What the Postojna Cave visit is like

How the tour works

Every standard visit runs at a fixed time. Train boarding starts 15 minutes before your slot, so try to arrive at the park half an hour early. The open cave train carries you several kilometres into the system, through tunnels and past lit halls. The railway was first laid in 1872, and the cave was lit with electricity in 1884.

At the far station you split into language groups and walk with a guide for just over a kilometre, on a non-slip concrete path. Guides speak Slovenian, English, German and Italian. An audio guide covers other languages for a small extra fee. The walk ends in the Concert Hall, a chamber large enough to hold concerts. From there the train takes you back out.

What you'll see

• Dripstone everywhere: stalactites, stalagmites, columns, and thin "curtains" of rock hanging from the walls
• Brilliant: a stalagmite so white it has become the cave's symbol
• The olm (Proteus anguinus): a blind, pale salamander 25–30 cm long, adapted to total darkness. It can live for about a century and go years without food. You can see live olms on the visit.
• The Vivarium: a small exhibition on cave life near the entrance, included with the cave ticket. You walk round it at your own pace.

What to wear and bring

• A warm layer or a light jacket. At about 10 °C, summer clothes aren't enough.
• Comfortable shoes with grip. The path is paved, but damp in places.
• A camera or phone. Photos and video are allowed without flash or a tripod. You're not allowed to record the guide.
• Pets can't go into the cave

Accessibility

The path has no steps, but it includes a sloping section of about 200 metres that climbs roughly 40 metres, then a similar descent. Strollers can manage the path. For wheelchair users, the park generally recommends seeing the cave by train only, and it has accessible parking and toilets. Contact the park before you go to arrange this.