Treblinka Concentration Camp: Day Trips and Tours from Warsaw

Treblinka Concentration Camp was constructed by the German Nazis during WWII and featured both a forced labor camp, as well as an extermination site. Once a location of extreme sorrow, the facility has been transformed into a memorial, designed to commemorate the thousands of Jews who spent their final days imprisoned here.

While a Treblinka Concentration Camp day trip from Warsaw can hardly be considered a fun activity, many visitors to the city are keen to discover the site in order to honor the victims who lost their lives during the Holocaust and deepen their knowledge of WWII.

Here's all you need to know about Treblinka Concentration Camp, one of the most meaningful day trips from Warsaw.

How to get to Treblinka Concentration Camp from Warsaw?

Treblinka Concentration Camp is located just outside the village of Treblinka, buried within a dense forest. It is approximately 120 kilometers northeast of Poland's capital, Warsaw.

From Warsaw to Treblinka Concentration Camp by car

The journey to Treblinka Concentration Camp takes just under 1.5 hours by car and begins by heading northeast out of Warsaw via the E67. After Budykierz, you’ll turn right onto Route 694 and follow it as far as Małkinia Górna where you’ll switch onto Route 627, which leads you to the memorial site.

Guided tour to Treblinka Concentration Camp from Warsaw

As public transportation options in this area are limited, those without access to a car can make the jaunt to Treblinka Concentration Camp via an organized tour instead. These day trips usually last between 4 and 7 hours, and begin with a convenient hotel pickup around 9 AM.

Organizing this pickup service is easy and you’ll simply select your accommodation from a dropdown menu upon booking. On the day of your trip, you’ll wait in the lobby at a predetermined time for collection by your friendly guide. Once your Treblinka Concentration Camp excursion is over, you’ll be returned to the same spot, making for a seamless experience.

How much does the entrance ticket to Treblinka Concentration Camp cost?

The entrance fee for Treblinka Concentration Camp is PLN7 (US$2) per person, making it an accessible destination for every traveler. This admission charge is waived for all visitors on Mondays throughout the year.

What is the typical itinerary?

While each Treblinka Concentration Camp day tour is unique, they all share similarities. After being collected from your hotel by your guide, you'll board your vehicle and enjoy the drive up the country through rural Poland to the forests where Treblinka was hidden.

Once you arrive at the site, you'll check out the museum, which provides a brief overview of both parts of the facility and its purpose. From there, you'll wander the ruins with your guide who will help you to imagine what the camp looked like when it was first built. Now almost completely destroyed, Treblinka Concentration Camp was one of the three main extermination camps in Europe and held up to 1,000 prisoners at a time.

You'll spend several hours being educated on the series of events that happened here between 1941 and 1944, including the difference in conditions between the two camps — the extermination facility and the forced labor prison. From here, many Treblinka Concentration Camp day trips venture to a nearby restaurant for a local lunch before returning to Warsaw.

Alternatively, you may choose to extend your adventure by visiting nearby destinations, such as Tykocin, before heading back to your hotel.

What kinds of tours are available to go to Treblinka Concentration Camp?

There are several different Treblinka Concentration Camp day tours available for those who wish to explore this chilling, yet historically significant site. You can select one based on your own preferred travel style or any additional destinations you’d like to discover.

Small-group guided tour to Treblinka Concentration Camp from Warsaw

Many Treblinka Concentration Camp day trips operate in small groups, allowing you to retain an intimate feel while connecting with like-minded travelers. Upon arrival at the memorial, you’ll visit the onsite museum, which provides you with a whirlwind introduction to the destination’s harrowing past.

Then, stroll through the remains of the camp alongside your guide who will fill you in on the brave souls who revolted against the Nazi regime while imprisoned here in 1943, as well as the exhausting manual work that more than 20,000 prisoners were forced to endure.

Private tour to Treblinka Concentration Camp from Warsaw

Private day tours to Treblinka Concentration Camp enable you to further your education on the Nazi regime of WWII as you discuss the details of the extermination center one on one with a knowledgeable guide.

Learn of the despicable actions of the Nazis that caused so much suffering to over 800,000 innocent civilians, including women and children, through a brutal documentary, pay your respects to the victims at the memorial, and allow yourself to be overcome by emotion as you hear of the few survivors who made it out of the concentration camp alive.

