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Kasprowy Wierch Cable Car: Tickets, Times and the View from the Top
Kasprowy Wierch is a 1,987 m summit in the Tatra Mountains, and the cable car from Kuznice reaches it in approximately 20 minutes. This guide covers the tickets, times, wind and maintenance stops, the walk and what to do on top.
Quick answer Kasprowy Wierch in short
The Kasprowy Wierch cable car takes approximately 20 minutes from Kuznice, and a return Tourpass gives 1 hour 40 minutes at the top. A regular return ticket costs PLN 129 in low season and PLN 165 in high season.
Key takeaways
- Check prices and Tourpass rules before you queue at Kuznice.
- The cable car stops for wind, icing and maintenance, and November is a maintenance month.
- The upper station is at 1,959 m, 26 m below the summit.
- On a day trip from Krakow, only the private tour includes this cable car.
How Much Does the Kasprowy Wierch Cable Car Cost?
A regular return ticket costs PLN 129 in low season and PLN 165 in high season, and a reduced return costs PLN 109 or PLN 129.
PKL, Polskie Koleje Linowe, sets the fare by season, and the Tourpass includes the Tatra National Park entry.
Ticket Prices by Season
The table shows the PKL fares at the lower station. Regular fares are for ages 27-64 and reduced fares are for ages 5-26 and 65+. High season runs 20 December to 12 April, 1 to 3 May and 4 June to 30 September.
Low season runs 13 to 30 April, 4 May to 3 June and 1 October to 18 December. Online tickets in low season can differ by the hour you pick.
| Ticket | High season | Low season |
|---|---|---|
| Return, regular | PLN 165 | PLN 129 |
| Return, reduced | PLN 129 | PLN 109 |
| One way, regular | PLN 135 | PLN 119 |
| One way, reduced | PLN 109 | PLN 95 |
| Extra baggage | PLN 50 | PLN 50 |
How the Tourpass Works
The Kasprowy Wierch Tourpass includes the Tatra National Park entrance, so you do not buy a separate park ticket. A round-trip Tourpass has a fixed return time that cannot be changed, and you must be at the Kuznice lower station 15 minutes before the time printed on the ticket. Children up to 4 years old travel free on the guardian's Tourpass, with no extra fee for prams.
In July and August the last entry to the mountain is at 19:00.
Sources: Polskie Koleje Linowe, Kasprowy Wierch, Polskie Koleje Linowe, Kasprowy Wierch.
A Kasprowy Wierch cable car cabin crossing the mountainside on its way to the summit. Photo: Kapsuglan, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
How High Is Kasprowy Wierch and What Is on Top?
The summit is 1,987 m, but the upper cable car station stands at 1,959 m, 26 m below it.
Most visitors never stand on the exact summit, so the numbers are worth knowing.
Height and the Building Below the Summit
Kasprowy Wierch is a summit in the Western Tatras with a height of 1,987 m. TPN states the upper cable-car station stands at 1,959 m. Just below the summit stands a building with a bar, a restaurant, a kiosk, a waiting room, ski storage, toilets and a winter TOPR station. A paved walking path of about 200 m leads from that building to Sucha Przelecz. It is the most visited summit in the Tatras, with up to 4000 people a day in season.
The cable car covers 4,291.59 m with a 936 m height difference, moves at 8 m/s and carries up to 60 people per car. One intermediate stop at Myslenickie Turnie breaks the ride. The mountain is colder and wetter than the town. The temperature drops about 0.5 °C per 100 m of height and annual precipitation is almost 1,800 mm on Kasprowy Wierch, against about 1,200 mm at the foot of the Tatras.
Sources: Tatra National Park, Polskie Koleje Linowe, Kasprowy Wierch, Tatra National Park.
Where Is the Kasprowy Wierch Cable Car?
The cable car leaves from Kuznice, at the south edge of Zakopane, and climbs in two sections via Myslenickie Turnie to the ridge of Kasprowy Wierch on the Polish and Slovak border.
- 1 Krupowki Street, ZakopaneFree time on the day trips is spent here.
- 2 KuzniceLower station of the cable car.
- 3 Myslenickie TurnieThe middle station where the two sections meet.
- 4 Kasprowy WierchThe summit at 1,987 m on the ridge.
Numbers match the pins on the map.
Source: Polskie Koleje Linowe.
When Does the Kasprowy Wierch Cable Car Not Run?
It stops in wind above 20 m/s, icing and temperatures below -28 °C, and goes out of service every May and November.
Plan a spare day, because the cable car is not guaranteed.
Wind, Ice and Maintenance
TPN says periodic inspections take the cable car out of service in May and November, and it does not run in strong wind above 20 m/s, icing or temperatures below -28 °C. A November trip can therefore find it closed, and no operator can promise a view or a ride. The halny wind on Tatra ridges blows on average 80-100 km/h with gusts often reaching 140-150 km/h, and it blows mainly in spring and autumn. If the cable car does not run because of strong wind, you can return your Tourpass and receive 100% of the price back, per PKL.
