Auschwitz/Birkenau - tour or train

The train station is about a mile away from the camp entrance, it's an easy walk. But the inter-city buses from Krakow drop you off directly across the street from the entrance, and offer more frequent service. So buses is the best way to get there. In Krakow the bus station is attached to the train station, make sure the bus says "Auschwitz Museum" on it, these are the ones that drop you off across the street from the camp.

Train connections are easy and a round trip ticket costs (if I remember right) 50 Zloty. Once at the train station you can use the city bus which drops you across the street from Auschwitz concentration camp, or just walk the half-mile to the camp. This bus will not go to the Birkenau extermination camp, but there is a shuttle bus that runs between the two sites every half hour. Krakow is filled with tour companies that offer guided tours with mini bus service for 100-150 Zloty, but i can't see any good reason to use them since you can take the train for half that amount. There are also regional buses that make the run from Krakow to Oswiecim for around 10 Zloty each way but they are slow and make quite a few stops along the way...And I just happen to like trains!

Bus from Krakow was easy comfortable and cheap.

The problem with taking the train is that the schedules are geared to local commuters. There are lots of trains from Krakow in the morning, and lots of trains back to Krakow in the evening but very few train in the afternoon, when you're likely to be ready to head back. Best option is to use the inter-city bus.

I just visited Auschwitz in September. Everybody in Krakow advised that we take the inter-city bus, which we did. It was easy. Micheal is absolutely right about the bus being preferable for the return trip as well. No need for an organized tour. Once you get to Auschwitz, you'll be automatically assigned to an English-speaking tour group. You're not allowed to tour the site on your own, only as part of a group with an Auschwitz guide. If our guide was any example, their guides are excellent. The tour includes Birkenau. If you get there by 9:30 or 10 AM, you'll be done by 2:30 - 3:00.

Ditto on the recommendations for a bus. The bus drops you off and picks you up at the gates of Auschwitz. Word of advice: take the earliest bus you can. It's a full day to take in both camps and catch the final bus back to Krakow. Have fun in Krakow. It's a great city. Don't miss the salt mine.

We took organized tour from Krakow because we had just one day to see Auschwitz and salt mine. It was not expensive but unfortunately I don't remember price anymore. On the bus we saw film about history of Auschwitz. On arrival we did not have to wait or stand in any lines. We had our own guide.