Day trip to Treblinka Concentration Camp plus Tykocin from Warsaw

Those who wish to see as much of Poland as possible in a short space of time can select a combination day tour to Treblinka Concentration Camp and the medieval town of Tykocin. You’ll first travel to the death camp used during 1942 and 1943 that was originally purpose-built to murder 2 million Jews.

Next, you’ll continue to Tykocin where you’ll enjoy some free time to roam the streets, exploring the destination’s wealth of attractions, including its 17th-century synagogue, which was lovingly restored in the 1970s after being destroyed during WWII. Before returning to Warsaw, check out the town’s 15th-century castle, which features lofty turrets and spectacular suits of armor.

How much does a day trip to Treblinka Concentration Camp from Warsaw cost?

Small-group day trips to Treblinka Concentration Camp typically operate with a limit of eight guests. You’ll pay between €250 and €260 if you choose to travel as a solo adult, and you’ll save money with each adult you add to your booking.

Children between the ages of 3 and 14 can participate for €70 each while those under 3 cost €40 each. You also have the option to upgrade your tour and travel in a luxury car for an additional charge. Entrance fees are included, as well as the services of an expert guide and lunch.

If you choose a private Treblinka Concentration Camp day tour, you’ll pay €280 per solo traveler. However, if you book as a group of seven (the maximum party size,) you’ll each pay just over €70.

Combination Treblinka Concentration Camp and Tykocin day trips are also private affairs, for which you’ll pay just under €330 per person. This includes roundtrip transportation from your hotel, as well as a professional guide to lead you around the sites. However, all entrance fees and meals are at your own expense.

What will you see and do?

Treblinka Concentration Camp was built in the fall of 1941 as a manual labor facility for captured Jews. This part of the site is known as Treblinka I and more than 20,000 prisoners passed through its gates before it was closed in 1944.

The forced labor was exceptionally grueling, and included the extraction and loading of gravel from a pit into wagons, as well as establishing flood banks on the Bug River and farm work. The conditions were so tough that many prisoners died from the sheer exhaustion of the work.

While Treblinka I was unforgivably cruel, it is Treblinka II that is infamous as a site of extreme suffering. This portion of the facility was built in the summer of 1942 as an extermination camp, with the intention of slaughtering over 2 million Polish Jews. Thankfully, this goal was not achieved as it was shut down during the fall of 1943, but not before 800,000 Jews from across Europe were sentenced to death by gas chambers.

In August of 1943, a group of approximately 840 prisoners managed to secure weapons and attempted to escape from the confines of Treblinka Concentration Camp. Of these brave individuals, less than 200 managed to break free, with fewer than 100 surviving the rest of WWII. Today, you'll find remnants of both parts of the premises, as well as a museum, which is set up to educate visitors on the horrors of the Holocaust, during a day trip to Treblinka Concentration Camp.

What are the opening times?

Treblinka Concentration Camp is open to the public every day between 9 AM and 6:30 PM.

When is the best time to visit Treblinka Concentration Camp?

For most visitors, the most comfortable weather conditions occur during the late spring (April and May) and early fall (September and October). These months are also less crowded than the peak summer months, offering a quieter and more contemplative experience.

However, you should also consider that visiting during harsher conditions like the cold winter (November to March) can give you a more poignant understanding of the brutal conditions that the prisoners had to endure.

Are there any tours from Warsaw to other cities in Poland?

Yes, there are tours departing from Warsaw to other cities in Poland:

• Day Trips to Auschwitz from Warsaw
• Day Trips to Krakow from Warsaw
• Day Trips to Wieliczka Salt Mine from Warsaw

Travel tips

• Prepare Emotionally. Visiting such a site can be an emotional experience. Prepare yourself for the impact it may have.
• Bring Flowers. Many visitors choose to leave flowers as a sign of respect and remembrance.
• Read Personal Accounts. Reading books or watching documentaries that include personal accounts from survivors can deepen your understanding and appreciation of the site.
• Visit the Memorial Stone. Take time to visit the large memorial stone marking the approximate location of the gas chambers.
• Understand the Stones. The 17,000 stones scattered across the site represent the towns and communities that lost their citizens in Treblinka.