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Zakopane Thermal Baths: Day Trips and Evening Trips from Krakow
The Zakopane thermal baths most visitors mean are at Chochołów, about 100 km from Krakow and 17 to 18 km from Zakopane town. This guide compares the Krakow trips that reach them, from $24 to $58 per person, and the five other baths nearby.
Quick answer Which baths, how far, what a trip costs
The Zakopane thermal baths most visitors mean are Chochołowskie Termy, with 52 pool troughs on almost 4,500 m2 of water, about 100 km from Krakow and not in Zakopane town. Krakow trips run 6.5 to 11 hours at $24 to $58 per person. At the baths, Chochołowskie Termy's own list shows a 3-hour adult ticket at 95 PLN Monday to Thursday and 115 PLN Friday to Sunday.
Key takeaways
- Cheapest way in: Krakow-Zakopane: Cable Car, Chocholow Baths, Cheese and Vodka costs $24 per person and takes 11 hours.
- Baths only: Swim in Chocholow Thermal Baths, Start from Krakow costs $50.55 for 7 hours.
- After dark: Twilight Thermal Baths from Krakow costs $58 for 6.5 hours.
- More Zakopane trips from Krakow are on zakopane tours.
Krakow Tours to the Zakopane Thermal Baths
Every trip below leaves from Krakow. Three are long Zakopane days that add a cable car, cheese and vodka to the baths. One is a 7-hour swim-only trip. One is an evening trip.
from $24
Most reviewed
Krakow-Zakopane: Cable Car, Chocholow Baths, Cheese and Vodka
Funicular, 3-hour baths ticket and cheese and vodka tasting all included, with 2 hours free in Zakopane.
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from $24
Krakow-Zakopane Tour: Cable Car, Hot Springs, Cheese and Vodka
Highest rating of the Krakow day trips with funicular, 3-hour baths ticket and tasting included.
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from $24
Krakow: Zakopane, Thermal Springs, Cable Car, Cheese and Vodka
Funicular, 3-hour baths ticket and cheese and vodka tasting included, with about 2 hours free in Zakopane.
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from $50.55
No sightseeing
Swim in Chocholow Thermal Baths, Start from Krakow
Evening-only baths run with a 3-hour pass and no sightseeing, from a central Krakow meeting point.
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from $58
Evening
Kraków: Twilight Thermal Baths
Evening-only baths run from central Krakow with a 3-hour ticket, wheelchair accessible, no sightseeing stops.
Check AvailabilityHow many thermal baths are in Zakopane?
Six thermal baths sit within about 22 km of Zakopane, and only Termy Zakopiańskie is in the town itself.
Most of the baths sit in villages around the town, so the label is looser than it sounds.
The six baths
The baths near Zakopane are Chochołów, Terma Bania in Białka Tatrzańska, Bukovina, Termy Zakopiańskie, Szaflary and Gorący Potok. Chochołów is about 17 to 18 km from Zakopane and about 25 minutes by car. Terma Bania is 22 km away, Bukovina 15 km and Szaflary 17 km.
Termy Zakopiańskie stands in the centre of Zakopane and is linked to Hotel Aquarion. It was previously called Aqua Park Zakopane.
Why the name confuses people
The baths at Chochołów are not in the town of Zakopane. A Krakow trip sold as "Zakopane thermal baths" usually means the Chochołów complex, which is the largest thermal pool complex in Poland.
Source: Chochołowskie Termy.
Terma Bania thermal baths in Białka Tatrzańska, Podhale. Photo: Szodorai Imre, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Which is the best thermal bath in Zakopane?
Chochołowskie Termy is the best pick for most people on size and Krakow access, and Termy Zakopiańskie is the pick if you sleep in town.
Pick by what you want from the day. This table sets the six baths side by side by distance, size and whether the Krakow trips name them.
