Guided tour to Salt Mine & Schindler Factory with Pick-Up Options
Description
Explore Wieliczka Salt Mine with a 4.5-hour guided tour from Krakow. See one of the oldest salt mines in the world, dating back to the 13th century. This unique underground complex of chambers and chapels, carved entirely in salt, has been included on the UNESCO World Heritage sites list. You'll have 2.5 hours at the mine, enough time to visit all the wonders of Wieliczka with your professional guide. Guided tour at the mine will be done with a maximum of 35 people. Afterwards, experience Oskar Schindler's Factory, a site of a museum dedicated to the man who saved thousands of Jewish people during World War II.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Our tour starts with transportation from Krakow, either from your specified hotel or a meeting point of your choice. Salt Mine is located in Wieliczka, approximately 40 minutes away (20 km). All of our drivers hold the necessary EU certifications for passenger transport. A friendly, English-speaking group leader will be available to assist you whenever needed. On-site you'll be introduced to a professional local guide, licensed by the Salt Mine.
Visit the Wieliczka Salt Mine, one of Poland’s top attractions that's on UNESCO's World List of Cultural and Natural Heritage. The half-day skip-the-line tour departs from Krakow. Learn about the salt mine that is the best-preserved site of its type in the world. Opened in the 13th century, it has been in continuous operation since that time. Explore some of the 300 kilometers of hallways extending over 9 levels and reaching depths of 327 meters. See the chambers and chapels in the mine's underground city, including the famous St. Kinga Chapel, visited each year by more than a million tourists from all over the world.
At the end of the tour, you won’t be rushed. You’ll have at least a 15-minute break. After another 40 minutes of travel, you will be taken to Schinder's Factory Museum.
Your tour leader will accompany you to the museum and assist you with the entrance process before your self-guided visit begins. Oskar Schindler’s Factory presents the story of a man who dedicated himself to saving the lives of Jewish people during World War II. The museum also portrays Kraków under Nazi occupation through immersive and interactive exhibitions, allowing visitors to experience the atmosphere of the city during that time. Your ticket includes entrance to the museum and independent sightseeing at your own pace.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
The hours you book are tentative and may change due to schedule at the Schindler's Factory Museum and traffic conditions. Exact pick up time will be confirmed for a day before the departure.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- VISIT: Temperatures in the Wieliczka Salt Mine are around 15°C (59°F).
- VISIT: The tour begins with 400 steps down and includes over 800 stairs in total. Some passages are narrow and may feel claustrophobic. The return to the surface is by the authentic miners lift.
- VISIT: There are no restrictions regarding the age of children in the Salt Mine, but they should be either capable of walking unassisted or carried in baby slings or baby carriers. Baby pushchairs are not allowed underground.
- VISIT: Your hand luggage should be in a reasonable size and your larger luggage should be left in the car.
- OPTIONS: Be sure to select correct product option to use hotel or meeting point pickup as the price is different.
- ENTRANCE: As it is mandatory in Schindler’s Factory museum to confirm your personal details, you are required to take with you passport or ID to be presented at the entrance to museum. Please do not forget it, otherwise you may be not allowed to enter museum.
Reviews(64)
Great trip to the Salt mines, transport was comfortable and guide was very welcoming. Great tour guide in the mines, well worth it. Unfortunately when we arrived at Schindlers Factory, we had to wait outside for 10-15 mins whilst the driver went inside to buy our tickets. I had assumed that when I made the booking, the tickets were bought. I also thought that the tour of the factory was a guided tour, but it was not, we were advised to take a picture of the map of the exhibition and pointed in the right direction. The Schindlers factory tour was more about the Nazi's in Krakow during the war rather than about Oskar Schindler or his factory. I would suggest bringing something to eat as it is straight from one tour to another.
The Tour guide for our tour was excellent!!! Michal showed up on time and was very informed about our tour. He took time out to explain what the tour consisted of and we could expect . While driving there he gave us historical information about Krakow as we drove to the Salt Mines . Anyone thinking about a tour to the Salt Mines should definitely make Michal and his tour company your number one choice
The Tour guide for our tour was excellent!!! Michal showed up on time and was very informed about our tour. He took time out to explain what the tour consisted of and we could expect . While driving there he gave us historical information about Krakow as we drove to the Salt Mines . Anyone thinking about a tour to the Salt Mines should definitely make Michal and his tour company your number one choice
I felt confined as the tour is very far underground with no way to leave until the end of the tour. There was A LOT of walking. The stairs were not bad at all, but the tour covers a lot of distance. Once I saw a couple of the chambers and sculptures, the rest of the tour was very repetitive. The exception, of course, is the Salt Cathedral. There were a couple points on the tour where it was clear they were trying to hold the interest of the tourists; sound effects, lights, etc. These were cheap attempts. The tour guide said they would soon open another 2 levels to tourists. I cannot imagine the drudgery of expanding the tour. The tour was also very regimented - we were on a schedule. My recommendation to the salt mine - give each person a pre-recorded headset and let them take the tour at their own pace.
Thank you for taking the time to share your detailed feedback. We’re sorry to hear that the Salt Mine tour did not fully meet your expectations. We understand that being deep underground, the long walking distance, and the structured pace of the guided tour may not suit every visitor, and we appreciate you sharing your honest impressions. We’re glad to hear that you found the Salt Cathedral to be a highlight of the visit. We also appreciate your suggestions regarding a self-paced audio tour and will take your comments into consideration, although the guided tour format is determined by the Salt Mine itself. Thank you again for your valuable feedback. It helps us better inform future guests about what to expect, and we hope to welcome you back to Krakow in the future.
