The Only Karst cave with a railway line-Postojna Caves
Postojna Caves Slovenia
Postojna Cave is about 24 km. long karst cave system near Postojna, southwestern Slovenia. Postojna Cave system is a series of caverns, halls and passages some around two million years old, carved out by the Pivka River, which enters a subterranean tunnel near the cave’s entrance. It is the second-longest cave system in the country following the Migovec System. The caves were created by the Pivka River. Predjama Castle is near the Postojna Cave and is the largest cave castle in the world. It is the only karst cave with a railway, which was built more than 140 years ago. The largest, 16-metre-high stalagmite known as the Skyscraper, is the symbol of Postojna Cave.
Postojna Cave Tour
While the cave system is 24 km long, only 5km is open to the public. The 3.5 km distance is covered by a train. It is the only cave in the world with a train to take its visitors around the cave. The remaining 1.5 km can be navigated on foot with a guide.
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The Postojna cave tour takes to you through 5m, snow-white Brilliant stalagmite and the neighbouring baroque pillar, which have become symbols of the cave. Then one can enter Concert Hall, which is the largest in the cave system and can accommodate 10,000 people for musicals or other concerts. In the week between Christmas and New Year, the Live Christmas Crib is performed by miming actors. Visitors reboard the train by the Concert Hall and return to the entrance. The river continues its deep passage underground, carving out several series of caves, and emerges again as the Unica River.
How to visit the Cave system
Visitors get to see 5km of the cave by a cool electric train. The Cave has a constant temperature of 8°C to 10°C, with 95% humidity. The train takes you to the Great Mountain cavern, From here a guide takes you on foot through tunnels, halls, galleries and caverns. These are dry galleries, decorated with a vast array of stalactites like needles, enormous icicles and even fragile spaghetti. The stalagmites take familiar shapes but there are also bizarre columns, pillars and translucent curtains that look amazing in shape.
Permanent exhibition
The exhibition “EXPO Postojna Cave Karst” was started in April 2014. It is the largest exhibition about the cave and karst phenomena around the world. The exhibition features interactive presentations about the history of cave tourism development. Here Visitors learn about karst phenomena through projections onto a three-dimensional model. They can discover the special features of the karst environment and historic events at the Cave.
Predjama Castle
Predjama Castle is located near the Cave and is the largest cave castle in the world. It is 123 meters and for over 800 years it has been guarding rock faces. The castle has been a shooting location for many films.
Postojna cave animal
More than 150 animal species live in the karst caves system, the olm or the human fish being the largest. It was believed that a dragon lived in Postojna Cave, the only European underground vertebrate and the largest underground predator that can live for up to 100 years and can survive more than 8 years without food. Postojna Cave is the most biologically diverse cave in the world. One of its corridors features a vivarium, where you can learn about incredible cave animals and their stories.
How to Reach Postojna cave
Postojna Cave is located in the town of Postojna, only 46 km from Ljubljana. Trains run every hour from Ljubljana Train Station to Postojna. From the train station, it’s a 30-minute walk to Cave. Buses are also available but with less frequency in the Evening.
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