The John Paul II International Airport

Fly John Paul II

Throughout your stay, monuments and buildings dedicated to Krakow's most famous son will be inescapable, so what better way to begin your initiation than by touching down on the runway of John Paul II International Airport. Recent expansion and renovation of the former military airbase has increased the annual capacity of passengers to over 1.5 million. With tourism continuing to rise and Krakow becoming increasing important commercially and economically, this number will continue to grow.

Though much of Krakow airport is brand new and, despite the holy name, they haven't yet found a miracle way of curing the problem of flight delays both in and out of Poland. For those times when the inevitable strikes, it's good to know help is on hand and Balice (as its otherwise known) is fully equipped and handicap-accessible. Here's a run down of the essentials...

Info Desk ­Can't miss it, slap bang in the middle of the main terminal. All English speakers to boot.

Mother and baby ­ Open 24/7 and found on the upper floor of the terminal. Free of charge.

Chapel ­ Say a pre-flight prayer or attend Mass on Sunday (10am). Mezzanine.

First Aid ­ Ground floor of the terminal area should you need it.

Cash ­ Two bureaus de change, a Polish bank and a cash machine await you at arrivals for all your monetary needs.

Post Office ­ Run out of stamps and still have postcards to send? Don't worry, the post office is on hand Monday ­- Friday, 8:45am -­ 2:45pm.

Tickets ­ Further trips planned or made a boo-boo with your e-ticket? The ticket office is located alongside the bank, change bureaus and car rental outlets.

Executive Lounge ­ Feel like being pampered? Foreign newspapers and magazines as well as serve-service buffet are on hand in a luxury environment all for little more than a tenner. Internet connections and foreign TV channels provide a home away from home.

VIP Lounge ­ Capacity for 14, equipped with facilities to make you feel extra special before take-off. Prior booking required (+48 012 639 30 54)

Food and Drink ­ No McDonald's or Starbucks, but a handful of snack bars and cafes on both floors as well as an outdoor café during the summer months. In a rush? Various vending machines will happily eat up the last of your Polish shrapnel. Once you're through passport control, there are more cafés on hand should a frisking reveal a previously undiscovered wad of Polish zloty.

Shops ­ Whether it be reading material, Polish-themed souvenirs, alcohol or jewellery, shops on the upper floor of the passenger terminal are ready and waiting to relieve you of any remaining zloty. Didn't buy enough amber or vodka while in Krakow? Think of this as last chance saloon.

Duty Free ­ Located after ticket/passport control, have your boarding card at the ready to take advantage of cheap cosmetics, alcohol, sweets and souvenirs. This really is your last chance.

Travel Agencies ­ On hand if necessary but the smart and savvy will know Cracow Life already has the answers!

Rent a car ­Can't miss these guys. All your international friends plus their Polish counterparts are waiting by arrivals in the main terminal.

Parking ­Should you need it, you'll pay 5 PLN (£1, $1.25) for cars per hour on short stay, longer stay works out at 40 PLN for days 1-2, 20 PLN thereafter.

I'm here. Now what?

Krakow airport actually lies 11km west of the city but getting to the centre and to the haven of your Krakow hotel or Krakow apartment is pretty straightforward. Outside of hiring a car and driving yourself, you've got three options:

BUS Cheap, cheerful and by no means a bad option, MKS provides a frequent bus service from the airport to the city centre. The bus stop is just to the right on exiting the airport and tickets are available either from the ticket machine (2.50 PLN) next to the information point in the passenger terminal or on board (3 PLN). Be aware that if you have any baggage larger than a rucksack, you'll be expected to purchase an additional ticket for this. Stamp tickets immediately after boarding to avoid fines.

The 192 service runs approximately every 20 minutes from 4:45am to just after 11pm. Alight at the main station,­ Dworec Glowny, where you'll find maps, info points, public transport connections and you'll be a mere 5 minutes walk from the main square. An alternative 208 service runs slightly less frequently though this is for those staying near to the Nowy Kleparz district. For both services, it's worth remembering that these services are not exclusive airport services and are normally pretty packed by about the halfway point of the journey. Journey time 25-35 minutes. Check out the MPK website for exact times and routes.

TAXI If the thought of busing it with luggage after your flight doesn't appeal, taxis will be on hand immediately upon leaving departures. A trip to the centre shouldn't cost more than 60-70 PLN (£12-15, 20 Euros, $25) Any more and they've seen you coming...

If you're looking to take the hassle out of the final leg of your journey or don't fancy being taken for a less pleasant ride, why not use our Krakow taxi transfer service and we'll take care of it! For 70 zloty we'll put your name on a board, wait for you at arrivals and take care of your baggage for you -­ the stress-free way to arrive in style.

TRAIN Bit of a locomotive enthusiast? A recently opened service connecting the main rail station, Dworec Glowny, with Krakow airport runs approximately every half hour from 4am until midnight. Tickets are available on board for 8 PLN (£1.40, 2 Euros) or from a machine in the main terminal building near the information desk for 4.00 PLN (70p, 1 Euro). The platform is approximately 200 metres from the passenger terminal though a free shuttle bus is on hand for the weary. Journey time is approx. 15 minutes.

Other Polish Airports

Here's some great information about the airport in Warsaw from our top sister site, Warsaw Life.

Hopefully your plane won't get diverted due to fog or snow, but just in case, you can find out a lot more about other airports in major Polish cities on our sister sites, including Wroclaw Airport and Gdansk Airport.