How To Travel From Kraków To Zakopane

Poland’s winter resort, Zakopane is nestled at the root of the High Tatra mountains. The area is excellent for hiking, skiing, and a range of other activities. However, there is also unique folk architecture and plenty of more spectacular attractions.

Zakopane, ul. Droga na Antałówkę 8 – image © Egipskie.ciemnosci / CC BY-SA 3.0 PL

At roughly 110km from Kraków, the journey to Poland’s outdoor capital and winter resort, Zakopane (pronounced “za-ko-pa-nuh”) takes 2-2.5 hours to reach. Nestled at the root of the High Tatra mountains, the area is excellent for hiking, skiing, and a range of other activities, including extensive spa retreats. However, there is also unique folk architecture and plenty of more spectacular attractions. Many Poles choose to take a winter vacation here but it’s worth a visit at any time of the year.

Practically speaking, a bus is the only way to travel to Zakopane via public transport, but it’s also possible to take an exciting day trip from Kraków if you just want a taste.

How To Get From Kraków To Zakopane By Train

The train will only take you so far in the direction before you’ll need to change onto a bus, and this method will end up taking longer anyway. In this instance, you’re better off travelling to Zakopane by road.

How To Get From Kraków To Zakopane By Coach

FlixBus runs a frequent service to Wrocław from Kraków’s Dworzec Autobusowy, which take 2.5 hours, and drop you off next to the main bus station in Zakopane, a 13-minute walk from the centre of town. Coaches depart throughout the day, so check with a service like 12go for the latest timetables. A one-way ticket costs, at time of writing, as little as 22zł (5€).

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Destination

Check-in date

Sun 29 Jan 2023

Check-out date

Mon 30 Jan 2023

How To Fly To Zakopane From Kraków

At just 110km south of Kraków, Zakopane is too close to Kraków to fly.

How To Get From Kraków To Zakopane By Private Transfer

Zakopane is close enough to Kraków to make hiring a private transfer a viable and convenient option. This will pick you up from your accommodation and the journey will last roughly two hours.

Other Polish Cities You Can Visit From Kraków

You will find a general overview of the transport network on our page How To Travel From Kraków To Other Polish Cities. This gives information on how to use trains, coaches, planes, and private vehicles in Poland, and where each type of service departs in Kraków.

• Kraków To Białystok: In the north east of Poland, Białystok has a lively cultural scene and a handful of tourist attractions, and is close to the UNESCO-listed Białowieski National Park and the oldest forests in Europe.
• Kraków To Gdańsk: On the Baltic coast, Gdańsk is friendly and great for food, and one of Poland’s biggest tourist destinations.
• Kraków To Gdynia: Gdynia is also a port city with some lovely sandy beaches, and also makes a great day trip from neighbouring Gdańsk.
• Kraków To Katowice: For something a bit different, Katowice is very post-industrial. It’s airport and proximity to Kraków make it worth consideration for travellers who want a future-facing (and very green) Poland, with dramatic, modern architecture.
• Kraków To Łódź: Set in the very heart of Poland, Łódź is coming into its own as a creative city. The city is alive with murals and street art. There’s a great food scene and a nice mix of architectural styles. Right now, Łódź has that exciting feel of the future.
• Kraków To Lublin: On the eastern side of Poland, Lublin is best known as a cultural and academic city. It has a rich Jewish heritage and was apparently referred to as the ‘Jewish Oxford’ in the Jagiellonian era. There is a nice mix of medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque, with some atmospheric cobbled streets.
• Kraków To Olsztyn: Up in the north, Olsztyn is often overlooked by tourists keen to reach the more famous Gdańsk. It does, however, have a pretty Old Town and ranks very highly for quality of life. What’s more, the city provides a gateway to some gorgeous wild countryside of lakes and forests.
• Kraków To Poznań: 300km to the west of Warsaw, youthful Poznań has a lively, friendly nightlife, with plenty of restaurants and bars. The Old Town is brightly coloured and quirkily decorated with bold styles similar to Southern Germany. There’s plenty here to keep you occupied for a long weekend, with a museums, a cathedral, and historical buildings, but the city also makes a great base for exploring Poland’s countryside.
• Kraków To Sopot: Another seaside resort, between Gdynia and Gdańsk, Sopot is a playground for the rich. With sandy beaches and a pier, as well as the shops, bars, and clubs of Bohaterów Monte Cassino, it can be very busy at the height of the season. Even more than Gdynia, Sopot might be best sampled first as an afternoon out, rounded off with a meal in one of the excellent fish restaurants.
• Kraków To Szczecin: Close to the border with Germany, Szczecin is off the beaten track for most tourists. The Old Town is pretty and there are a handful of attractions to see. But, mainly, visiting Szczecin is a great opportunity to get to know Polish food and to engage with the culture – there is a fine Philharmonic building and the grand Ducal Castle is now an arts centre.
• Kraków To Toruń: Largely untouched by the Second World War, Toruń is a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the Vistula River to the north west of Warsaw. The architectural highlights are dominated by the huge Gothic cathedral and the city feels less hectic than more famous tourist destinations.
• Kraków To Warsaw: Poland’s capital city is easy to reach from Kraków and makes a good weekend destination. Much of Warsaw was built after 1945. Even the pretty Old Town is mostly reconstruction. But there are excellent museums and places to eat. It’s also one of Europe’s great cities to go out drinking!
• Kraków To Wrocław: Wrocław is a charming city in the western part of Poland, with islands and bridges criss-crossing the water and a strong Gothic flavour to the architecture. Built out from the 10th century Ostrów Tumski (Cathedral Island), Wrocław also has a stunning market square, much of which is listed within a UNESCO World Heritage Site.