How to visit Kraków on a budget

While Poland is not a massively expensive destination overall, there’s no shortage of alluring reasons to live it up in Kraków. Overload on this popular city’s terrific museums, stylish boutique hotels, fascinating tours and many of the country’s best restaurants and your visit could have you drifting into insolvency. 

But with very little sacrifice, like picking less pricey days to visit the most popular attractions, using public transportation and eating and drinking like locals, you can make the most of your stay and become immersed in Polish culture. Here’s how to visit Kraków on a budget.

Take public transportation from the airport

Except for the wee hours, the easiest way to get between Kraków’s John Paul II International Airport and Kraków Główny (the main train station) is by train. A one-way ticket costs 20zł (US$5.50), and the journey takes around 15 minutes.

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If you are traveling while the train isn’t running, the airport is also served by bus lines 208 and 209, as well as the night bus 902. A single ticket is 6zł (US$1.50), and the trip lasts 25–45 minutes. If you have no choice but to go by taxi, ridesharing services like Uber and Bolt typically cost less than official taxis but are less reliable.

Walk around Old Town

Old Town is a wonderfully walkable neighborhood, as is Kazimierz, and strolling between the two takes around 20 minutes. Morning runners will appreciate the ring of parkland surrounding Old Town.

Visit Kraków during the shoulder months

Accommodation prices shoot up by at least 25% during the summer high season, so consider traveling offseason. By far the cheapest time to come to Kraków is in the winter (with the exception of the Christmas to New Year period), but it can be bitterly cold, with January averages at 0°C (32°F). Shoulder seasons (mid-March to May and September to mid-October) are a good compromise, allowing you to combine moderate room rates with mild weather and relatively few visitors.

Get to know Kraków’s trams

The public buses are not hugely useful unless you want to visit a few attractions in far-flung corners of the city, but getting around Kraków by tram is inexpensive and really handy for reaching sights in the Nova Huta, Podgórze and Kazimierz neighborhoods if you’re based centrally.

Single tickets, which cost 4–8zł (US$1–2), can be purchased either directly from the driver or…