Zakopane is about 100 km south of Kraków, roughly 2 hours by road: about 2 h 10 min by Szwagropol or Majerbus bus from the MDA station (37 PLN), or 1 h 57 min to 2 h 42 min on a direct PKP Intercity train. The simplest way, though, is with us. For a single day, our private Zakopane day trip with thermal baths picks you up from your Kraków hotel, usually at 8:00, and brings you back at about 18:00, with sightseeing, a highland cheese tasting and thermal pool tickets included, for 850 PLN per person; we confirm the exact times after you book. If you are staying overnight or bringing skis, our private Kraków to Zakopane transfer takes you door to door for 700 PLN per vehicle for 1 to 3 people, or 850 PLN for 4 to 8.
Kraków to Zakopane at a glance
- Distance and time: about 100 km; by car 1 h 42 min without traffic (107 km from the Main Market Square to Krupówki on OpenStreetMap data), longer at weekends and in the school holidays.
- Day trip with us: 850 PLN per person; hotel pickup in Kraków usually at 8:00, back at about 18:00, with the cheese tasting and thermal pool tickets included.
- Transfer with us: 700 PLN per vehicle for 1 to 3 people and 850 PLN for 4 to 8, door to door, with room for skis.
- Bus: 37 PLN with Szwagropol or Majerbus from the MDA bus station, ul. Bosacka 18, in about 2 h 10 min; FlixBus listed fares of 24.99 to 63.99 PLN for 1 and 5 December 2026.
- Train: direct from Kraków Główny; PKP Intercity takes 1 h 57 min to 2 h 42 min in the timetable valid until 12 December 2026, and a new timetable starts on 13 December 2026.
- From Kraków Airport: a direct FlixBus in 2 h 37 min to 3 h 5 min (1 December 2026), or the SKA1 train to Kraków Główny in 17 minutes for 20 PLN and a change there.
We checked the timetables and fares with the carriers, the PKP timetable search and Kraków Airport on 23 October 2026, and our own prices on 24 October 2026.
| Option | Time | Price | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day trip with thermal baths (YourKrakow) | About 10 h, usually 8:00 to about 18:00 | 850 PLN per person, pool tickets and cheese tasting included | One day in Zakopane without timetables, tickets or parking |
| Private transfer (YourKrakow) | About 2 h, door to door | 700 PLN per vehicle (1 to 3 people), 850 PLN (4 to 8) | Overnight stays, skis, families and groups with luggage |
| Bus from MDA | About 2 h 10 min (Szwagropol, Majerbus) | 37 PLN; FlixBus 24.99 to 63.99 PLN on the dates we checked | Travelling light on a budget, with departures through the day |
| Train from Kraków Główny | 1 h 57 min to 2 h 42 min (PKP Intercity); 3 h 34 min to 4 h 6 min (Polregio) | PKP Intercity base fares 42 to 89 PLN in 2nd class; Polregio 36.10 PLN in its standard fare table | Travellers who prefer rail and a journey that does not depend on road traffic |
| Own or hired car | About 1 h 42 min without traffic | Fuel, plus 6 to 8 PLN for the first hour of parking in central Zakopane | Flexible plans outside peak weekends |
If you only have one day, book the Zakopane day trip with thermal baths and spend the day in Zakopane and the thermal pools instead of at bus stops.
What is the easiest way to get from Kraków to Zakopane?
A private ride from your door. For a day out, take our day trip with thermal baths; if you are staying in Zakopane or carrying skis, book our transfer, and the driver deals with the Zakopianka traffic, the snow and the parking.
YourKrakow is a Kraków company that runs day trips from Kraków with hotel pickup, and private transfers, including to Zakopane.
Day trip with thermal baths: a sample day
The trip is private, in a minivan for your group only. Exact times are confirmed after booking:
- 8:00 pickup from your hotel in Kraków.
- About 10:00 Zakopane: Krupówki and the Zakopane style of architecture.
- About 11:30 tasting of highland cheeses.
- About 12:30 free time and lunch (at your own cost).
- About 14:00 to 16:00 thermal pools at Chochołowskie Termy, or other baths if needed; tickets included.
- About 16:00 departure; back at your hotel in Kraków at about 18:00.
On your own, the same day means a bus to Zakopane, a walk to Krupówki, a second bus to the baths 19.7 km out of town and the same back. With us it is one booking: see the private Zakopane day trip with thermal baths, 850 PLN per person.
Private transfer: for overnight stays and skis
- Price per vehicle, not per person: 700 PLN for 1 to 3 people with up to 2 large bags, 850 PLN for 4 to 8 people with up to 8 large bags.
- Door to door: pickup from a hotel, apartment or private address in Kraków, at any time of day or night.
- Skis: there is room for ski equipment.
- Flexibility: free cancellation up to 24 hours before, and a return trip can be arranged.
- Outside the centre: destinations outside the centre are quoted individually, so ask for a price to Białka Tatrzańska or Palenica Białczańska.
