How to plan your first Auschwitz tour from the UK
Visiting Auschwitz-Birkenau is one of the most significant journeys you can make.
Kraków would be your natural starting point. It sits about 70 km east of Auschwitz-Birkenau and offers far more in terms of accommodation, history, and onward logistics than anywhere closer to the memorial site.
Kraków John Paul II International Airport connects with several UK airports:
London Heathrow and Gatwick: British Airways and LOT Polish Airlines fly this route
Manchester: Ryanair and Wizz Air offer competitive fares
Edinburgh: seasonal and connecting options via hub airports
The flight from London takes around 2 and a half hours. Book 6–8 weeks ahead for the best prices as budget carriers often offer round trips under £80 when booked early, especially outside the summer peak.
You have 3 main ways to make the journey: getting an organised transfer where a vehicle picks you up from your accommodation and drives you directly to the memorial, usually with a guide on board, public transport or a car rental.
Kraków has a wide range of accommodation, from budget hostels in the Old Town to four-star hotels near Wawel Castle. This gives you time to explore its own history alongside your Auschwitz day.
If you prefer to be closer to the memorial, Oświęcim has a small selection of hotels and guesthouses. This suits anyone who wants to spend quiet time reflecting rather than returning straight to a busy city.
Booking tickets and choosing the right tour
This is the most important step in the whole process. Arrive without a booking and you risk being turned away - especially between April and October, when the site runs at full capacity.
The Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum uses a timed entry system. Book through the official museum website (auschwitz.org) or through an organised tour operator.
If you want to keep planning simple, KrakowDirect offers guided Auschwitz tours from Kraków that bundle transport, entry coordination, and an experienced local guide into a single booking. Organised tours typically cost between £40 and £80 per person, depending on group size and what's included.
The memorial covers 2 distinct sites, and you need time for both:
Auschwitz I: the original camp, now a museum. Walk through preserved barracks, the "Arbeit Macht Frei" gate, and deeply affecting displays of victims' belongings - shoes, suitcases, hair - taken by the Nazis.
Auschwitz II-Birkenau: the larger extermination site, about 3 km away. The scale here is staggering. Vast fields of destroyed barracks and the ruins of the crematoria show the full magnitude of the genocide.
Allow 3.5 to 6 hours to see both sites properly. Wear comfortable, closed-toe shoes - you'll walk several miles on uneven ground. Dress modestly, bring water, and leave clothing with loud logos at the hotel. Photography is welcome in most outdoor areas but strictly off-limits inside certain rooms, particularly those displaying personal belongings.
The visit is emotionally demanding. Reading background material beforehand makes a real difference. If This Is a Man by Primo Levi or Auschwitz: A History by Laurence Rees are excellent starting points.
Combining Auschwitz with a Kraków itinerary
Kraków deserves time in its own right. Pairing your Auschwitz visit with a few days in the city gives you a much fuller picture of Polish and Jewish history.
Rynek Główny (Main Market Square) is one of the largest medieval squares in Europe, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Wawel Castle is the former royal residence with sweeping views over the Vistula River. Kazimierz is the historic Jewish quarter, home to synagogues, memorials, and a vibrant cultural scene Schindler's Factory Museum covers the Nazi occupation of Kraków and provides essential Holocaust context that complements your Auschwitz visit
Auschwitz-Birkenau is not a conventional tourist destination. It's a place of memory, education, and mourning. Go with humility, stay curious, and let the experience stay with you long after you leave.