Tourist and Minor Railways

Niedersachsen & Bremen

Pferdebahn - the horse drawn railway on the island of Spiekeroog

Tourist and Museum Railways

• Almetalbahn line about 1km in length from the museum at Almstedt-Segeste Bahnhof. Standard gauge, diesel hauled. A steam locomotive is in the course of restoration. Short journeys are also offered in a rail mounted motor car or by hand powered trolley. Operates typically four or five weekends each year (Site in German)
• Asse-Bummler steam trains from Braunschweig to Wittmar, about 22km on the lines of the national network and a private quarry railway. Operates aroumd 6 days each year (Site in German)
• BHEF group based at Harsefeld currently restoring a historic diesel railcar with the objective of offering excursions on part of the EVB (Site in German)
• Böhmetal Kleinbahn Vorwalsrode to Altenboitzen (8km). 600mm gauge, diesel hauled. Whole line operates Sundays, May to October, short run Vorwalsrode to Hollige operates Sundays during the remainder of the year (Site in German)
• Museumseisenbahn Bremerhaven - Bederkesa Bremerhaven Hbf to Bad Bederkesa, 24.0km. Standard gauge, diesel hauled. Operates typically 2 or 3 Sundays each month from May to September (Site in German)
• Nettetalbahn Bornum (Harz) to Derneburg, 17.7km. Standard gauge, diesel hauled. Operates on a few days each year (Site in German)
• Deutsches Feld- und Kleinbahnmuseum in Deinste offers train rides on a 600mm gauge line 2.0km in length. Steam or diesel hauled. Operates about 10 days each year (Site in German)
• DEV Bruchhausen-Vilsen (on the VGH main line) to Asendorf, 7.8km. Metre gauge, steam hauled or diesel railcars. Operates weekends and public holidays, May to early October (Site mainly in German with some information in English)
• Emsland Moormuseum on Heseper Moor, near Meppen, has a 600mm gauge railway about 2.5km in length. Diesel hauled, using former industrial equipment. Operates Tuesdays to Sundays and public holiday Mondays, Easter to October, weather permitting (Site in German and Dutch, option for English does not give a complete translation; difficult to reject use of cookies)
• FERST Rinteln Nord to Stadthagen West, 20.4km. Standard gauge, historic diesel railcar. Operates one Sunday each month, April to October (Site in German)
• Freistätter Feldbahn Freistatt to Heimstatt, about 3.5km, 600 mm gauge. Diesel hauled, using former industrial equipment. Operates every Sunday and a few other days from April to October (Site in German)
• Museumseisenbahn Friesoythe - Cloppenburg Cloppenburg to Friesoythe, 26.3km (or shorter journeys). Diesel hauled. Operates by private charter (Site in German)
• Eisenbahnfreunde Hasetal Meppen to Essen, 49.7km on the lines of EEB. Standard gauge, steam or diesel hauled. Operates typically 2 days each month, May to October, however on most of these days trains run only on the section between Haselünne and Löningen, 19.8km (Site in German)
• Heide Express excursions on various sections of OHE, also on the Bleckede Kleinbahn between Lüneburg and Bleckede. Standard gauge, diesel hauled. Operates typically 2 excursions each month from April to October, more frequently in summer months, also by private charter (Site in German)
• Museumseisenbahn Hümmlinger Kreisbahn Werlte to Lathen, 25.2km. Standard gauge, historic diesel railbus. Currently offering public service very infrequently, but is available for private charter (Site in German)
• Jan Harpstedt Harpstedt to Heilgenrode, 12.1km. Standard gauge, steam hauled or diesel railcar. Operates roughly every other Sunday, May to September, and on a few days in December (Site mainly in German with some information in English)
• Kaffkieker Eystrup to Syke via Bruchhausen-Vilsen (for interchange with DEV), 36.7km on the lines of VGH. Standard gauge, diesel railcar. Operates typically 2 Sundays each month, May to September (Site in German)
• Kleinbahn Verden-Walsrode Verden to Stemmen, 11.8km on the lines of VWE. Standard gauge, diesel hauled. Operates about 6 days each year (Site in German)
• Klosterstollen mining museum in Barsinghausen. Visitors are carried underground on a 1.3km, 600mm gauge railway. Battery electric hauled. Open for pre-booked parties only (Site in German)
