Auschwitz-Birkenau German Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp

Auschwitz Birkenau. German Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp (1940-1945)

Auschwitz has become a symbol of terror, genocide, and the Holocaust. It was established by Germans in 1940, in the suburbs of Oświęcim, a Polish city that was annexed to the Third Reich by the Nazis. Its name was changed to Auschwitz, which also became the name of Konzentrationslager Auschwitz.

Admission to the grounds of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial is free of charge. The fees are charged for engaging a guide, renting a headphone guiding system (for groups more than ten people) and the documentary movie. Visitors should set aside a minimum of about 90 minutes for the Auschwitz site and the same amount of time for Auschwitz II-Birkenau.

A 3km distance between Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau camps can be covered by a free shuttle bus. Deparutres from Auschwitz I 30 minutes after a full hour, depratures from Auschwitz II-Birkenau on the hour. The bus goes from 15 April to 31 October.

The individual visitors can choose to see the Museum independently or on a guided tour. Groups have to to hire a Museum's guide.

The visit is not recommended for children under 14.

Open daily (except for 1 January, 25 December and Easter Sunday):

• 8am-3pm January-February
• 8am-4pm March, November
• 8am-5pm April, October
• 8am-6pm May, September
• 8am-7pm June, July, August

Visits to the camps from 1 April to 31 October:

Visiting the Auschwitz I camp between 10am and 3pm possible only with a guided tour (approx. 4 hours; tickets PLN 38/27):

• in English: April, October 10:30am-3:30pm every hour; July – August 9:30am-3:30pm every 30 minutes (tickets PLN 40/30)

• in German, French, Italian and Spanish: April, October noon; May – September 10:30am, noon, 1:30pm and additional Spanish tour 2pm (tickets PLN 40/30)

• in Czech and Slovak: July – August 10am, 2pm (Czech) / 11am, 3pm (Slovak) (tickets PLN 40/30)


• if a larger group can be gathered possible also tours in Russian, Swedish, Serbian, Croatian, Japanese and Hungarian (information on the spot or after a prior reservation)

Fee includes a visit of the Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau sites with a guide, screening of the documentary movie, headphone rental and transportation to and from Birkenau.

The Auschwitz II-Birkenau site is opened for visitors without the guide all day long during the opening hours of the Memorial.; bus to Birkenau is free.

The documentary film, which is part of the visit, can be watched before or after visiting the site of the Memorial.

Screening of the documentary movie:

• in Polish: 9:30am, 10:30am, 11:30am, 12:30pm, 1:30pm, 2:30pm, 3:30pm, 4:30pm, 5:30pm
• in English: 9am, 10am, 11am, noon, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm, 5pm, 6pm

Visiting the camps from 1 November to 31 March:

Visits without guided tour possible for individual visitors without time limitation (except for the opening hours of the Memorial).

Guided tours (approx. 4h):

• in Polish: 11:30am, 1:30pm (PLN 25/20)
• in English: 10:30am, 11:30am, 12:30pm, 1:20pm (PLN 40/30)
• in French: 12:30pm (PLN 40/30)
• in German: 12:30pm (PLN 40/30)
• in Italian: 12:30pm (PLN 40/30)
• in Spanish: 12:30pm (PLN 40/30)

Fee includes a visit of the Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau sites with a guide, screening of the documentary movie, headphone rental and transportation to and from Birkenau.

In the reception building visitors may view a documentary film presenting the first moments after liberation: PLN 3.50/2.50. Screenings of the documentary movie:

• 8am-3pm every half an hour

Tourist Information Centres and travel agencies offer organised tours from Kraków to the museum. Tour lasts about 6 hours. The ticket price includes transport, tour leader on the way and guided sightseeing of both camps.