Day trips from Kraków without a car — 6 places nearby
You don’t need a car for a day trip from Kraków. Tyniec, Niepołomice, Lanckorona, Ojców National Park, Zator with Energylandia and Tarnów can all be reached by city bus, train or minibus (as of 2026). Some attractions are seasonal, so check the current timetable and opening hours before you go.
1. Tyniec — the Benedictine abbey on the Vistula
About 12 km from the centre of Kraków, on a limestone hill above the Vistula, stands the Benedictine abbey — considered the oldest existing monastery in Poland, founded in the 11th century. Visit the abbey, enjoy the river views and stop by the shop selling monastery products.
Getting there: MPK city bus no. 112 (from near the Grunwaldzkie roundabout) takes you to the Tyniec terminus. In season you can also go by boat — several operators run cruises from Kraków to Tyniec through the Kościuszko lock, past Wawel.
2. Niepołomice — a royal castle and a primeval forest
Niepołomice is about 21 km from the Main Square. The main sight is the castle built by Casimir the Great and remodelled in Renaissance style with arcaded galleries — today home to a museum, hotel and restaurant. Next to it is the Niepołomice Forest, with historic wayside shrines and trails for walking or cycling.
Getting there: MPK buses, including no. 221 from Mały Płaszów (P+R) to Niepołomice bus station, and no. 211. Niepołomice has no railway station of its own — the nearest are Podłęże and Staniątki.
3. Lanckorona — a Galician small town
Lanckorona, about 30 km from Kraków, is a village with the feel of an old small town (it held town rights from 1366 to 1934), with 19th-century wooden houses around the market square. On Lanckorona Hill stand the ruins of a castle founded by Casimir the Great. Stop for coffee and cake in one of its charming cafés.
Getting there: by train from Kraków Główny to Kalwaria Zebrzydowska Lanckorona station, then by the local bus on the Kalwaria – Lanckorona – Stryszów route.
4. Ojców National Park
About 16 km from Kraków lies Ojców National Park — Poland’s smallest national park, created in 1956. Highlights include the castle ruins in Ojców, Pieskowa Skała castle, the Club of Hercules rock, the chapel “on the water”, Grodzisko with the hermitage of Blessed Salomea, and Łokietek Cave and Ciemna Cave. The caves and castle are open seasonally, roughly from mid-April to early November.
Getting there: MPK buses — including no. 310 (get off at Czajowice, about 2 km from the park boundary) and no. 267 from Krowodrza Górka to Skała — private minibuses from Kamienna Street (Nowy Kleparz) to Ojców, and a seasonal leisure bus line on summer weekends.
5. Zator — Energylandia and Zatorland
Zator is home to Energylandia, Poland’s largest amusement park, with zones for young children, families and thrill-seekers, plus a water park. Next door is Zatorland, an amusement and education park with moving dinosaurs, an insect park, a mythology park and a funfair.
Getting there: Koleje Małopolskie trains on the Kraków Główny – Skawina – Zator route, or the Energylandia coach from the MDA bus station on Bosacka Street (booking required). The parks are open seasonally.
6. Tarnów — Poland’s warmest city
Tarnów, Małopolska’s second-largest city, is known as Poland’s “pole of warmth” — the thermal summer here can last up to 118 days. See the medieval market square with its 14th-century town hall, the cathedral with Renaissance tombs of the Tarnowski family, and the vineyards of the Tarnów Foothills.
Getting there: by train — after the line was modernised, most services are run by Koleje Małopolskie, and the fastest trains from Kraków take about 50–60 minutes.
Where to stay in Kraków
For train trips, the most convenient base is Best Western Plus Kraków Old Town at Świętej Gertrudy 6 — about 1.6 km from Kraków Główny station and 500 m from the Main Square. From Hotel Regent in Kazimierz it’s close to the buses towards Tyniec and to the boulevards where the boats leave.
Plan your stay in Kraków
Frequently asked questions
Where can I go on a day trip from Kraków without a car?
For example to Tyniec (MPK bus 112), Niepołomice (MPK 221), Lanckorona (train + bus), Ojców (MPK 310/267 or minibus), Zator (train or the Energylandia coach) or Tarnów (about an hour by train).
How do I get from Kraków to Ojców by public transport?
By MPK bus no. 310 (to Czajowice) or 267 (to Skała), by private minibus from Kamienna Street, or in summer by the seasonal leisure line.
How do I get from Kraków to Energylandia?
By Koleje Małopolskie train to Zator, or by the Energylandia coach from the MDA bus station on Bosacka Street (booking required).
Updated in October 2026.