Wieliczka isn’t just a museum you pop into for an hour. Allow about half a day for the journey from the centre of Kraków, waiting for your turn and the tour itself. But you’ll be rewarded with one of the most impressive places in the Kraków area: huge underground halls, salt lakes and a chapel carved deep beneath the earth.

In our view, the trip is particularly worthwhile if you have at least two full days in Kraków. For a one-day visit, we would recommend prioritising the Main Square and Wawel.

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Which route should you choose?

It’s best to decide this before buying your ticket. There are two different tour routes in the mine, and each starts at a different entrance.

The Tourist Route

For your first visit, choose the Tourist Route. On this route, you’ll see the mine’s most famous areas, including St Kinga’s Chapel, the salt lakes, historic mining machinery and sculptures carved from salt.

The tour starts at the Daniłowicz shaft at 10 Daniłowicza Street. Tours are guided only and are available in several languages. Specific times vary depending on the day and the language chosen.

• Official information

The Mining Trail

The Miners’ Trail is a more active and less polished experience. You’ll be given a helmet with a lamp and, during the tour, you’ll have the chance to try your hand at some of the tasks associated with the miners’ work.

The tour is approximately 1.9 km long, takes 2 to 3 hours and is suitable for children aged 10 and over. It starts at the Regis shaft at 9 Kościuszki Square.

It is important to note that the Miners’ Route does not lead to St Kinga’s Chapel. If you are visiting Wieliczka for the first time and want to see its most famous sights, choose the Tourist Route.

• Official information

How the tour works

At the start of the Tourist Route, you’ll descend 380 wooden steps to a depth of 64 metres.

In total, during the tour, you’ll climb approximately 800 steps and reach a depth of 135 metres below the surface.

The trail itself is about 2.2 km long. If you include the adjoining exhibition at the Kraków Salt Mine Museum, you’ll walk a total of roughly 3.5 km. You’ll spend approximately 2 to 3 hours underground.

Along the way, you’ll see mine chambers, old machinery, chapels, salt sculptures and underground lakes. The pace is set by the guide and the group, which can number up to around 40 people. So don’t expect to be able to wander around at your own pace.

The good news is that you return to the surface via a mine lift. This means you won’t have to climb all 800 steps again.

St Kinga’s Chapel

The main reason why most people visit Wieliczka is the Chapel of St Kinga, situated 101 metres underground. Photographs struggle to do justice to its true scale: the chamber is approximately 54 metres long and 12 metres high.

The walls, floor, statues and altar are all made of salt. The large chandeliers hanging from the ceiling are also made of salt crystals. On the walls, look out for the relief of The Last Supper, which was modelled on Leonardo da Vinci’s famous work.

The chapel is still used for church services, concerts and other social events.

Just how big is the mine really?

The figures are mainly useful for giving an idea of just how small a part of Wieliczka you will actually see during the tour. Salt has been mined here since the 13th century, and the mine was in operation for over 700 years. Industrial mining only came to an end in 1996.

Over 300 km of tunnels have been created underground, spread across nine levels. The deepest chambers reach approximately 327 metres below the surface, whilst tourists visit only a small fraction of the entire system.

In 1978, Wieliczka was inscribed as one of the first sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Admission: do I need to book a ticket in advance?

The price depends on the season and the language of the tour. The official price list for the Tourist Route states:

• Adults from January to April and from October to December – 143 pln
• Adults from May to September – 159 pln
• Concessionary admission from January to April and from October to December – 121 pln
• Concessionary admission from May to September – 131 pln
• Family ticket: 2 adults and 1 child – 358 pln outside peak season and 397 pln during peak season
• Family ticket: 2 adults and 2 children – 430 pln outside the peak season and 475 pln during peak season
• Children under 4 go free

Children aged 4 and over, students up to the age of 26, visitors aged 65 and over, and people with disabilities are entitled to reduced admission. Please bring the relevant proof of eligibility with you.

The price includes a guide and admission to the associated exhibition at the Kraków Salt Mine Museum.

Tickets are purchased for a specific time and language, so we recommend booking via the official website. Popular time slots may be sold out, particularly in summer and at weekends.

