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Krakow to Zakopane: Train, Bus or Day Tour?
Krakow to Zakopane takes 1 hour 57 minutes by Pendolino train, about 2 hours 10 minutes by bus or 1h 26m by car. This page compares each option and the day tours from $19 per person.
Quick answer Train, bus and day tour compared in one line each
The Pendolino train from Krakow to Zakopane takes 1 hour 57 minutes and the Szwagropol bus about 2 hours 10 minutes for 37 PLN one way. A shared day tour costs from $19 per person and lasts 8-9 hours.
Key takeaways
- Cheapest tour: the cable car day tour costs $19 per person and runs 9 hours from a Krakow hotel.
- Smallest shared group: the Zakopane and Tatra Mountains tour takes up to 15 guests for $19.50.
- Want the car and driver to yourself? The private full-day tour costs $152 per person.
- Staying more than a day? Compare every option at zakopane tours before you buy a train ticket.
Krakow to Zakopane Day Tours
All four leave from your Krakow hotel and return the same evening. They differ in group size, in what the day includes and in price, from $19 for a shared group to $152 for a private one.
from $20
Lowest price
From Krakow: Zakopane, Tatra Mountains and Gubałówka Day Trip
The lowest price here for a Zakopane day trip with funicular included, but no thermal baths.
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from $19
From Krakow: Zakopane and Tatra Mountains Tour with Cable Car
Among the lowest prices for a Zakopane day trip with funicular included, but without thermal baths.
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from $19.50
Zakopane and Tatra Mountains Tour from Krakow
One of the cheapest Zakopane day tours, with a cable car ticket and small group of up to 15, but no baths.
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from $152
Private
Krakow: Zakopane and Tatra Mountains Private Full-Day Tour
A private vehicle and host with funicular tickets and lunch included, wheelchair accessible, in 9 hours.
Check AvailabilityWhich Krakow to Zakopane day tour should you book?
Take the $19 shared tour for the lowest price and the $152 private tour if you want your own schedule.
Prices are per person as listed on each card. All four offer free cancellation 24h before the start.
The four tours side by side
The table shows what separates the tours: group size, length and where the day starts.
| Tour | Price | Length | Group | Pickup | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| From Krakow: Zakopane, Tatra Mountains and Gubałówka Day Trip | $20 | 9 hours | Shared van, size on request | Hotel or accommodation in Krakow | Budget travellers who want the Gubałówka stop |
| From Krakow: Zakopane and Tatra Mountains Tour with Cable Car | $19 | 9 hours | Shared, private or small groups available | Hotel or apartment, nine pickup points listed | The lowest price with a cable car |
| Zakopane and Tatra Mountains Tour from Krakow | $19.50 | 8-9 hours | Shared, up to 15 guests | Hotel in Krakow | A smaller group at a similar price |
| Krakow: Zakopane and Tatra Mountains Private Full-Day Tour | $152 | 9 hours | Private group | Hotel or accommodation in Krakow | Families and groups who want their own pace |
How to choose
The three shared tours cost $19 to $20, so the decision is the group. The Zakopane and Tatra Mountains tour caps the group at 15. The cable car tour lists nine pickup and drop-off points, which helps if your hotel sits outside the centre.
The private tour costs $152 per person and suits a group that wants to stop where it likes.
Source: PKP Intercity.
The railway station building in Zakopane, the end of the line from Kraków. Photo: Adrian Tync, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
How long does it take to get from Krakow to Zakopane?
The train takes 1 hour 57 minutes, the bus about 2 hours 10 minutes and the car 1h 26m.
Pick by time and by what you do after you arrive.
Time and fare by mode
The fares below are the operators' own, in PLN.
| Mode | Time | Fare one way | Leaves from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pendolino (EIP) | 1 h 57 min | Check PKP Intercity | Krakow Główny |
| Regional train K5 | Slower, stops at Nowy Targ and Poronin | 26.50 PLN | Krakow Główny |
| Szwagropol bus | about 2 h 10 min to 2 h 15 min | 37 PLN | Krakow bus station |
| Car | 1h 26m | Fuel and parking | Your hotel |
| Day tour | 8-9 hours round trip | From $19 per person | Your hotel |
Sources: PKP Intercity, Koleje Małopolskie, Szwagropol, Szwagropol.
Is there a train from Krakow to Zakopane?
Yes, PKP Intercity runs nine daily train pairs plus two seasonal pairs and Koleje Małopolskie runs the regional K5 line.
The Pendolino is the fastest. The regional K5 is the cheapest at 26.50 PLN one way.
Intercity and regional
The 2025/2026 timetable brought the first Pendolino service to Zakopane. Polish Trains notes that the cheapest tickets are for TLK trains, which take longer, and that a journey usually takes just over 2.5 hours.
The K5 stops at Krakow Główny, Skawina, Sucha Beskidzka Zamek, Nowy Targ, Poronin and Zakopane, among others. Polish Trains also says the final station is in the immediate vicinity of the city centre.
