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Regulations of Visiting the “Wieliczka” Salt Mine and the Underground Exposition of the Cracow Saltworks Museum and the Brine Graduation Tower

§ 1 
General Provisions  

  1. The Organiser of the visits is “Wieliczka” Salt Mine S.A. with it registered office in Wieliczka, Park Kingi 1, 32 – 020 Wieliczka, Poland, entered in the register of Entrepreneurs of the National Court for Krakow – Śródmieście in Krakow XII Economic Division of the National Court Register under the number 0000278401, tax identification number (NIP): 6830003427, share capital: PLN 21,000,000.00 - share capital paid up in full, REGON [National Official Business Register]: 000041683, hereinafter referred to as: “Mine”. 
  2. These Regulations lay down the principles for visiting the “Wieliczka” Salt Mine and the Underground Cracow Saltworks Museum in Wieliczka, hereinafter referred to collectively as the “Mine Excavations,” as well as the principles for visiting the Graduation Tower on the premises of the “Wieliczka” Salt Mine.
  3. The mine is an establishment within the meaning of the Act of 9 June 2011 Geological and Mining Law, carrying out activities for purposes other than those specified in the Act, in particular tourism, treatment and recreation.
  4. Mine Excavations, which include the Tourist Route and the Miner’s Route, do not constitute a “museum” within the meaning of the Act of 21 November 1996 on museums.  

§ 2 
Providing the Mine for Use

  1. The Mine provides the following areas for visiting: 
  1. the underground Tourist Route comprising a complex of 10 to 20 mine workings, up to 2.2 km long, and an underground exhibition of the Cracow Saltworks Museum in Wieliczka, up to 1.5 km long, comprising a complex of 10 to 19 workings,
  2. the underground Miner's Route and its rough workings, surrounded by the oldest preserved Regis Shaft, comprising a complex of 7 to 14 mine workings, up to 2 km long,
  3. Graduation Tower, located at Park Kingi 1 in Wieliczka.
  1. “Wieliczka” Salt Mine is open every day daily except for 1 January, the first day of Easter holidays, 1 November and 24 and 25 December. However, the Mine reserves the right to close the Mine excavations or the Graduation Tower on certain days or to shorten visiting hours, in particular for organisational reasons, sanitary reasons, for safety reasons or (concerns the closure of the Graduation Tower) due to unfavourable weather conditions (in particular due to storms or low temperatures).
  2. Detailed information on the opening days and hours of the mine excavations and the Brine Graduation Tower are published on the website kopalnia.pl and at the sales and information points of the Mine located at ul. Daniłowicza 10 in Wieliczka.
  3. It is forbidden to carry out commercial or promotional activities while remaining at the premises of “Wieliczka” Salt Mine.
  4. Guardians or legal representatives of minors or incapacitated persons are fully responsible for the persons under their care and for any damage caused by them during the tour.
  5. Animals, with the exception of dogs assisting the disabled and guide dogs for the blind and visually impaired, taking into account the provisions of the Act on Vocational and Social Rehabilitation and the Employment of the Disabled of 27 August 1997, are not allowed into the Mine excavations and the Graduation Tower.
  6. No luggage with the exception of hand luggage is allowed in the mine excavations or in the Graduation Towers. A carry-on luggage is considered to be luggage with maximum dimensions of 35cm×20cm×20cm.
  7. Rucksacks, bags, suitcases and other luggage larger than indicated in item 7 should be left in coaches, cars, etc. or in the automatic luggage storage boxes provided by the Mine, located in the Salt Mine “Wieliczka” S.A. near the shaft Daniłowicz building.
  8. The mine does not guarantee the availability of luggage boxes. The Regulations of use of the automatic luggage storage are specified in the Regulations for the use of the automatic luggage storage in Wieliczka Salt Mine S.A. located near the Daniłowicz shaft shaft head building, available on the website kopalnia.pl or on the board located next to the left luggage room.
  9. Prams, suitcases and luggage exceeding the size of the available luggage boxes are recommended to be left in their own means of transport.

