Krakow
Getting There/Around

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Getting There:

By Air:

The John Paul II International Airport ( http://www.lotnisko-balice.pl/eng/ ) serves Krakow and is situated about 10 miles ( 15 km ) from the city center. Airlines include:

Air France ( +1 800 237 2747/ http://www.airfrance.com )

Alitalia ( +1 800 223 5730/ http://www.alitalia.com )

Austrian Airlines ( +1800 843 0002 ( US )/+48 22 627 5290 92 ( http://www.aua.com )

British Airways ( +1 800 247 9297/ http://www.britishairways.com )

BMI ( +48 012 285 50 33/ http://www.flybmi.com/bmi/en-gb/index.aspx )

Central Wings ( +48 22 558 00 45/ http://www.centralwings.com )

CSA ( +48 022 659 67 99/ http://www.csa.cz/cs/czechia/cz_home.htm )

Easy Jet ( +33 8 25 08 25 08/ http://www.easyjet.com/ )

El Al ( +972 3 971 6111/ http://www.elal.co.il )

Germanwings ( +48 800 331 1311/ http://www25.germanwings.com/ )

Lot Airways ( +1 800 223 0593 ( US )/+0801 300 953 ( Poland )/ http://www.lot.com )

Lufthansa ( +1 800 645 3880/ http://www.lufthansa.com )

Malev ( +48 22 697 74 72/ http://www.malev.hu/bp/eng/index.asp )

Norwegian ( +47 21 49 00 15/ http://www.norwegian.no )

SAS ( +48 22 850 05 00/ http://www.scandinavian.net/ )

Sky Europe ( +421 2 4850 1111/ http://www.skyeurope.com/in.php )

Swiss International Air Lines ( +48 0801 300962 022/ http://yourcountry.swiss.com/local/index-usa )

Styrian Spirit ( +43 508 05 1212/ http://www.styrianspirit.com/ )


Rental Car Companies:

Avis ( +1 800 230 4898/ http://avis.com )

Hertz ( +1 800 654 3131/ http://hertz.com )

By Taxi:

Taxis are also have an extremely visible presence and can be hailed from the street, but make sure 1 ) a price is agreed on before hopping in ( even though the cab may be metered and 2 ) that the cab is official ( number on top ) and not some fly by night yahoo out for the night trying to make an extra buck. Dispatching a cab by phone ( Radio Taxi: dial 919, 9622, or 9623 ) is the cheaper option if you are preparing things in advance.

By Bus/Coach:

Polish Railways ( http://www.pkp.com.pl ) operates a regional bus service.

Polski Express ( +48 22 844 55 55/ http://polskiexpress.pl )

Pekaes/Eurolines ( +48 32 351 20 20/ http://www.pekaesbus.com.pl )

By Car:

Access Krakow by 4, 7, 44, 79, 94 and A4. Check with your rental company if you are driving to Poland from another European county. Some rental car companies do not allow cars to cross into the country because simply put: the company may not get the car back and you may be stuck walking. Theft is still a bit of a problem in the country.

By Rail:

Polish Railways ( +48 ( 0 )22 620 0361/ http://www.pkp.com.pl ) runs the rail service inside the country including intercity, commuter, and regional service. The city is easily accessible by train from all larger cities in Poland, Berlin, Budapest, Bucarest ( from June to August trains also run to Varna ), Hamburg, Kiev ( from June to August trains also run to Odessa ), Lviv, Prague, Vienna, Zilin. All trains arrive at the Main Railway Station in Krakow.

Getting Around:

The main tourist areas are pedestrian friendly and walking is the best means of transport. Having a car in these parts will do little besides make you a potential target for thieves. Yet, rental car companies are readily available around town and the roads in and around Krakow are surprisingly easy to maneuver, although like most European cities, parking and commuting is a hassle. The public transportation system is fairly dense and it is easy to get around by local rail, bus or streetcar. In the Royal Road district, you can also get around via horse cab, an old fashioned horse-drawn carriage. Taxis are also have an extremely visible presence and can be hailed from the street, but make sure 1 ) a price is agreed on before hopping in ( even though the cab may be metered and 2 ) that the cab is official ( number on top ) and not some fly by night yahoo out for the night trying to make an extra buck. Dispatching a cab by phone ( Radio Taxi: dial 919, 9622, or 9623 ) is the cheaper option if you are preparing things in advance, but don't expect to talk to an English-speaking dispatcher.