Trains are often fully booked in holidays and school holidays, so reserve ahead. Discounts apply to students, seniors and holders of the Large Family Card.
Sources: PKP Intercity, Koleje Małopolskie.
Is the bus or the train better from Krakow to Zakopane?
The train is faster, and the bus runs more often and leaves from the station next to Krakow Główny.
Szwagropol runs 15 buses a day from Krakow to Zakopane via Nowy Targ, the first at 06:10 and the last at 21:20.
What the bus gives you
The journey takes about 2 hours 10 to 2 hours 15 minutes, for example 06:10 to 08:20 and 08:45 to 11:00. The late 21:20 bus arrives at 23:27. Some departures run only on certain weekdays. In the other direction 14 buses run, from 06:15 to 20:50.
The normal fare is 37 PLN. Students and pupils get 25% off. FlixBus lines 1392 and 1364 also serve Zakopane and call at Krakow Airport and the bus station. FlixBus gives one carry-on bag and one checked bag.
When the train wins
The Pendolino saves time and lands in Zakopane close to the centre.
Sources: Szwagropol, Szwagropol, Szwagropol.
How far is Krakow from Zakopane by car?
The road distance is 104.9 km and the drive takes about 1h 26m.
Rome2rio lists the car as the fastest way.
The road
The S7 expressway from Myślenice to Rabka-Zdrój is open, about 32 km long, with a 2,058 m tunnel under Luboń Mały. The dual carriageway DK47 runs from Rabka-Zdrój to Chabówka and from Rdzawka to Nowy Targ, a 16.14 km stretch with 2x2 lanes.
Parking at the Tatra trailheads is separate. Morskie Oko needs an online e-ticket that costs from 36 to 75 PLN, so driving on to the lake is not simple.
Sources: GDDKiA, GDDKiA, Tatra National Park.
Where does each service leave in Krakow and arrive in Zakopane?
Trains leave from Krakow Główny, buses from the Małopolski bus station beside it, and both end near the centre of Zakopane.
The Małopolski Dworzec Autobusowy sits directly next to the PKP station and handles about 1,200 departures a day.
Krakow side
Szwagropol sells tickets at the bus station, ul. Bosacka 18, daily 07:00 to 19:45. The waiting room is open 24 hours with toilets and the ticket counters open daily 06:00 to 20:45.
At the airport, long-distance buses use the middle shelter marked number 2 near the terminal walkway bridge. The airport train to Krakow Główny costs 20 PLN and checked baggage travels free.
Zakopane side
Rome2rio lists MajerBus services leaving from Jubilat station. For Morskie Oko, buses leave from the bus station Dworzec Autobusowy, across the street from the train station.
Sources: Szwagropol, Kraków MDA Bus Station, Kraków Airport, Kraków Airport.
Is a Krakow to Zakopane day trip worth it?
Yes if you want the Tatra views and a cable car in one day without arranging each leg.
A day tour fixes the last leg that the train and bus leave to you: the ride from Zakopane station to the Tatra sights.
What the tour replaces
Without a tour you pay for the train or bus both ways, then for each sight. A tour bundles both journeys, and zakopane tours lists them side by side with the price per person.
Check what each card includes before booking.
Book a private transfer or rideshare only if you want a custom stop. Rome2rio points to BlaBlaCar for rideshare options.
What does the last leg from Zakopane station to the Tatra sights cost?
Add 37 PLN for the Gubałówka funicular, 129 PLN for a return to Kasprowy Wierch, plus the bus to the Morskie Oko trailhead.
Set these figures against the tour price before you decide, and check what the tour card includes.
Public transport figures
The Gubałówka funicular return costs 37 PLN online in the low season, and the ride takes about 3 minutes. It is closed from 16 to 27 November, with replacement buses at 34 PLN one way.
A Kasprowy Wierch return ticket costs 129 PLN online in the low season and the ride takes about 20 minutes.
Morskie Oko trailhead is more than 20 km from Zakopane. The park ticket costs 11 PLN.
Sources: PKL Gubałówka, PKL Gubałówka, PKL, Tatra National Park.
Aerial panorama of Zakopane with the Tatras on the horizon. Photo: Maksym Kozlenko, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Krakow to Zakopane FAQ
Can I book a private transfer from Krakow to Zakopane?
Yes, the private full-day tour costs $152 per person and runs 9 hours from a hotel in Krakow.
Are there discounts on the Szwagropol bus?
Students and pupils get 25% off on the Zakopane line. The normal fare is 37 PLN, and zakopane tours shows the tour alternatives.
How do I get from Krakow Airport to Zakopane?
Take a FlixBus from the middle shelter marked number 2, or the airport train to Krakow Główny for 20 PLN. For a pickup see the shared tours.
Is the Krakow to Zakopane trip possible in one day?
Yes, the day tours take 8-9 hours, such as the Zakopane and Tatra Mountains tour.
Can I take luggage on the bus?
FlixBus allows one carry-on bag and one checked bag. A day tour such as the Gubałówka day trip is easier with only a day bag.
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