How to get to Wieliczka from Krakow?
Straight from airport or train stations? No problem!
Krakow is one of those cities in Poland that reign among the tourist destinations. Unique architecture, monuments and cafes or restaurants are wait practically at every step. On the occasion of a visit to this city, it is worth visiting Wieliczka. How to get to Wieliczka from train station or airport and what can we find there? We are already explain!
A few words about attractions in Wieliczka
Wieliczka is a city located 16 kilometers to the southeast from Krakow, famous for its architecture and monuments.
One of the greatest treasures of Wieliczka, however, is its famous salt mine, which attracts thousands of tourists every year.
What makes Wieliczka unique? In the salt mine in Wieliczka you can see unusual chambers, corridors, chapels and other attractions that have been carved in salt by many generations of miners.
The biggest attraction is the chapel of St. Kinga, which is decorated with sculptures, altars and frescoes made of salt. It is also worth seeing the underground lake, where you can take a boat trip.
In addition to the salt mine, Wieliczka offers many other attractions, including a castle, museums, churches and numerous restaurants serving traditional Polish dishes.
It is also worth walking through the streets of the Old Town and seeing beautiful, historic tenement houses.
Unique Ojcowski National Park
So how to get there by train?
If you like to admire the picturesque views outside the window, the train will be the perfect solution for you!
To reach the mine by train, you first have to go to the Main Railway Station in the center of Krakow and take the train of the local carrier – Koleje Małopolskie.
Trains of Koleje Małopolska are painted blue and orange and a remarked with the abbreviations KMŁ or KMAL. At the checkout, make sure you buy a train ticket from the appropriate carrier!
They usually run once every half an hour and it takes them about 20 minutes to get to the station you are interested in (Wieliczka Rynek-Kopalnia).
And how to get to Wieliczka Salt Mine? The distance from the station to the mine is just over 500 meters and you can overcome it on foot without any obstacles – below you will find a map with the most convenient route to the Daniłowicz shaft marked.
How much does a ticket from Krakow to Wieliczka cost?
A ticket of Koleje Małopolska valid for 2 hours costs PLN 4,50. There is also an option to buy an integrated ticket, valid for 70 minutes and valid for both travel by Koleje Małopolska and MPK vehicles (buses and trams) – the price of this ticket is PLN 7.
Tickets are available both in ticket machines located at the station and in traditional ticket offices.
Summarizing
- Where to go? – Main Railway Station in Krakow
- Ticket price: PLN 4.50
- Travel time: Approx. 20-30mins
- Distance from the station to the mine: 10 minutes on foot
You can check the current timetable here.
Other means of transport to Wieliczka – the city bus
A good alternative to the train is the city bus. The most convenient, non-stop connection from the center of Krakow to Wieliczka is line no. 304, which stops, among others, at the stops Dworzec Główny Zachód, Nowy Kleparz, Plac Inwalidów or Muzeum Narodowe.
Current timetables for this line can be found here.
Wieliczka is located outside the city limits of Krakow. It will be necessary to purchase an agglomeration ticket (one that covers both zones I and II).
The cost of such a ticket is PLN 6 (reduced ticket – half of the regular price).
Where to get off if you want to go straight to the salt mine? The bus stop is called Wieliczka Salt Mine.
From there, go down Dembowski Street and turn left into Daniłowicza Street, which will take you directly to the entrance to the mine.
Brief summary
- line no. 304
- first stop: Dworzec Główny Zachód
- destination stop: Wieliczka Salt Mine
- price: 6zł (ticket for zones I + II)
- Travel time: Approx. 30-35mins
- Stop to the mine: approx. 5 minutes on foot
Straight to Wieliczka from Krakow Airport
When planning access how to get to Wieliczka from Krakow Airport, it is worth making a short overview.
You can use public transport, both bus and train. There is a bus line that goes from Balice to the Main Railway Station – line no. 208. This train runs once an hour.
An alternative to traveling by bus is to travel by train, which goes from Balice to the Main Railway Station and then goes further, directly to Wieliczka. An undoubted advantage of such a solution is the low cost of travel.
When looking for a way to get from Balice Airport to the main station or to Wieliczka, you can also consider a taxi. Under the airport there are vehicles of the official carrier, i.e. Airport Taxi. You can also order a taxi from another corporation or choose transport by Uber or Bolt.
The costs of such a trip are much higher than public transport. They depend on the day of the week and the time at which the transport takes place.
Remember that the taxis have their own tariff. Traveling at night on Sunday or a holiday is definitely more expensive than on an ordinary day of the week.
Now everything is clear!
Wieliczka, although not a big city, offers tourists many attractions, which were mentioned at the beginning of the article. Now when you visit Krakow, you will know how to get to Wieliczka straight from the main Krakow Train Station or Krakow airport. Certainly with this guide you can cope without problems.
And when you are on the road, read about:
- What is so special about Wieliczka?
- Why visit Wieliczka Salt Mine?
- Where is Wieliczka Salt Mine?
- Cheap Tours to Salt Mine