§ 3 
General Principles for Visiting the Mine Works 

  1. Visits to the Wieliczka Salt Mine are possible upon the presentation of an electronic ticket or a paper printout, specifying the day and time and the selected language. The visitor is obliged to keep the ticket until the end of the tour.
  2. The rules for booking visits and purchasing tickets are specified in the Regulations for the Sale of Services Offered by “Wieliczka” Salt Mine S.A. available at the Mine’s ticket offices and on the website www.kopalnia.pl.
  3. Visitors should arrive at the place of visit at least 15 minutes before the scheduled visiting time. The mine reserves the right to refuse the visit service in case the visitor arrives after the visiting time indicated on the ticket.
  4. In the case of organised groups, prior to the start of the tour the group representative shall report to the group box office (designated box office in the building of the Daniłowicz shaft in the case of a tour of the Tourist Route or in the building of the Regis shaft in the case of a tour of the Miner’s Route) to verify the number of persons in the group. In the case of a tour of the Tourist Route, a representative of the group should then report to the dispatcher for the assignment of a guide designated by the Mine.
  5. After showing the Ticket, the visitor should go to the marked entrance to the mine workings.
  6. Visits to the excavations of the Mine take place in groups, the size of which is determined each time by the Mine and does not exceed 40 persons for the Tourist Route and 20 persons for the Miner's Route. Tours take place with a guide appointed by the Mine. Breaking away from the group and visiting independently is strictly prohibited.
  7. When visiting the mine excavations, please follow the instructions of the guides, attendants and technical services in charge of tourist traffic.
  8. Visits to the tourist route or the miner's route take place at a depth of 64 to 135 metres below sea level, where specific conditions prevail: the air temperature is 17ºC on average in the tourist route excavations and 15ºC on average in the miner's route excavations (it is advisable to wear clothing ensuring adequate thermal comfort). In addition, there is a difference in atmospheric pressure of approximately 18 hPa, humidity of up to 75% and artificial lighting.
  9. Visiting the excavations of the Mine involves moving and staying in a confined space (narrow galleries, mine lift, etc.).
  10. The conditions outlined in items 8 and 9 may have an impact on the visitor’s health. Entering the Mine workings is tantamount to the visitor declaring that their physical and mental state allows them to tour the Tourist Route and the Underground Exhibit of the Wieliczka Cracow Saltworks Museum or the Miners’ Route, respectively.
  11. Photography and filming for private purposes is possible during the tour of the mine workings. The use of photographs and videos for commercial purposes without the Mine’s consent is prohibited. There are works protected by copyright and exclusive industrial property rights on the premises of the Wieliczka Salt Mine (e.g. trademarks, some elements of the exhibition). In the event of a visitor’s infringement of copyright or exclusive rights, the Mine reserves the right to assert any claims under applicable law. 

§ 4 
Detailed Regulations for Visiting the Tourist Route and the Underground Exposition of the Cracow Saltworks Museum in Wieliczka 

  1. A tour of the Tourist Route, combined with a visit to the underground exhibit of the Wieliczka Cracow Saltworks Museum takes approximately 2 – 3 hours. The Mine reserves the right to to extend or shorten the touring hours and to bypass individual workings without citing a reason due to organisational or safety reasons, provided that the number of excavations visited during the tour will not be lower than 15 (including at least 6 excavations comprising the underground exhibit of the Wieliczka Cracow Saltworks Museum). The tour duration includes the stay in the chamber complex under the supervision of the dispatcher and and mining staff, which is limited by the operating hours of the Mine and the closing time of the undeground excavations for Visitors.
  2. The Tourist Route is open to visitors of all ages, although persons under the age of thirteen and persons who are completely incapacitated may only visit the Tourist Route when accompanied by a person of full legal capacity.
  3. The tour, subject to the provisions of section 4, starts with a descent by stairs (380 steps) in the Daniłowicz shaft (address: 10 Daniłowicza St.) or in the Paderewski shaft to level I of the mine (64 m above sea level) and ends with the exit from level III (135 m above sea level) via the Regis shaft, Daniłowicz shaft or St. Kinga shaft. In the case of a trip to the surface via the Regis shaft or St. Kinga shaft, it is possible for tourists to return with a guide to the Daniłowicza shaft area.
  4. In accordance with the rules specified in the “Regulations for the Sale of Services Offered by “Wieliczka” Salt Mine S.A.,” subject to the organisational possibilities of the Mine and the related availability of places in the lift, the visitor has the possibility to purchase the service of going down or leaving by lift in the Daniłowicz shaft. The mine does not guarantee the availability of the above service to all willing visitors.
  5. There are sections on the Tourist Route that are negotiated by stairs, so the use of pushchairs during the tour is not recommended.
  6. Tour tickets for the Tourist Route allow the visitor to visit the underground exhibit of the Wieliczka Cracow Saltworks Museum. Touring the underground exhibit of the Wieliczka Cracow Saltworks Museum takes place after touring the Tourist Route and before returning to the surface. The rules and conditions of the tour of the underground exhibit of the Wieliczka Cracow Saltworks Museum are outlined by the guide. The decision to visit the underground exhibit is made by the visitor.
  7. A fragment of the Tourist Route, covering level II (from 3 to 7 excavations), as well as the underground exhibition of the Cracow Saltworks Museum on level III, are adapted and made accessible to visitors with impaired mobility. These excavations are unobstructed by stairs or are provided with wheelchair transport facilities.
  8. Visitors with mobility problems may tour the Route specified in item 7 only when accompanied by a caregiver. Due to the size of the elevator, the maximum dimensions of the wheelchair used by the Visitor with mobility problems may not exceed 100 x 58 x 170 centimetres.
  9. Tours for Visitors with mobility problems are available only with guides speaking the Polish or English languages.
  10. Due to organisational concerns, tours for Visitors with mobility problems are organised only as the first or the last tour on a given day.
  11. The Terms and Conditions for booking tours and purchasing tickets by Visitors with mobility problems are specified in the Terms and Conditions of Sales of Services Offered by Kopalnia Soli “Wieliczka” S.A. Tours require booking in advance.

