How to Get from Krakow Airport to City Center in 2026
Krakow is probably one of the most visited cities in Poland, and for many, it is the city they fly into before exploring other parts of the country. There are several options for public transport from Krakow airport to city center, making the journey a breeze.
Kraków John Paul II International Airport is an international airport serving international and domestic flights. Named after Pope John Paul II, who lived here and even served as Archbishop of Kraków, Krakow airport is the second busiest airport in the country regarding passenger volume each year after Warsaw Chopin Airport.
Located in the village of Balice, around 11km from the city center, Krakow airport, like Poznan airport, was a military site until 1968. Over the years, the airport was renovated to host civil flights and added a passenger terminal, and in 2002, it underwent one more reconstruction to serve international flights.
This guide details various options to get from Krakow airport to city center using the train, bus, taxi, and private transfers. Do you want to know how to get to Krakow airport from city center? You can also use the same methods listed below on the way back to Krakow airport from city center.
My Travel Essentials
Get an eVisa: Check if you need one at iVisa and fill out the form to get your eVisa easily.
Book a flight: Use Skyscanner or WayAway. The latter offers cashback with a Plus membership. More here.
Airport transfers: Avoid the hassles of public transport; book a private transfer with Welcome Pickups.
Reserve a hotel: Reserve your hotel or apartment at Booking.com.
Find best-suited tours: For all sorts of tours, entrance tickets, and activities, check Viator or Get Your Guide.
Rent a car: One of the best car rental aggregators with a wide choice of vehicles – DiscoverCars.
Debit card: Wise for withdrawing money in local currency without hidden fees or high exchange rates.
eSIM: To avoid heavy roaming fees, use Airalo or Saily. Compare prices and GB packages. Use BAIA2592 on Airalo and BAIAIR6152 on Saily to get 3 USD on both.
Travel insurance: SafetyWing covers health insurance and has add-ons for adventure sports and electronics theft coverage.
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How long does it take to get from Krakow airport to city center?
As mentioned above, the distance from Kraków airport to city center is 11 km. Depending on your preferred method of transportation and time of day, the journey takes 17 to 40 minutes, considering the traffic on the road.
Krakow airport train to city takes around 34 minutes to get to Krakow Glowny – the main train station. Bus from Krakow airport to city center takes almost the same time if there is no traffic on the road.
How to get from Krakow airport to city center
Being one of the most visited cities in Poland, several means of public transport serve the airport, making it effortless to get to various parts of the city center.
If your flight lands in the middle of the night or early in the morning, you can still use some transportation without needing to order a taxi or private transfer. However, the convenience of a comfortable taxi ride or a private pick-up might be something you are looking for.
In addition, getting directly to the main train and bus stations after 11:00 pm is limited. Hourly night buses will bring you somewhere closer to it, and you might need to walk depending on where your hotel is.
You can purchase bus and train tickets with a credit or debit card, but if you need to exchange money at Krakow airport, several currency exchange offices work 24 hours a day. Typically, the rates in the airports are low, so you should exchange only the amount you need and save the rest when you get to the center.
Krakow airport train
Balice airport train is the most convenient way to get to the center. The suburban line runs from Krakow airport to train station – Krakow Glowny, and even further to Wieliczka, the town famous for its salt mine tourist attraction.
The Krakow airport to city center train runs several times daily, from 4:17 am to 12:37 am, taking around 17 minutes to get to Krakow Glowny.
However, the train timetable is different throughout the day. Early in the morning, it runs hourly from 4:17 to 6:17 and increases its frequency to every 20 minutes from 6:47 am to 5:47 pm. After that, it reruns every hour until 11:37 pm. The last train departs at 12:37 am.
You can purchase train tickets from the ticket machines at the Arrivals Hall inside the airport, online at the Koleo website, or from the train staff directly.
If you prefer to buy the ticket from the machine, look for the one with Małopolska written on it and choose Krakow Lotnisko as the departure station and Krakow Glowny as the destination.
I always prefer to have my tickets purchased in advance, so I always buy them online when possible. The ticket costs 17 PLN one way.
Bus from Krakow airport to city center
Public buses regularly connected the airport with the central railway and bus stations during the day and night. However, they were discontinued. While three bus lines are still operational, they run rarely and sometimes to the less convenient parts of the Krakow city for tourists. The 209 and 300 buses are day buses, while the 902 is a night bus.
Therefore, taking a bus from Krakow airport to the city center is the least convenient way unless you arrive at night and are on a tight budget.
If you still decide to take a bus, line 300 runs every 30 minutes from 5:32 am to 10:52 pm, then line 209. If you need to catch the night bus line 902, it starts at 11:25 and runs every 55-60 minutes until 4:55 am. See the Krakow airport bus timetable.
Line 300 and 209 are good if you travel from Krakow airport to Jewish Quarter. While they don’t go directly, you can change to the tram at
Rondo Grunwaldzkie stop or walk from the stop around 20 minutes to the neighborhood.
902 bus has a final stop at the main bus station – Dworzec Główny Wschód. If your hotel is closer to the Krakow Old Town, it might be better for you to get off at the Teatr Słowackiego stop instead.
Like the train tickets, you can buy them from ticket machines at Arrivals Hall at the airport or the bus stop. You can pay in cash or by card. The ticket costs 6 PLN one way.
However, make sure you are not standing at the machine that gives train tickets! The machine should say Krakowska Karta Miejska. Choose ‘Single and multiple journey tickets’ and then ‘Zones I+II suburban services’ that cost 6 PLN.
Once you board the bus, remember to validate your ticket in small orange or yellow machines.
Krakow airport taxis to city center
For those who want to avoid all the inconvenience of public transport or arrive late at night or early in the morning, consider taking a taxi.
Once you leave the Arrivals Hall, you’ll notice the long string of official Krakow airport taxi lines.
These official vehicles operate on a flat rate, meaning that you already know the price upfront. Typically, Krakow airport to city center taxi cost should be around 89-100 PLN.
Alternatively, you can also order a taxi via the Bolt app. Since Uber is not available in Poland, Bolt is a close alternative. This might even be a cheaper option, depending on your hotel location. [code]
Krakow airport transfer
Booking Krakow airport transfers in advance is the most convenient way to get to the city center, as somebody will be waiting for you at the Arrivals Hall to drive you directly to your hotel in Krakow, no matter the time of the day.
The private transfer comes especially handy with early morning or late night flights when public transportation is rare.
Book the Krakow airport transfers with Welcome Pickups for reasonable prices and professional drivers.
Renting a car at the airport
Renting a car can be pretty convenient for those who wish to be more flexible. While there are plenty of car rental offices in the airport, I advise booking it with DiscoverCars for a wide choice of vehicles you feel comfortable driving and picking up at the airport.
Good to know these as well
Hotels nearby: if you have late night or early morning departure from the airport and want to be close instead of using a taxi, transfer, or bus, there are a few Krakow airport hotels, including Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton by Hilton, a few minutes walk away.
Krakow sightseeing between flights: since the airport is very close to the city and you have a few hours between flights, you can explore some of Krakow’s attractions for a memorable layover.
Continuing your trip outside Krakow: if you want to travel onwards from Krakow directly from the airport, you can do so by train connecting Krakow airport to other cities in Poland. There might not be a direct train to your destination, so you will likely change the trains either close to the city or at Krakow Glowny. As an inspiration, you can travel to Katowice, Poznan, Warsaw, and Wroclaw, to name a few. Or go directly to Wieliczka Salt Mine first before exploring the city. Check tickets at Koleo website.