Practical information on traffic management, public transport arrangements, cemetery opening times, and a cemetery search portal, for All Saints Day in Kraków.
Check out our previous post describing, in words and pictures, and our video of All Saints’ Day (Dzień Wszystkich Świętych) and All Souls’ Day (Dzień Zaduszny, or Dzień Wszystkich Zmarłych) which take place on 1st and 2nd of November in Kraków and across Poland
CEMETERY OPENING HOURS
Kraków’s municipal cemeteries are open:
November 1 – 0700 until the last visitor
November 2 – 0700 to 2200
STORE & BUSINESS OPENING HOURS
All Saints Day is also an official public holiday, therefore many shops and services will be closed.
Gazeta Krakowska have published a handy guide with store opening arrangements. The main stores are featured in the article text, but you can also click on the gallery to check other stores.
STORE OPENING GUIDE (POLISH)
NB This information is from 2016 – No store opening hours have been published this year, so please use this as a rough guide only!
TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT CHANGES
Such is the volume of people attending the main cemeteries that special road closures, parking and public transport arrangements are put in place, with Police and City Guards on hand to keep traffic and people moving.
TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT GUIDE (POLISH)
PUBLIC TRANSPORT TIMETABLE CHANGES
Look for the services with the candle on the destination board on the tram/bus.
This year, additional 10 tram lines and 21 bus lines will be provided, which will serve all major cemeteries in Kraków, as well as necropolises in Wieliczka and Rząsk.
The Details, in Polish, of public transport and other special arrangements can be found, in Polish, at the following sites:-
Gazeta Krakowska
GROUP VISIT
If you are not a fan of visiting cemeteries in the dark, on your own, (well actually, you and a few thousand others), then you can join a group visit and share the experience with like minded people to pay your respects.
Details of the private initiative, from “Collaborate Kraków’, can be found here.
CEMETERY CONCERT – ‘MEMENTOE VITAE’
Once again this year, there will be a special concert Memento Vitae
The concert will be take place at 7pm on All Saints Day (1st Nov.) at Rakowicki Cemetery (entrance from ul. Prandoty).
ONLINE SEARCH/GRAVE LOCATOR
The Board of Municipal Cemeteries provide an online search engine to locate graves within Kraków’s municipal cemeteries.
Just enter the name and approximate year of burial, and the computer will show you where in the cemetery the deceased is buried. A version is also available at www.rakowice.eu which enables you to find the location of the grave on an interactive map with directions which can be printed.
Please remember, that whilst this is a solemn and moving occasion, to visitors and outsiders, this is also a time of intense personal feelings of grief, remembrance and compassion for many Poles who are paying their respects to their dearly departed loved ones.
MORE INFORMATION
Magiczny Kraków have published practical information in Polish including, public transport changes, maps of cemeteries, advice for drivers and pedestrians from the Police and Straz Miejska, opening hours, grave locator,
Practical Information – www.krakow.pl (polish)
Please be respectful of this at all times when visiting cemeteries.