mrsgo

From Old Town, what is the best way to get to the Salt Mines? I understand that the tours take approximately 2 hours, but how long does it take to get there from town? Is is practical to take a tour company which picks us up at our hotel if we want to get there early in the am so we have the full afternoon free? Do you recommend a tour company? Might you know the current cost of the Salt Mines admission?


THANKS!!! Many thanks!!

Andrew

I did it in 2012. I took a bus from near the Krakow train station out to Wieliczka. There was an English tour starting soon after - I didn't have to wait that long.

I think the bus out to Wieliczka took just under an hour each way. I have no idea which bus it was (may have changed by now anyway) or the cost of the mine tour, but I'm sure you can find the latter by googling and finding the official website of the mine.

Google Maps may actually show a bus route out there from Krakow, even where to pick it up.

Then you can decide whether it's worth the extra cost to go with a tour company from Krakow - which I think does nothing but drop you at the mine where you pick up the official tour, anyway. Doing it myself to get out there and back wasn't very hard.

mrsgo

Is the train station near Rynek Glowny? Walking distance? Thanks!

Andrew

It was walking distance for me - maybe 10-15 minutes each way? Maybe there's also a bus or tram from the Rynek out to the train station.

You can also take the train from Krakow to Wieliczka. I don't remember why I didn't - I suspect the bus runs more often and gets you a little closer to the mine entrance.

This may help:

https://www.wieliczka-saltmine.com/v...et-to-the-mine

I think it was bus 304 that I took then, too. The Galeria Krakowska shopping mall is in fact right next to the train station.

maitaitom

Here's our Wieliczka Salt Mine day: Bus ride took 25 minutes according to my notes (I was sober, so I assume that's right). It was a fairly short walk to the bus from Rynek Glówny. I think the bus runs about every ten minutes.

<B>http://travelswithmaitaitom.com/chapter-ten-salt-of-the-earth/</B>

PalenQ

I did it in 2012. I took a bus from near the Krakow train station out to Wieliczka. There was an English tour starting soon after - I didn't have to wait that long.>

Same thing here though a few years earlier - I see little advantage of a group tour here - the tour old miners conducted were great- just take bus or train (I did train but buses go closer to actually mines I believe) -pay for ticket and there is a compulsory I think tour.

annhig

We took a bus there and the train back.

I seem to remember that there was quite a walk from the bus stop and the train station was more central so I don't know why we did it that way.

Are you going to Nova Huta? That is also well worth the trip.

Andrew

Maybe you got off the bus too early? The public bus I took dropped me very close to the mine entrance, perhaps 1-2 blocks away at most.

PalenQ

Are you going to Nova Huta?>

Great tip -suburb of Krakow- a new city under commies with trademark Socialist-Realism architecture or whatever they call that sleek blah style of towr blocks - but also Polish Pope held court with a nice modern church- as I understand they say in Krakow "Rome wasn't built in a day but Nowa Huta was!"

annhig or others -I took that Salt Mine tour (superb) long ago - do old miners still conduct them - I suppose they may be dying out but am curious as to that!

Andrew

I don't recall much about our tour guide for the mine tour in 2012, but I don't think it was a miner, old or young.

annhig

Maybe you got off the bus too early? The public bus I took dropped me very close to the mine entrance, perhaps 1-2 blocks away at most.>>

quite possibly Andrew - or it might have been a bus that took a different route and that was the closest it got. I seem to remember that the bus driver indicated that we had reached the right stop and lots of us got off in the same place. it wasn't a difficult walk, but i remember that I was quite surprised to get off the bus in what seemed to be a residential suburb.

I don't particularly remember the guide at the Salt Mines either. We did have a nice cup of coffee in the cafe before the tour started, I remember that.

PalenQ

Long ago it was grizzily older ex-miners who worked in the mine - they wore miner's hats so hard to forget.

panecott

I also took the local bus from the city to the salt mines and I'm pretty certain the trip took closer to a half hour than an hour.

It was very easy and the buses run frequently. The mines are fascinating and not to be missed!!

PalenQ

I too remember the train ride was 30 mins or so - but then a short walk to mines. Nothing in Wieliczka so it all should take at most a half a day.