Auschwitz & Birkenau Guided Tour With Hotel Pickup From Krakow

An absolutely amazing and respectful tour. We took our two teenage Grandchildren who were mesmerised and took on board the horrors of the Holocaust. The arrangements through Hello Cracow after booking via Get Your Guide were first class. Great pickup locations, easy to walk to with map details. Patrycja kept up updated at all times and offered us the opportunity of purchasing delicious packed lunches which I definitely recommend at 50 Polish Zloty per person..very reasonably priced. Emir was our coach guide, a very modern and comfortable double decker coach and everything was explained by Emir as to the order of the day on our journey to Auschwitz-Birkenau. The guide at the museum, which is what Auschwitz-Birkenau is classed as was excellent. The respectful tone of his voice, the pace of the tour and everything about it shows total respect for those who suffered there. I would highly recommend Hello Cracow for this tour, their prices were extremely fair and the 7 hour day perfectly planned.

A visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum was one of the most heartbreaking & humbling experiences of our journey.

Our guide Pavel collected us on time at our accommodation & sped us off to Auschwitz & Birkenau. His knowledge and most of all the emphatic way in which he delivered you the shocking truth was truly amazing. He seemed to really take stock of the group feeling. An amazing man doing an extremely difficult job. Thank you Pavel.

Viator are extremely efficient keeping touch both before and throughout our stay. We knew exactly where to be and when. Our driver Artur was charming and a very safe driver.

It was a good experience. In the other hand, the transport guy was disrespectful and he treated us like stupids because he thought we don't know English.

Tour in general was ok and interesting, the guide in the tour inside really well explained and gave us lots of information In the other hand, the guy who picked us was flirting with one of the gals in the van; all conversation was in line like trying to hook up with her; which is fine, but not in working hours, the rest of the van is not interesting in seeing him flirting. Also, he gave the option to smoke while waiting, dude, did you ever think asking if we don’t mind? Like smelling the cigar during the trip? If you can avoid this driver, please do so

Loved our guide Wojetk! Had a really great experience.

Well organised trip. Pick-up seamless. Communication with Hello Cracow was excellent. Hello Cracow quick to keep in touch and respond to any questions. Excellent tour. Skipped the queues with our guide. These are the people to book with. Excellent value for money

We had a fantastic experience on this trip, very well organised and is a must for a trip to Auschwitz. There is no queuing you get to go straight through the gates with your guide. I would definitely recommend this company and trip.

We were picked up from our hotel in a Mercedes sprinter van as stated but then we were brought to another meeting point where we got on a bus with 30 other people. The seats were terrible! Literally no room to move. It took my husband 5 min to even get his seatbelt on. His seat and multiple others were broken and he could not lean back without it hitting the man behind him. For 1.5 hour ride, this was very uncomfortable. Once we arrived we were told like cattle we had “10 min to use the bathroom” and if the line was too long, we should “hold it” until after security. The security line was very long and the whole place was super busy and behind due to school field trips that day. So after 3 hrs from leaving the hotel, we finally got in. We were rushed through most of the exhibits and did not see some since it was so busy. Shoulder to shoulder in there. Afterwards, we were to travel 8 min to birkeneau and again, we were asked if anyone had to go to the restroom “to please hold it.” We purchased a lunch box and were promised a 15 min break but never got it and were forced to eat on the 8 min ride in the seats we could hardly move in. Once we got to birkenau we were again denied the bathrooms since we were dropped far from the entrance. I tried to sit a moment and eat my lunch at 5:30pm but everyone sprinted. Then they were being rushed and we had to power walk on uneven rock gravel and again, the bathroom line was long and we were being rushed and as if we were holding up the whole group. After power walking out of breath we finally saw the gas changer ruins. Then it was another power walking back! This was not ideal for older people or myself as I was nursing a slightly sprained ankle. Then again! My husband tried to go to the restroom and we were looked down on! When leaving the line was long again and we were encouraged to hold it or pay 5 euro to use the less busy one. At this point we were asked to pay for the lunch we couldn’t eat and then they mentioned they would not drop us at the hotel but 10 min walk away. Glad I got to see it but terrible tour. Be prepared to be uncomfortable and inconvenienced.

Fantastic experience using hello cracow, communication was excellent regarding pickup time and where it would be prior to the day we picked up from the designated pickup point on time, our leader was Justyna who was lovley she talked us through how the day would go whilst on route. When we arrived at Austchwitz 1 we were introduced to our guide David who would be with us for both sites, the tour of site 1 was about 2 hours, we were then take over to the Birkenau site which for me was more emotional just to walk the path of so many innocent people. Unfortunately this tour was cut short due to timing restrictions of the site so did not get to go around full site but saw enough we were then took back to Kracow where we chose to get off at the first drop off in the Jewish quater to explore and have a beautiful walk back along the river and castle to our hotel. The whole day really was well organised. I would recommend anyone who is going to Krakow to do this trip and would highly recommend Hello Cracow.

