Guided Tour to Auschwitz Birkenau & Schindler Factory with PickUp
Description
To make the most out of your visit to Krakow, take advantage of our combined tour to Auschwitz-Birkenau and Oskar Schindler Factory. The tour takes a full day and is a great way to see two of the absolute must-sees of the region, as well as outstanding monuments of Polish and Jewish history. In Auschwitz-Birkenau you will have a chance to pay tribute to all who lost their lives during the Holocaust and in Oskar Schindler Factory you will discover the story of a man who devoted himself to saving lives of Jewish people.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Our tour starts with transportation from Krakow, either from your specified hotel or a meeting point of your choice. Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum is located in Oswiecim, approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes away (65 km). All of our drivers hold the necessary EU certifications for passenger transport. A friendly, English-speaking group leader will be available to assist you whenever needed. Upon arriving in Oswiecim, you'll have a brief break to grab a coffee or explore the outdoor exhibits. Afterward, you'll be introduced to a professional local guide, licensed by the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum.
Begin your tour by walking through the gate of Auschwitz I, the first camp, initially established as a concentration camp for Polish citizens arrested after Germany annexed the country in 1939. You'll pass under the infamous sign "Arbeit Macht Frei" (Work Makes You Free). This portion of the tour typically lasts two hours, during which you'll use a headset to hear your guide clearly. The group size is limited to 30 people, as per the Museum's regulations, ensuring a comfortable and accessible experience for all participants. Explore the original wooden barracks, fortified walls, barbed wire fences, gas chambers, and crematoria, which together leave a haunting impression and allow visitors to grasp the immense scale of the Holocaust. Auschwitz Camp - exhibition in buldings Crematory Death wall Birkenau Camp (Auschwitz II) - exhibition outside Former barracks where prisoners lived Death Gate
After visiting the first camp, you'll have a short break of up to 15 minutes. Following this, we will take you to the second part of the tour—Birkenau (Auschwitz II), located just 3 minutes away. Birkenau, the largest camp, was built and operated with the sole purpose of making Europe "Judenrein" (free of Jews). Your guide will continue the powerful narrative at Birkenau, located in the village of Brzezinka. Constructed in 1941 under the orders of SS commander Heinrich Himmler, the camp could hold around 90,000 prisoners. You’ll hear harrowing accounts of the brutal living conditions, the cruel selection process, and the pseudo-scientific medical experiments carried out by Nazi doctors, including Josef Mengele. The tour concludes with a story of liberation when soldiers from the 60th Army of the First Ukrainian Front opened the gates of Auschwitz on January 27, 1945, leaving you with a profound understanding that such genocide should never have occurred—and must never happen again.
At the end of the tour, you won’t be rushed. You’ll have at least a 15-minute break. After another 1 hour and 15 minutes of travel, you will be taken to Schinder's Factory Museum.
Your tour leader will accompany you to the museum and assist you with the entrance process before your self-guided visit begins. Oskar Schindler’s Factory presents the story of a man who dedicated himself to saving the lives of Jewish people during World War II. The museum also portrays Kraków under Nazi occupation through immersive and interactive exhibitions, allowing visitors to experience the atmosphere of the city during that time. Your ticket includes entrance to the museum and independent sightseeing at your own pace.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
The hours you book are tentative and may change due to schedule at the Auschwitz Museum and traffic conditions. Exact pick up time will be confirmed for a day before the departure.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- ENTRANCE: As it is mandatory in Auschwitz Birkenau & Schindler’s Factory museum to confirm your personal details, you are required to take with you passport or ID to be presented at the entrance to museum. Please do not forget it, otherwise you may be not allowed to enter museum.
- VISIT: While in the camps, visitors are required to behave appropriately and respectfully.
- VISIT: Visitors are generally allowed to take pictures with a few, clearly indicated exceptions.
- VISIT: A visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau can prove traumatic, therefore we recommend that visitors were at least 13 years old.
- LUGGAGE: The maximum size of your carry-on can not exceed the following dimensions: 30 x 20 x 10 cm. You can leave your larger luggage in the car.
- DEPARTURE: Your exact pickup depends on your accommodation place and schedule in Auschwitz museum. Check your email a day before the tour, as your pick up hour may change!
- DEPARTURE: Your pickup time might be changed and will be between 5:00 AM - 02:00 PM but we usually adjust it by only 30-60 minutes (sometimes a more significant change is necessary)
- DEPARTURE: If the above change is necessary then the start time will be different than the one presented on your voucher. In such case you will be informed via email and/or What's App 12-24 hours before the amended start time
- MEALS: Lunch is not included. There's no time for a regular meal between visits to Auschwitz and Birkenau, so bring a snack. A grocery shop, snack bar, and restaurant are NOT available on-site
- OPTIONS: Be sure to select correct product option to use hotel or meeting point pickup as the price is different.