Decision table
Chochołów is the only bath named in the titles of the Krakow trips on this page.
| Bath | From Zakopane | Pools and slides | Saunas | In Krakow trip titles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chochołów | 17 to 18 km | 52 pool troughs, almost 4,500 m2 of water | Saunarium, 18+ non-textile | Yes |
| Terma Bania, Białka Tatrzańska | 22 km | 15 basins, slides over 300 m in total | Saunarium zone | No |
| Bukovina | 15 km | 13 pools, 3 slides, restaurant and cafe | 8 saunas | No |
| Termy Zakopiańskie | In the town centre | 2 outdoor thermal pools, 2 slides, 6 Jacuzzis, wild river | 4 saunas | No |
| Szaflary | 17 km | 4 thermal pools, slides, kids' pools | 5 saunas | No |
| Gorący Potok | Ask the operator | 21 small outdoor pools, 3 slides, rope park | 3 saunas, mud baths | No |
How to choose
Choose Chochołów for the biggest choice of pools and the simplest booking from Krakow. Choose Terma Bania or Bukovina for slides and a full day with children. Choose Termy Zakopiańskie for a short swim between sightseeing stops.
Compare the Krakow trips that reach Chochołów on zakopane tours.
Sources: Chochołowskie Termy, Terma Bania, Aquapark Zakopane.
How do you get from Krakow to the Zakopane thermal baths?
Book a Krakow tour with transfer, or take the train or bus to Zakopane and add a taxi or minibus for the last 17 to 18 km.
Chochołów is about 100 km from Krakow, which is about 2 hours by car. The train does not stop there.
Public transport
Trains from Krakow Główny reach Zakopane, not Chochołów. The PKP Intercity Pendolino takes 1 hour 57 minutes. The Koleje Małopolskie K5 line runs the same route, with a one-way ticket at 26.50 PLN.
Szwagropol buses run 15 times a day from Krakow to Zakopane via Nowy Targ, from 06:10 to 21:20. The ride takes about 2 hours 10 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes and a normal one-way fare is 37 PLN.
From Zakopane you still need a bus or taxi to Chochołów. For Terma Bania, a Szos-Mig minibus leaves the Zakopane bus station for the Białka Tatrzańska Szkoła stop.
By tour
A tour removes the Zakopane transfer. Swim in Chocholow Thermal Baths, Start from Krakow is the straight swim trip at $50.55 per person and 7 hours. Twilight Thermal Baths from Krakow is the evening version at $58 and 6.5 hours. The three cable car trips cost $24 each and run 7 to 11 hours, so the baths are one stop in a longer Zakopane day.
Sources: PKP Intercity, Koleje Małopolskie, Szwagropol, Szwagropol, Terma Bania.
Which Krakow thermal baths tour should you choose?
Take a $24 cable car trip for a full day in Zakopane, the $50.55 swim trip for pool time, or the $58 twilight trip for an evening soak.
The trips differ in length and in how much of the day the water gets.
Side by side
Prices are per person as listed on each card. Whether the pool ticket is inside the price is stated on the card, so read it before you book.
| Trip | Price | Length | Group size | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Krakow-Zakopane: Cable Car, Chocholow Baths, Cheese and Vodka | $24 | 11 hours | Shared and small-group options, private available | A full Zakopane day with the baths as one stop |
| Krakow-Zakopane Tour: Cable Car, Hot Springs, Cheese and Vodka | $24 | 11 hours | Shared group, private available | The same day style at a 4.9 rating |
| Krakow: Zakopane, Thermal Springs, Cable Car, Cheese and Vodka | $24 | 7-11 hours | Group tour, private or small groups available | Travellers who want a shorter option |
| Swim in Chocholow Thermal Baths, Start from Krakow | $50.55 | 7 hours | Shared transfer, up to 99 guests | Swimmers who want most of the day in the water |
| Twilight Thermal Baths from Krakow | $58 | 6.5 hours | Shared group, size on request | Evening swimmers who leave Krakow late |
Who should skip which
Skip the 11-hour trips if you want 3 or more hours in the pools, because the cable car, cheese and vodka stops take time. Skip Swim in Chocholow Thermal Baths, Start from Krakow if you want to see Zakopane town. Every trip lists free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
How much do the Zakopane thermal baths cost?
A 3-hour adult ticket at Chochołowskie Termy is 95 PLN Monday to Thursday and 115 PLN Friday to Sunday on its low-season list.
This table shows adult tickets from each bath's own price list.
