Cracow School of Theoretical Physics, XLI I Course, 2002

Travel tips (updated April 25, 2002)

HOW TO GET TO KRAKOW AND TO ZAKOPANE

We recommend that you take one of the flights to Krakow (see the Krakow Airport web page). You can also fly to Warszawa (Warsaw) and then continue by plane or by train to Krakow. You can also take a direct train to Zakopane (preferably for those who arrive in Warsaw in the evening and wish to take an overnight train (sleeping or couchette) to Zakopane).

We will provide a conference bus from Krakow to Zakopane on May 31 in the evening.

Flight to Krakow (click here)
Flight to Warszawa, train to Krakow (click here)
From Krakow to Zakopane (click here)
By car (click here)
In Zakopane (click here)
In Krakow (click here)
Prices and other practical information (click here)
Weather in Zakopane and in Poland

Flight to Krakow

There are now quite a few regular and charter flights between Krakow and several European cities. Please consult your travel agent for details.

From the Krakow airport you can take the city bus 208 or 192 to the train/bus station (3/4 hour). You have to purchase bus tickets in advance in newsstands called "Kiosk RUCH" (located on the 1-st floor of Krakow Airport) and punch them on the bus right after boarding.

Alternatively you may take a taxi. The price for a ride to the train/bus station should not exceed 40 zloty. You may also try to negotiate an attractive price for a ride directly to Zakopane with taxi drivers at the airport.

From Krakow to Zakopane

From Krakow train/bus station you may go to Zakopane either by the conference bus, by regular bus, by train or you may try to negotiate an attractive price for a ride directly to Zakopane with taxi drivers.

The conference bus will be provided on May 31 in the evening.

Consult the city map; the train station=DWORZEC GLOWNY and the bus station=DWOREZEC PKS are located in the right upper corner

Regular bus connections between Krakow and Zakopane are quite frequent (see PKS or Szwagropol timetables). Bus station is located next to the train station (see the city map; the train station=DWORZEC GLOWNY and the bus station=DWOREZEC PKS are located in the right upper corner of the map). The ride to Zakopane will take about 2.5 hrs.

Train connections between Krakow and Zakopane are not so convenient, because regular trains are rather slow (4 hrs.), they mostly leave not from the main station but from Krakow-Plaszow, and there are not so many of them.

From Warsaw to Krakow

The Warsaw airport and the central train station have got recently bad reputation due to a number of pickpocket robberies. In this respect a provincial city of Krakow is relatively safe. The most convenient connection between the Warsaw airport and the central train station is provided by the City-Airport yellow bus service. The bus stop is right at the exit from the arrival hall. Get off at the Warszawa Centralna train station, which is just opposite to the Warsaw Marriot Hotel. Alternatively you can take the regular city bus 175. Taxis have a tendency to overcharge the foreigners.

There is a number of Express and Intercity trains from Warsaw to Krakow. Look up the timetable.

IMPORTANT: to avoid queues purchase the train ticket at the airport "ORBIS" (Polish Travel Agency) office located at the exit from the arrival hall.

By car

Zakopane can be easily reached from Krakow by car (2 hours). Take international road E77 (local road number is 7 ). See the schematic map of Poland.

In Zakopane

Zakopane is a small town located in the footsteps of the Tatra Mountains. Train station (PKP) and bus depot (PKS) are located in the lower, Northern part of the city (see the map). Hotel "Geovita" is located at 4 Wierchowa street (number 8 on the map). Although the distance between the train/bus station and the hotel is not very large one has to walk uphill, therefore it is recommended that you take a taxi, unless your luggage is not too heavy.

Weather in Zakopane in May/June is very unstable. In the 41 year history of the School there were cases when people did ski during the School. If you want to hike it is absolutely necessary that you take good trecking shoes. Click here to see what is the weather in Zakopane today (unfortunately in Polish) or here for weather forecast for Poland.

See on-line view of the Tatras.

In Krakow

City map.
Krakow - aerial view.
Location of the University Guesthouses.
Other hotels in Krakow.
Krakow homepage.
Wawel Royal Castle.
Cultural events.
On-line view of the Market Square.

Prices and other practical information

Polish currency called ZLOTY (PLN) divides into 100 GROSZ.

Currency rates are approximately as follows: US$ 1 = PLN 4.1, Euro 1 = PLN 3.50.

Some typical prices (in PLN):

bus Krakow-Zakopane: 11,
train Warsaw-Krakow:

express/intercity train I class: ?? + place card; II class ?? + place card,
intercity place card: ?? or ??; express place card: ??or ??,

train Warsaw-Zakopane: I class: ??; II class: ?? + sleeping place approximately ??.
hotels in Krakow: prices vary from approximately PLN 150 for a single room to even PLN 500. Note that in the tourist season (May to September) it is difficult to find vacancies, therefore early reservation is advised. The University can offer a few rooms in the Guesthouses located in the city center for approximately PLN 150 (single room) PLN 240 (double room) incl. breakfast.
Restaurants: typical price for a 2 course dinner PLN 30-60. Beer PLN 5-8.

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