Kopalnia Soli Bochnia
Kopalnia Soli Bochnia
Kopalnia Soli Bochnia
4.5
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
10:15 AM - 4:15 PM
Sunday
10:15 AM - 4:15 PM
About
The Salt Mine Bochnia is the oldest salt mine in Poland. The beginnings of the Bochnia mine as an excavating plant date back to 1248. Being a royal facility, the mine generated a huge income. In 1368, King Casimir the Great issued a document referred to as the Saltworks Statute. It defined the organizational and legal principles for selling salt. The oldest Bochnia mining shafts are the Sutoris and Gazaris shafts. The Bochnia mine and the Sutoris Shaft that are mentioned in the legend on St. Kinga’s ring. The mine developed rapidly in 15th and 16th centuries. More shafts are constructed at that time, i.e. Regis , Bochneris, and Campi. In 17th century, due to wars and an economic decline, the plant’s development slowed down. Visitors to the Bochnia Salt Mine discover the oldest and the most beautiful excavations including the August and Sienkiewicz Levels, the Dobosz Inter-Level.Visitors explore the route on foot and can cover a part of the distance by a tourist train or by boat.
Duration: More than 3 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingTours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
Top ways to experience Kopalnia Soli Bochnia and nearby attractions
The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
48 within 3 miles
Attractions
7 within 6 miles
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
291 reviews
Excellent
173
Very good
77
Average
23
Poor
5
Terrible
13
endrju_74
Ipswich, UK4,837 contributions
Dec 2012 • Family
Top salt mine in Poland is Wieliczka... Or isn't it? Salt mine in Bochnia is older then its more famous sister, and more tourist friendly, especially now - packed with all that new multimedia stuff - really impressive. Only way to see the mine is by guided tour. We visited mine at the end of December, not an usual time for tourists, so there were only three tours a day for individual tourists. They start at Campi shaft (outskirts of town centre) and finish at Sutoris shaft (just off market square), so you have to make your own way back to Campi (apart from day after Boxing Day, when only Sutoris shaft was ready for visitors). You need at least 15 people in group to go for an underground boat trip (extra charge). When you get to the lowest point (250 meters below the ground) you get some rest at the cafe or you can play all sorts of games at the level you never done before! The tour takes 2,5 h.
Written January 9, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SleepyNeil
Skawina, Poland290 contributions
Sep 2017 • Couples
Bochnia is very different from Wieliczka in a number of ways. Firstly it is much less busy and seems to not really be geared to tourists. e.g. no online booking. Secondly whereas Wieliczka stuns you with the sheer beauty of the chambers, Bochnia is more educational telling the story of salt mining in the area. Bochnia is a 35 minute train journey from Krakow and the mine ifs a 25 minute, uphill, walk from the station. English language tours are at 3pm. The website somewhat is misleading as it did not seem possible to have the boat trip.
Written October 2, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TraveloExpert
Tampere, Finland146 contributions
Oct 2015
We were there with our kids (age 8 and 5). The small train inside was nice, but after that there was just loads of walking and listening. They have new screens to find out about the history, but still it was quite boring.
The main attraction is the long slide, which was a huge disappointment. You were supposed to sit on a cushion, which actually slows you down all the way. The kids weren't allowed on their own. We were faster walking down than the people sliding.
After ca. 3 hours we were happy to get home and glad that we didn't book the longer tour with the boat.
If you want to visit a salt mine, go to Wieliczka. It is really worth the money. You see more and they have really interesting things for the kids to see.
The main attraction is the long slide, which was a huge disappointment. You were supposed to sit on a cushion, which actually slows you down all the way. The kids weren't allowed on their own. We were faster walking down than the people sliding.
After ca. 3 hours we were happy to get home and glad that we didn't book the longer tour with the boat.
If you want to visit a salt mine, go to Wieliczka. It is really worth the money. You see more and they have really interesting things for the kids to see.
