Getting from Kraków to Katowice: Train, Bus or Car
By Jérôme R · Visited in July 2026, completed with our research · Updated · How we work
Kraków and Katowice are only about 84 km apart. We didn't drive it in one go: after Kraków, we headed to our accommodation in Piotrowice, near Oświęcim, and visited Katowice from there on another day — see also Energylandia.
Your options for the journey
By car. Allow around 1 hour on the road for the 84 km between Kraków and Katowice, mainly via the A4 motorway.
By train. The fastest option, with a direct journey of only around 49 minutes.
By bus. The cheapest option, with fares starting from around €8, for a journey of around 1 hr 5 min.
Our own journey
True story, July 2026: we didn't drive straight from Kraków to Katowice. After our stop in Kraków, we drove to our accommodation in Piotrowice, near Oświęcim (about 55 km, just under an hour), chosen for its proximity to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and to Energylandia. It was from Piotrowice that we went to Katowice, on another day, for a few hours' visit (about 50 km, under an hour's drive). Two short drives, with no particular difficulty.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to get from Kraków to Katowice?
About 1 hour by car, 49 minutes by train, and around 1 hr 5 min by bus.
Why go to Katowice from Kraków?
To discover a major Upper Silesian city that is very different from Kraków: mining heritage, the Spodek and the Nikiszowiec district. For the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Energylandia, you're better off heading straight for the Oświęcim area, as we did in Piotrowice.