One of the best weekend trips from Prague you can do is to visit the beautiful city of Krakow in Poland. Krakow is known as one of the most beautiful cities in Poland and some even call it the “little Prague”. 

In Krakow, you’ll experience different food and some amazing Polish dishes including their famous perogies. Since Krakow is a bit smaller than Prague you can easily see a lot in just a few days. So a weekend trip from Prague to Krakow is perfect!

The nice thing about travelling between Prague and Krakow is that there are quite a few different ways you can get between the two cities. It will just depend on how quickly and how much money you want to spend. It’s too far to go just for a day trip but 2-3 days is the perfect amount of time to spend in Krakow!

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4 best ways to get from Prague to Krakow

Prague to Krakow is going to take you at least 5 hours by public transport or car. A day trip is possible but you’re going to have to leave really early and come home really late. So we recommend spending at least a night or two to make it worthwhile. It will make the perfect weekend trip from Prague!

Let’s get right into all the different options on how to get between Prague and Krakow and the same way of getting back from Krakow to Prague. In this post, you will find the different options, ticket prices, links to sites where you can book from, and reasons why we recommend each option.

Prague to Pilsen by bus

Average price: $18-36/€20-40 roughly, depending on the time of day.
Average time: 8-12 hours
Convenience: 4/5
Where to book: Omio or Flixbus

The bus from Prague to Krakow can be a good option as well. One thing that can save you money is if you take an overnight bus. Overnight buses are usually cheaper and then you also don’t have to pay for accommodation for the night. If you’re looking to save money then that’s definitely the best way to travel between Prague and Krakow. 

Otherwise, you can simply find a time that’s convenient for you to head to Krakow. The nice thing about taking a bus is that they run super frequently between Prague and Krakow. The only thing to take into consideration is the price and the length of the trip. 

Some buses take 8 hours whereas other buses take 12 hours. Some buses cost $18 whereas other buses cost $36. Thankfully, Omio or Flixbus show all the different options and you can pick which one best suits you! 

Book your bus ticket to Krakow here.

Prague to Krakow by train

Average price: $14/€12 one way
Average time: The shortest train is 7 hours direct
Convenience: 4.5/5
Where to book: Rome2Rio 

We absolutely love taking trains so whenever the train is the cheapest or fastest way to get between two places we usually go with the train. 

The nice thing about the trip between Prague and Krakow is that you can actually take a direct train from Prague main station to Krakow main station. The trip will take you about 7 hours and is one of the quickest ways to get to Krakow from Prague. 

The trains in Europe are quite nice and usually have wifi and some sort of food service where you can order and buy food and drinks. Especially on these longer trips we appreciate having more leg room and space to relax so if that’s what you’re looking for the train will be your best bet.

Prague to Krakow by rental car

Average price: Anywhere from $25-50 / €22-44 a day + gas
Average time: Roughly 6 hours
Convenience: 4/5
Where to book: DiscoverCars (from Prague airport)

If there are 2 or more of you travelling together then renting a car might be a good option. Especially if you plan to see surrounding places and want to visit other cities and castles. That way you don’t have to worry about catching all sorts of different trains and buses.

We recommend renting a car from the Prague Airport since it’s usually the cheapest way. Plus you’re already out of the city and don’t have to drive through busy Prague. The further you book the car rental in advance the more likely you are to get a better discount. 

There are lots of places to stop on the way between Prague and Krakow. Brno is a beautiful city and Czech Republic’s second-biggest city and you’ll drive right through it on the way to Krakow. Adršpach – Teplice Rocks is an awesome nature area next to the Polish border that is worth checking out as well!

Pro tip: The further you book in advance, the better the price you can get since there will be more options to pick from.

The only thing to consider when booking a car rental in Prague is the price of gas. It’s quite a bit more expensive than say Canada and the USA. There are also highway fees you may have to pay to enter Poland. So those are just a few things to consider.

Renting a car is definitely going to be more expensive than taking a train or bus to Krakow. What you will have though is the freedom to go wherever and whenever you want! We recommend looking at DiscoverCars to compare the prices from the different rental companies so you can get the best deals.

Book your rental car from Prague Airport here.

Picture of a car rental from Prague Airport in the Czech Republic.

Prague to Krakow by plane

Average price: Prices change all the time. Sometimes you can find tickets for $50/€45
Average time: 1-hour flight
Convenience: 4/5
Where to book: KAYAK

The beauty of travelling in Europe and the era of budget airlines is that you can travel relatively cheaply by air. Sometimes if you’re lucky you can get a great deal on a flight between Prague and Krakow. 

The flight might seem like a good idea because it’s just an hour to fly. But remember that you still have to get to the airport which takes about 40 minutes, then be there at least 1.5 hours before the flight, and then you also have to get from Krakow airport to Krakow after. So the time still adds up!

But sometimes you get a good deal you just can’t say no to. Sometimes you can find tickets for $50/€45 and then it may be worth going by plane to save you some time! Going by plane wouldn’t be our first option but we do want to put it out there for you!

Check flight prices here.

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Other questions related to getting from Prague to Krakow

Is there a direct train from Prague to Krakow?

Yes, there are direct trains from Prague to Krakow. Most days there should at least be a few direct trains from Prague to Krakow. You can see all the different trains, schedules, times, and prices from Prague to Krakow here.

How long is the train journey from Prague to Krakow?

The quickest train between Prague and Krakow takes 6 hours and 32 minutes. When booking your train from Prague to Krakow make sure to see which one goes direct or not. Either way though you can get between the two cities in 6.5 hours!

Is Krakow worth visiting?

Krakow is absolutely worth visiting! Similar to Prague, Krakow has a stunning old town full of cafes, museums, and other awesome gems to visit. You’re going to be blown away by the food scene in Krakow and the Polish culture is absolutely amazing. So yes, Krakow is 100% worth visiting and spending a few days seeing this beautiful city.

How many days do you need in Krakow?

Two days is the perfect amount of time to spend in Krakow. Of course, if you have more time you’ll be able to see more, try all the yummy food, and get to know the culture better. If you’re tight for time but still want to experience Krakow then 2 days should be enough time.

Is there a night train from Prague to Krakow?

There is a night train from Prague to Krakow but it doesn’t run every day. If you’re looking to save on accommodation you can take the night train or you can also look at taking a night bus between the two cities. You can find the different times and book in advance here.

Recap of how to get from Prague to Krakow

There you have it! All the different ways to get from Prague to Krakow and back. We hope you enjoy the city of Krakow aka “little Prague” and get a chance to eat amazing Polish food, learn about the culture, and see everything you want to see. 

Krakow is stunning and a city worth visiting especially if you’re in Europe!

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