Wieliczka Salt Mine at a glance
The Wieliczka Salt Mine is in the town of Wieliczka, just outside Kraków. Salt has been mined here since the 13th century, and the mine is part of the UNESCO site Wieliczka and Bochnia Royal Salt Mines, inscribed in 1978 and extended in 2013. Visitors see only a small part of it. The whole mine has 9 levels, about 245 km of passages and a lowest point of 327 m.
Most visitors take the guided Tourist Route: about 3.5 km, down to 135 m, 2–3 hours at 17–18 °C, with the Chapel of St Kinga and a ride back up in the lift. This guide covers tickets and prices, both routes, opening hours, tours and the train from Kraków, the chapel and chambers, facts and history, a day with Auschwitz-Birkenau, getting there, Kraków, the best time to visit and where to stay. Prices are in Polish złoty (PLN) as listed for 2026, and they change.
Our picks: Wieliczka Salt Mine tours
For a simple morning, the tours with hotel pickup include the mine entry and a guide. The cruise adds the Vistula; the fast-track ticket is the budget option if you travel to Wieliczka yourself.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Private salt mine trip by car
- Mine entry
- Private car
- Hotel pickup
Hotel pickup in a private car with an English-speaking driver, explanations from a guide and mine entry.
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Vistula river cruise and salt mine tour
- Vistula cruise
- Fast-track mine entry
- Live-guided mine tour
A sightseeing cruise on the Vistula with an audio guide, then transport to the mine and a live-guided tour with fast-track entry.
Check availability →
Half-day mine tour by coach from Kraków
- Entry fees
- English-speaking guide
- Air-conditioned coach
An air-conditioned coach, entry fees and an English-speaking guide in the mine.
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Mine tour with hotel pickup and a pre-booked ticket
- Pre-booked mine ticket
- Licensed guide
- Hotel pickup
Hotel pickup, a pre-booked mine ticket, a licensed guide in your language and the photo permit, with all fees included.
Check availability →Salt mine tour with door-to-door transport
- Mine entry
- Door-to-door transport
- English-speaking guide
Door-to-door transport, an English-speaking guide in the mine, mine entry and headphones.
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Salt mine ticket with fast-track entry
- Mine entry ticket
- Fast-track entry
- Licensed guide
Mine entry without the ticket queue and a licensed guide; return transport comes only with the transport option.
Check availability →Wieliczka Salt Mine tours and tickets
Guided visits and tours from Kraków, with live prices and availability.
Plan your Wieliczka Salt Mine visit
Start with tickets and the route, then pick the pages you need.
Wieliczka Salt Mine tickets
2026 prices in PLN by season, language and age group, plus the booking rules.
Tours and the Tourist Route
Distance, steps, group size and languages, and how the two routes differ.
Wieliczka from Kraków
Train SKA1, bus 304 and guided tours, with 2026 fares.
The Miners' Route
Helmet, lamp and protective suit, from age 10, in Polish or English.
Chapel of St Kinga
A chapel carved from salt, about 54 m long and 12 m high.
Inside the mine
Chambers, the brine pond in the Weimar chamber, the museum and the health resort.
Opening hours
Route times, closed days and how to plan your start.
Facts and figures
Depth, levels, passages, chambers and UNESCO.
History of the mine
From the 13th century to the end of mining in 1996.
Auschwitz and Wieliczka
Two separate visits from Kraków and what to plan for each.
How to get there
Train, bus, car and parking, with the two shaft entrances.
Things to do in Kraków
Old Town, Wawel and Kazimierz.
Best time to visit
Kraków weather by month and what it means for your visit.
Where to stay
The Old Town, Kazimierz or Wieliczka: which area fits.
A few things to know before you go
Practical points that save time on the day.
The Tourist Route is part of a much larger mine
Visitors reach 135 m on a route of about 3.5 km, at 17–18 °C. The whole mine goes down to 327 m. Do not count the lowest point as the depth of your tour.
Facts and figures →The ride back up is included
Regular visitors return to the surface in the lift, with no extra fee. You walk about 800 steps down, 380 of them at the start.
The Tourist Route →Every visit is guided
You tour with an assigned guide and stay with the group. Photos and video for private use are allowed. Bags larger than 20 × 20 × 35 cm stay upstairs, and the cloakroom is free.
Tickets →The Miners' Route is a separate visit
It starts at the Regis shaft, needs its own ticket, has a minimum age of 10 and runs in Polish and English only. The Tourist Route has no minimum age.
Miners' Route →Auschwitz-Birkenau tickets are online
Since 1 March 2026 all entry cards for individual visitors, including free ones, are issued online only. Nothing is handed out at the entrance.
Planning both visits →Bus line 304 and the Wieliczka Kampus works
The terminus Wieliczka Kampus has been under reconstruction since 17 August 2026, which affects line 304. Check the current stop before you board.
From Kraków →Wieliczka Salt Mine: frequently asked questions
How long does a visit take?
The Tourist Route takes 2 to 3 hours. If you spend time in the underground museum exhibition on the route (about 1.5 km), add roughly another hour. Plan your day around the longer figure.
How much does a ticket cost?
For the Tourist Route in 2026, an adult ticket with a guide in a foreign language costs PLN 143 from January to April and October to December, PLN 159 in May, June and September, and PLN 169 in July and August. See the ticket prices for reduced and family tickets.
How do I get from Kraków to the mine?
By train SKA1 from Kraków Główny to Wieliczka Rynek-Kopalnia, about 25 minutes, or by bus 304. A normal single train fare is PLN 7.50. See Wieliczka from Kraków for fares and tours.
Can I walk through the mine on my own?
No. You visit with an assigned guide and may not leave the group. That applies to both routes.
Is the mine accessible for wheelchair users?
Only parts are accessible. You need to reserve in advance, and the guide speaks Polish or English. Assistance dogs and guide dogs are allowed.
Is wieliczka-salt-mine.org the official website of the mine?
No. This is an independent travel guide with no connection to the Wieliczka Salt Mine company, the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial, Visit Kraków or any tour operator or hotel. Tickets are sold by the mine itself and by tour providers.