The John Paul II Kraków-Balice International Airport, or Kraków Airport for short, is located in Balice, 11 km from the centre of Kraków, Poland’s second largest city after Warsaw. Not surprisingly, the airport is also the second busiest in the country, behind only Frederic Chopin Airport.
Krakow Airport is the base airport for the low-cost carrier Ryanair and consists of one passenger terminal. It is now a modern building, completed in 2016, replacing the old one. In the territory of the airport terminal complex there is an opportunity to connect to wireless Internet (Wi-Fi) free of charge, however, only for 15 minutes.
According to the International Air Transport Association classification, Krakow Airport has been assigned the code “KRK”.
The official website for the airport is www.krakowairport.pl.
From the airport to the city
Airport passengers heading into the centre of Krakow can use one of two public transport options to choose from for their convenience.
The quickest way to get to the centre of Krakow is by train. The nearest railway station, called Krakow Airport (Kraków Lotnisko), is opposite the main airport building. To get there, go up the escalator in the arrivals hall and cross the bridge that leads to the platform. The journey to Kraków Central Station (Kraków Główny) in the city centre takes less than 20 minutes. The comfortable carriages are equipped with air conditioning, Wi-Fi and sockets for charging mobile devices.
The fare (to Krakow railway station) is 9 Polish zlotys, i.e. just over 2 euros. Tickets can be bought at special machines in the terminal building or on the platform, or from the conductor in the cabin. Trains depart every 30 minutes.
While the train is the most comfortable way to get to Krakow, the bus is the cheapest. City buses No. 208 and 252 stop near the airport, and route 902 at night. All of them connect Krakow Airport with the city, stopping at the railway station and bus station. Day buses run every 30 minutes.
The ticket price depends on the number of transport zones to be crossed, in this case there are two, so the fare costs only 4 PLN. You can buy a ticket at special machines in the terminal, at bus stops, in the bus cabin or from the driver for cash.
If travelling by taxi, the fare will increase to 50 Polish zloty, which equals 12 euros.