Headphone rules for guided groups at Wawel, Warsaw's Royal Castle and Auschwitz (2026)

In Kraków, guided groups need headphones at Wawel Castle once they are larger than eight people, and at Wawel Cathedral from 25. Warsaw's Royal Castle requires a headset system from 10 and accepts the group's own sets. Auschwitz-Birkenau also requires headphones, but only the museum's, and bans audio guides in app form across the whole site.

Guided groups of more than eight people must use headphones throughout the visit, except pre-school and early-primary school groups. The rule is in the castle's current visiting regulations, introduced on 14 June 2024, and it matches the threshold of Türkiye's National Palaces headset rule.

"W przypadku zwiedzania grupowego z przewodnikiem, grupy (z wyjątkiem dzieci w wieku przedszkolnym i z grup nauczania początkowego) liczące powyżej 8 osób zobowiązane są do korzystania ze słuchawek w trakcie zwiedzania."

In English: "In the case of group visits with a guide, groups (except pre-school children and early-primary school groups) of more than 8 people are required to use headphones during the visit."

The castle rents sets on site for an extra fee and can grant exceptions, but the text does not say whether a group may bring its own system. Only listed guides with a named castle badge may guide, and amplification devices are banned on Wawel Hill.

The cathedral's visiting rules, valid from 18 April 2026, require headphones for guided groups of at least 25 people, with exceptions only by decision of the cathedral administration. The rules do not say whose headphones, so confirm your own system with the cathedral first.

"Grupy z przewodnikiem liczące co najmniej 25 osób zobowiązane są do korzystania ze słuchawek w trakcie zwiedzania."

In English: "Guided groups of at least 25 people are required to use headphones during the visit."

Only guides recognised by the administration may accompany groups, and visitors must switch off or silence their phones. One group visiting the castle and the cathedral meets two thresholds on one hill: above eight and from 25.

Yes. The castle requires guided groups of 10 to 30 people to use a GTS headset system and states that groups may use their own GTS sets. Sets may be the group's own, the guide's or the castle's, rented at PLN 5 per person in October 2026.

"Grupy z przewodnikiem od 10 do 30 osób mają obowiązek korzystania z systemu słuchawkowego GTS." and "Można używać własnych zestawów słuchawkowych GTS."

In English: "Guided groups of 10 to 30 people are obliged to use the GTS headset system" and "Own GTS headset sets may be used."

The castle's reason: headsets cut noise and echo when several groups share a room. Only castle-certified guides may guide, at most 30 people each, on Tuesdays and Thursday to Sunday.

None of them requires headphones, but each regulates sound or group size. Wilanów limits speakerphone devices, Malbork allows 40 instead of 30 people with a tour-guide system, and St. Mary's Basilica bans audio and video transmission during visits, a phrase worth clarifying.

• Wilanów Palace, Warsaw: groups of more than nine visit only with a museum educator or a guide. The palace rules ask visitors not to hold phone calls or use speakerphone devices, and the park rules ask the same of guides.
• Malbork Castle: only castle-certified guides may guide. Under rules in force since 27 April 2024, guided groups are capped at 30, or 40 with a tour-guide system.
• St. Mary's Basilica, Kraków: the rules in force since 6 July 2026 state: "w szczególności zabrania się rozmów telefonicznych oraz prowadzenia transmisji audio/wideo w trakcie zwiedzania, nabożeństw i modlitwy". In English: "in particular, phone calls and conducting audio/video transmissions during visits, services and prayer are prohibited." The wording most likely targets live-streaming but does not define the term, so ask the basilica in writing first.

The museum provides the headphones itself and bans the alternatives. Organised groups of more than 10 people visit on group entry passes that include the museum's headphones, guided only by museum-authorised educators, and audio or video guides are banned across the site, apps included.

"Odwiedzający w grupach zorganizowanych liczących powyżej 10 osób zobowiązani są do zwiedzania Muzeum na podstawie Kart Wstępu dla Grup Zorganizowanych obejmujących korzystanie ze sprzętu słuchawkowego" [...] "Używania sprzętu nagłaśniającego, audio-przewodników i video-przewodników, zarówno w formie dedykowanych urządzeń, jak i w formie aplikacji na innych urządzeniach elektronicznych."

The museum's English version reads: "Visitors in organised groups of more than 10 persons are obliged to visit the Museum on the basis of the Entry Pass for Organized Groups including obligatory use of headphones" and prohibits "using sound amplification equipment, audio guides or video guides, whether in the form of dedicated devices or applications installed on other electronic devices."

The current regulations apply from 1 July 2026; the headphone requirement dates from 15 April 2008. A phone-based system, Your Next Tours included, cannot be used anywhere on the museum grounds. Groups follow the museum educator through the museum's headphones.

Rules in other countries are on our tour group headset rules page.

Where your own system is allowed, as at Warsaw's Royal Castle, your group already carries the receivers. Install the guide app, create a tour and share its QR code at the meeting point: guests listen on their own phones and earphones. See how it works and pricing.

Translations of the Polish rule texts are ours, except the Auschwitz-Birkenau wording, which is the museum's own English version; the Polish originals are authoritative.