Discover Cracow Reviews 412

THEY WILL SCAM YOU. DO NOT USE.

I got a message that my bus was “full” the night before it was scheduled to leave at 7AM, although I had booked this bus a month in advance from Krakow to Auschwitz. They offered a bus an hour later, which would have made us extremely late for our tour (not exchangeable for times). We were offered a refund, but then were denied the refund later on and also did not get any refund for the bus we would have been taking back although it was their error we couldn’t get there. We lost out on the money for the tour, 2 tickets to the museum, and then 2 tickets back (impossible to make as we didn’t get there) totalling more than $200 lost.

They will ignore your Whatsapp messages asking for help and support for this. Don’t use them if you value your money and want on-time and reliable services. An uber would cost the same amount as the tickets, so just go with that instead.

Paid online ,poor communication,transport offers are a disgrace and trips are ruined!!
Stay away..

AT CRACOW TOUR IS UNFAITHFUL
NON PROFESSIONAL
STILL REMAINING OUR REFUND WE DESERVED
We were at the meeting point (i.e., at our hotel). They arrived earlier than scheduled and left immediately. We missed the Auschwitz tour, yet they are sending me emails claiming that we were not there.

Unprofessional, Disorganized, and Misleading

I booked a Zakopane trip with KrakowDirect specifically to visit the town and Chochołów Thermal Baths. Shortly before pickup (8:15 AM), the company called to say the trip was unavailable and placed us on a different itinerary without consent.

Drivers were late, and we didn’t arrive until around noon. The driver then informed us we had already missed the cable car and suggested we “just walk around the town.” The rest of the day was improvised, including a snowmobile stop I couldn’t do and a last-minute suggestion to visit another town (which the driver himself said wasn’t special), adding extra travel time and forcing the group to vote.

No guide, no structure, no planning—just damage control. This was rushed, chaotic, and completely unprofessional. Avoid this company.

Cancelled the day before with the reason, no tickets available, but happy to take our money the week before, knowing full well there were no tickets. Then despite emailing me telling me I would get a refund a week later no refund and no communication to me despite 2 emails sent. I have now raised a charge back via my credit card, charlatans and scammers at best. Do not use, avoid at all costs!!

WARNING DO NOT BOOK ANYTHING WITH THESE IDIOTS!

So my wife was excited to visit Auschwitz museum and we specifically travelled to Krakow to see this.
I had seen a few poor reviews before booking with this company but my wife had engaged in an online chat before booking.She was assured we "do" have tickets so she was happy to pay over the odds so she could fulfil her life long dream of visiting Auschwitz.
I was slightly concerned based on a few reviews but the wife said " no look its booked through Viator" so surely it must be legit.
You guessed it the bad reviews all came true for us too.
At 5pm the afternoon before our scheduled trip to the museum we received notification from John ( we hate you John)that our pick up would be 2am....yes you read that right and not 10am.
To cut a long story short you don't have a ticket for the museum as told before booking(yes we were told that John)and you are picked up to join the queue in the early hours in the hope you get a ticket for a tour.
This is a total SCAM so you have been warned and please don't fall for it.
They know you have travelled to see this and it is too late to change your plans.
Viator should be ashamed of themselves to associate themselves with a company choosing to rip off tourists.
Yes we did get a refund but thats not really the point.

I'm sure this company will read this and not really care.
However if I can warn and prevent others from experiencing the same disappointment then writing this review was time well spent.

Do NOT book with this company! Absolutely unreliable! We booked to go to Krakow purposefully to visit Auschwitz. We checked booking before we flew over, checked day prior. Had tickets sent for the visit and instructions that they knew hotel (hotel pick up) Even had an email of further confirmation at 8:04am on the morning of the visit. We were sitting in hotel reception ready… at 20 minutes late we rang to be told it had been cancelled- no explanation. We said ok we will get a taxi there- we were told no tickets available, our tickets had been sold on and it was sold out for the rest of our stay ( we checked with other suppliers). Had our tickets been sold on for a higher price, we wondered. Reading other travellers reviews, this is happening regularly!! How is the company getting away with it? Absolutely disgusting!!

We booked a trip to Auschwitz on 20th September months ago from our travel agents to be picked up at 10.15am the night before we got a message to say we were being picked up at 2.40am absolutely crazy crazy time to then have to spend from 3.50 to 7.30am standing in the cold to get tickets..please be aware..

I booked Austwitz museums on Get Your Guide an 8 am pick up. But I did not know that much earlier pick ups were very possible. Was notified the day before of a 5:30 am pick up. Too early pick up without spoiling my holiday, in practice, so had to cancel myself with no refund. Not good. Just wish I had checked reviews beforehand.

