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visit.auschwitz.org – entry cards to the Memorial available only online from 1 March

Starting March 1, individual visitors will be able to book entry cards exclusively online through the official system at visit.auschwitz.org. This policy applies to both guided tours and free admission. The change is designed to help visitors plan their visits more effectively and eliminate lines at the Museum entrance.

This is primarily a response to the unethical practices of certain tour operators. They sold Museum tours that included transportation from Kraków. At the last minute, customers were informed that, due to alleged booking issues, the departure time was being moved to very early in the morning or even the middle of the night. Unfortunately, this misleading practice became a business model for some entities. Furthermore, they shifted the blame for the supposed difficulties onto the Museum, which was entirely untrue,” said Andrzej Kacorzyk, Deputy Director of the Museum responsible for visitor services.

Previously, visitors arriving at the closed Museum entrance as early as 3:00 or 4:00 a.m., were forced to stand in line simply to purchase an entry card once the Museum visitor services center opened.

“Even if entry cards were still available, visitors sometimes had to wait several hours for their tour to begin. We also documented heated conflicts among some ‘tour operators’ over their spots in line, which required intervention by the Museum Security and even the Police. Thanks to the changes being introduced, such situations will no longer occur. Visitors will be able to plan their visit in advance and choose the most convenient way to reach the Museum,” said Bartosz Bartyzel, the spokesman of the Museum..

A large parking area is available directly in front of the main entrance of the Museum. Oświęcim is also accessible via public transportation, including trains and buses. The train station is located 1,500 meters from the main entrance.

Under the new policy, entry cards will no longer be available for purchase on-site at the Museum main entrance. Both organized groups and individual visitors can reserve entry cards at visit.auschwitz.org up to three months in advance.

As before, free entry cards can be booked up to seven days in advance. Guided tour tickets will remain available until they are sold out.

“This means that even when planning a last-minute trip to the Museum, it will still be possible to check real-time availability for guided tours and to book them immediately. All of this is primarily intended to ensure visitors’ comfort, so that they no longer have to stand in lines, and are no longer intentionally misled into those lines by third parties,” emphasized Andrzej Kacorzyk.

We encourage everyone planning a visit to the Museum to make a reservation as early as possible at: visit.auschwitz.org.

“This is the only official system for reserving entry cards to visit the site of the former German Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz. The Museum does not cooperate in this regard with any external entities and bears no responsibility for reservations made or cancelled on other websites. Therefore, we urge visitors to make sure they are using the Museum’s official website when booking,” reiterated Bartosz Bartyzel.

In 2025, the Auschwitz Memorial and Museum was visited by 1.95 million people.