Do you need to pay to enter Auschwitz?

Yes, entry to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial is free, but you must reserve a free timed entry pass online in advance at visit.auschwitz.org for either a self-guided visit (usually afternoons) or to join a paid guided tour, as on-site tickets are very limited and often unavailable. While basic entry costs nothing, fees apply for guided tours with educators, which are highly recommended for understanding the complex history.

Do you have to pay to go to Auschwitz?

Entry to the premises of the Auschwitz Memorial is free. A fee is only charged for visits with a Museum educator, i.e., a person authorized and prepared to conduct guided tours on the premises.

What does it cost to tour Auschwitz?

Visits to the memorial site (Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau) are free of charge. Due to the large volume of visitors, visitors are now only permitted to visit the memorial site without a guide at certain times. The memorial offers a wide selection of guided tours for individuals and groups.

Why can't you take pictures at Auschwitz?

Material may be used only in undertakings and projects that do not violate the good name of the Victims of Auschwitz. Photography and filming on the Museum grounds for commercial purposes, at spaces closed to visitors or with a drone, require prior approval by the Museum.

How long is the wait at Auschwitz?

Auschwitz wait times vary wildly: pre-booked, skip-the-line tickets mean short security waits (10-30 mins), but arriving without tickets, especially in peak season, can mean 1-2+ hour queues just for entry, even with online booking confirmation, as many third-party sites don't secure immediate entry. For the best experience, book direct via visit.auschwitz.org and arrive 30 mins early for security; otherwise, expect significant waits, especially if you need to pick up tickets or buy them on the day.
 

A Warning to Those Visiting Auschwitz

How many Auschwitz survivors are still alive in 2025?

As of 2025, there are around 220,000 Holocaust survivors worldwide, though the specific number of Auschwitz survivors isn't detailed separately, with their median age being 87, and numbers rapidly declining as 70% are projected to pass within the next decade. Organizations like the Claims Conference https://www.claimscon.org/demographics2025/ track these demographics, highlighting the urgent need for testimony as these witnesses, many of whom were at Auschwitz (like the 99-year-old Leon Weintraub at the 2025 liberation anniversary), are the last generation to share their direct experiences.

Can you use your phone in Auschwitz?

Use mobile phones for telephone conversations in the exhibition buildings included in the tour and the silence zone in the courtyard of Block 11. j. Record and take photographs in buildings using flash and tripods. Recording and taking photographs is completely forbidden in Block 4 Room 5 and underground Block 11.

What not to do at Auschwitz?

1. Light candles in places other than specifically designated areas, i.e., the Death Wall in Auschwitz I and the International Monument to the Victims of the Camp in Auschwitz II-Birkenau. 2. Carry and consume food or alcohol; smoke cigarettes and e-cigarettes on the visiting route.

Do I need to bring my passport to Auschwitz?

Yes, you will be asked to present your ID document before entering museum.

Can you buy Auschwitz tickets at the gate?

Individual Visitors

Reservations can be made at visit.auschwitz.org. Entry cards for self-guided tours from May 1 will only be available by online booking. Only a limited number of guided tour entry cards for the given day will be available at the entrance to the Museum.

How much is a trip from Krakow to Auschwitz?

Prices for transportation from Krakow to Auschwitz

If you decide not to join a guided tour with transportation included, you will have to use public transportation. The best options are the bus and the train. A round-trip bus ticket to Auschwitz from Krakow costs about €5 (approximately €2.50 each way).

Who was the girl who escaped Auschwitz?

Mala Zimetbaum, the first woman and the first Jewish woman to escape from Auschwitz-Birkenau, was born on January 26, 1918, in Brzesko, Poland, the fifth and youngest daughter of Pinhas and Chaya Zimetbaum.

Is Auschwitz closed in April 2025?

Visitors planning a trip to Auschwitz should be aware of museum closures and increased crowds in April: April 24, 2025 – The Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum will be closed due to the March of the Living. April 20, 2025 – The museum will also be closed for Easter Sunday.

Is 2 hours enough for Auschwitz?

Two hours is generally not enough time for a meaningful visit to both Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau, as official tours take around 3.5 hours, with most visitors needing 3-5 hours total to experience both sites properly, considering walking and transport between them. While you might rush through key parts of Auschwitz I in 2 hours, you'd barely see Birkenau, the larger extermination camp, making it a very superficial experience, and official guided tours, which are recommended, last much longer.

What does an upside down b mean?

A sign of courage and the will to live

A cynical lie: the inscription above the main gate of Auschwitz I concentration camp: “ARBEIT MACHT FREI” (work makes you free). When the SS ordered them to make this sign, the prisoners placed their hidden message in the word “ARBEIT”: they turned the letter “B” upside down.

Is entering Auschwitz free?

Entry to the premises of the Auschwitz Memorial is free. A fee is only charged for visits with a Museum educator, i.e., a person authorized and prepared to conduct guided tours on the premises.

Is there a toilet at Auschwitz?

Of course, there are toilets in Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II Birkenau. You have to remember to take your money with you, because the toilets are paid.

What is the age limit for Auschwitz?

Visits to the Museum by children under the age of 14 are not recommended.

How many Jews from the Holocaust are still alive?

Almost two-thirds of these European Jews, nearly 6.7 million people, were murdered, so that by the end of the war in Europe in May 1945, about 3.5 million of them had survived. As of January 2026, about 196,600 survivors were alive.