Opening hours

The tourist route is usually open every day from 7.30 am to 6.30 pm. However, this does not mean you can arrive at any time. The decisive factor is the time of the tour in your chosen language, which you will see when purchasing your ticket.

The mine is usually closed on 1 January, Easter Sunday, 1 November and 24 and 25 December. Always check the current tour times before you visit.

Please arrive at the main entrance at least 15 minutes before the tour starts.

Practical information for visitors

It isn’t particularly cold underground, but even during the hot summer months you’ll need a light jacket or jumper. The temperature on the Tourist Trail remains around 17 to 18 °C all year round.

• Duration of the tour – 2 to 3 hours
• Total journey time from Kraków – 4 to 5 hours
• Approximately 800 steps, 380 of which are right at the start
• Sturdy and comfortable shoes
• Maximum hand luggage size: 20 x 20 x 35 cm
• Larger items of luggage and pushchairs can be left in the free luggage storage facility, subject to availability
• Photography and filming are permitted free of charge
• Toilets at several points along the underground route
• The Karczma Górnicza restaurant, 125 metres underground
• Weak or no mobile signal in most parts of the mine

Transport from Kraków

The SKA1 train: the best option in our view

The quickest and most comfortable way to get to Wieliczka is by the SKA1 commuter train.

The journey from Kraków Główny main station takes about 25 minutes, and trains usually run every 30 minutes during the day.

You can also board the train at Kraków Airport, Kraków Grzegórzki, Kraków Zabłocie or Kraków Płaszów stations. Get off at the terminus, Wieliczka Rynek-Kopalnia, from where it’s about a 5-minute walk to the Daniłowicz shaft.

• SKA1 line
• Journey time from Kraków Główny: approximately 25 minutes
• Trains usually run every 30 minutes during the day
• Separate train ticket 7 pln
• Combined 70-minute ticket for the train and Kraków public transport 10 pln
• Current SKA1 train timetable

The SKA1 line also continues to Kraków Airport. A direct journey between the airport and Wieliczka takes approximately 45 minutes and a ticket costs 24 pln.

Bus 304

Bus 304 also runs directly from the city centre. You can board at the Dworzec Główny Zachód stop, next to the main railway station and the Galeria Krakowska shopping centre.

Get off at the Wieliczka Kopalnia Soli stop, from where it’s about a 5-minute walk to the entrance. The bus runs approximately every 10 to 20 minutes, but the journey takes between 35 and 50 minutes, depending on traffic. During rush hour, the train is therefore a more reliable option.

• Direct bus 304
• Single ticket for the entire direct journey 6 pln
• 60-minute transfer ticket 8 pln
• Current bus timetables

You can find details about tickets and how the city’s public transport system works in the section ‘Getting around Kraków’. If you’re still planning your trip, take a look at the options in the section ‘How to get to Kraków’.

Parking at the mine

If you’re travelling by car, we recommend the official P1 Tężnia car park at 22 Dembowskiego Street. It’s about a 5-minute walk from the entrance to the Tourist Route.

• Car or motorbike 40 pln
• Caravan or coach 60 pln
• First 15 minutes free
• Usually open from 6.00 am to 10.00 pm
• Additional charge for departure after 10.00 pm 100 pln
• P1 Tężnia car park on Google Maps
• Official map of access routes and car parks
• Official price list and parking terms and conditions

Outside the main summer season, parking tickets can also be purchased via the official booking system.

In July and August, due to traffic management arrangements, payment for P1 car park is usually made on site.

Accommodation in Wieliczka

It is not necessary to change hotels just to visit the mine. The train from the city centre is quick, and for most travellers it is worth staying in Kraków.

Staying overnight in Wieliczka itself makes sense if you’re travelling by car, if your tour starts very early in the morning, or if the mine is the main purpose of your trip.

• Grand Sal, situated within the mine complex and just a few steps from the Daniłowicz shaft
• Hotel Lenart: a modern hotel with car park and spa facilities, about a 10-minute walk from the mine
• Search for all accommodation in Wieliczka

If you’d like to stay in Kraków, compare the different neighbourhoods and their advantages in the section ‘Accommodation in Kraków’.

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