Informative, sad, a lot of walking. Sensitively described by tour guide. Pleased we were able to pay our respects.

Excellent tour faultless start to finish 😊

Visiting Auschwitz-Birkenau is difficult and disturbing, but I am very glad I went. You can read about the Holocaust and know the numbers, but standing at Birkenau and seeing its enormous scale makes it real in a completely different way. My advice is to read something beforehand—I read Night by Elie Wiesel—and give yourself time to absorb what you are seeing. Visit both Auschwitz I and Birkenau; they are very different experiences and both are essential. It is not an easy day, but it is an important one. Seeing Auschwitz in person reminds you what human beings are capable of—and why remembering matters.

Paid and confirmed a pickup time 09.15 by Viator. The tour operator Hello Cracow contacted us days before to change pickup to 1.30 pm a 7 hour tour. To late to rebook with other operators who were already full . We were told ignore Viator time only time Auschwitz gave them. On arrival ticket said 16.00 time. Avoid this company Hello Cracow they admitted tickets were sold for time slots they did not have. We lost our evening tour not returning to Krackow until 08.45 pm . It’s a big con selling time slots they don’t have. No empathy they knew it was take or leave it . DONT BOOK THIS TOUR with them.

I booked what should have been a once in a lifetime experience to travel to Auschwitz but instead got no tour, no refund, and not even a travel credit. Two different departure times were sent to me, and after I missed the bis, no effort was made to contact me via WhatsApp, the method this company uses to send travel details. Being jet-lagged, perhaps that was my fault, but the follow-up experience was bad. It took several attempts to get ahold of anybody in this company and I was given nothing but excuses and condescending remarks. Instead of being given a refund or a travel credit, I wasn't even offered the opportunity for a rebooking. All they told me to do was contact Viator, which did absolutely nothing. As somebody that has traveled to over 60 countries now, this is the worst experience I've ever had. If you're looking to book any tours in and around Krakow, I would most certainly use another company!

Justine from Hello Cracow was excellent, very professional, friendly, clear communication. Marek the tour guide was fantastic, he was clear, excellent communication and did the tour at the correct pace. The communication as a whole from Helli Cracow was excellent and made the trip run very smooth. I am glad I visited Auschwitz and Birkenau whilst in Poland. It was very reasonable price and a must visit.

The coach pick-up, with driver and courier was on time and we travelled to Auschwitz where we had a few minutes to use the toilets (long queues= and grab refreshments from a machine. After a security search, we received audio receivers and headphones and met our guide. There were obviously many visitors that day (mid-September) and so the groups were pretty much nose to tail. The pace of the visit was quite brisk and we found that those at the front were often in one place while those further back were listening to a commentary on somewhere that they had yet to reach. There was certainly too little time to linger, view the photographs or read the information posted on the walls. This must be to allow all those who would like to visit to be accommodated and so is not really a criticism, just an observation. We then had a short while on the coach to eat our lunches and travel to Birkenau which is more of an outdoor experience with a lot of distance to cover. As an older couple (78 and 82) we struggled to keep up at times and found it to be a very tiring day. However, we were lucky that the day was dry and fine. If, like us, you believe that it is a visit that you must undertake, just read all the information carefully and be prepared.

I arranged a 7-hour visit to Auschwitz and Birkenkau on the flexible option. The earliest slot available was 09:30 and I duly booked. Once booked it was made clear that the time could change and not to make other arrangements for later in the day such as other tours, a dinner reservation or theatre. At around 3pm the day before the trip we were informed that the departure time from our meeting point would be 05:35. I asked for a later slot or refund as this was way too early, but the agents and then manager steadfastly refused to cooperate. Their line was that they were clear they had asked us to reserve the whole day and we hadn't given 24 hours notice of cancellation. It is now too late for us to make alternative arrangements to visit the former camp. I am kicking myself for not having made arrangements to travel to the camp independently, but assumed I was dealing with a reputable and ethical company. The level and nature of flexibility expected here was hugely misleading and unreasonable. We would have had to get up at 04:30 to make the make the departure time. Our age and health made this unfeasible. When I said that I planned to share my experience with other travellers I was offered a 60% refund on the basis that the time was “exceptionally early” and not to my satisfaction. That refund has yet to materialise. Krakow is such a lovely city and the people are so friendly. It’s a shame our visit was spoiled by this experience.

