Day trip to Zakopane - hints and tips

In Krakow at present, there's a swarm of agencies tempting you with VIP day trips to Zakopane. Individual chauffeurs guiding you to top spots is certainly an attractive stress-free luxury. But hold onto your wallets folks, as these offerings come with a hefty price tag. Also, Zakopane is no one-trick pony with just baths, cable cars, and cheese tastings. So psst, want a budget-friendly tip? Public transport is the unsung hero here, whisking you away to Zakopane at a fraction of the cost of those pricey tours.

Here are some hints and tips to help you if you fancy self guiding yourself to this unique part of Poland.

Getting there

Zakopane is located 110 km (68 miles) from Krakow. In theory this should mean the journey should take no time at all. However, it is important to note that during Polish school holidays, despite great ongoing improvements to the road, it can be very congested on the approach to Zakopane itself. There is one relatively fast train a day, but in my experience, bus is your best option. This link should help you plan and buy tickets.

Be aware, Flixbus is a good option if you book online in advance. If you try to get on it without a prior booking, it is very expensive! The other service buses are great value and outside busy Polish holiday times, you can actually just pay the driver (cash) when you get on.

Thermal baths

An increasingly popular attraction for Zakopane day trippers are visits to the thermal baths. There are quite a few to choose from and this link should help you decide where you would like to go.

Easy treks from town

If you fancy getting mountain views, or experiencing alpine environments with very little hassle, the suggestions in this post are all very easily accessible directly from Zakopane town itself. Just click on this link to find out more.

Gubalówka Funicular and Market Area

Although mentioned above as a way to access easy walks from town, ascending the Gubalówka Funicular is a great day trip activity in it's own right.

To get to the funicular, you need to walk down the main street which is named Krupówki. At the north western end of the street is a large market area. This is worth worth spending a bit of time in perusing the tat and cheese stalls.

At the far end of the market is the station for the funicular. You can buy a ticket by either using one of the machines, or at one of the ticket windows to the right inside the entrance. Scan your ticket and wait for the funicular on the neighbouring platform.

The journey upwards only takes a few minutes, but is accompanied with a recorded commentary in Polish and English and an increasingly stunning panoramic view. At the top there are viewing areas, bars, restaurants, tat stalls, a toboggan run, high ropes and much more.

Find out more information, or buy online tickets with this link.

From the top of the funicular another option is to walk westwards along a narrow road sandwiched between tat stalls. Eventually this leads you into more open views over meadows to the dramatic jagged Tara peaks. There a few wooden villa style restaurants, some with lovely terraces to admire the views whilst you eat or sip on a cold beer.

Instead of retracing your route back to the funicular, there are two cable cars that you can hop on to descend. One us at Polana Szymoszkowa (which is a ski area in winter). Click on this link for prices.

Polana Szymoszkowa chairlift

The other chairlift is further along the road at Butorowy Wierch. You can by a combined ticket to use on this when you buy your funicular ticket. Click here for costs.

Dramatic Cable Car Mountain Experience!

On social media sites, prospective visitors to Zakopane often get confused between the cable car and funicular. So lets be really clear here, they are both very different entities located in totally different areas!

The cable car is a proper alpine affair which whisks you to the top of Kasprowy Wierch mountain in the heart of the dramatic jagged peaks of the Tatra Mountains. To access it, you need to catch one of the many minibuses or local service buses From Zakopane to the nearby village of Kuźnice. Fear not though, this is very easily done. Click on this link to find out more on arranging your own exciting, alpine cable car experience.

Skiing

In winter there are a few options for skiing in Zakopane. Be warned though that the ski areas are not interconnected as they would be in the Alps. However, there are a variety of options for all abilities that are perfectly doable as a day trip from Krakow (as long as you are prepared to get up early).

Once again, use this link to work out your public transport options to Zakopane.

This link gives you all the details you need on all the ski areas in and around Zakopane.

Snowmobiles

Another winter activity for intrepid day trippers to Zakopane is to go on a snowmobile safari. There are a variety of companies offering this, with a whole selection of tour lengths and times available. One of the oldest and most established companies offering these is Snowdoo.

Click here to find out more on the snowmobile tours available and costs with Snowdoo.

Shopping, eating and drinking

For people who prefer more sedentary activities, Krupówki street provides plenty to keep you occupied.

Krupówki is THE street strutting its stuff in the heart of Zakopane! Super easy to get to from the bus or train station, it rolls out the red carpet for pedestrians. When summer and ski season hit, it’s a total madhouse of tourists, which might feel like a bit too much for some. But fear not! In the off-season, it transforms into a charming wooden haven perfect for leisurely strolls, where you can saunter past tat stalls, clothing and outdoor shops, cozy bars, shopping centres, tempting restaurants, and street performers ready catch your attention. A cacophony of local Górale music will assault your senses which altogether makes a shopping trip to this part of the world truly unique.

Don't miss ascending to the top of the Centrum Handlowe Shopping Centre to the Goralski Browar coffee shop for the most fantastic views of the Tatra mountains from its terrace and glass walled interior. Alternatively, if you are felling hungry, feast from the adjacent restaurant with the same stunning views.