• Museumseisenbahn Küstenbahn Ostfriesland Norden to Dormen in East Friesland, 16.5km. Standard gauge, diesel hauled (Site in German)
• Lautenthals Glück visitors to the historic silver mine are carried underground on a narrow gauge railway. Battery electric hauled. Operates Wednesdays to Sundays and public holiday Mondays, April to October; advance booking recommended (Site in German)
• Lorenbahn at the Peat and Village Museum in Wiesmoor. 600mm gauge railway connects the car park / Floral Hall area with the Museum. Operates Tuesdays to Sundays throughout the year (Site in German)
• MABS Oldenburg via Westerstede-Ocholt to Scharrel, 23.5km on the national network and 23.6km on own line. Standard gauge, historic diesel railbus. Operates for special events or by private charter (Site in German)
• Moorbahn Ahlenmoor near Wanna. 600mm gauge railway aboiut 5.7km in length. Diesel hauled using former industrial locomotives. Operates daily, April to September. Advance booking recommended (Site in German)
• Moorbahn Burgsittensen near Tiste. 600mm gauge railway about 1.5km in length. Diesel hauled using former industrial locomotives. Operates Wednesdays to Sundays and public holiday Mondays throughout the year (Site in German)
• Moorbahnfahrten Großes Moor Gifhorn 600mm gauge railway. Diesel hauled using former industrial locomotives. Operates various days, May to October. Advance booking recommended (Site in German)
• Moorbahn Goldenstedt. 600mm gauge railway. Diesel hauled using former industrial locomotives. Operates weekends, March to October, or by private charter (Site in German)
• Moorbahn Uchter Moor near Essern. 600mm gauge railway with a total length of about 9.5km, trips offered on various sections of the line. Diesel hauled using former industrial locomotives. Operates weekends and public holidays, April to October (Site in German)
• Moorexpress Stade to Bremen, 99km on the lines of DB and EVB. Shorter journeys possible. Historic diesel railbuses. Operates weekends and public holidays, late April to early October (Pages relating to Moorexpess in German only)
• Moorkieker Drochtersen-Aschhorn, near Stade. 600mm gauge railway. Diesel hauled using former industrial locomotives. Operates typically 2 Sundays each month, April to October (Site in German)
• Osnabrücker Dampflokfreunde Zechenbahnhof Piesberg (near the Museums für feldspurige Industriebahnen) to Osnabrück Hbf, and further afield. Diesel hauled. Operates typically one or two days each month from April to September (Site in German)
• Osnabrück-Piesberg Museums für feldspurige Industriebahnen train rides on about 1.4km of 600mm gauge line within the museum grounds, usually diesel hauled using former industrial locomotives. A further 850m line is not currently in use, expected to reopen late 2023. Operates 2 Sundays each month, Aprl to October (Site in German)
• Pingelheini Stuhr to Thedinghausen, 20.5km. Standard gauge, diesel hauled. Operates around 6 or 7 days each year, or by private charter (Site in German with some information in English)
• Rammelsberg Mining Museum near Goslar takes visitors on an underground mine tour with a 600mm gauge railway. Operates daily throughout the year, except Christmas Eve and New Years Eve
• Seelter Foonkieker. Saterland-Ramsloh. 600mm gauge railway. Diesel hauled using former industrial locomotives. Operates Tuesdays and Fridays during summer school holidays, and on any day throughout the year by prior arrangement (Site in German)
• Ströher Moorbahn Ströhen (near Auenland-Draisinen) to Neustädter Moor. 3.5km, 600mm gauge, diesel hauled using former industrial locomotives. Operates Tuesdays to Sundays and public holiday Mondays, April to October (Site in German)
• Tagesförderbahn from the old station in Clausthal-Zellerfeld to the Oberharz Mining Museum at Ottiliae-Schacht. 2.2km, 600mm gauge, usually diesel hauled, steam hauled for special events. Operates Sundays, public holidays, and a few other days, April to October (Site in German)
• Ziegelei Pape historic brickworks in Bevern, near Bremervörde, has a short 600mm gauge passenger carrying line, diesel hauled with former industrial equipment. Operates 2 Sundays each month, May to September (Site in German, when last checked )