I have never seen such shambolic organisation from either Discover Cracow or the Auschwitz museum in my life.
Firstly, let me clarify what Discover Cracow don’t tell you… you aren’t booking tickets! You are booking for Discover Cracow to take you to get tickets then you have to queue up for them (you don’t pay again)
I booked the 10.15 tour for Sunday 7th Sept. At 15:30 the day before I received a message saying my tour had been moved to 4am. In fairness all the other tour companies were doing the same and it seems to be a regular occurrence. So, my question is why wait until the last minute, be upfront with customers so they can plan their limited time in Krakow.
Everyone including our guide arrived at 4am. However, our bus driver didn't arrive until 4.40 by which time all the other tour companies had left long before us.
We arrived at Auschwitz at 6am and had to stand in the queue for 4 hours outside (no cover from the rain or sun – we were lucky it was cold but thankfully dry). We finally got tickets at 10am but for the last English tour of day at 15:30. So after queuing for 4 hours we had to wait a further 5.5 hours to get in. Had we have left on time we'd have been in the museum at approx 9am
The incompetent driver meant we were hanging around for 6.5 hours longer than we should have been. We eventually arrived back in Krakow at 21:00 having met up at 4am. The driver didn’t even apologise.
I messaged Discover Cracow from the bus pick up point (they were online) to ask what they were going to do about the driver not turning up…… they should have paid for taxis of which there were many. However I got no response or any offer for compensation!
The above ruined many people trips to Krakow as the whole experience lasted 17 hours with lots of standing outside (some didn’t even have the energy for the tour).
In fairness the museum and our museum guide (Sabine) were excellent. Also, our Discover Cracow guide (Natalia) was exceptional, and the poor girl had do the same again the next day at 4am!

We booked two tours with 'Discover Cracow' at the same time as booking our holiday. We were kept informed at every stage. The first was our trip to Auschwitz. Our lovely Polish guide was Norbert. He was extremely experienced, efficient and kept in contact, ensuring visitors being collected from several different locations were confident that even if there were 'hiccups' they were not forgotten or left behind. His English was impeccable, completely easy to understand and so was a joy to listen to.
When we arrived at Auschwitz Norbert was also our guide throughout again clearly very knowledgeable and spoke with confidence and sensitivity for one so young. Deferring occasionally to the official guide. Definitely recommend.

OUR SECOND TOUR The SALT MINES - 3/9/25
Next day we went again with 'Discover Cracow' and we felt lucky that our guide was Norbert. But we had an official lady guide who took over.
The About 40 mins in lovely coach to The Salt Mines. To the first level we were advised that we had to ascend via 320, very safe wooden steps. That in total there would be around 600 steps to the final level, but that we would be able to go up in a lift! Phew! we thought, but that ws n experience in itself. If it wasn't made of wood, everywhere was made of salt. Statues, floors Chandeliers etc. There were even underground 'man made' lakes. Everything as amazing, they even have weddings down underground. Restaurant, shop too. Again Discover Cracow did very well no hitches and well organised. Has to be seen to be appreciated. Highly recommend.

DO NOT USE. BOOK DIRECTLY WITH MUSEUM!
Like others, booked the trip, and the evening before they changed the pick-up time to 4am.
The reason for this is that they don’t buy the tickets in advance/ need to get early to buy them .. with you there! Apparently wait in a 2 hr queue.
They refused a refund, even though they had not purchased tickets. And went radio silence.
Immediately raised a dispute with AMEX, refund granted immediately whilst they contact / discuss with company. I have evidence of booking/ and all the awful WhatsApp messages they sent to group chat/ and me.
We have now managed to book directly with the museum.
Discover Kracow - please don’t bother writing a reply. You have ignored all phone calls and text when tried to resolve directly and professionally with you.
You ruin many people’s holidays - nasty company.

Total con. Allegedly booked tickets for an Auschwitz tour through them. As I can now see from earlier reviews they then pull their trick of sending you a message late the day before saying how sorry they are but the pick up will be way earlier then first agreed. This changed from 9;00 am to 4:30 am in our case.

When you get to the museum you then start queuing for hours to buy tickets starting way before they even open the gates. You’ll then have the pleasure of continuing to wait in the “turn up on the day” queue whilst the regular tour parties arrive on coaches hours after you only to go straight through the main entrance to start their tour. Finally you’ll get to the ticket office where your guide will want I.D. from you to …. buy your ticket for entrance. Your final insult will be that you will then wait a further couple of hours to actually gain entrance to the museum. In our case we left at 4:30 am, the journey takes about 1 hour 20 minutes and we started the tour at 11:15 am. Thought we’d paid to turn up, disembark and start the tour, as is the process with legitimate companies. You haven’t though and the alleged “ticket” they email you is just a receipt of payment to them, nothing to do with the Auschwitz museum at all.

