In the depths of the salt mine Wieliczka - a guide underground tour

The trip to the salt mine Wieliczka was the most exciting, informative and fascinating excursion that we had the pleasure to experience during our time in Krakow. A personal favourite of mine and worthwhile for sure.

The train from the Central Station takes a little over 20 minutes to Wieliczka Rynek Kopalnia (terminus). From there it is another 5 minutes on foot to the salt mine. It is very well signposted.

A wide view of the historic mechanical workshop at the Wieliczka Salt Mine near Krakow, featuring a long, cream-colored building with a red-tiled roof and a prominent wooden headframe tower.

Purchasing tickets

The salt mine was declared UNESCO World Cultural Heritage and World Natural Heritage in 1978 and can only be visited with a guide. Tours are offered in Polish and – at certain times during the day – also in English, German, Russian, French, Italian and Spanish. The number of spots in each group is limited.

I purchased our tickets online in advance. That made sure that I was really going to be able to join one of the German groups. Other visitors were not as lucky as all of the three German tours were fully booked on that day. I am sure that interest is even bigger during main season. Another advantage of the online tickets are the queues. The online tickets are to be picked up at separate ticket counters. Photo permits can be purchased there, too. These counters were deserted whereas the normal counters had long queues to work through.

A high-angle, vertical shot looks down a long, narrow wooden staircase descending deep into the Wieliczka Salt Mine near Krakow, with a person's black-clad legs and shoes visible at the top of the frame. The perspective creates a dizzying sense of depth as the wooden steps and structural beams recede into a distant, dimly lit point underground.

The entry point

A few minutes prior to our entry time, we joined the German group. Everyone was handed headphones and a receiver. The guide explained how to use them and which channel he’d be on during the tour. His German was very good and I heard him loud and clear. But it was obvious that he had been doing this job for quite some time. A fixed routine of jokes and rattled out explanations without much enthusiasm. However, he happily took questions from the group and offered more in-depth explanations whenever we requested them.

After all the 30 people in the group had familiarised themselves with the equipment, our guide led us to a wooden staircase. It took us 800 steps down into the mine. Little traffic jams on the staircase had us waiting several times. A bizarre feeling to descend deeper and deeper into the tunnel. Indeed not the environment for claustrophobic people. For me, personally, the thought of the thousands of tonnes of rocks over me made me shiver. I have the utmost respect for the people that laboriously had to dig through them.

An old wooden tunnel within the Wieliczka Salt Mine near Krakow, featuring timber support beams and a narrow stone-lined water channel running along the right side.

A dimly lit, yellowish underground passageway with white-painted wooden beams and planks lining the walls and ceiling along the tourist route of the Wieliczka Salt Mine near Krakow.

Through the tunnel into the salt mine Wieliczka

Many of these underground pathways lead through tunnels with a relatively easy access and with level floors. Wherever we walked, we walked on salt which had become smooth and shiny from all the feet polishing it day in and day out. By the way; I didn’t follow the guide’s suggestion to lick the floor. Not everything has to be a first-hand experience, I think.

A life-sized museum display in the Wieliczka Salt Mine near Krakow depicts a black horse in a harness pulling a wooden mining cart along underground tracks, while a mannequin of a miner works with a barrel in the background.

The path through the tunnel was well lit and led through different rooms where our group briefly stopped. Enough time for me to take some pictures and to listen to the explanations of the guide.

A large salt statue of King Casimir the Great, carved from grey rock salt, stands within the Wieliczka Salt Mine near Krakow, Poland. The bust features a crowned king with a long beard, positioned in front of a commemorative plaque and rough-hewn salt walls.

In the rooms, the old tools of the workers were on display. The guide explained or even demonstrated how they were used. Other rooms showed scenes from the life underground; complete with life-sized figures of the workers.

Large salt sculptures in the Janowice Chamber of the Wieliczka Salt Mine near Kraków depict the legend of Princess Kinga receiving a ring from a kneeling miner, surrounded by standing guards.

What enthused me the most, however, were the rooms where artists and sculptors had created pieces of art. Wonderful sculptures carved into the salt and of course now each with a spotlight for better visibility gave the old mine a touch of an underground gallery. I would have loved to spend more time here than the tour allowed. But the next group was waiting behind us and we had to hurry along.

A view of the Jozef Pilsudski Grotto in the Wieliczka Salt Mine near Krakow, featuring a subterranean salt lake that reflects the illuminated wooden tunnel entrance and white timber-lined walls.

One of the bigger rooms held an underground saline lake that caught the lights just right and created stunning reflexes and reflections.

An underground salt lake in the Wieliczka Salt Mine near Krakow, featuring a illuminated statue of St. John Nepomuk standing on a salt-crusted bank beneath white timber supports and rough-hewn rock walls.

The Great Hall

The highlight of the tour was the Great Hall and the Underground Chapel.

This photo captures the Chapel of St. Kinga in the Wieliczka Salt Mine near Krakow, featuring an ornate altar, a large salt-crystal chandelier, and a crucifix all carved directly from the underground salt rock.

We entered the Great Hall over some sort of Gallery that is roughly ten meters above the ground. The view from here down into the hall swept me off my feet. Big chandeliers, entirely made from salt, light up the room. 2 wide staircases lead down into the Great Hall which is about the same size as an indoor pitch. The photographs I took don’t do it justice.