Island Railways

Of interest to historians and enthusiasts alike are the isolated railway systems that sprang up on the North Sea islands of Ostfriesland. Several of these lines survive as tourist operations.

• Borkum Borkumer Kleinbahn, 7km of 900mm gauge line, usually steam hauled. Operates daily, late March to October (Site in German and Dutch)
• Langeoog 2.6km metre gauge line operated by the island ferry company, connecting the harbour with the principal town. Diesel hauled. Operates daily throughout the year (Site in German)
• Spiekeroog Pfredebahn, metre gauge horse drawn railway. Operates daily, April to October (Site in German)
• Wangerooge the company operating the ferry and the 3.4km metre gauge railway is a subsidiary of Die Bahn (Site in German)

WSA Weser-Jade-Nordsee has a 600mm gauge private railway on Minsener Oog for the maintenance of coastal defences (Site in German, contains no details of railway)

The islands of Amrum, Baltrum, Juist and Norderney also formerly had railways, as did Helgoland in neighbouring Schleswig-Holstein.

Historic Trams

• FDBS in Bremen offers historic tram rides on the city network. Operates on 3 different routes on various days from May to December (Site in German)
• Hannover Tramway Museum at Wehmingen, about 25km southeast of the city centre, offers historic tram rides on a 2.3km line from the museum along a stretch of former mineral railway towards Algermissen. Operates Sundays and public holidays, April to October, and one day in December (Site in German)

Draisinenbahn

Hand or pedal powered rail trolleys available for hire

• Auenland-Draisinen Rahden (Nordrhein-Westfalen) to Ströhen, 14.2km. The Ströhen terminus is near the station of the Ströher Moorbahn. Operates daily, April to October, and at other times of year by prior arrangement (Site in German)
• Böhmetal Kleinbahn two sections offered: Altenboitzen to Hollige (2.7km) or Hollige to Vorwalsrode (5.3km). Operates daily, May to early October, at times not conflicting with the running of the tourist train. Prior booking required (Site in German)
• Dampflok-Gemeinschaft 41 096 offers trips in pedal driven or petrol works trolleys from Klein Mahner on a section of the 15km route from Börßum to Salzgitter Bad. Operates 3 or 4 days each year. A tourist train service covering the whole line is planned for the future (Site in German)
• Draisinenbahn Ostereistedt Ostereistedt to Zeven, 11km. Operates daily throughout the year, prior booking required (Site in German)
• Draisinen-Fahren im Extertal Rinteln-Sud to Alverdissen (Nordrhein-Westfalen), 18km. Part of the route is shared with the Landeseisenbahn Lippe. Operates Wednesdays to Sundays throughout the year, other days by prior arrangement (Site in German)
• Draisinenspaß Ammerland Westerstede to Ocholt, about 7km. Operates daily, April to mid October (Site in German)
• IG Draisine Bleckede Alt Garge to Waldfrieden, about 5km. Operates Thursdays to Sundays, April to October (Site in German)
• Kultur-Bahnhof Bodenwerder Buchhagen, near Bodenwerder, to Dielmissen; about 5km. Operates daily, Easter to October. Prior booking advised (Site in German)