Krakow Budget Tips
Krakow is an inexpensive city, but we have tips to make your experience even less expensive. Watch out!
Tourist Office
We always suggest that visitors stop by a local tourist office as soon as possible. In Krakow, there are several tourist offices to choose from. The main Tourist Information Centre is located at Św. Jana 2 and is open from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Other tourism offices can be found in the Town Hall Tower (open from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. daily), at the Krakow-Balice Airport (open daily from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.), next to the main train station at Szpitalna 25 (open daily from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m.), at Józefa 7 (open 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. daily), and at Os. Słoneczne 16 (open 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.)
Museums
Museums in Krakow are generally a very good value.
Historical Museum of Krakow: PLN4 (adults); PLN2.50 (children)
Czartorysksi Museum: PLN10 (adults); PLN5 (children)
Ethnographic Museum: PLN4 (adults); PLN3 (children)
Jewish Museum: PLN12 (adults); PLN6 (students)
Wawel Cathedral: PLN10 (adults); PLN5 (children)
Cathedral Museum: PLN5 (adults); PLN2 (children)
Free Sights
Sitting on the horizon above central Krakow is Wawel Hill. Likely the largest tourist attraction in Krakow, Wawel Hill boasts Wawel Castle, Wawel Cathedral, and the Wawel Cathedral Museum within its walls. Admission to the Hill itself is free.
On Mondays between April 1 and October 31, admission to the Wawel Castle Staterooms is free. From November 1 until March 31, the free admission day is Sunday. Admission to Krakow's Dominican Church and Franciscan Church is always free. In Kazimierz, St. Catherine's Church and Remuh Cemetary both don’t charge admission.
Senior Discounts
Senior discounts exist in Krakow. To obtain some discounts, however, membership in a particular association may be required. Members of the AARP get discounts on hotels, airfares and car rentals. They can be reached by telephone at 1-800-424-3410 and online.
Student Discounts
The International Student Identity Card, ISIC, the most widely accepted form of student ID, provides discounts on sights, accommodations, food and transportation. Some places offer admission discounts of between 20% and 50% to ISIC members. All cardholders have access to a 24-hour emergency helpline. In the US call 1-800-223-7986 or click onto www.isiccard.com. Applicants must be degree seekers of a secondary or post-secondary school and must be at least 12 years of age. The card costs US$22 and is valid until the end of the year issued.
For non-students 25 years or younger, the International Youth card, IYTC, also offers many of the same benefits as the ISIC. The card costs US$22 and is valid for one year from the date issue.
Travelers with student cards, such as ISIC and IYTC qualify for big discounts from travel agencies. Most flights from budget agencies are on major airlines, but in peak season some may sell seats on less reliable chartered aircraft. Some travel agencies dedicated to helping students out are STA Travel, Travel CUTS, and Usit World Usit World.
Other Resources
For more tips on keeping your trip to Krakow affordable, check out the sites listed on our helpful links page (including the city's official tourism website). You can also find more tips for planning your Krakow vacation on TripAdvisor and on Rick Steves' Graffiti Wall.Related posts from our blog
Essential Krakow articles written by our editors
Most popular hotels in Krakow (by views)
Looking for flights to Europe? Use Yahoo! FareChase