Reviews(73)
The tour was incredibly informative. Our tour guide was excellent and engaging. However, the operators caused some confusion regarding the payment and arrangements between the first and second sets of tours. Lack of communication. Overall the tour was pleasing and I’m very happy.
Thank you for your feedback. We’re delighted to hear that you found the tour incredibly informative and that your guide was excellent and engaging throughout the experience. We’re sorry to learn that there was some confusion regarding the payment and arrangements between the first and second parts of your tour. We understand how important clear communication is, and we appreciate you bringing this to our attention. Your comments will help us improve our coordination and communication in the future. Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We’re pleased that, overall, you enjoyed the tour and left happy. We hope to welcome you back to Krakow in the future!
Emotional, excellent history - end of day I was worn out! We did Schindler factory after Also excellent tour. I was saturated with history!
Thank you very much for your feedback. We are glad to hear that you found both the tour and Schindler’s Factory visit excellent and rich in historical insight, even if it left you understandably emotionally and mentally exhausted by the end of the day. These are indeed very intense experiences, and it’s completely natural to feel “history-saturated” after such a full programme. Your feedback is very important to us and helps us continuously improve our services. We truly appreciate you taking the time to share your experience and hope to welcome you again in the future.
From the start of the trip Adam was very helpful and polite. He made sure that we had everything we needed, and was also very helpful in answering any questions that we had.
Thank you very much for your kind feedback. We are delighted to hear that Adam made such a positive impression from the very start of your trip. Providing helpful, attentive, and professional service is something we truly value, and it’s wonderful to know Adam delivered on this. We will be sure to share your comments with him. Your feedback is very important to us and helps us continuously improve our services. We truly appreciate you taking the time to share your experience and look forward to welcoming you again in the future.
Gabriel was a wonderful driver to Auschwitz, however the guide there was not good. She just went from a script and wouldn’t/couldn’t answer questions. I don’t think she understood English. She talked about the memorial at Berkenau after we passed it. At the end I asked why we didn’t stop to take a photo and she said that we were on the standard tour and that wasn’t included. I had looked the most inclusive tour and didn’t see anything about standard or extended tours. I was disappointed, but it wasn’t the fault of the tour company. Also, I looked for a small group tour, and the van only had eight people but we joined a group and then the group was 30 people.
Our driver Yaro was a superb driver and host. Our tour was Auschwitz and then Schindlers Museum. Very well organised with clear collection and drop off instructions. But the experience was really elevated to another level by Yaro, who sent us places of interest to see near our hotel after the Schindlers museum tour. Thanks
well organized, lots of info… excellent tour company. we were picked up on time. driver was excellent
Very sobering experience, if you are interested in WW2 history this tour is a must. Got picked up on time, started our tour almost instantly. Got dropped off at Schindlers and picked up again to be brought to my apartment. They make the day seamless and worth it for not having to wait in line
Having booked tour with transport and entrance, and a guided tour, the bus ride took about 1 1/2 hour each way - depending on traffic. Was a good experience with the guide, who was good at telling and at a calm pace, as well as had time to answer questions.
Thank you very much for sharing your feedback! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the guided tour and that the guide provided clear explanations at a calm pace, taking the time to answer your questions. It’s wonderful to know that the transport and overall experience met your expectations. We are always striving to improve, so your comments help us ensure we maintain the highest standards of service for all our guests. If you need any assistance in planning another trip, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. Hope to welcome you on another tour in the future.
The whole tour experience was very professional. The guides were knowledgeable and friendly. Visiting these solemn sites was done with dignity and grace.
Thank you very much for sharing your feedback! We’re delighted to hear that you found the tour professional and that the guides were knowledgeable and friendly. It’s wonderful to know that your visit to these solemn sites was conducted with dignity and respect. We are always striving to improve, so your comments help us ensure we maintain the highest standards of service for all our guests. If you need any assistance in planning another trip, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. Hope to welcome you on another tour in the future.
An early start but a fantastic trip! The tour guide was very knowledgeable about both camps. A very moving time.
Thank you for your feedback! We’re glad to hear that, despite the early start, you had a fantastic and moving experience. It’s great to know that our guide’s knowledge enhanced your visit to both camps. If you ever need any assistance for future tours, our team is always ready to help. We hope to welcome you again on another tour!
