Salzburg Salt Mine Tickets with Guided Tour

The Dürrnberg salt mine near Hallein

The Salzburg Salt Mine is on the Dürrnberg, above the town of Hallein about fifteen kilometres south of Salzburg, in a mountain that has been mined for salt for around 2,600 years. It is often described as the oldest salt mine in the world open to visitors. If you are looking for Salzburg Salt Mine tickets, this ticket includes the guided tour, the Celtic village and the salt works.

The name Salzburg means Salt Castle, and the wealth of the prince-archbishops came from this mountain. Visiting the mine helps you understand why the city looks the way it does, with its baroque churches and palaces built from the profits of white gold.

The tour: overalls, slides and the salt lake

The tour begins by putting on protective miners' overalls. A small mine train takes you into the mountain, and you continue on foot through galleries, learning about mining from the Iron Age to modern times. Two wooden slides carry you deeper, a highlight for children and adults alike.

A raft crosses an underground salt lake accompanied by lights and sound, and at one point you cross the border between Austria and Germany underground. The tour lasts about an hour and a half and is offered in English and German at set times. The mine is cool all year, so bring a warm layer.

The Celtic village and the salt works

Above ground on the Dürrnberg, the reconstructed Celtic village shows houses and craft areas from the Iron Age, when Celts mined salt here and became wealthy from trading it. It gives context to the deep history you have just travelled through underground.

The salt works nearby show how brine from the mountain is turned into salt crystals, and visitors can watch salt being made in the traditional way. Both are included in the ticket and add roughly half an hour to your visit, so allow time before or after the underground tour.

Getting there and planning your visit

To get to the salt mine from Salzburg, take the train or S-Bahn to Hallein, about fifteen to twenty minutes, then continue by cable car or bus up to the Dürrnberg. Allow a half-day for the whole trip. Transport is not included in the ticket, and there is no hotel pickup.

Wear warm, comfortable clothing and sturdy shoes, as the mine is cool and the floors can be damp. The tour is not suitable for children under four years or for wheelchair users, and pets are not allowed. Book your slot in advance in summer and school holidays.