Arrival, Information and Getting Around
The recently modernized Balice airport (information on 012/411 1955), 15km west of the city, handles both domestic and international flights. It's a small place - so don't expect a wealth of cafes, restaurants and shopping malls. Buses #152 (to Basztowa, right on the edge of the Stare Miasto) and #208 (to pl. Nowy Kleparz, north of the Stare Miasto) connect it with the city centre (30-40min). Taxis are always available, too, and cost anything between 40 and 70zl depending on your bargaining skills. Krakow Glowny , the central train station , a grand Habsburg-era building, recently modernized and served by all principal national and international lines, is within walking distance of the Stare Miasto (Old Town). The left-luggage office at the station is open twenty-four hours a day. Some trains (overnight services particularly) arrive at the southern Plaszow station: to get to the city centre from here, catch either a local commuter train or tram #3 or #6. Dworzec PKS , the main bus station , also a national and international hub, is sited on ul. Worcella opposite the central train station. Arriving by car , major roads from all directions are well signposted, though once in the centre, you'll need to cope with trams, narrow streets, heavy daytime traffic, and in much of the centre, heavily enforced zonal parking restrictions , including wheel clamps on illegally parked vehicles. The Rynek Glowny and much of its immediate surroundings are now completely closed to private vehicles, and the local police no longer show much sympathy even for wayward foreigners. If this is where you're headed for, use one of the official guarded car parks on plac sw. Ducha and plac Szczepanski - fairly expensive (currently 60zl per 24hr period) and it's often hard to get a space. Other guarded car parks in the central city area include those at al. Focha, ul. Armii Krajowej, ul. Karmelicka, ul. Krolewska 55 and ul. Powisle. Furthermore, although they are technically for hotel guests only, you could also try the Cracovia, Continental and Wanda hotel guarded car parks, further out but slightly cheaper.
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