Entry Passes Explained: Free Passes vs Paid Guided Tours
Entry to the grounds of Auschwitz-Birkenau is free, but all visitors — including those visiting without a guide — must reserve a personalised entry pass in advance at visit.auschwitz.org. No walk-in access is available. Paid guided tours, led by licensed museum educator-guides, carry an additional fee of approximately 75 PLN per person. The entry pass and the guided tour are two separate things: the pass grants access; the tour provides a guide.
One of the most common points of confusion for visitors planning a trip to Auschwitz-Birkenau is understanding how the entry system actually works — particularly the relationship between free entry, paid tours, and the online booking requirement. This guide explains it all clearly.
The Two Things You Need to Understand
The Auschwitz-Birkenau entry system operates on two distinct levels that are often conflated:
1. The entry pass — a personalised document that grants you physical access to the grounds of the memorial. Entry passes are free of charge. They are not optional — every visitor, without exception, must hold a valid pre-booked entry pass to enter.
2. The guided tour — an additional service, provided by a licensed museum educator-guide, that accompanies your visit. Guided tours carry a fee. They are optional for individual visitors but mandatory for groups of 10 or more.
These two things work together: you must have an entry pass regardless of whether you have a guide. When you book a guided tour through the museum’s booking system, the pass is incorporated into the tour booking. When you visit self-guided, you book a free pass separately.
Free Entry Passes (Self-Guided Visits)
A free entry pass grants access to the grounds of Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau without a licensed educator-guide. Visitors explore the site independently, at their own pace, using the museum’s own exhibition panels, printed guides, and maps. Free passes are available only at certain hours and are subject to availability — they are not always available, particularly during peak season.
Free entry passes are released 90 days in advance via visit.auschwitz.org, the only official booking platform. To book a free self-guided pass:
- Register for an account at visit.auschwitz.org
- Select “Visit for Individuals”
- Choose your date
- Select “Tour for individuals without an educator”
- Choose an available time slot and complete your booking
Free passes are available at specific time windows that vary by season. During busier periods, free pass slots fill quickly — often within days of the 90-day booking window opening. The museum actively encourages visitors to use a guide for their first visit, noting that the historical depth of the site is significantly harder to absorb without expert contextual guidance.
Who should use a free pass:
- Visitors with a strong prior knowledge of the history who feel confident navigating independently
- Return visitors who have already experienced a guided tour
- Those with budget constraints who cannot afford the guide fee
Who should not use a free pass:
- First-time visitors with limited prior knowledge of the Holocaust or the specific history of Auschwitz-Birkenau
- Groups of 10 or more (mandatory guide requirement applies)
- Visitors under 14 accompanied by adults (the guide’s contextual framing is particularly valuable for younger visitors)
Our guide to guided vs self-guided visits covers this decision in full detail.
Paid Guided Tours
A guided tour is led by a licensed museum educator-guide — a professional trained specifically by the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial to conduct tours on site. Only museum-licensed guides are authorised to lead tours within the grounds. External guides, regardless of their qualifications, are not permitted.
The current guide fee is approximately 75 PLN per person for a general guided tour. This fee is charged for the educator-guide service, not for entry to the grounds — entry remains free. Prices are subject to change; always verify current fees at auschwitz.org.
When you book a guided tour through the museum’s system, the entry pass is bundled into the tour booking. You do not need to separately book a free pass if you have booked a guided tour.
Available guided tour formats through the museum:
- General tour (2.5 hours) — covers both sites at a brisk pace
- General tour (3.5 hours) — the most popular format, covers both sites with time for reflection
- Guided tour for individual visitors (3 hours 45 minutes) — joins an existing group tour at set times
- One-day study tour (6 hours) — specialist format for groups with deeper educational focus
- Two-day study tour (3+3 or 4+4 hours) — the most comprehensive format
Full details of each format are in our tour types guide.
Organised Day Tours from Kraków and Other Cities
A third category exists beyond the museum’s own booking system: organised day tours operated by third-party tour companies. These tours typically include:
- Return transport from your city (Kraków, Warsaw, Wrocław, Katowice, Prague)
- Pre-secured entry passes with skip-the-line access
- A licensed museum educator-guide for the on-site tour
- All logistics managed by the operator
When you book an organised day tour through a reputable operator, the entry pass and guide are handled as part of the package — you do not need to separately book anything at visit.auschwitz.org. The tour operator secures everything on your behalf.
The most popular organised day tour from Kraków — including hotel pickup, transport, a 3.5-hour licensed guided tour, and skip-the-line entry — is available here:
For visitors who prefer transport-only without a guide, this option provides round-trip transfer from Kraków with entry included but no educator-guide:
Warning: Third-Party Ticket Sellers
The only authorised platform for booking entry passes directly from the museum is visit.auschwitz.org. The museum does not cooperate with any third-party companies in the sale of entry passes. Some external websites sell what appear to be “Auschwitz tickets” — these are not entry passes issued by the museum. Purchasing through unauthorised channels puts your access at risk.
Reputable tour operators (such as those listed in this guide) do not “sell tickets to Auschwitz” — they book entry passes on your behalf through the official system as part of a package that also includes transport and guiding. There is a meaningful difference between a legitimate tour operator and an unauthorised reseller.
If you see a website selling “Auschwitz tickets” as a standalone product — separate from a guided tour package — treat it with significant caution. Our full guide to how to book tickets walks through the official process step by step and explains how to avoid scam sites.
Concessions and Free Entry Categories
While entry to the grounds is free for all visitors, concessions on the guide fee are available for:
- Students and pupils aged up to 26 years (with valid student ID)
- People over 75 years of age (with ID)
- Disabled visitors (with documentation)
Full pricing and concession details are in our prices and concessions guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is entry to Auschwitz free?
Yes — admission to the grounds of Auschwitz-Birkenau is free. However, all visitors must reserve a personalised entry pass in advance at visit.auschwitz.org. No walk-in access is available. If you choose to visit with a licensed educator-guide, a guide fee of approximately 75 PLN applies — this is a fee for the guiding service, not for entry.
Do I need to buy a ticket for Auschwitz?
There are no tickets for Auschwitz in the conventional sense — entry is free. What you do need is a pre-booked personalised entry pass from visit.auschwitz.org. If you are booking an organised day tour through a third-party operator, the pass is included in the tour package.
What is the difference between a free pass and a guided tour?
A free pass grants access to the grounds without a guide — you visit independently. A guided tour includes a licensed museum educator-guide who leads your visit and provides historical context throughout. Both require a pre-booked entry pass; the guided tour incorporates the pass into the booking. Groups of 10 or more are required to book a guided tour.
Can I visit Auschwitz without booking in advance?
No. Since March 2025, all entry passes — including free self-guided passes — must be reserved in advance online. No entry cards are issued at the gate. Arriving without a pre-booked pass will result in refusal of entry.
Are there concessions at Auschwitz?
Entry to the grounds is free for everyone. Concessions on the guide fee apply for students (up to 26 years), people over 75, and disabled visitors. See our prices and concessions guide for details.
Is the Auschwitz booking system safe to use?
Yes — visit.auschwitz.org is the museum’s official booking platform and is entirely safe. Be cautious of any other website claiming to sell Auschwitz tickets or entry passes, as these are not affiliated with the museum.