§ 5  
Detailed Regulations for Visiting the Miner’s Route

  1. The Miners' Route is open to persons at least 10 years of age. Persons under the age of 18 may only participate in the tour when accompanied by a person of full legal capacity.
  2. Due to safety concerns and the uneven and bumpy ground and the need for stairs and ladders, the Miners' Route is not accessible to people with mobility problems or who are not able to move independently.
  3. A tour of the Mining Route takes approximately 2 – 3 hours. For organisational or safety reasons, the Mine reserves the right to extend or shorten the visiting time and to exclude individual excavations without giving any reason, provided that the number of excavations to be visited shall not be less than that indicated in § 2 section 1(a).
  4. In the underground excavations of the Mining Route you may only move in full footwear that covers the foot. Visitors wearing footwear other than that required (e.g. flip-flops, sandals, high-heeled shoes, etc.) will be asked to change into suitable footwear before the start time of the tour as shown on the ticket, otherwise they will not be allowed to participate in the tour for safety reasons.
  5. The tour begins with a lift ride in the Regis shaft (9 Kościuszki Square) to level I of the Wieliczka Salt Mine (57 mabove sea level), and ends with a ride in the same shaft from level II (101 m above sea level). For safety or organisational reasons, the Mine reserves the right to organise an exit or descent via a shaft other than the Regis shaft.
  6. Before descending into the underground workings, each visitor is issued with a mining helmet, a protective suit, a carbon monoxide absorber, along with an electronic card and a mining lamp, and receives training on how to use them. Visitors are obliged to take care of the equipment entrusted to them and return it undamaged to the staff after the visit.
  7. Visitors who arrive after the starting time of the tour as specified on their admission ticket or who do not collect the equipment specified in paragraph 6 by that time shall not be allowed to participate in the tour.
  8. Admission to the Mine Route is conditional on a named entry in the “Off-site Visitors' Book” and written confirmation of training in the use of a carbon monoxide canister.

§ 6 
Detailed Regulations for Visiting the Graduation Tower 

  1. Entry to the Graduation Towers is subject to the condition that the ticket is scanned electronically or printed on paper at the ticket counter located at the entrance to the Graduation Towers.
  2. The Graduation Tower is open to visitors of all ages, although persons under the age of thirteen and persons who are completely incapacitated may only visit the Tourist Route when accompanied by a person of full legal capacity.
  3. The time spent in the Graduation Tower is limited only by the opening hours of the Graduation Tower, whereby:

 1) the visitor is allowed to stay in the Graduation Tower no longer than 30 minutes after the last hour of entry,
 2) leaving the area of the Graduation Tower makes it impossible to return to the area of the Graduation Tower with the same ticket.  

  1. The area around the Graduation Tower is suitable for people with disabilities and those who are not able to move independently. Entrance to viewing platforms and observation tower̨ is conditional on passing the stairway entrances.
  2. The number of visitors to the Graduation Tower is not limited, with the proviso that the number of people who can be on at the same time:

 1) the viewing platform on level 1 (+9.0 m) may not exceed 60 persons,
 2) the viewing platform in the tower on level 2 (+18 m) may not exceed 10 persons,
 3) both observation decks of the tower (level 1 and level 2) may not exceed 20 people.   

  1. The mine reserves the right to limit access to the viewing platforms due to reaching the maximum number of visitors indicated in section 5.
  2. Visitors to the viewing platforms are required to exercise extreme caution, in particular it is prohibited to lean over the fences.
  3. For safety reasons, including adverse weather conditions, (especially storms) the Mine reserves the right to interrupt tours at any time and require visitors to leave the Graduation Tower area.
  4. The Mine shall not be liable for damage (soiling) to the clothing of persons in the Graduation Tower caused, in particular, by contact with the brine.

§ 7 
Safety Regulations 

  1. The mine site is monitored and protected. The information clause concerning the processing of personal data from video surveillance, in accordance with the provisions of Article 13 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data and repealing Directive 95/46/EC, is available at the entrances to the “Wieliczka” Salt Mine and on the website kopalnia.pl.
  2. The Wieliczka Salt Mine is protected by an internal security service called “Straż Ochrony - SKARBNIK”, which operates on the basis of the Act of 22 August 1997 on the protection of persons and property. In terms of safety and order, visitors to the Wieliczka Salt Mine are obliged to carry out the orders of the Security Guard within the limits specified in these Regulations and the provisions of the aforementioned Act.
  3. The Mine reserves the right to summon to leave the area of the “Wieliczka” Salt Mine any persons disturbing the public order, under the influence of alcohol or drugs, not possessing a ticket or otherwise violating the rules of these Regulations and thus posing an immediate threat to human life or health or to the protected property.
  4. The area of the Wieliczka Salt Mine and all the facilities located therein form an integral, legally protected whole. It shall be prohibited to move, carry away or damage any objects or elements of decoration located on the premises of the Wieliczka Salt Mine.
  5. Tourists are only allowed in the areas made accessible by the Mine and under the conditions specified in these Regulations.
  6. It is forbidden to bring any weapons and ammunition, pyrotechnics, explosives, flammable, toxic materials, alcohol and other intoxicants, as well as any objects and means that may endanger the life, health or safety of persons or property into the Mine, except in cases where the applicable legislation allows the bringing in of the aforementioned objects or materials.
  7. Persons entering the premises of the Wieliczka Salt Mine and their luggage, in the event of justified suspicion of possessing items or materials indicated in item 6, may be subjected to inspection, including being asked to show the contents of the luggage and any items brought in, as well as being checked using electronic equipment for the detection of materials and hazardous items. Persons who refuse to submit to inspections or who obstruct the inspections will not be allowed to enter the pits of the Mine.
  8. On the premises of the Wieliczka Salt Mine it is forbidden to leave luggage or other objects unattended. The items left unattended, in particular travel bags, backpacks may be recognised a items posing a potential hazard which is going to result in calling the Police. The items which are not recognised as items posing a potential hazard shall be deemed abandoned.
  9. Alcohol consumption is prohibited in underground workings except in designated areas.
  10. The use of open flames, including smoking, and the use of electronic cigarettes is strictly prohibited in the mine workings. 

§ 8 
Final Provisions 

  1. These Regulations are available for download at www.kopalnia.pl, under "Regulations”as well as in a paper version at the ticket offices in the “Wieliczka” Salt Mine at ul. Daniłowicza 10 and by 9 Kościuszki Square. Acceptance of these Regulations is a condition of ticket purchase.
  2. The Mine shall not be liable for any damage caused by the breach of these Rules and Regulations by visitors or resulting from causes beyond the control of the Mine, including acts of God or decisions of authorised public administration bodies.
  3. Any comments or requests can be made at the information desk located at ul. Daniłowicza 10, by post to: Kopalnia Soli “Wieliczka” Wsparcie Sp. z o.o., 32-020 Wieliczka, Poland Park Kingi 10, and by electronic mail to: reklamacje@kopalnia.pl or via the contact form available in the on-line ticketing system at: www.bilety.kopalnia.pl. Detailed rules for the submission and consideration of complaints are specified in the Regulations for the sale of services offered by Kopalnia Soli "Wieliczka" S.A.
  4. The Mine reserves the right to amend these Regulations at any time, subject to the condition that the amendment shall become effective on the moment of publishing the amended Regulation on the Website www.kopalnia.pl. Visitors who purchased a ticket before the amendment to the Regulations came into force and whose visit date falls after the date on which the amendment came into force shall have the right to withdraw from the contract concluded within 14 days from the date on which the Mine informs them of the amendment to the Regulations by e-mail to the address indicated when purchasing the ticket, but no later than by the date or time of the visit indicated on the ticket, sending a statement of withdrawal to the postal address or e-mail address indicated in section 3.
  5. The Terms and Conditions enter into force on 1 January 2024.