Check the PKL status page on the morning you go.
Sources: Tatra National Park, Polskie Koleje Linowe, Kasprowy Wierch, Tatra National Park, Tatra National Park.
How Do I Get to the Kasprowy Wierch Cable Car?
You cannot drive to Kuznice, so walk about 40 minutes from the Jana Pawla II roundabout or take public transport.
The lower station is outside the town centre and closed to cars.
Reaching Kuznice
PKL says the road to Kuznice is closed to traffic. The walk from the Jana Pawla II roundabout takes about 40 minutes, and there is public transport with a stop under the railway. Dogs are not allowed on Kasprowy Wierch because the cable car operates in the Tatra National Park, so a dog has to stay in Zakopane.
From Krakow, a tour with hotel pickup removes this transfer. See the Krakow to Zakopane guide for the train and bus options.
The summit station and weather observatory on Kasprowy Wierch, on the Polish-Slovak border ridge. Photo: Jakub Hałun, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Tours That Fit a Kasprowy Wierch Day
Only the private tour rides Kasprowy Wierch, and the others in this list ride the Gubalowka cable car in town.
from $268.50
Kasprowy Wierch
Kasprowy Wierch Cable Car and Zakopane Private Tour from Krakow
The one day here that rides the Kasprowy Wierch cable car to the high Tatra ridge, private for your party.
Check Availability
from $19.50
Lowest price
Zakopane and Tatra Mountains Tour from Krakow with Cable Car
The lowest price here for a guided Zakopane day with the cable car ticket and a cheese tasting included.
Check Availability
from $32
Most hours in town
Zakopane Tour with Hot Springs, Cable Car and Cheese Tasting
Funicular, tasting and a 3-hour bath ticket included, with about 2.5 hours of free time in Zakopane.
Check AvailabilityHow Long Does It Take to Walk Up Kasprowy Wierch?
The walk is a full mountain day, and the Giewont trail is closed from 1 December to 15 May.
Walking is an option for people who do not want the cable car, but it is a mountain day.
Trail Times Near the Top
Trails lead up from the Kondracka pass and on along the ridge to Swinica, and each is a long mountain walk. From 1 December to 15 May TPN closes the Giewont trail from Przelecz w Grzybowcu to Przelecz Kondracka Wyznia, so check the TPN trail status before planning a winter route. Other trails stay open all winter, but they are usually fully covered in snow and the decision to go is yours.
Poland uses a five-level avalanche danger scale, and TOPR publishes the daily bulletin.
Source: Tatra National Park.
Can You Ski on Kasprowy Wierch?
Yes, it is the highest ski area in Poland, mostly for advanced skiers.
It is the highest ski area in Poland.
Slopes and Lifts
The area has slopes and ski routes for skiing and snowboarding. The two chairlifts, Gasienicowa and Goryczkowa, run only in the winter season, and the main downhill runs are steep and unsuitable for beginners. The same cable car carries skiers up, and the building below the summit has ski storage.
See Zakopane skiing for a ski day from Krakow.
The ridge at the top is where the views open onto both the Polish and Slovak Tatras. Photo: Jakub Hałun, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Kasprowy Wierch Questions
How long is the walk up Kasprowy Wierch?
The cable car ride takes approximately 20 minutes. On foot it is a long mountain walk. See the trail notes.
Is Giewont or Kasprowy Wierch harder?
Kasprowy Wierch can be reached by cable car, while the Giewont trail from Przelecz w Grzybowcu is closed from 1 December to 15 May. See the closures.
How high is Kasprowy Wierch?
The summit is 1,987 m and the upper station is at 1,959 m. See how high it is.
Can I take a dog to Kasprowy Wierch?
No. The cable car operates in the Tatra National Park, which prohibits domestic animals. See getting to Kuznice.
Is the Kasprowy Wierch Tourpass refundable?
If wind stops the cable car, you can return your Tourpass for 100% of the price back. See the rules.
More Guides
- Zakopane Skiing: Kasprowy Wierch, the Town Slopes and a Ski Day from Krakow
Zakopane skiing in 2027: town slopes plus Kasprowy Wierch at 1,987 m above the cable car. See levels and lift fares.
- Things to Do in Zakopane on a Day Trip from Krakow
Things to do in Zakopane in 2027: day tours run 9 to 11 hours, so pick two or three stops. See lifts, baths and Morskie Oko.
- Zakopane in Winter: Is It Worth Going, and What Is Open?
Zakopane in winter in 2027: 1 hour 57 minutes from Krakow by Pendolino. See what is open and what lifts and baths cost.