The price is for the whole vehicle, so a family with skis pays once and carries nothing across a bus station. Book the Kraków to Zakopane transfer.
How far is Zakopane from Kraków, and how long does it take?
About 100 km by road and roughly 2 hours by car, bus or the faster trains. A route we calculated on OpenStreetMap data from the Main Market Square to the lower end of Krupówki is 107 km and takes 1 h 42 min without traffic; FlixBus gives the distance between the two towns as 108 km, and by rail it is 136 to 139 km.
Traffic decides the rest. In two articles from 2025, GDDKiA, the national roads authority, wrote about frequent jams between Kraków and Myślenice and more cars on the Zakopianka at weekends and on public holidays; it said the short periods without holiday traffic come mainly in November and March. In winter 2027 the school holidays run from 18 January to 28 February, depending on the region, and Lesser Poland, the Kraków region, has the last fortnight, 15 to 28 February.
Kraków to Zakopane by bus: where from, how long and how much?
Szwagropol, Majerbus and FlixBus all leave from the MDA bus station at ul. Bosacka 18, right next to Kraków Główny railway station, and arrive at Zakopane bus station in about 2 hours. Szwagropol and Majerbus charge 37 PLN for a single ticket.
From the railway station you reach MDA through the Magda tunnel, the station passage or a lift from the main hall. The ticket offices on the upper level are open daily from 6:00 to 20:45.
- Szwagropol: about 2 h 10 min. Pay the driver by contactless card or buy online and show the ticket on your phone. It does not run on 25 December and asks passengers to check its current timetable.
- Majerbus: for example 8:00 from MDA, 10:10 in Zakopane (timetable as of 23 October 2026). Majerbus says tickets bought on its website are always cheaper, and the driver sells them too. Single tickets have no seat reservations; one bag in the hold is included, and skis travel in the hold. No animals on board.
- FlixBus: leaves from stands G14 to G17 on the upper level. When we searched on 23 October 2026, it listed 8 departures for Tuesday 1 December 2026 and 19 for Saturday 5 December, at 24.99 to 63.99 PLN, with a 7 kg carry-on and a 20 kg bag in the hold included. Its route page gives 15 departures a day, so search your own date there.
Kraków to Zakopane by train: how long and how much?
Trains run direct from Kraków Główny to Zakopane, with no change. In the timetable valid until 12 December 2026, PKP Intercity trains take 1 h 57 min to 2 h 42 min and Polregio regional trains 3 h 34 min to 4 h 6 min, so check the train type before you buy.
On Tuesday 1 December 2026 the timetable showed 15 direct trains between 3:49 and 19:30; EIC 1350, for example, left at 10:14 and arrived at 12:17. PKP Intercity's new annual timetable starts on 13 December 2026 and is not fully published yet; the one train already listed for later dates is EIP 5352, from 17:00 to 18:57. Look up your own date nearer the time.
- PKP Intercity: base fares in 2nd class of 42 PLN (TLK and IC), 55 PLN (EIC) and 89 PLN (EIP). The base fare is the maximum price of a single ticket, before discounts and promotions.
- Polregio: 36.10 PLN for a full-fare single in its standard REGIO fare table (121 to 140 km); check offers on bilkom.pl or in the Bilkom app.
- Koleje Małopolskie: 26.50 PLN for a single ticket; until 12 December 2026 it runs one train on the line, the Luxtorpeda at 6:16, and not every day (the timetable showed it on Saturday 5 December but not on Tuesday 1 December), so check your date.
Driving from Kraków to Zakopane: how is the road in winter, and where do you park?
The route is the Zakopianka, national road 7, then road 47 from Rabka-Zdrój through Nowy Targ: about 107 km and 1 h 42 min without traffic. In winter, add time for weekend traffic and snow, and plan your parking, because central Zakopane is a paid zone every day.
Between Kraków and Myślenice there is no expressway: in June 2025 GDDKiA wrote that the S7 ended at the Kraków Bieżanów junction and started again in Myślenice, running on to Rabka-Zdrój, and that there was no good alternative to road 7 between Kraków and Myślenice, only local roads in and out of the city, so a jam there costs you time whichever way you go.
Do you need winter tyres or snow chains?
- Winter tyres: not compulsory in Poland, but the police recommend them in winter.
- Chains in the car: in an undated note issued during heavy snowfall, the Zakopane police advised drivers heading into the mountains to fit winter tyres and, as an extra, to carry chains.
- When chains are compulsory: only on a road marked with the C-18 sign, on at least two driving wheels, until the C-19 sign; on a road without snow they are not allowed.
Parking in Zakopane
Fees in the central paid zone apply 7 days a week from 8:00 to 21:00, public holidays included. Without a parking pass, the first hour costs 8 PLN in subzone A and 6 PLN in subzones B and C, and the second hour in subzone A costs 9.60 PLN. You pay with the Flowbird, SkyCash or Mobilet apps; check which subzone your street is in on the town's parking page.