Excellent trip Well organised & very polite driver

V interesting and put previous knowledge into context, helped make it real. A lot of walking but that was expected. Great driver/guide Wojciech, looked after us well.

Good trip. Our guide Wojtek was very good, and was very informative

100% thanks from Latvia 🤩🤩🤩

Its quite a journey to the camp and also you need some stamina as the walk is a long one and at Auschwitz you have a lot of stairs to climb! Otherwise its an experience!

The excursion ran on time, the guide was very knowledgeable and articulate.

The pick up was on time and the tour was very organized and educational with a small group. I would recommend it to anyone to use this site for future bookings.

From pick up to drop off and everything inbetween first class can't recommend enough thanks for the experience.

A very moving experience, but really well organised, pick up from the hotel on time and everything perfectly organised. Would recommend the company Hello Crakow who keep you up to date with communication . Excellent.

Our driver today was Wojtek, he was an excellent driver, full of the chats and the giggles along with being so informative and was very punctual picking us up and dropping us back to our accomadation, very professional. Our tour guide was Mirek, he was exceptional! He spoke with such emotion and passion, he was so informative. He gave us plenty of time for pictures, questions and you can tell he is very passionate about his job. He really made the tour fly, I could’ve listened to him all day, we really enjoyed this experience and will carry our learning home with us, thanks Mirek! The atmosphere was quiet and the experience overall itself was just emotionally sad, how someone could do this to millions of innocents is jaw dropping. The admission fee was absolutely fine it was worth the money and I’d pay it again for the experience. We had a a crowed of 15 on tour which was ideal it wasn’t too large it was just right and best for me and my niece. I would highly, HIGHLY recommend booking this tour, I’d give it 10/10 on every level. Thanks so much Wotjek & Mirek! All the way from Ireland ☘️

Fanatic trip. Driver and guide were excellent. Saw lots of the exhibits and didn’t feel rushed. Recommend the packed lunch too as it saves queuing.

We booked an Auschwitz-Birkenau tour through Hello Cracow months in advance. Auschwitz was the main reason we chose Krakow, and the trip was specifically planned around my daughter’s birthday. On the day, we followed the pickup instructions provided by their driver, but the taxi left after approximately one minute. We were then given the wrong address for the coach meeting point and, despite following the instructions we were given, ended up at the wrong location. After contacting Hello Cracow, we were told we could be moved onto an Auschwitz tour the following day. We relied on this and paid for the Salt Mines again so we could attend Auschwitz the next day. They subsequently admitted in writing that they had made a mistake and that there was no availability. Auschwitz was then fully booked for the rest of our stay, meaning we never got to visit. They agreed to a 100% refund, but several days later we have only received one child’s ticket refund. The two adult tickets and other child’s ticket remain outstanding. They have also refused to reimburse the second Salt Mine booking, despite acknowledging that we purchased it because of the incorrect information they provided. The manager has now stopped responding to us. Mistakes happen, but the way this was handled was unacceptable. We followed the information provided to us, were given incorrect information afterwards, incurred additional costs as a result, and ultimately lost the main experience our trip was planned around. I would not recommend.

Excellent service, great driver exceeded our expectations of a on day excursion. I would surely recommend it to everyone

Easy to book and very helpful and clear communication throughout. Very good value for money. Our driver and guide Michal was fantastic - very knowledgeable, very clear and did a great job at not rushing us around. A truly harrowing experience but we have always felt we had to go.

Don't even think of hiring this company . My wife and I were abandoned by the guide, a so called Michael, who was responsible for the group at the time to enter Auschwitz. It happened on August 21st, 2026 after paying 62 euros each. The result: we missed the chance to visit the camp, our main goal on a trip from a distance of 2.300 kilómeters. Nobody gave us neither a response nor a compensation. It has only a name: A RIPOFF

Hello krakow terrible communication book whatever time you want then the day you cannot cancel they tell you pickup is like 5 in the morning. We missed the pick up because of this time and they don’t want to help you.

It feels inappropriate to say I enjoyed visiting Auschwitz - Birkenau but I'm glad there are those dedicated to maintaining it as a reminder of some of the darkest times in our history. Hello Krakow was a good tour operator, we were always informed of any updates and changes and any questions promptly answered. Our group was a double decker coach full which was well shephered into three smaller groups for the tours. Our guide, Agata, weaved the poignant story of Auschwitz - Birkenau with empathy and dignity, some of the items were 'uncomfortable' to view but Agata described them with the utmost respect, and answered every question, no matter how awkward. making the experience more powerful. Everyone should visit this place, not only to reflect and remember, but to help prevent history repeating itself.

