A unique discovery

A group of urban explorers who have previously explored desert ghost towns, World War II bunkers, and even abandoned prisons are filming a video for the YouTube channel Exploring the Unbeaten Path. In one of the latest adventures, writer Bob Thiessen and a friend head into the Swiss mountains to enter an abandoned mine. They start by climbing through well-maintained underground passages and then slithering through the darkness. But then something incredible happens.

As they go deeper, the tunnel widens and they come across various pieces of mining equipment from the late 1970s. They continue on and more and more branches appear in the tunnel, showing how extensive the network of passages and roads must have been.

After trying different routes, hitting dead ends and even coming across a water tap, the explorers finally find their prize: the first Volkswagen Beetle emerges from the darkness. Then another, and another, and then the old Golf. The corridor is full of old Volkswagens, sometimes difficult to walk between.

In total, the guys found five different VW Beetle models, as well as a VW Golf MK1 and MK2, a VW Polo, and even a Passat. But these are far from all the examples found there.

Dozens of cars hidden in an abandoned mine in Switzerland: video

The machines are covered in signs of use and wear, some with a bit of rust and mold. You can also see cars in the frame that are completely unusable, with rusted bodies remaining.

Where did they come from?

There is no definitive answer to the question of their origin, but it is clear that the cars have not been in the mine for very long, as one has a sticker on the window indicating that it was registered for road use in 2018.

Journalists of the Autopian website suggest that all these cars are the property of a peculiar Volkswagen museum in Switzerland. Its full name is “Musée Volkswrecks”, the word “Volkswrecks” means “Volks“wagon” and “debris“, which means “accident”. So it is actually an accident museum.

This heritage site in Saint-Sulpice, Switzerland, is filled with dioramas depicting VW cars in various settings. Perhaps the ones that were kept were too rusty to be put on display, or perhaps they were just pieces of machinery ready to be searched for to complete a new exhibit.