Will arrive in Krakow by train and I will need to take a taxi to my hotel. The hotel I am staying in can arrange this for me, or I can get a taxi once I arrive. My question, are the taxi scams/rip offs in Krakow as bad as Prague? I don't mind paying a little extra to have my hotel arrange a transfer especially if that means not dealing with unpleasant taxi drivers at the station when I arrive in Krakow.

Any information will be appreciated. Thanks.

I only have the one experience, from last winter. Not speaking more than the odd word of Polish, I managed to find the taxi rank without any problems, and from what I can remember, wasn't taken all round the houses, and wasn't charged a fortune. It was just a normal queue of taxis, and a mixed bag of people (i.e., any driver would have to expect some clued-up locals alert to any scam) taking them.

The taxi rank is on the level above where the trains arrive. There are elevators to take you to the street level. Exit the elevator and there will be a line of taxis.

If you need to get Zloty first then you go to the lower level for the ATM machine.

I paid a little under $6 from the station to the pedestrian area in Krakow. It's not a long drive; it took less than 10 minutes. My taxi driver was pleasant and I don't think the $6 was excessive.

Note: you do not tip taxi drivers although I did not know that and tipped him and he was very happy! I did not tip on the way out of Krakow and the driver did not seem to expect a tip.

Warsaw ( airport / train station ) taxies are really only ones that will rip you off ... Krakow is much better when it comes to taxi drivers ...

as far as adrienne "Note: you do not tip taxi drivers ... driver did not seem expect a tip" again part of Krakow's good manners not to expect ... BUT YES taxi drivers do get a tip ( since it is NOT included in the fare ) ... or at minimum round of to the nearest paper nomination so no coins are exchanged ...

Peter - it was the woman in the TI who emphatically told me that taxi drivers do not get tipped. I asked her what the normal tip was for taxis as it was my last morning in Krakow and I wanted to make sure I had enough for the fare to the airport plus the tip.