Kraków Airport to Nowy Sącz (Nowy Sacz) is roughly 120 km (75 miles). From Kraków John Paul II International Airport (KRK) in Balice you can get to Nowy Sącz in four ways: by train and bus with a change in Kraków, by long-distance coach, by car, or with a pre-booked door-to-door transfer. Each makes sense in a different situation. Below we compare journey time, changes, luggage and the hours each option actually runs.
If you'd rather book a ride straight away, call or write to us in English. Give us the date, your flight time, the drop-off address and the number of people, and we'll agree the pickup and the price.
Call +48 606 331 950
Kraków Airport to Nowy Sącz: how far and how long?
By car the drive takes about 1 h 45 min in good conditions, and the road distance is roughly 120 km (according to route planners). In practice the time depends on the route and on Kraków traffic, especially on the ring road and around the airport at rush hour. In winter and on Friday afternoons, allow plenty of extra time.
On top of the drive, allow time to get off the plane and collect your luggage, so the drive itself is only part of the plan.
How to get from Kraków Airport to Nowy Sącz by train and bus
Take the train from the airport into Kraków, then a Szwagropol bus (a regional bus operator) to Nowy Sącz, with one change. This option works best if you are travelling alone with light luggage.
Step 1: Kraków Airport – Kraków Główny. A Koleje Małopolskie train (the regional rail operator, line SKA1) runs from the airport to Kraków Główny, Kraków's main railway station. Kraków Airport station is linked to the terminal by a covered walkway. According to the airport's website, a ticket between the airport and Kraków Główny costs PLN 20 (as of October 2026) and luggage travels free. Check train times in the Koleje Małopolskie timetable.
Step 2: Kraków – Nowy Sącz. Szwagropol buses run on the Kraków – Brzesko – Nowy Sącz route and the journey takes about 2 h 15 min. As of October 2026, the first bus leaves Kraków at 05:20 (Monday to Friday) or 06:35 (daily), and the last at 21:00 daily. If you are going on to Krynica-Zdrój, the last bus from Kraków leaves at 18:15 (Monday to Friday) or 16:25 (daily). There are no buses on Easter Sunday or 25 December. Times can change, so check the current Szwagropol timetable (in Polish) before you travel.
Pros: low cost for one person, no parking to worry about. Cons: changing with a suitcase, walking between the train and the bus, and the risk that delays at the airport or traffic in Kraków eat into your margin. With the last bus to Nowy Sącz leaving Kraków at 21:00, an evening arrival may leave you no time to make it, so check the timetable against your landing time.
Is there a direct bus from Kraków Airport to Nowy Sącz?
There is no guarantee that a service will be direct, so check before you buy a ticket. The FlixBus search may show connections from the Kraków Airport stop to Nowy Sącz. Search for your date: services are infrequent, and you'll see the exact departure time, journey time and any change in the operator's app.
It's a good option if a departure fits your landing time. If not, you're left with the change in Kraków.
Can you get from Kraków Airport to Nowy Sącz by train?
Yes, but with a change in Kraków and usually more slowly than by bus. Trains between Kraków and Nowy Sącz currently take a roundabout route via Tarnów. According to the timetables, there are only a few direct trains a day and the journey takes about 2.5 hours. On top of that, you first need the airport train into Kraków.
The new Podłęże–Piekiełko line should change this. Construction is under way, and according to PKP PLK (Poland's rail infrastructure manager) the whole line is due to be ready around 2030. For now, rail is not the fastest way between the airport and Nowy Sącz.
A car: a lift from family or your own car at the airport
By car you travel when you like and without changes. If a relative or friend collects you, they drive the route there and back, about 240 km (150 miles) for a single pickup. At Kraków Airport, the Kiss&Fly zone is free only for the first 8 minutes, once a day; after that a fee applies.
If you live in the region and leave your own car at the airport, add parking. The airport car park operator lists (as of October 2026) these rates, among others, for a week's parking: about PLN 420 in the P1 multi-storey car park, about PLN 280 in the P2 and P3 car parks, and about PLN 180 at the economy KRK Parking, about 350 m from the terminal. Check the current prices on the airport parking website. You don't usually pay a motorway toll: on the typical route to Nowy Sącz, the airport junction on the A4 lies on the Kraków side of the Balice toll gate.
Kraków Airport to Nowy Sącz transfer: how is it different from a taxi?
A transfer is a ride booked in advance around your flight, with a price for the whole vehicle agreed when you book. When you land, the driver collects you at the airport and drives you to the address you give, whether that's a home, hotel or office. For your flight home, the driver picks you up from your door and drops you outside the terminal. If you give us your flight number, we check the actual landing time, and we don't charge for waiting if your flight is delayed. A child seat or booster seat is available on request; just give the child's age or weight when you book.
This option makes most sense when:
- you land at night or fly out early in the morning, when the buses aren't running,
- several of you are travelling, with children or with a lot of luggage,
- you don't want to leave a car at the airport for a long time,
- you are staying outside Nowy Sącz, for example in Krynica-Zdrój, Grybów or Stary Sącz, where getting there from the bus station is a separate journey.
You'll find the details of the service, including which vehicles we send for 1–4 passengers and for groups, on our Kraków Airport transfers to Nowy Sącz and Krynica-Zdrój page. When you book, ask for the price of the whole vehicle, not per person. That makes it easy to compare with the cost of tickets for the whole family.
Comparison: how to get from Kraków Airport to Nowy Sącz
| Option | Changes | Large luggage | Late-evening or night arrival | Does the cost rise with the number of people? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SKA1 train + Szwagropol bus | 1 (in Kraków) | awkward | no, last bus from Kraków at 21:00 | yes, a ticket for each person |
| FlixBus | 0 or 1, depending on the service | according to the operator's rules | only if a service fits your landing time | yes |
| SKA1 + train via Tarnów | at least 1 | awkward | check the timetable | yes |
| Own car + airport parking | 0 | no problem | yes | no, but it rises with the number of days parked |
| Door-to-door transfer | 0 | no problem | yes, by arrangement | no, you pay for the vehicle |
All third-party times and prices come from the operators' and the airport's websites in October 2026. Check them again before you travel.
Which is better value: bus, car or transfer?
Travelling alone, landing during the day, with hand luggage. Train and bus, or FlixBus, will be cheapest. Just leave a margin for Kraków traffic.
Landing in the evening or at night. The last Szwagropol bus to Nowy Sącz leaves Kraków at 21:00, and the last one to Krynica-Zdrój even earlier. If you land too late to catch it, you're left with a lift or a transfer.
Two or more of you with luggage. Compare the price of a transfer with the tickets for everyone. With several people, a transfer can work out better than you'd expect, because you pay for the vehicle, not for each ticket.
A group of 5–18 people. Several taxis mean several fares. An 8-seat, 9-seat or 19-seat minibus (up to 18 passengers) takes everyone at once. Read more about group travel on our minibus hire with driver page.
Book a transfer from Kraków Airport to Nowy Sącz
Have ready the date and time of your flight, the flight number, the drop-off address, the number of people and how much luggage you have. Call or send us a message in English. We'll agree the pickup, track your flight and give you a price for the transfer from Kraków Airport to Nowy Sącz.
Call +48 606 331 950