Hello! <BR>Can anyone tell me how to get to these places from Krakow without a car and not on an organized tour? Thanks!

You can get to Auschwitz (Oswiescjim... might be spelled wrong) by train, and there's a minibus leaving to salt mines outside Krakow Bus Station once in an hour. This information dates back to a couple of years though so confirm at the tourist office. Both are cheap means of transport.

Hello, my name is Marc Terrance. I have published a guidebook for travelers wishing to visit the <BR>Concentration Camps. I personally visited each of these places to document the travel directions. I also <BR>had the privilege of visiting with a Holocaust Survivors group a few months ago. It was one of the most <BR>moving experiences of my life. They were very excited about my project and welcomed me with such <BR>warmth and friendship. I'm posting this notice here in the hopes that those visiting this site might be <BR>searching for this information. I found it very hard to find directions myself, that is why I wrote this book. <BR> <BR>GUIDE BOOK: "Concentration Camps, A Traveler's Guide to World War II Sites" by Marc Terrance. <BR>Available On-Line from "Amazon.com", "BarnesandNoble.com", "Borders.com" and directly from the <BR>publisher at "upublish.com/books/terrance.htm" <BR> <BR>Please Visit my Webpage with links to the above: http://www.ConcentrationCampGuide.com. <BR> <BR>A Must for anyone planning on visiting the Concentration Camps of Europe. Contains street maps showing <BR>exact directions to the sites, walking routes, road signs, bus and train information, opening hours and what <BR>remains of the camps today. Includes 45 Street Maps, Over 160 Pictures plus many useful websites. The <BR>guide covers 39 Sites in Poland, Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, France and The Netherlands. I <BR>hope you will find this useful. We must NEVER FORGET.

The salt mines are just outside Krakow & can get there by bus or taxi--don't know about train. For Auschwitz, you can take the train as chelya mentioned, but they don't tell you that Oswiescjim (I'll use her spelling as I don't have my info with me) is the stop. You just have to know. When you get off, the concentration camp is very close, but you may have to ask how to get there. The first camp is important but the second camp Birkenau, which is a few kilometers away, was more visually emotional to me. It was about $28 for the Krakow city tour, which I took & felt it was worth the money. Don't miss Zakopane (about a 2-hour bus ride). It is a resort city in the Tatras & very nice.

Hi, Isn't Sobibar in Poland? I have read about it and there was a book published some time ago "Escape from Sobibar" also a TV movie. <BR>

The Krakow city tour takes you to Auschwitz and Birkenau. As I reread my message, I realized that should have been explained. If you go on your own, it is free to get into Auschwitz. If you do, take the tour within the camp as the guide has much information and ours had a special connection as his father was held there (Pole). Be sure to see Birkenau. It has the train entrance you see in the movies and the expanse of barracks.

There is public transportation to the Wieliczka Salt Mines, and worth the trip. If your polish isnt up to it, you can pay a couple bucks and go on a tour. <BR> <BR>As the others have advised, take the train to Oswiecim. I walked from Auschwitz to Birkenau and it was a nice little walk. <BR> <BR>I agree with the poster above who recommended Zakopane. I spent an extended weekend there and really liked it. Make sure you take the cable car up to the ski slopes. <BR> <BR>Bob <BR>

After visiting relatives throughout Poland I spent a week in Cracow and on my first day met a friendly cab driver who ended up to be my personal guide and drove us everywhere including Auschwitz and it truly is best to go alone you can spend as much time as you need walking throughout the camp. We were all alone in the entire camp except for a few visiting german soldiers. All exhibits are well marked as well you can purchase a guide book to the camp as well as others detaling life in the camp when you enter. Its a site worth visiting.