Moving and interesting at Schindlers Factory though need more time to see everything properly. Salt Mine - not for anyone who has trouble walking / standing. 800 steps and 135m down. Amazing artistry and creativity given the primary purpose of a mine. Fantastic. The driver was prompt, the car was a luxury vehicle and he had useful knowledge for us. The communication throughout the day was perfect.
Thank you very much for your detailed feedback. We are pleased to hear that you found Schindler’s Factory moving and interesting, and we appreciate your note about allowing more time there to fully take in the experience. We also understand your helpful comment regarding the Salt Mine and we agree it is a truly impressive example of artistry and engineering underground. It is great to know that you enjoyed the overall experience, and that the driver provided punctual service, a comfortable vehicle, useful local knowledge, and clear communication throughout the day. We are especially glad everything was well coordinated for you from start to finish. Your feedback is very important to us and helps us continuously improve our services. We truly appreciate you taking the time to share your experience and hope to welcome you again in the future.
Viatour did not provide the correct information in that a passport was required to get in to the Schindler factory. Viatour have refused to give money back on missed part of the trip
Our experience of the salt mines was fantastic. Well worth the visit. Schindler's factory was a terrible experience. We could not hear the tour guide and we're rushed through with no time to look at the exhibits. Our experience with Krakow direct was awful! Our pick up driver turned up and was dropping people off and told us he would be back for us in about 10 minutes. We had already been standing outside for our time slot of 8.05-8.20 in the freezing cold and snow. He then picked us up and took us up the road and told us to get onto another minibus. After our tour of the salt mines we were driven back to the place were we swapped minibus's and told you get out here and walk to your hotel! We said we were booked for Schindler's factory as well which he didn't know about! He then took us to Schindler's factory and told us to get out and talk to our guide and then drove off. The guide said we had an hour to wait until our time slot and to meet him outside at that time. We waited for him but he didn't show up! We then went inside to find out if we had a tour guide and a lady met us and took us to our guide. I messaged Krakow direct to see about our transport back. When we finished and came outside there was no one there to return us. We tried phoning them and they didn't answer on the WhatsApp number and the number on our booking form wasn't recognised! They then messaged to say they didn't offer drop off! As it was dark we didn't want the 40 minute walk so had to pay for a taxi. I messaged them several more times and sent pictures of the booking showing that they dropped off and they didn't respond. The lady on reception at our hotel phoned them for me and asked them to contact me. There response was you took the picture from their website not TripAdvisor and that I had booked through Viator and it states no return!! I booked through TripAdvisor and no where does it state that you don't get dropped off. I have sent them more messages and they have not responded. Absolutely awful company and would not recommend them. Absolutely shocking customer service
Wasn’t expecting to see what we did. Seeing this in person is much better than pictures online. Brilliant
Thank you very much for sharing your feedback! We’re delighted to hear that seeing the sights in person exceeded your expectations and made a stronger impression than pictures online. We are always striving to improve, so your comments help us ensure we maintain the highest standards of service for all our guests. If you need any assistance in planning another trip, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. Hope to welcome you on another tour in the future.
The tour of the salt mines was great. A nice, good English speaking guide who brought it full of humor. The guide on the Schindler's Liszt tour did it for the first time, I think. There was no line in her story at all, was distracted very easily and faltered so much that she always forgot what she wanted to say. Too bad, we expected more of this
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We’re glad to hear that you enjoyed the Salt Mines tour and found the guide engaging and humorous. We appreciate your honest comments regarding the Schindler’s List tour. We aim to provide a consistent and professional experience across all tours, and your observations have been shared with our team to ensure improvements can be made. We hope to welcome you again on a tour and provide an even better experience.
It was not 6 hours. It was 9.5 hours, we ended up paying for a taxi to get back to our hotel because of delays. Also missed other commitment because of extended time.
Thank you for your feedback We sincerely apologize for the delays you experienced during your tour and for the inconvenience it caused with your schedule. We understand that a longer-than-expected tour can disrupt plans, and we regret that this impacted your day. While we strive to provide accurate timing and smooth logistics for all our tours, unforeseen factors such as traffic, site queues, and other operational considerations can occasionally extend the duration. We appreciate your feedback and will review our scheduling procedures to minimize such issues in the future. If you would like to discuss this further or require assistance regarding the inconvenience caused, please don’t hesitate to contact us directly. We value your experience and hope to have the opportunity to provide a smoother and more enjoyable tour in the future.
The Salt Mines and Schindlers Factory were good trips. The tour guide at Schindlers factory was outstanding. Krakow Direct were well organised and communication was great. Tripadvisor need to be clear when booking 2 trips that these won’t be continuous trips. There was a wait of 3hours between trips.
Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed visiting both the Salt Mines and Schindler’s Factory, and that you found the guide at the Factory outstanding. We’re also pleased to know that you felt we were well organized and that communication with our team met your expectations. We do, however, appreciate your feedback regarding the scheduling gap between the two tours. Since these are operated as separate visits, there may indeed be a waiting period depending on availability and museum timings. We understand how this can be inconvenient, and we’ll certainly take your comments into account to make sure this is communicated even more clearly during the booking process. Thank you once again for choosing us during your time in Krakow. We hope we’ll have the pleasure of welcoming you back on another tour soon.
