Air Travel

LOT, the Polish airline, offers nonstop service between Warsaw and Chicago, Newark, and New York (JFK) several times weekly with connections to Kraków; the city can be reached by nonstop flights from most major (and some minor) European cities, though perhaps not every day. With the arrival of low-cost airlines to Kraków, the number of flights is on the increase. EURO-LOT flies several times daily between Kraków and Warsaw (40 minutes), while Ryanair offers a nonstop connection to Gdańsk (75 minutes). Tickets for low-cost airlines are best bought online; booking well in advance is crucial to get the best prices.

Airports and Transfers

The Pope John Paul II Kraków–Balice Airport, 11 km (7 miles) west of the city, is the region's only airport. In spring and fall, fog can cause frustrating delays.

A fast train connects Balice Airport and Kraków's main railway station. The train stops just outside the airline terminal, running approximately every 40 minutes; the journey takes 17 minutes, and the tickets (zł 8 one-way) can be bought in the machine at the airport, or on board (in the latter case, you need to enter at the front of the train and notify the ticket inspector).

Buses 208 and 292 run between the airport and the main station via the city center. The basic fare is zł 4 (as the airport is in "zone II"). Tickets can be bought from a machine, at newspaper kiosks at the terminal, or from the driver (when buying from the driver, there is a surcharge).

Taxis are available from outside the terminal, and the fare into the city center is approximately zł 100 (airport taxis tend to be more expensive than regular city taxis).