Krakow Balice Airport to City transfers

[Flashback]

I've been doing a bit of looking and the prices seem to range from 15 euros to 20 euros for the 1 way trip for 2 people. As with any of these kind of things, you really want someone reputable so I was hoping someone may have had experience in the past with this. They all seem to charge a flat fee from the airport to the city so location is irrelevant.

Anyone with previous experience who could suggest a reputable company? The most expensive one was found via wikitravel.org, which generally suggests reputable but surely one of the cheaper ones may also be fine!

Also interested in input on doing tours of Auschwitz and the Salt Mines. As per Wikitravel there are the various train/bus options but we're looking for something a little less energetic for various reasons:!:

http://www.krakowshuttle.com looks like it has some good options (and pricing) so hoping someone has used them before.

 

[loobloke]

Caught a train so not sure about plane. I think the other half of our party caught a taxi though? Write down the address and have a map. Germany - most can speak English. Poland not so English friendly ... urggg don't even try to pronounce Polish.

Make sure you stay in old town - it's a lovely area, shielding from what you usually see in a large city. It was actually one of my favorite cities.

We used: Cracow city tours - Auschwitz, Salt Mine, John Paul II, Czestochowa, Zakopane, Cracow Tours
They were good, booked through hostel, the guides had personalities and were interesting to listen to. Bus picks/drops you up from city centre.

Auschwitz is a must. Salt mines was average - you go 130m underground and they have all these little exhibits - but not too realistic and you can see it's really been manipulated to be touristy. If I had a choice - I would have gone on one of the country tours instead.

Neither are really energetic, both go at a reasonable pace.

We managed to hit a siberian winter in Auschwitz, combined with rain (more likely sleet) so we were fortunate enough to get a good understanding of some of the conditions that they must have endured .. without the luxury of 3 layers of clothing. Also no chances for buying good in either place during tour, and Auschwitz is a day tour so bring foods!

 

[Flashback]

We're staying at the Hilton Garden Inn which I believe is in the old town, appears to be 5km or so from the train station. Our thoughts were to cab it from the airport to the hotel, then when leaving cab it to the train station and get the train back out to the airport.

Weather seems to be all over the place at the moment, so hard to tell how to pack. We're heading off next week for 3 nights.

Thanks for the link, price looks pretty good for Auschwitz and seems to give you your own guide rather than having to try and organise one once you get there.

 

[RB]

My experience is from 2000 so obviously out of date. Arrived by bus from Slovakia & left to Prague by train. We walked from/to the stations from our hotel that was also walking distance to the Old Town-not a big place. We caught a bus trip out to Auschwitz (very confronting) that was good & not physically stressful. I certainly agree with being in the Old Town, it was fantastic-great little bars hidden downstairs & people watching in the main square.

 

[loobloke]

Ohhh a word of advice.

A group of friend I made there had their credit card skimmed in the taxi. Make sure you pay cash!

 

[Flashback]

We've already got PLN anyway, generally don't like paying cabs with CC unless I have an account with them! (e.g. only place I do pay card is London, it's almost the only place I've been where there's no surcharge!)

 

[loobloke]

Um also (it's slowly coming all back to me) if you really want to save $$ I think that the salt mines and Auschwitz run their own tours, saw this at the tickets office. Something about half the price of what we paid - so we paid a hefty premium for transport there and an arranged guide.

But hey Poland is dirt cheap so it doesn't matter And also, explore the old town - I can't stop saying it, there are so many little surprises tucked away everywhere and its all so cheap and delicious!
I'm sure you'll love Krakow.

 

[Flashback]

Um also (it's slowly coming all back to me) if you really want to save $$ I think that the salt mines and Auschwitz run their own tours, saw this at the tickets office. Something about half the price of what we paid - so we paid a hefty premium for transport there and an arranged guide.

But hey Poland is dirt cheap so it doesn't matter And also, explore the old town - I can't stop saying it, there are so many little surprises tucked away everywhere and its all so cheap and delicious!
I'm sure you'll love Krakow.

The price I saw you paid, seems cheaper still than most of the hirecar companies that just provide transport there and back .. so I actually thought the price was fine! Price isn't a major issue, we're on our "minimoon" (due to a few things that have happened we're going to take our proper honeymoon next year) ; which is why also we're looking at being driven there and back as we'd usually just go the train/bus route ; more fun!

Yeh, looks quite cheap! Looking forward to it.

 

[Balwyn3103]

The other thing in Krakow we found interesting was the Jewish area. If nothing else go to a restaurant at night and hear Klezmer music. If I remember correctly it's just across the river from the Wawel (castle well worth seeing). A restaurant just back from the main square is Chlopskie Jadlo (peasant food). There are several of them in the big Polish cities but we love the food.

 

[Flashback]

The other thing in Krakow we found interesting was the Jewish area. If nothing else go to a restaurant at night and hear Klezmer music. If I remember correctly it's just across the river from the Wawel (castle well worth seeing). A restaurant just back from the main square is Chlopskie Jadlo (peasant food). There are several of them in the big Polish cities but we love the food.

The restaurant is across the river from the Wawel or the Hilton Garden Inn is? (I know the hotel isn't far from the castle...)

We have ended up booking airport transfers with Krakow Direct and negotiated the price from 85 PLN to 80 (as most other companies charge that amount).