Adult tickets compared
Termy Zakopiańskie shows its high-season list.
| Bath | Ticket | Mon to Thu | Fri to Sun |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chochołów | 3 hours | 95 PLN | 115 PLN |
| Chochołów | Evening entry after 19:00 | 75 PLN | 95 PLN |
| Bukovina | 3.5 hours | 89 PLN | 99 PLN |
| Bukovina | All day | 125 PLN | 149 PLN |
| Terma Bania | 2.5 hours, Play Zone | from 73 PLN online | 89 or 99 PLN at the box office |
| Termy Zakopiańskie | 2.5 hours | from 79 PLN online | 98 PLN at the desk |
Extras that add up
At Chochołów, going over your paid time costs 0.50 PLN per minute. At Bukovina, each started 30 minutes over costs 19 PLN per person. At Terma Bania and Termy Zakopiańskie, each started 10 minutes costs 5 PLN. Bukovina sells a sauna zone entry at 33 PLN on top of a 3.5-hour package, and the sauna visit does not extend your pool time.
Chochołów's 4-hour family ticket for 2 adults and 1 child is 195 PLN Monday to Thursday and 245 PLN Friday to Sunday. Children from 3 to 16 pay 65 PLN or 85 PLN for 3 hours, and under 3 enter free.
Sources: Chochołowskie Termy, Termy Bukovina, Terma Bania, Termy Zakopiańskie.
Are the Zakopane thermal baths open in winter and in the evening?
Yes, the baths run all year with water at 30 to 38 degrees, and most stay open until 22:00.
Winter is when the pools make the most sense, because January in Zakopane averages a high of -0.2°C and a low of -6.6°C.
Opening hours
Chochołów pools open 9:00 to 22:00 Sunday to Thursday and 9:00 to 23:00 on Friday and Saturday. The saunarium opens at 10:00. Bukovina, Terma Bania and Termy Zakopiańskie all list 9:00 to 22:00.
The evening ticket at Chochołów starts after 19:00 and costs less than the daytime one. That makes Twilight Thermal Baths from Krakow and any late swim a cheaper option.
Closures to check
Termy Zakopiańskie is closed from 16 November to 7 December for a planned maintenance break. Check each bath's own site for holiday hours between 24 and 26 December, because they are not yet published.
The tours with a cable car may use the Gubałówka funicular. It is closed for inspection from 16 to 27 November and replacement buses run at 34 PLN one way. Ask your operator which lift your trip uses.
Water temperature is 32 to 38 degrees at Chochołów. The December average high in Zakopane is 0.9°C, so keep your robe on between pools.
Sources: Chochołowskie Termy, Termy Bukovina, Terma Bania, Aquapark Zakopane, Copernicus Climate Data Store, PKL Gubałówka.
When is the best time to visit the Zakopane thermal baths?
Go on a weekday morning, because weekends are very busy with families and cost more.
Friday to Sunday prices are higher at Chochołów and Bukovina, and the pools fill with families.
How to avoid the crowd
Chochołów charges 20 PLN more for a 3-hour ticket from Friday to Sunday. Terma Bania sells a Morning ticket for entry before 10:00 that gives 2 hours in the Play and Relax Zones from 67 PLN online.
Sources: Chochołowskie Termy, Terma Bania.
Thermal pool at Termy Podhalańskie in Szaflary. Photo: lzur, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Zakopane Thermal Baths FAQ
How much does it cost to rent towels at the Zakopane Thermal baths?
At Chochołowskie Termy a towel costs 10 PLN and a bathrobe 15 PLN. The first towel is free with a Saunarium or Open ticket. Compare Krakow trips on zakopane tours.
Do you have to wear flip flops at Zakopane Thermal baths?
The price lists state no flip-flop rule, so pack a pair because pool-side floors are wet. Ask at the desk if you are unsure. Trips like Swim in Chocholow Thermal Baths, Start from Krakow give you time at the baths.
Is the sauna zone clothing-free?
At Chochołów the saunarium is a non-textile zone for guests aged 18 and over. Bukovina sells sauna entry at 33 PLN on top of a pool ticket. See Krakow: Zakopane, Thermal Springs, Cable Car, Cheese and Vodka for the shorter option.
Can children go to the Zakopane thermal baths?
Yes. At Chochołów a child up to 3 enters free and ages 3 to 16 pay a reduced ticket. Bukovina offers a 3.5-hour child ticket up to age 13. A family trip fits Krakow-Zakopane: Cable Car, Chocholow Baths, Cheese and Vodka.
Is Termy Zakopiańskie open now?
No. Termy Zakopiańskie is closed from 16 November to 7 December and reopens on 8 December, with dates subject to change. The Chochołów trips on zakopane tours are the alternative.
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