Krakow is full of remarkable places – historic, architectural and cultural. Fortunately, the “City of Kings” also has convenient and efficient transport. Visitors can use railway and coach stations, the airport, an extensive public transport network and taxis. In this guide we explain how to get around the city comfortably and how to reach its most popular sights quickly and easily.

Horse-drawn carriage by the Cloth Hall in Krakow

How to get around Krakow

The simplest, most convenient and cheapest way to get around Krakow is public transport. The city is well connected, and trams and buses are all you need to move around quickly, whether you are here for sightseeing or business. There are more than 160 bus routes and almost 30 tram routes.

Public transport

When using public transport, first check which zone you will be travelling in:

City zone – covers the city centre and the main attractions, ideal if you want to focus on Krakow’s highlights.

Agglomeration zone – also covers places further from the centre, such as Wieliczka and Krakow Airport.

You can choose single-journey tickets valid for 20, 50 or 90 minutes, as well as 24-, 48- and 72-hour and 7-day tickets, which are especially handy for visitors. There are also group tickets, combined tickets for public transport and Koleje Małopolskie regional trains, and a family weekend ticket.

Also worth reading: Krakow in 2 days: a guide to the top attractions

You can buy public transport tickets:

from ticket machines at stops,
from ticket machines on board trams and buses (contactless cards accepted),
at ticket offices,
in mobile apps such as mPay, moBilet, SkyCash or the Małopolska Agglomeration Card app.

Cycling in Krakow

If you like to stay active, a bike is a great option. Grand Ascot Hotel offers bikes for hire to its guests, and there are also private and public bike-sharing schemes in the city, with subscriptions or pay-by-the-minute rental.
Also worth reading: Cars, scooters and bikes by the minute in Krakow

Parking and taxis

If you are travelling by car, remember that there is a paid parking zone in central Krakow on weekdays during the daytime. You can pay at the parking meter or in a mobile app. Taxis are another convenient option – Grand Ascot guests can order one at reception. Our hotel also has an underground car park in the centre of Krakow (parking must be booked in advance) – see our location page.

How to reach the most popular attractions

Krakow’s public transport makes it easy to reach the city’s main sights. Most of them are in and around the Main Market Square and the Old Town: St Mary’s Basilica, the Cloth Hall, the Jagiellonian University, Wawel Royal Castle and the Dragon’s Den.

Kraków Główny railway station and the coach station are right next to each other, and from there you can reach the Main Market Square on foot or by tram in about 10 minutes. Trams from the station area also go directly to the Tauron Arena, which hosts many major sporting and cultural events – the journey takes about 15 minutes.

From Grand Ascot Hotel, the Main Market Square is just 600 m away – a 6-minute walk – so you can explore most of the Old Town on foot.