Getting around Zakopane
Zakopane has no airport or train of its own — everything runs through Kraków, by bus, then on foot or by local bus to the trailheads.
- Getting in
- Kraków (KRK airport / bus station)
- From Kraków
- bus (Szwagropol
- From the airport to central Kraków
- Train, €4.56
Zakopane has no airport of its own and no regular passenger train, so the way in is Kraków (KRK airport / bus station). The trip from the airport to Zakopane runs through Kraków, bus (Szwagropol, FlixBus) to the bus station, about 2 h in all. Within Zakopane itself you only need transport to the trailheads — the centre is done on foot.
The train into the centre
A train runs from the airport to the main station in Kraków, €4.56. From there you change onto a bus to Zakopane.
2. The bus to Zakopane
Operators running the Kraków–Nowy Targ–Zakopane route leave several times a day. The ticket is €8.44, and the ride takes about 2 h. The bus stops at the main station in central Zakopane.
3. To Morskie Oko: a bus, not a car
Nine kilometres of asphalt road to the lake are closed to traffic, so you take a bus to Palenica Białczańska to reach the trailhead. The Tatra National Park no longer sells the entry ticket on the bus — it is paid straight to the driver, €2.51.
For Giewont and the cable car
The trail to Giewont and the base of the Kasprowy Wierch cable car both start from Kuźnice, at the southern edge of town. From the centre that is a short ride or a walk, depending on where you sleep.
Mostly on foot
Krupówki, the Zakopane Style houses and the Pęksowy Brzyzek cemetery are all in the centre, a few minutes from each other. City transport, €1.37 per ride or €2.74 for a full day, mainly makes sense for Kuźnice or a ride back from the station.
Before you go
Short answers to what people ask most before setting out.
How do you get to Zakopane?
bus (Szwagropol, FlixBus) to the bus station, about 2 h in total, through Kraków.
Does Zakopane have its own airport?
No. The way in is Kraków, then a bus to Zakopane.
Do you need a car?
No, and especially not for Morskie Oko, where the last nine kilometres of road are not even open to traffic.
Ready for Zakopane?
Where to next
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