Bochnia Salt Mine

What it is

The Bochnia salt mine is the oldest in Poland and the lesser-known sister of Wieliczka. Salt was found here around 1248 and extraction began in 1251; industrial production ended in 1990. Since 2013 it has formed part, together with Wieliczka and the Saltworks Castle, of the World Heritage site of the royal salt mines. It is in the town of Bochnia, about 40 km east of Kraków.

If you have already done the Wieliczka Tourist Route, Bochnia is a different experience: fewer groups, a longer visit and more going on. It has an underground train, a boat across a salt lake and a slide.

What you see

The most complete visit is the route with a multimedia exhibition, a boat crossing of the underground lake and a walk along the Horse Path, the gallery along which horses hauled the salt. It lasts about four hours. You go down in the mine lift, ride the underground mining train, which covers around a kilometre with three stations, and walk through an exhibition with light, sound and sets featuring Polish kings and Genoese merchants. Bochnia's St Kinga's Chapel is the largest in the mine, and the train passes through it.

The long stop is the Ważyn chamber, the largest in the mine, about 2,500 m², some 250 metres deep. It has a dining room, a bar and a rest area; the mine even offers nights underground. Beside the staircase that links it with the August level there is a slide that children go down again and again. The mine has other, shorter routes, of about three hours, without the boat; compare them on the website to see which suits you.

Language, age and conditions

The boat route is guided in Polish, with a free audio guide in Spanish, English, German, French and Italian. Guided visits in English are a different route, the "Salt Witness", and are booked in advance at the visitor service office. The minimum age for the boat route is 7.

Down below it is 15 to 17 °C with humidity of about 70%: bring a layer. There are about 1,000 steps in total, but the descent and ascent are by lift. Wear sturdy shoes. It is not wheelchair accessible, pets are not allowed and there is no cloakroom, so do not bring large luggage. The mine does not recommend it to people with cardiovascular or respiratory problems, claustrophobia or reduced mobility.

Tickets and opening hours

The mine's official website publishes the price list and the departure times of each route. Buying online is cheaper than at the ticket office, and can be done up to 60 minutes before the visit; if online is sold out, try the ticket office. Check the day's timetable before you go, because departures are at set times.

How to get there and where to park

The visit starts at the Campi shaft (ul. Campi 15) at weekends and at the Sutoris shaft (ul. Solna 2) on weekdays. Check on your ticket which one applies to you. At the Campi shaft there is an unattended car park at 10 zł a day. From Kraków there are regional trains to Bochnia station; from Wieliczka, the car is the most convenient.

How to combine it with Wieliczka

Do not do both mines on the same day: each is a long half day and being underground is tiring. The sensible way is Wieliczka one day, with a night in Wieliczka or in Kraków, and Bochnia another. With teenagers, Bochnia is usually liked more for the boat, the train and the slide; with small children, Wieliczka has no minimum age and Bochnia's boat route starts at 7.