Auschwitz Memorial visit 2026: free entry pass, guide prices, hours
Short answer: Admission is free but needs a personal online entry pass at visit.auschwitz.org. A 3.5-hour guided tour is 140 zl in Polish, 150 zl in other languages (2026 list).
The Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum in Oświęcim, about 70 km west of Kraków, is a place of remembrance and one of the most visited sites in Poland. Admission to the grounds is free, but you need a personal entry pass booked online, and a guide costs extra. This guide uses the Memorial's own visiting page and its price list valid from 2 January 2026, checked on 18 October 2026.
Free admission, but an online entry pass is required
The Museum states that admission to the grounds is free of charge and that entry cards should be reserved at visit.auschwitz.org. A notice on the page says all entry cards are available only online, and none are sold at the entrance. Entry is possible only with a personalised pass, and their number is limited. The page does not say which year the "from 1 March" notice refers to, but it is shown as current.
Individual visitors may tour the grounds independently, without a guide, or join a guided tour. The Museum suggests visiting with a guide-educator to better understand the history. Groups must engage a Memorial guide.
Guided tours for individuals: prices from the 2026 list
Only the guide, headphone rental and online tour are charged. Prices per person from the price list valid from 2 January 2026:
- Guided tour for an individual visitor (about 3.5 hours), regular pass: 140 zl in Polish and 150 zl in other languages. Reduced pass: 130 zl in Polish and 140 zl in other languages.
- Individual study visit (6 hours), regular pass: 180 zl in Polish and 190 zl in other languages. Reduced: 160 zl and 170 zl.
- Online guided tour for individuals (2.5 hours): 60 zl.
- A guardian of a person with a disability: 0 zl, with the pass collected on the day at the Visitor Service Center, after an email to [email protected].
The reduced price is for students under 26, people over 75, holders of a disabled person's ID, certain veterans, and people with official museum staff or ICOM cards, shown with the relevant documents. Group prices are much higher and are set per group, for example 970 zl for a 10-person general tour in 2026. We do not repeat the full group list here.
Plan the day: hours and time needed
The Museum is open every day except 1 January, 25 December and Easter Sunday. Hours are for the start of the visit, not closing time. As of 18 October 2026 (October), the visit can start from 7:30 to 17:00. Visitors may stay on site up to 90 minutes after the last entry hour. The other months are:
- December: 7:30 to 14:00. January and November: 7:30 to 15:00. February: 7:30 to 16:00.
- March and October: 7:30 to 17:00. April, May and September: 7:30 to 18:00.
- June, July and August: 7:30 to 19:00.
The Museum recommends about 90 minutes for Auschwitz I and the same for Auschwitz II-Birkenau, and says visiting both parts is essential. The standard guided tour takes about three and a half hours. Because of security checks, arrive at least 30 minutes before the tour begins, and book ahead because of heavy demand.
* Photos: the gate of Auschwitz II-Birkenau, 2007 (cover, public domain) and Oświęcim railway station (body, CC0), via Wikimedia Commons.
Rules and practical points
Bags and backpacks may not exceed 35 x 25 x 15 cm, and larger luggage should be left in your car or bus. The main car park, at 55 Więźniów Oświęcimia Street, is free. Visitors are asked to behave with due solemnity and dress in a manner suitable to the place, and the Museum asks you to read its rules of visiting before you go.
Getting there
The Museum is on the outskirts of Oświęcim on provincial road 933. It is about 2 km from the train station and can be reached from there by local buses. Bus and minibus stops next to the Museum have services to Kraków and Katowice. Kraków-Balice and Katowice-Pyrzowice airports are about 50 km away, according to the Museum.
What is temporarily closed
The Museum lists as closed to visitors parts of Auschwitz II-Birkenau, part of the exhibition in Block 5 at Auschwitz I and the Russian exhibition in Block 14. Check the page before you travel, because this list can change.
What the sources do not say
The visiting page does not give a publication date, and the price list we used is valid from 2 January 2026. The sources do not describe any separate rules for foreign residents or give a price for guides in a specific language beyond "Polish" and "other language".
Frequently asked questions
Is there an entrance fee to the Auschwitz Memorial?
No. Admission to the grounds is free, but you must reserve an entry pass online. The fees are for a guide, headphones or an online tour.
Can I buy a pass at the gate?
No. The Museum says no entry cards are available at the entrance and reservations are made only online at visit.auschwitz.org.
How much is a guided tour for one person?
140 zl in Polish or 150 zl in other languages for the regular pass of the 3.5-hour tour, according to the 2026 price list. Reduced passes cost 130 and 140 zl.
How long does a visit take?
The standard guided tour takes about three and a half hours, and the Museum suggests about 90 minutes for each of the two sites. Arrive at least 30 minutes early.