Written January 3, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
deborah75001
Paris, France410 contributions
Jul 2014 • Family
Incredible visit of a medieval salt mine. It is easy access by bus from Cracow and much less crowded than Wieliczka, and to my opinion, just a good.
The Bochnia salt mine is still used to cure asthma and respiratory problems and houses a dormitory and a summer camp for children who stay for two weeks in the salt mine to get cured.
The Bochnia salt mine is still used to cure asthma and respiratory problems and houses a dormitory and a summer camp for children who stay for two weeks in the salt mine to get cured.
Written June 11, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JoannaS
Krakow, Poland736 contributions
Feb 2015 • Friends
That's one of my favourite places in south Poland. I live in Cracow and in my whole life I've been there about 3-4 times. I love that atmosphere, that smell hundreds meters under the ground... You've to be there! In Bochnia Salt Mine there is a rail line for tourists, a playground for children, a lot of beautiful chambers, including sacral places. You can even lick the wall - it's salty of course. :) What's more, there is even a special "spa" for tourists who would like to spend there a night (or a few nights). I really encourage you to go there!
Written February 3, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Josef D
Pune, India32 contributions
Dec 2014 • Couples
We decided to go here as soon as we were in Wieliczka and saw long queue’s and read negative feedback about it.
Bochnia is the oldest salt mine, it is also in Unesco but for us much better for us. Our group was only about five or six people and guide was really friendly and happy to reply all of my many questions. Multimedia experience was also nice and we all get free salt as souvenir
Free parking was just another extra bonus here.
I honestly have to recommend this as a must see place in Poland!
Bochnia is the oldest salt mine, it is also in Unesco but for us much better for us. Our group was only about five or six people and guide was really friendly and happy to reply all of my many questions. Multimedia experience was also nice and we all get free salt as souvenir
Free parking was just another extra bonus here.
I honestly have to recommend this as a must see place in Poland!
Written January 4, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Adrienn3
Budapest, Hungary72 contributions
4 hours long polish tour for a non-polish speaker: mission completed :-) On foot, by train, by boat, we explored the mine on various ways. Finally, close to the souvenir shop I found an English speaker interactive point, so I could quickly pick up all the historical info about the mine and the town. I need to highlight, that polish people were really kind and helpful to me.
Written August 24, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ConsumerBloke
Swansea, UK1,205 contributions
Dec 2012 • Couples
That fact I'm writing this in November 2013 and there have been only three English language reviews this year indicates how undiscovered by the Krakow 'lot' is.
Bochnia is half way between Krakow and where my wife grew up, so was a perfect day out for us. While our tour guide didn't speak English, I had a headphone which more then adequately guided me around.
There is a fun slide partway through the tour, if you want to ride down this, you have to be wearing laced up footwear otherwise you'll have to walk down numerous steps.
I speak a bit of Polish and during a Q&A session with the guide one of the tourists (all Polish) who was clearly enjoying the tour asked why the mine wasn't doing more to market itself and push itself to the Krakow tourists.
The response from the guide (casting a careful eye in my direction) was that the mine doesn't want to be spoilt, doesn't want to become another Wieliczka - all the more reason to visit it!
If you're staying in Krakow and fancy seeing something else, something different and don't mind having your English language guide in a headphone, then give Bochnia a try. Thoroughly enjoyable and I still haven't visited Wieliczka!
*Delayed posting as I didn't realise the mine was on TripAdvisor*
Bochnia is half way between Krakow and where my wife grew up, so was a perfect day out for us. While our tour guide didn't speak English, I had a headphone which more then adequately guided me around.
There is a fun slide partway through the tour, if you want to ride down this, you have to be wearing laced up footwear otherwise you'll have to walk down numerous steps.
I speak a bit of Polish and during a Q&A session with the guide one of the tourists (all Polish) who was clearly enjoying the tour asked why the mine wasn't doing more to market itself and push itself to the Krakow tourists.