A high-angle view captures the expansive, illuminated Chapel of St. Kinga within the Wieliczka Salt Mine near Krakow, where tourists walk across the salt-carved floor beneath a massive rock ceiling and ornate chandeliers. The cavernous hall features intricate religious reliefs carved into the salt walls and a large wooden support structure along one side.

At the far end of the room is an altar, carved into the salt. The walls of the room are decorated with reliefs that show different biblical scenes.

A detailed rock salt relief of Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper" (Abendmahl) carved into a wall within the Wieliczka Salt Mine near Krakow, Poland. The sculpture depicts Jesus and his twelve disciples seated at a long table, all intricately rendered from the dark, textured salt of the underground cavern.

I liked the depiction of the Last Supper the best. But the huge chandeliers were by far the most impressive. They are entirely made out of salt. The salt crystals dim the light and reflect it in all the colours of the rainbow.

A large, ornate salt-crystal chandelier, or Salzleuchter, glows brightly within the Wieliczka Salt Mine near Krakow, featuring intricate tiers of translucent salt beads and numerous candle-like lights.

The way out of the salt mine Wieliczka

After almost three hours our guided tour through the salt mine Wieliczka came to an end. The guide showed us on a map how we can get back to the surface again. Obviously, this way would bring us through the gift shop and the restaurant. Our guide announced that he was not going to go up with us and a wave of nervousness rolled through the group. But there is no need to worry. Signs mark the way to the exit and no one needs to get lost on the way out.

A low-angle shot captures the massive, white-painted wooden support structures and scaffolding within the Wieliczka Salt Mine near Krakow, featuring towering log pillars and a lit staircase for tourists.

We never really thought about the way out and I was starting to wonder if I had to climb all the stairs again that we came down earlier. We followed the signs for the exit to a meeting point. Frome there, groups of people were guided into an elevator. That answered my question about climbing the stairs.

That elevator was another highlight of the visit. It consists of thee compartments, stacked on top of each other, which the guides crammed with ten people each. It was like riding the metro during rush hour; we were packed so tightly that moving or turning was impossible and the doors of the elevator almost didn’t close. The elevator zooms to the surface in a few seconds. Almost like a rollercoaster. Some of the people in the elevator were a little intimidated by the situation but I enjoyed the ride. I would have loved to go for another one!

The trip to the salt mine Wieliczka was a huge success for me. The visit was, despite the tourists that are driven through the tunnels in insane numbers, absolutely worthwhile. I learned plenty of new things and gathered new experiences underground. What a great day!

A close-up view inside the Wieliczka Salt Mine in Krakow shows a pool of orange-tinted saltwater, or brine, surrounded by thick, textured salt deposits and rock walls.

Visitor information

Address

ul. Daniłowicza 10
32-020 Wieliczka

Getting There

Getting there from Kraków

By train:
Regular suburban trains run from Kraków’s main station (Kraków Główny) to Wieliczka Rynek-Kopalnia station. The journey takes about 20 minutes; from there, it is only a few minutes’ walk to the entrance (Daniłowicza Shaft).

By bus:
Bus route 304 departs from near Kraków’s Old Town (e.g. the Dworzec Główny Zachód stop) and stops directly at Wieliczka Kopalnia Soli station.

By taxi/Uber:
A convenient option, taking around 30 minutes depending on traffic.

Opening hours

1 April – 31 October: 7.30 am – 6.30 pm
1 November – 31 March: 8 am – 5 pm

Entrance fees

Admission prices

Standard ticket: 169 PLN

FAQ Frequent Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there guided tours in other languages?
Yes. Guided tours in diffent languages are offered daily. The exact times vary depending on the season. Please note: You must book online in advance, as places are limited.

What should I wear?
As the temperature underground remains a constant 14 to 16 °C, you should bring a jacket or a warm jumper even in the height of summer. Comfortable, flat and sturdy shoes are equally important.

How strenuous is the tour?
You should be fit enough to walk. In total, there are around 800 steps to negotiate on the tourist route. Of these, you’ll descend around 380 wooden steps in one go right at the start of the tour. Fortunately, you won’t have to walk up the stairs: at the end of the tour, a lift will take you back to the surface.

Are you allowed to take photos in the mine?
Yes. Photography and filming (for private purposes) are permitted along the tourist route and are now generally free of charge.

Are there toilets underground?
Yes. You don’t need to worry. There are toilets at two points along the tour: once after about 40 to 50 minutes’ walk and again at the end of the route, before taking the lift back up.

Are dogs or other pets allowed in the mine?
No. For safety reasons, animals are not permitted in the salt mine. Certified assistance dogs (guide dogs, etc.) are an exception. There are also no kennels or facilities for keeping animals on site.

Is the mine suitable for wheelchair users?
Partially. Part of the tourist route is adapted for wheelchair users. However, advance booking is essential, as a special guide must be organised and a different lift used. The standard route is not accessible due to the large number of steps.

Is the tour suitable for people with claustrophobia?
That depends on the severity of the condition. Most of the passages in the mine are surprisingly wide, and chambers such as the famous Kinga Chapel are huge underground halls with high ceilings. Most people have no problems here. Be careful at the end, though: the return journey to the surface

Published 26 December 2017