Whatever you do, don’t have the audacity to question the guide!! They just brazen it out and say phone head office, nothing to do with me. All in all a total bunch of con artists who couldn’t care less once they’ve got your money. This is nothing to do with the actual Auschwitz museum, it is a review of the operator who has done nothing more than arrange transport on a coach to and from Auschwitz whilst masquerading as an all inclusive tour operator. Hopefully this saves someone else the five or so unsociable hours they cost us out of our short visit to the city.

On April 23rd 2025, I made the following online bookings through your company:
Schindler's Factory Entry Ticket (June 24th 2025)
Auschwitz-Birkenau Guided Tour (June 25th 2025)
Wieliczka Salt Mine Guided Tour (June 26th 2025)

Let me start by sharing my positive experiences regarding the guidance of Ilona on June 25th 2025 and Anna on June 26th 2025.
In addition to the guiding work during the excursion, they also provided excellent additional tips regarding places to eat and drink in Krakow.
Their customer-friendly way of working was greatly appreciated by us and contributed to a successful Polish city trip for us.

I can't say anything good or bad about the employee of June 24th 2025.
He only had to hand us the entrance ticket and didn't tell us his name.

Please allow me to express my displeasure about the fact that the Auschwitz-Birkenau Guided Tour has been changed into an Auschwitz - Birkenau Self-Guided Tour.

I understand that the company relies on the provision of official guides from the museum itself, but I did pay the price for a full guided tour.
I would find it only logical if the price difference between a guided and a non-guided tour were to be refunded to me, but the company doesn't answer on my question for customer-friendly service.

It is a pity that there is no complete response, both via email and WhatsApp.

Organised a private tour for our family of 8, of the Schindler Factory, months in advance. After waiting for 45min in the heat, the guide didn’t show up. E contacted the company who then refused any responsibility in providing access to the museum for us, and we ended at the back of the museum queue, waiting another 30min to get in. Unhelpful, rude, poorly organised. Stay away from Discover Cracow unless you want to get left in the lurch at the last second, at their convenience, without any responsibility on their part.

Booked for a trip to Auschwitz at 8am tomorrow. Went to confirm the pick up location and found that the trip was canceled with a 4am option instead. That is just unreasonably early and I paid extra for the latter time. This was my last day here before heading back to North America so I guess I don't get to go.

We tried to change the pickup time for our airport transfer one day in advance, but they refused, citing their company policy. It's clear their real policy is to take advantage of tourists. Absolutely unacceptable service — inflexible, unhelpful, and clearly designed to squeeze more money from travelers. I do not recommend this company at all.

really unhappy - had the tour booked months. Got a message day before to say no tour guide available and the pick up moved from10am to 3pm - so a tour alone at night !!

We booked the 0530 tour for the “Auschwitz-Birkenau Guide Tour from Krakow with Transfer & Ticket” via Viator for June 1st 2025 and were notified the night before that we would be departing at 0400. We were notified via the WhatsApp app so make sure you have this app or you will miss these crucial details.

We met at the meeting point, got on the bus and departed at 0400. We arrived at Auschwitz at 0515 and immediately got in line to wait. The Discover Cracow tour company cannot get tickets in advance so we had to wait in line to try and get in to a same day tour. The tour guide’s, Ilona, only job was to get us there and back and help us navigate the line up and getting in to a tour. There were about 70 people ahead of us already waiting. At about 0815 we got in to the 0930 English tour. You need to show ID and I recommend having something other than a passport such as a drivers license. Overall we waited just over 4 hours for the tour to start.

The official Auschwitz tour guide, Anna, was very good and did a very good job explaining everything. She gave us about a 15 minute break between sites I and II and we were able to buy lunch at the restaurant on site. We went through 3 bottles of water as it was an incredibly hot day. The tour is a lot of walking and stairs so wear comfortable shoes and dress appropriately for the day’s weather.

The tour lasts about 3.5 hours and we departed for Krakow at about 1300. The bus was advertised as having air conditioning but it must have been broken that day because we were all sweating. My husband and I come from a country that has 40 degree summers and we both nearly vomited and passed out on the bus. We arrived back at Krakow at about 1500.

The whole tour lasted 11 hours even though it is advertised as being 7 hours. We missed our train out of Krakow by 1 hour even though we had a 3 hour buffer.

If I had to do this day over again or give someone else advice about visiting Auschwitz it would be this: DO NOT BOOK THIS TOUR. If you know you are going to visit, go to the website: visit.auschwitz.org and book your tour in your preferred language on your preferred day and time as early as possible. Then the only piece you need to organize is transport there and back. There are buses and taxis that go back and forth from Krakow to the site. I repeat: do not book this tour but do visit Auschwitz as it is important to learn from the past.

Avoid this company and get my guide who promote them. As soon as we landed in Poland we had a what’s app message to say that Auschwitz tour had been cancelled as they couldn’t get a guide. From reading the reviews on here looks like we dodged a bullet anyhow. Never had an issue with get my guide previously, but I won’t use them in future.