The Free Shuttle Bus Between Auschwitz I and Birkenau

Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau are located 3.5 km apart. Every standard guided tour covers both sites, and the museum shuttle bus is how visitors get between them. This guide explains how the shuttle works, who can use it, and what to expect.

Why the Shuttle Exists

The two sites that make up the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial cannot be covered on foot in the time available within a guided tour. Walking 3.5 km between Auschwitz I and Birkenau would add approximately 45 minutes of transit time to a tour that already covers 5–7 km of walking across both sites.

The museum’s free shuttle solves this. It operates between the two sites specifically to allow visitors on guided tours to move efficiently without the additional physical burden of the inter-site walk — leaving full energy for the visit at each location.

Who Can Use the Shuttle

Visitors arriving as part of an organised day tour from Kraków, Warsaw, or another city — where the tour includes a licensed guide and entry tickets — are transported between sites on the tour operator’s coach rather than the museum shuttle. This is functionally the same: you board the vehicle after Auschwitz I and are driven to Birkenau for the second part of the tour. Confirm the logistics with your tour operator when booking.

Wheelchair Accessibility

The museum shuttle bus is equipped with a ramp platform for wheelchair users. Wheelchair users can board and exit the shuttle independently using the ramp. Staff are available to assist if needed.

This makes the shuttle the most accessible option for visitors with mobility impairments who need to transfer between sites. If you are visiting with a wheelchair, confirm shuttle arrangements with the museum in advance — particularly if you are visiting as part of a group or on an adjusted accessibility route. Full accessibility information is in our accessibility guide.

The Journey Between Sites

The shuttle departs from near the main entrance area at Auschwitz I after the first part of the guided tour. Your educator-guide will direct the group to the shuttle at the appropriate time — typically after a short break of approximately 10–15 minutes between the two parts of the tour.

Journey time: approximately 10 minutes by shuttle between the two sites.

Departure point at Auschwitz I: Near the main visitor entrance, in the area of the café and facilities. Your guide will lead the group directly to the shuttle.

Arrival at Birkenau: The shuttle drops visitors at the main Birkenau gate on Obozowa Street, from where the Birkenau section of the tour begins.

If You Are Driving or Visiting Self-Guided

Visitors who have driven to Auschwitz-Birkenau and are visiting self-guided have the option of driving between the two sites themselves. Auschwitz I and Birkenau are 3.5 km apart by road, and a paid car park is available at the Birkenau site on Obozowa Street. See our driving and parking guide for full details.

The walk between sites — along the road connecting Auschwitz I and Birkenau — takes approximately 45 minutes and is not a formally designated visitor route. It is not the recommended approach for most visitors.

Shuttle vs Organised Tour Vehicle

Visitors on organised day tours from Kraków, Warsaw, Wrocław, Katowice, or Prague travel between sites on the tour operator’s vehicle rather than the museum shuttle. In practice, the experience is the same — you board a vehicle after the Auschwitz I portion of the tour and are transported to Birkenau — but logistics are managed by the tour operator rather than the museum directly.

The advantage of an organised tour in this context is that your group stays together throughout, transport between sites is seamless, and there is no need to locate or wait for the museum shuttle independently.

Taxi Between Sites

A taxi service is available at the Auschwitz I entrance, operated by the HALO TAXI company. If you are visiting self-guided and prefer not to drive or use the shuttle, a taxi between the two sites is an option. The fare for the 3.5 km journey is approximately 15–30 PLN.