - Tourist Information
- InfoKraków Sukiennice - Tourist Information: Rynek Główny 1/3
- InfoKraków ul. Szpitalna 25 - Tourist Information
- InfoKraków ul. Józefa 7 - Tourist Information
- InfoKraków Powiśle 11 - Tourist Information
- InfoKraków Os. Zgody 7 - Tourist Information
- Cracow City Tours – Floriańska 44
- Krakville Tours – Sienna 17
- Exciting Krakow Tours - Grodzka 52
- Exciting Krakow Tours – Dajwór 19
- Legendary Krakow – Floriańska 16
- Legendary Krakow – Sławkowska 25
- Discover Cracow Office - Józefa Piłsudskiego 6/9
Validity period of the Krakow city pass
Regarding the validity period, it all depends on the chosen formula.
There are 3 durations to choose from: 24h, 48h or 72h.
All entries and transport will be valid during the period chosen at the time of purchase.
Limits and alternatives to the Krakow Card
The Krakow Card is particularly complete and allows you to enjoy many monuments, unmissable museums but also transport. However, it still has some limitations.
Three essential visits are missing:
- Wawel Castle: Emblematic place of the city, we regret that the Wawel castle is not part of this city pass.
It is nevertheless possible to book the visit of the castle online independently of the city pass. - Mines de Sel de Wieliczka: Located about ten kilometers from Krakow, the famous salt mines of Wieliczka are one of the must-sees to visit during a stay in Krakow. Entrance to the mines is not part of the Krakow Card but they are worth the detour. Transportation to the mines by bus is included in the city pass. Admission is to be purchased independently.
- Auschwitz-Brikenau: Let's end with one of the most touristic places in the country, the Auschwitz-Birkenau camps. Being further from the city, we understand that the visit and transport of the latter are not part of the Krakow Card. It is possible to book your visit online. To find out more, do not hesitate to visit our article dedicated to the visit of Auschwitz-Birkenau.
My opinion on the Krakow city pass
The Krakow Card is, in my opinion, a very good city pass that I recommend during your visit to Krakow. Its price is particularly reasonable and it has several strong points. The Krakow Card includes the journey to and from the airport, which the city passes of other European cities do not generally include. The list of monuments, museums and visits included in this city pass is particularly complete, even if it is a shame not to have included Wawel Castle and the Salt Mines. Depending on the length of your stay, the one, two or three day card will allow you to take advantage of the city's transport in addition to the visits. If you wish to visit the Auschwitz camps, then the city pass will not be useful to you that day, the trips and visits to this place not being included. For all other days, you can use this city pass and thus take advantage of the advantages it offers.