With our private transfer the driver handles the Zakopianka, the chains and the parking, and drops you at your door: 700 PLN per vehicle for 1 to 3 people, 850 PLN for 4 to 8.
How do you get from Kraków Airport to Zakopane?
Directly by FlixBus, which listed journeys of 2 h 37 min to 3 h 5 min for 1 December 2026, or by the SKA1 train to Kraków Główny (17 minutes, 20 PLN) and a bus or train from there. For a private ride from arrivals, use our transfer and confirm the airport pickup price when you book.
Direct FlixBus from the airport
Kraków Airport lists FlixBus line 1392, Kraków Airport to Kraków MDA to Zakopane, among its lines to Zakopane. Long-distance buses stop at the central bus shelter number 2, by the terminal footbridge. For 1 December 2026, FlixBus listed 4 departures, at 3:40, 7:18, 13:45 and 15:20, for 37.99 to 69.99 PLN; its page for this route says 8 a day.
SKA1 train to Kraków Główny, then on
The station is next to the terminal, connected by a covered footbridge. On 1 December 2026 trains run every 30 minutes during the day; the trip takes 17 minutes, the ticket costs 20 PLN and luggage travels free; buy it from the machine on the train, from the conductor, or in KOLEO or Jakdojade. At Kraków Główny, change to a train, or walk to the MDA bus station next door. More on this leg in our guide to getting from Kraków Airport to the city centre.
Private transfer from the airport
Our drivers meet passengers at arrivals with a name sign and track the flight, so the driver knows if you are delayed. Our private transfer to Zakopane costs 700 PLN per vehicle for 1 to 3 people and 850 PLN for 4 to 8; for an airport pickup, give your flight number when you book and we will confirm the price.
Where do you arrive in Zakopane, and how do you get to Krupówki, Kuźnice and the thermal baths?
Trains and buses arrive side by side: the bus station at ul. Chramcówki 35A is about 74 m in a straight line from the railway station. From there it is about 1.3 km on foot, around 17 minutes, to the lower end of Krupówki.
| Where to | How far and how |
|---|---|
| Krupówki, lower end | 1.3 km on foot from the railway station, about 17 min |
| Kuźnice (Kasprowy Wierch cable car) | City bus to the stop by the cable car; the road is closed to cars |
| Termy Zakopiańskie | 1.5 km from the centre; closed from 16 November to 7 December 2026 (the operator says the dates may change) |
| Chochołowskie Termy | 19.7 km, about 28 min by road; buses towards Czarny Dunajec and Ciche leave from outside the railway station |
| Palenica Białczańska (road to Morskie Oko) | 20 km; carriers' buses from Zakopane, tickets from the driver |
On our day trip you need none of these buses: the private minivan takes you to the thermal pools, and the tickets are already paid. For what to do once you are there, read our guide to Zakopane in winter from Kraków.
What is not announced yet (as of 24 October 2026)
- The full PKP Intercity and Polregio timetable from 13 December 2026.
- Szwagropol's day-by-day winter timetables; they are published to 29 October 2026.
Sources checked on 23 October 2026, our prices on 24 October 2026; we will update this article when the winter timetables are published. Choosing between the town and the peaks? See Zakopane or the Tatra Mountains, and for other trips by bus and train, our day trips from Kraków without a car.
Is it better to take the bus or the train to Zakopane?
On time there is little in it: Szwagropol and Majerbus take about 2 h 10 min and PKP Intercity 1 h 57 min to 2 h 42 min, and both arrive at neighbouring stations in Zakopane. The bus costs 37 PLN; the train does not depend on road traffic, but a Polregio train takes 3 h 34 min to 4 h 6 min.
What time is the last bus or train from Kraków to Zakopane?
Majerbus's last bus leaves MDA at 22:25 and arrives at 0:35, in the timetable on its website on 23 October 2026. In the train timetable for 1 December 2026 the last train leaves Kraków Główny at 19:30 and arrives at 23:06; from 13 December 2026 a new timetable applies.
Do you need to book the bus to Zakopane in advance?
No. Majerbus does not reserve seats on single tickets, and you can buy from the driver; Szwagropol drivers take contactless cards. Online tickets are cheaper with Majerbus, and FlixBus sells online, in its app and at Flixshop points.
Can you take skis to Zakopane by bus?
Yes, with Majerbus: skis go in the luggage hold, and one bag in the hold is included in the fare. Our private transfer also has room for ski equipment and picks you up at your door.
Can you see Zakopane and the thermal baths in one day from Kraków?
Yes. On a typical day of our trip you reach Zakopane at about 10:00 and spend about 14:00 to 16:00 in the thermal pools, back in Kraków at about 18:00. On your own, add a bus from Zakopane to Chochołowskie Termy, 19.7 km away, to about 2 hours on the road each way.
Does public transport to Zakopane run at Christmas?
Szwagropol does not run on 25 December. Majerbus says its timetable runs 7 days a week, but check the date before you travel. Our private transfer is available 24/7.
Photo: ツィブルスキ, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0.
