Formerly known as Krakow-Balice, the airport’s name was changed to John Paul II International Airport (KRK) in 1995 in honour of Pope John Paul II, who lived in the city for many years. Located in the village of Balice, approximately 11km (6.8 miles) west of Krakow, the airport is Poland’s second-busiest hub.
Flights to John Paul II International Airport arrive from major European cities such London, Edinburgh, Dublin, Prague, Berlin, Munich, Warsaw, Vienna, Helsinki, Alicante and Paris.
In spite of recent expansions, John Paul II struggles to handle the number of passengers transiting the facility each year. Queues are often extremely long and operations tend to be chaotic. Child care facilities, restaurants and shops are minimal. Don’t let this dissuade you from travelling to Crakow, though, as the city itself is full of charm and fascinating historical attractions.
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A free shuttle service transports passengers between the two terminals and to the railway station.
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Train: The Balice Ekspres departs from the Krakow Glowny railway station (located 200m from the terminal). Journey time to the city centre is approximately 18 minutes.
Taxi: Taxis offer transport to the city 24 hours per day. A trip to the city centre costs around PLN 50 (£11) and travel time is approximately 25-30 minutes.
Bus: Bus lines 280 and 192 run from the airport to central city bus station Krakow Glowny RDA. The duration of the journey is 35 minutes and fare ranges between PLN 2.40 (£0.50) and PLN 2.60.
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Seventy short-term parking bays are available for quick visits, which cost PLN 5 (£1) for every 15 minutes. Long-term parking charges are PLN 7 (£1.50) per hour up to maximum daily cost of PLN 40 (£8.50) for the first two days; PLN 20 (£4.20) for the third and fourth day and PLN 5 for each day thereafter. Field parking is also on offer, at PLN 30 (£6.40) for three days and PLN 10 (£2) for each additional day.
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Money and communications: ATMs, currency exchange and a post office.
Luggage: There are left-luggage and baggage-wrapping facilities.
Conference and business: Business lounges are equipped with workstations, laptop stands, Internet facilities, printers and fax machines. A VIP lounge also serves as a meeting room and is available for hire.
Other facilities: Facilities include a first-aid centre and observation deck.
Wi-Fi: Several Internet kiosks are scattered throughout the airport and Wi-Fi is available for laptop users. Charges are PLN 1 for 7.5 minutes (£0.20), PLN 2 (£0.40) for 15 minutes and PLN 5 (£1) for 30 minutes.
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