Ourr tour guide at Auschwitz & Birkenau was incredible! She was informative and easy to understand. She was well organized, and able to educate our group in 94 degree weather without a sweat. Robert, the guide that picked us up was very organized and brought us nice box lunches. (extra). My only complaint is that you only have 15 mins between tours, and it's not enough time to eat your lunch, and go to the bathroom. And, the only place to eat it was on a bench in the sun in 94 degree weather. There must be a better way to do it. While I feel bad even complaining, after what we learned 6 million Jews and more went through in those camps.

It was sobering and educational. Our tour guide had excellent knowledge and experience of the camp and shared his personal family relationship to concentration camps and the history of the Nazi occupation which made it quite meaningful.

I completely messed up the pickup point this morning. But within minutes of contacting Viator, we still managed to go on our trip. Well done Viator. The experience was both harrowing, but so very interesting. It’s something I certainly will never forget. Looking forward to my next 2 trips with Viator.

Pickup and drop off went efficiently, the 1.5 hour journey was comfortable and the minivan was air-conditioned, though it was full and it was probably a bit cramped for the two in the front seats. Got to Auschwitz and there was some confusion, with the guide turning up half an hour late. Despite this, the guide was very good and explained all the main aspects in good English with the respect and solemnity required of such an 'attraction'. But it was all very rushed. The girls barely had time to queue for the toilets and we all had to eat lunch in the van going between sites. We weren't really given time to read the information plaques on all the exhibits. It didn't help that the weather was scorchingly hot in the morning when we were traipsing between buildings at Auschwitz and then thundering down at Birkenau which was all outside, but that's not their fault and I guess being shown around in luxury and comfort would not have been appropriate. Despite all this I would recommend it; I think they were having a bad day but we saw everything as promised and were delivered back to our hotel in good time. The sites themselves are well-laid out and well-managed. I think everyone should come here at some point in their lives; it is sobering, horrifying and eye-opening. One word of warning - there is a lot of walking involved; you are on your feet all day, though this would be the case with any tour operator.

Great experience! Picked up from my hotel, safe driving to exhibition. Plenty of communication. Excellent tour.

Well organized from pick up to drop off

informative, honest and knowledgeable guide, slow pace so everyone can join in. it was also well suited for the youth (ours were 15 and 17)

Picked up from hotel. Small group of 8 in Mercedes van. Everything was very organized. Met tour guide after getting to Auschwitz. Very knowledgeable. Would recommend.

The pre-tour handholding was outstanding - strong communication and coordination to make sure the tour went off smoothly… all questions answered promptly and thoroughly… so my expectations were high!! The day of the tour - bus arrived on schedule (perfect!) with both a driver and a tour coordinator. The Tour coordinator was disheveled and in need of some personal hygiene - not a great first impression TBH. He rattled off the necessary details then promptly sat down to look at his social media feed. Is that just the norm lately? Do your basic job then engage with your phone and shut out the rest of the world? No extra conversation about Krakow or the towns as drove thru them? …..sigh… he “did his job”. Tour itself - meh. The Auschwitz tour guide was a very fast talker with a strong accent. My son and I agreed that we got about 60% of what he said. The tour was VERY rushed from the start, “industrial” and emotionless. Examples: Upon arrival, you walk thru a concrete hallway where the names of all the victims are spoken. It’s a very somber start… however our tour guide did not point this out or ask us to listen to the names - he was very focused on moving us along from point A to B. I don’t think 80% of the tour got this part of the tour. Don’t expect to linger anywhere - it’s rush rush rush all through the camps. No stopping to read displays or plaques or absorb the moment. No time to reflect or mourn… kinda interesting that a small package of tissues is supplied with lunch given how clinical the tour is… (DO NOT order - just get something from the restaurant on premises… one slice of ham and one slice of cheese a sandwich does not make!!!). Anyway - maybe I expected too much. We got to locations and back safely. We saw the sites and words were spoken. Was it awesome? No. It was the bare minimum.

It was seamless from pick up to drop off

They were communicative prior to the tour. Couldn’t have made it any easier from start to finish. I would highly recommend this tour with this company!

Highly recommend! This company is amazing. After being let down by another operator, HelloCracow booked me an Auschwitz tour for a guaranteed timeslot. It was so well organised and the comms via WhatsApp were brilliant! They were on time and the driver and guide were great. Packed lunch was nice and worth getting. Thank you for a good day!

Excellent. Everything as described and no complaints.