Auschwitz

Auschwitz is about 60 miles from Krakow Poland. Most people visit the camp as a day day trip from Krakow. The camp is located in the town of Oswiecim which has a train staion. By rail it's about 9 hours from Prague to Krakow. From Krakow to Amsterdam via Berlin the journey time is about 24 hours!

Terezin concentration camp is just outside of Prague. Perhaps you could pay your respects there.

Terezin is approximately 60 km north of Prague. Bus 17 which leaves from the Florenc station takes about 1 hour.

I could not locate a train to there...but sure there must be one.

I agree that you should consider visiting Terezin instead of Auschwitz if you have time limitations. We used wittmann-tours.com, which took us on a 6 hour guided day trip from Prague to Terezin. Though Auschwitz is even more horrifying, Terezin will still leave you in stunned silence.

Just note that if you really are intent on seeing Auschwitz, the closest logical homebase is Krakow. Even from Krakow, a visit to Auschwitz still takes an entire day.

My daughter and I went to Dachau which is just outside of Munich. It was chilling. May their souls be with the lord.

As horrifying and chilling as Dachau and Auschwitz are, neither holds a candle to Matthausen, just outside of Linz, AU. Dachau and Auschwitz have been "sanitized" to some extent. Matthausen has not. It's a smaller camp, introduced by a movie in the visitor center before the self-guided tour. We've visited all three camps and Matthausen was by far the camp that had the most impact on us. Auschwitz, although quite a memorial, was almost like a movie set.

I agree with those who suggest you'll not really be able to do this trip from Prague. It would be a 6-7 hour trip directly from Prague, not including any delays at the border. (Yes, you have to stop at the border because Poland borders non-EU countries.) Traveling to Krakow first is typical, but you could also get there from a Czech border town such as Karvina or ?eský T?šín.

Terezin is a very reasonable alternative in many respects. While it was not a "death camp" like Auschwitz, it is famous for the fact that this was the site the Nazis chose to "clean up" for the Red Cross inspection. The charade inspection makes Terezin's history unique.

The other unique part of Terezin's history is the flourishing of artistic expression, most notably the drawings of Helga Weissova-Hoskova and the children's opera "Brundibar." A little research about either or both of these will make the trip to Terezin very meaningful.

I just visited Prague for a week in April, and used the bus from Florenc and it took 1 hour as stated before. Did it own my own walking and with lunch at a local place in town. Spent maybe 20 US dollars for the whole day trip (including local lunch pork and dumplings and ice cream at a shop next door). Took the walking tour of town Ghetto Muzeum, crematorium and museum cost I believe 100 kc and then off to the camp itself about 1/2 mile walk but very leisurely walk. Bus ride was 73 kc each way maybe 7.50 US for the roundtrip.

Just make sure you get a seat on the bus by arriving early, as they stuff people in and stand the whole way until enough people get off on the way out to Terezin. It was one of the highlights of my trip to Prague. I highly recommend it.Everyone knows about Auschwitz and while worthwhile if in Poland I would choose Terezin while in Czech!!

I just went to Prague 2 weeks ago and was in the same bind as you, so we took a short flight and it only cost us $134 per person.....We flew from Prague to Warsaw then to Krakow....Very easy...If you can afford it, i would recommend it.....You don't have to worry about the night train plus you can fly at 9 at night and not miss any sightseeing time....

we need help with this topic as well...is it possible to fly to warsaw next
tues oct 2, see the warsaw ghetto, get to krakow, take a tour of auschwitz and
return to prague before out departure on oct 6th??? thanks
sue in ohio

it can be done Sue. The flight from Prague to Krakow
always goes through Warsaw as far as i know. We have
used LOT airlines, the Polish national line, with good service and reasonable prices. I would spend a full day in Krakow and a day at Auschwit. Krakow's Jeiwsh ghetto, Kazimier, is worth a visit. I would
forget Warsaw except as a stopover.

I too will be in prague, and would like a day trip or overnight for aushwitz. How do i go about making reservations? Is renting a car and driving to krakow crazy

Skip Auschwitz. It`s creepy and very sad. Also the mini gift shop,pop corn,hot dog,ice cream stands are tacky.

I drove to through polen and stayed in Oswiecim(Auschitz is the german name for this town) then i went on to drive to praha,
From krakow to Oswiecim drive was about 1.5 hr, from Oswiecimiu to Praha around 6 hr drive with stops.
I stayed in Oswiecim at the Centrum Dialogu i Modlitwy w Oswiecimiu right across from Auschwitz1.
To see itand i do think EVeRY human should see and experience it ( yes its deppressing and creppy but hey it aint disneyland peole where slaughterd here) you start in the morning at Auschwitz1 take a break and teh head the 3 miles to birkenau and spend some time there,
Some people do it in 4 hours some shorter it depends how long you can bear it,

From Praha if you dont have a car i would also say go to the one Concentrationcamp a hour away from Praha. But Auscwitz is a 2 day trip form praha
If you go dont just go to the Concentration camp
also go DOWNTOWN see the old synagoge and experinece life there