The response from the guide (casting a careful eye in my direction) was that the mine doesn't want to be spoilt, doesn't want to become another Wieliczka - all the more reason to visit it!
If you're staying in Krakow and fancy seeing something else, something different and don't mind having your English language guide in a headphone, then give Bochnia a try. Thoroughly enjoyable and I still haven't visited Wieliczka!
*Delayed posting as I didn't realise the mine was on TripAdvisor*
Written November 13, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hannukar A
Helsinki, Finland4 contributions
Jan 2013 • Couples
Sincerely I was quite scared about this excursion when we visited Kracow as I don't like close environments..., but my wife insisted because the weather forecasts gave snow for a day, so "we" decided to plan this adventure out from the city, and I have to admit I hadn't any problen nor felt any disease during the time we spent "buried alive" there. It's the most ancient salt mine in Poland with maximum (visiting) depth at -350 meters, but the originary aeration system ensure a continuos air change so no stifling sensations, and paths, corridors, transiting and living ambients are almost wide enough and the down-hill develops itself smoothly along more than 4 km, even though it's not possible to visit it all (I hadn't insisted...). Guides are very nice and belong to families of local miners as the industrial actvity stopped years ago and recently the mine has been re-opened to the public for touristic purposes. There is also plenty of multimedial stuff explaining the evolution of the extracting techniques dued also to the changes in salt trade rules during centuries, very interesting. But the best is in the artisanal works made by miners, like salt sculptures, chandeliers and a delightful chapel where workers were used to pray and attend the mess. There was also a nursery for the children with playground games rigorously made always by the miners on site, and a big public resting room for those who like to spend a whole or more than one day inside it, night included. Maybe another time, the following day there was sun....
Written August 6, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jason F
Sheffield, UK2 contributions
Apr 2013 • Friends
Bochnia Salt mine is well worth a visit! You can catch a small mini bus for about 5 Zloty's which is about £1 and the journey takes around 35 minuets. The salt mine is the oldest one in Poland and has some great surprises. On arrival I recommend asking for Piotr Starzyk, he is one of the tour guides and speaks good English, he rely brings the mine to life and made our visit great fun and very interesting.
Written April 18, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chciałbym przyjechać z wycieczką do kopalni z noclegiem. 4 lata temu miałam ablację serca, choruje na nadciśnienie. Biorę leki i jest ok. Czy mogę przyjechać?
Written May 11, 2019
Hi, is it possible to book a ticket in advance to the Bochnia mine, or we only can buy it there?
Written August 20, 2018
Hi, you buy a ticket when you arrive, just be 15 minutes before the exit. I recommend visiting the website to check the hours.
Written September 7, 2018
dzien dobry,
od dwoch miesiecy pisze do Panstwa na mail i nie mam zadnej odpowiedzi. Moj mail byl zatytulowany "rozczarowanie z pobytu w komorze Wazyn". Po raz kolejny poslalam do Panstwa mail w dniu 28.07.2017. Moze teraz bedzie jakas reakcja.
Written August 21, 2017
Prosze przeczytac ostatnia recenzje pt.: Rozczarowanie z pobytu w Komorze Wazyn.
Written August 22, 2017
Is there any public transportation from Krakow?
Written May 29, 2015
Yes, sure. Check e-podroznik.pl for finding the suitable bus according to your time and wishes :) Hope you find it helpful :)
Written May 30, 2015
Hi
can you suggest whether we should visit the bochina salt mines or The “Wieliczka.
Thanks
Written April 10, 2015
Wieliczka is world known phenomena, I do recommend Bochnia though. It's much more intimate experience, less queueing and it's nice to see one day hot-spot before everyone else. They are modern, guides are very competent (I'm not certain about their english though, worth checking) and whole tour is amazing multimedia experience. Besides, it's the only place to offer your boat (!) and tiny train (!!) 100m under the ground.
Written April 10, 2015
Showing results 1-5 of 5
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing