Best Salt Mine tour

We visited the one in Berchtesgaden, but we didn't do a tour. We used the Bayern Ticket from Munich to Salzburg, walked across the street from the Salzburg Train station and caught the public bus to the entrance of the mines. It was super easy. We priced a "tour" before going, but the price was laughingly ridiculous.

Did you like the Salt Mine? What all did you do there? Looks like there is a train, funnicular and rafts too...

We have done the one at Hallein, near Salzburg, and loved it. You get to wear white miner's suits to protect your clothes. You ride a little train, hike through the tunnels, raft on a little underground lake and best of all, slide down huge wooden slides that the miners used. Definitely a highlight of our trip for kids and adults alike! As I recall, the tour through the mine takes about an hour, plus transportation time to get there.

My name is Connie, nice to meet you James. I have done 2 of the Salt Mine Trips. The one in Hallstatt and the one in Hallien. (They were done one in 2001 and one in 2008. The 2008 trip was with another couple who wanted to tour a salt mine.) I really liked the one in Hallien. Our tour guide was a lot nicer, it included a boat ride on an underground lake, and it was a little bit cheaper since we did not have to pay for a funicular to take us up to the mine (which you do in Hallstatt) The Hallstatt one was much busier. It seemed like the people who ran it were "touristed out" and not very friendly or helpful. Also, we requested English explanations (like the RS book said to do ) and were pretty much refused. There were some areas where everyone listened to a pre recorded talk and we could hear that in English, but a lot of it was lost on us. In Hallien, the whole tour was given by a person and after giving it in German, she came over and gave the us the same spiel in English. (there was just the 4 of us on tour that spoke English, so that was very nice)

There is a combo ticket available at the Salzburg train station for the Hallein salt mine - it includes train, bus connection, admission to the salt mines and the return bus ride and train. Last Dec. I went last, the cost was 23.80. I've taken salt mine tours 4 times, and will most likely take another one if I should happen to get to Salzburg again.

James- I may be the queen, but my husband is king. He has actually read the book "Salt, A World History" ...all 484 pages. He's a good man though, just get's interested in unique things. (And He would tell you that Salt was very good, much better than the book he read on the history of bread)

We went to the one in Berchtesgaden. It was an enjoyable tour, including a train ride through small tunnels, boat ride on an underground lake and slides between levels. Generally, it's more educational about salt mining than disney thrill ride. I believed the experience was similar at either Hallstadt or Berchtegaden. If Hallstadt has no lake, however, Berchtesgaden may be the better choice. The tour was probably an hour and a half to two hours max. We drove from Salzburg. We arrived early, stood in line for probably 20 minutes before donning our mining suits and beaver tails. It was foggy so we didn't stay to take advantage of views and were back in Salzburg by midday.

In late October I am thinking of doing a day trip to Berchtesgaden starting from Salzburg in the AM and would probably do the Eagles Nest, Doc Center and Salt Mines before taking a train back to Munich in the evening. Are the Salt Mines tight and cramped at all. I'm a pretty big guy and don't want to be banging my head on rocks all the time. I'm thinking of Salt Mines first, then Eagles Nest for lunch, then Doc Center before getting the train. Thanks.

Thanks for all the information! Do any of you know if it is possible to see Eagles Nest, the Salt Mine at Berchesgadena dn the boat trip on the Konigsee all in the same day? That's is what we hope to do on the way from Munich to Salzburg.

Hi Joni, I read in another thread that the Eagles Nest will close for the year on October 21st, earlier if caused by snow. I was planning on going on the 22nd so I will adjust my plans to go from Munich to Berchtesgaden on Sunday 21st and then do Salzberg on the 22nd. When are you planning to be there. You may need to schedule outside scenic type things earlier in the day and then the inside activities later in the afternoon when it gets dark outside.

Connie, you are in good company. My husband and I have also done 2 salt mine tours. One near Salzburg, I don't remember the name, and the other was the Wieliczka Salt Mine near Krakow, Poland. They were both very different types of tours. The Salzburg tour included the white coveralls, riding the slide down to the mine, riding in the train, etc. as others have described above. The Wieliczka tour was more about salt sculptures that the miners had carved into the walls of the mines. They even had a room with salt crystal chandeliers where they sometimes conduct weddings. It was very cool and not to be missed if you are ever in Krakow.