What to do · Wieliczka Salt Mine
Miners' Route
Information
- From
- zł121 per person
- Duration
- 2 h 30
- Distance
- 1.9 km
- Who it's for
- From age 10
What it is
The Miners' Route is the other great visit of the Wieliczka mine, designed for doing and not just looking. Instead of walking through the decorated chambers, you go down into the maze of galleries around the Regis shaft, the oldest surviving one in the mine, and a foreman, who acts as your guide, teaches you the trade. You search for salt, measure the air as the methane watchmen used to, find your bearings underground and learn about trades such as the mine carpenter's. It is a more physical visit, with smaller groups, than the Tourist Route.
It shares no point with the Tourist Route: it does not pass through St Kinga's Chapel or the salt lakes. If you only have time for one visit and it is your first time, the classic is the Tourist Route; this one is for anyone who wants to come back or for teenagers who get bored on guided visits.
What the route is like
It starts at the Regis shaft. Before going down you are given a lamp, a helmet and a self-rescuer, the device that absorbs carbon monoxide in case of fire, along with brief instruction on how to use them. You go down by lift to level I, at 57 metres, and cover about 1.9 km of galleries to level IIn, at 101 metres, from where you also go up by lift. The visit lasts two to three hours. Down below it is about 14–16 °C, a little less than on the Tourist Route: bring a warm layer.
Groups are 20 people at most, and the guide hands out tasks along the way. It is run in Polish and English, at set times; there are no visits in Spanish.
Opening hours, tickets and minimum age
The route runs from 9:00 to 15:00. The mine publishes prices from 121 zł per person for reduced, standard and family tickets; the exact price appears when you choose a day and time. Buy on the mine's official website or, if places remain unsold online, at the Regis shaft ticket office.
The minimum age is 10. Arrive at least 15 minutes before your time: latecomers are not admitted and the ticket is not refunded.
What to bring
Only closed shoes that cover the whole foot are admitted; canvas trainers are not recommended. Comfortable clothes and a warm layer. In the Regis shaft changing room there are lockers, but they are small: leave large luggage in the car or at the cloakroom. Smoking is not allowed underground, nor are e-cigarettes, and naked flames are forbidden.
How to get there
The Regis shaft is in the centre of Wieliczka, near the square and a few minutes' walk from Wieliczka Rynek-Kopalnia station, where the commuter train from Kraków Główny stops. If you come by car, see the mine car parks.
With children
From age 10 it is the mine visit that hooks them most: they wear a helmet and lamp, they have tasks and the group is small. For younger children, the Tourist Route has no minimum age. With a ticket in English, a teenager understanding the guide is part of the fun; if they do not, they miss a good part of the visit.
Tips
- Combine it with the Tourist Route on different days They are two visits of two to three hours each and do not repeat anything. On the same day it is tiring.
- Wear light hiking shoes They best meet the closed-shoe rule and cope with the mine floor.
- Book in advance With groups of 20 and only until 15:00, places in English run out sooner.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a Miners' Route in Spanish?
No. It is run in Polish and English, at set times.
Does it pass through St Kinga's Chapel?
No. It has nothing in common with the Tourist Route, which is the one that passes through the chapel.
From what age can you do it?
From age 10. Younger children can do the Tourist Route, which has no minimum age.
As a familyWith teenagers
