Wieliczka Salt Mine steps, lift and kit

How many stairs are in the Kraków salt mines?

More than 800 on the Tourist Route, about 380 of them in the first descent. Most of the 800 are downhill, and a lift brings you back up.

The official figure is more than 800 steps over the whole route. The first part, the descent on wooden stairs from the Daniłowicz Shaft, accounts for about 380 of them. Tour listings give slightly different numbers for that first stretch: between 350 and 380, and the hotel-pickup listing says 370 wooden steps.

The rest of the steps are spread along the 3.5 km route as it moves between chambers and levels. The important point for your knees and lungs is direction: you are mostly going down, and you return to the surface by a miners’ lift rather than on foot.

How difficult are the steps?

For most people with average fitness they are manageable. The first descent is long and steady, so take your time.

The first descent is the most demanding part, simply because it is one long run of stairs. Going down is easier on breathing but harder on knees, so wear shoes with grip and do not rush. After that the route is a walk of about 3.5 km over two to three hours, with stops in the chambers while the guide explains what you see.

The guaranteed-admission Auschwitz combination tour lists its day as unsuitable for low fitness or heart problems, which reflects the length of that whole day as much as the mine. For timing your visit, see how long the visit takes.

Is there a lift in the Wieliczka Salt Mine?

Yes. A miners’ lift, a cage, brings visitors back to the surface at the end of the Tourist Route.

Per the mine’s 2020 rules, the lift goes up the Regis Shaft from the 3rd level, and the guide then leads the group back to the Daniłowicz Shaft area. The cage is a small space, which is worth knowing if enclosed spaces bother you.

The standard route is not suitable for wheelchair users, per every listing, and strollers are not recommended because of the stairs. The mine runs dedicated tours for visitors with limited mobility at the first and last hours of the day, booked in advance by email. If that applies to you, contact the mine before booking a tour with transport.

How claustrophobic are the salt mines in Kraków?

Many chambers are large and high, but you also walk corridors and ride a lift cage. Several listings say the tour is not suitable for people with claustrophobia.

The chambers are what most visitors remember: wide halls, high vaults and St Kinga’s Chapel, which is about 54 m long and 12 m high. Between them, the route follows corridors with timber supports, and at the end you ride up in a miners’ lift cage.

The transport tour, the guaranteed-admission Auschwitz combination and the Schindler’s Factory tour each list the visit as not suitable for claustrophobia. Bear in mind that the route is visited in a guided group, and leaving the group to sightsee alone is not allowed, so think about it before you book rather than on the stairs.

How cold is it in the Wieliczka Salt Mine?

It is 17-18 °C on the Tourist Route, per the mine. That is cool rather than cold, so a light layer is enough.

Several tour listings mention 14-16 °C, which is the temperature on the separate Miners’ Route. The official figure for the Tourist Route is 17-18 °C. In summer it will feel fresh after the street; in winter it may feel mild.

The point is that it is not freezing down there. A long-sleeved top or a thin jumper is enough for most people, and you can carry it in a small bag if you warm up on the stairs.

What should I wear to the Wieliczka Salt Mine?

Comfortable shoes with grip and a light layer. Keep your bag small, because larger bags stay on the surface.

The mine allows small bags of up to 20 x 20 x 35 cm underground; larger items go into free storage. The fast-track ticket tour lists a stricter limit of 30 x 20 x 10 cm, with no strollers and no pets, so check the rule on the tour you book. Service animals are allowed.

Photography and filming are allowed, so bring a phone or camera. Smoking and open flames are not allowed underground. There is free Wi-Fi and phone signal, per the mine.

Meet your guide at the mine entrance with a fast-track ticket, in one of eight languages.

Fast-Track Ticket & Guided Tour at the Mine · 2.5 to 4.5 hours · free cancellation

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Are there toilets in the Wieliczka Salt Mine?

Yes. There are toilets above ground and at two places underground, per the mine.

The tour with transfer lists toilet stops at about 40 and 90 minutes into the visit, which gives a sense of the spacing. For food, Karczma Górnicza is underground and Bistro Posolone is on the surface.

If you travel with children, use the toilets before the first descent. For the trip there and back, see how to get from Kraków to Wieliczka.

Do I need a passport for the Wieliczka Salt Mine?

For a salt mine visit on its own, the tour listings do not say that ID is needed. The combination days are different.

The Auschwitz-Birkenau combination tours ask for your full name and an ID document, and the guaranteed-admission tour asks for a passport or ID card with names exactly as on the document. The salt mine and Schindler’s Factory tour also asks you to bring a passport or ID.

If your day includes a second sight, carry ID. Details are in Auschwitz and the salt mine in one day.

Frequently asked questions