Berchtesgaden Salt Mine

The Berchtesgaden Salt Mine (Salzbergwerk Berchtesgaden) is Germany's oldest working salt mine and one of the top things to do in the Berchtesgaden Alps, close to the Austrian border near Salzburg. Miners have extracted salt here continuously since 1517, and the guided tour still feels like an adventure: you pull on miner's overalls, ride a mine train into the mountain, zip down wooden slides and glide across an underground salt lake on a raft. It is a classic rainy-day trip and a favorite with families.

A mine with 500 years of history

Salt made the prince-provosts of Berchtesgaden rich. Brine was already produced in the area around 1190, but the mine as it exists today dates from 1517, when the first tunnel was driven into the mountain. Operations have never stopped since, making it one of the longest-running industrial sites in Germany.

The salt is mined with water rather than picks: fresh water dissolves the salt in the rock, and the resulting brine is pumped out. In 1817, engineer Georg Friedrich von Reichenbach completed a brine pipeline to Bad Reichenhall, a remarkable feat at the time. Brine from Berchtesgaden is still pumped to the saltworks in Bad Reichenhall today. The visitor area was redesigned in 2006–2007, and the mine now welcomes several hundred thousand people a year.

What you'll see on the tour

The guided tour lasts about one hour, and you should allow 1.5 to 2 hours in total, including changing into the protective clothing that every visitor must wear.

• Mine train: Sit astride a narrow bench and ride about 650 meters into the mountain.
• Miners' slides: Two wooden slides, the longest about 40 meters (130 feet), take you down to the next level. Kids love them.
• Underground cinema: Surrounded by walls of rock salt, a film explains how the Alps and their salt deposits formed.
• Mirror Lake: Cross a glowing underground salt lake on a raft.
• Magic Salt Room: A light and sound show about the lives of the miners.

The temperature underground stays at about 54°F (12°C) all year, so bring a warm layer and sturdy shoes. Photography is not allowed inside. Free audio guides are available in several languages, so English-speaking visitors can follow along.

Tickets and opening hours

As of October 2026, according to the mine:

• March 30 to November 8: daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• November 9 to March 29: daily 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Closed January 1, Good Friday, Whit Monday, November 1, and December 24, 25 and 31

Prices (EUR): adults €26.50, students aged 17–25 €23.50, children aged 4–16 €13.50, under 4 free. A family ticket for two adults and one child costs €59. An online-only combo ticket with the Old Saltworks in Bad Reichenhall costs €33 for adults.

Book online and pick a time slot. Tours sell out on rainy days and during German school holidays.

How to get there

Berchtesgaden is in the far southeast corner of Bavaria, about two hours from Munich by car (around 2.5 hours by train) and roughly 30 minutes from Salzburg.

• By train: Take a train from Munich to Freilassing and change for Berchtesgaden Hauptbahnhof. From the station, bus 840 reaches the "Salzbergwerk" stop in about five minutes; the mine is a short walk away. The same bus line runs to Salzburg.
• By car: There is a paid parking lot at Salzburger Strasse 24, card payment only.

Is it worth visiting? If you are in Berchtesgaden, absolutely. It combines real industrial history with a fun ride-and-slide format that suits all ages. The mine is not wheelchair accessible, strollers are not allowed underground, and dogs must stay outside.

Nearby attractions

• Lake Königssee: Boat trips to the pilgrimage church of St. Bartholomä, just south of town.
• Eagle's Nest (Kehlsteinhaus) and Obersalzberg Documentation Center: Alpine views and an essential look at Nazi-era history.
• Berchtesgaden town center: The Royal Palace and the collegiate church are minutes away.
• Salzburg: Mozart's city is an easy half-hour trip across the border.