Kraków is located in southern Poland, near the border with Slovakia, in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship (Małopolskie). It sits on the banks of the Vistula River and is approximately 290 kilometers (180 miles) south of Warsaw, Poland’s capital.

The best month to visit Krakow depends on what you’re looking for. Do you want the best weather, fewer crowds, or the best value? Following are our suggestions for each.

The best weather is a personal preference. We find the best weather for exploring a city is around 55° F and sunny. The weather in Krakow during the winter can be very cold, so plan accordingly if you’re visiting during the Holidays.

Below is a chart showing the average high and low temperatures for each month so you can decide what is best for you.

The time of the year with good weather and fewer crowds is often called the shoulder season. The shoulder season in Kraków typically refers to the months of April to early June in the spring and September to October in the fall. These periods fall between the peak summer tourism months and the quiet winter season.

The best months to visit Kraków for great value and lighter crowds are March and late October to early November. The weather during these months can be cold in Krakow, but, if you dress appropriately, it can be comfortable for walking most of the day.

If you are planning a trip to Krakow, there are plenty of excellent places to stay. However, for the best experience, we strongly recommend staying in the Old Town (Stare Miasto). The castle marker on the map below is the Main Market Square in the heart of the Old Town. We suggest staying as close to it as possible, depending on your budget and preferences.

Here’s a map with hotel and apartment options that can be filtered to meet your needs. Select your travel dates to get specific availability and prices.

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The main international airport serving Kraków is Kraków John Paul II International Airport (Kraków Airport or KRK), officially named Kraków Airport im. Jana Pawła II.

• Location: The airport is situated in Balice, approximately 11 kilometers (7 miles) west of Kraków’s city center.
• Travel time to city center: About 20–30 minutes by train, taxi, or car.
• Transportation: Regular train service (Kraków Airport Train) connects the airport to Kraków Główny (main station). Buses and taxis are also available.

Kraków Airport is the second busiest airport in Poland and offers direct flights to numerous European cities, making it a convenient gateway for international travelers visiting southern Poland.

The main train station in Kraków is Kraków Główny (Kraków Main Station).

• Location: It is centrally located just northeast of the Old Town (Stare Miasto), directly connected to the Galeria Krakowska shopping mall at Pawia Street 5, 31-154 Kraków.
• Accessibility: Within walking distance from the Main Market Square and most city center accommodations.
• Services: Kraków Główny offers domestic and international rail connections, including express trains (EIC, IC) to Warsaw, Gdańsk, Vienna, Prague, and Budapest.
• Transportation hub: The station is integrated with the Kraków Regional Bus Station, local tram and bus lines, and a direct train to the airport.

It’s a modern, well-equipped station and a key arrival point for travelers exploring Kraków and southern Poland.

Kraków, Poland is in the Central European Time (CET) zone (UTC +1).

During Daylight saving time, Krakow is on Central European Summer Time (CEST, UTC +2). Daylight Saving Time in Kraków starts on the last Sunday in March (clocks move forward one hour) and ends on the last Sunday in October (clocks move back one hour).

Polish currency is Polish złoty (PLN or zł).

Polish is the official language, but English is widely spoken in Krakow.

Citizens from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia don’t need a visa to visit Poland if they stay 90 days or less. For more information on visa-free travel in Poland, check out our article on traveling visa-free.

Poland’s electrical outlets are Type E. They have a 230V supply voltage and 50Hz. Travelers from the United States will need an adapter.

If you have many items to plug in, we recommend a travel power strip with multiple USBs and standard plug-ins. Using a power strip, you will only need one adapter to plug the strip into the wall.

Travelers will want a SIM card for Poland. You can get either a local SIM card or an eSIM card.

To get a local SIM card, you have to find a local cellular service provider, often stand in line for assistance, show your passport, and complete some paperwork. The SIM cards work great, but purchasing them is somewhat inconvenient. This option is best if you need more than 5GB of data.

We use eSIMs exclusively because they can be purchased through an app prior to arrival in a new country and activated when you hit a cell tower in the country. We use Airalo eSIMs. They work great, and I recommend them if you plan to use less than 5 GB of data during your stay or if you need internet immediately on arrival.

The train system in Poland makes rental cars unnecessary for most destinations. However, rental cars are needed to reach smaller towns and explore the countryside. In addition to the major car rental companies found in the United States, Sixt and Europcar are common throughout Europe. For a comparison of rental car offers from large, international brands and smaller regional brands, we recommend Discover Cars.