Tourist and Minor Railways

Thüringen

A train awaits passengers on the Parkeisenbahn Gera in the Waldzoo

Tourist and Museum Railways

• Dampfbahnfreunde mittlerer Rennsteig Ilmenau to Schleusingen, 31.8km on the standard gauge tracks of Rennsteigbahn. Steam hauled. Operated 28 May, 2023, following a 4 year break, but at the time of writing no details available of future operations (Facebook page mainly in German)
• Harzer Schmalspurbahn although located mainly in Sachsen-Anhalt, the HSB extends into Thüringen as far as Nordhausen (Site in German)
• Hirzbergbahn museum in Georgenthal proposing to open a 1.7km metre gauge line to Georgenthal Ort (Site in German)
• Meuselwitzer Kohlebahn Meuselwitz to Regis-Breitingen, 14km, 900mm gauge, usually diesel hauled, occasionally electric locomotive powered by diesel generator. Operates Sundays, public holidays, and a few other days, April to October and in December, or by private charter (Site in German)
• Rabensteiner Stollen former coal mine takes visitors underground on a 0.5km narrow gauge railway. Operates 5 or 6 days each week, January to October (Site in German)
• Schaubergwerk Langewiesen two 600mm gauge railways at the mining museum near Ilmenau:
  • a 630m line taking visitors underground in the historic “Volle Rose” mine. Battery electric hauled
  • Schortetalbahn line about 1.3km in length, usually diesel hauled with some steam services
  Operates Tuesdays to Sundays and public holiday Mondays, April to October (Site in German)
• Thüringer Bergbahn has several sections:
  • Schwarzatalbahn Rottenbach (DB station) to Katzhütte, 25km, standard gauge, operated by modern or historic diesel railcars. Connects at Obstfelderschmeide with:
  • Funicular Obstfelderschmeide to Lichtenhain, 1.4km with a rise of 333m. 1800mm gauge. In addition to a dedicated passenger vehicle, there is a vehicle designed for carrying standard gauge freight wagons from the lower section to the upper. This is now also used to transport passenger vehicles
  • Bergbahn Flat Section from the funicular at Lichtenhain to Cursdorf, 2.5km, standard gauge, electric railcars
  Operates daily throughout the year
• Wisentatalbahn Schleiz West to Schönberg (Sachsen), 16km. Standard gauge, historic diesel railbuses (Site in German, contains no details of operating days)

Miniature Railways

• Ferienlandeisenbahn in Ferienland, Crispendorf. 0.3km, 600mm gauge, battery electric hauled (Site in German)
• Parkeisenbahn Gera in Gera Zoo. 0.8km, 600mm gauge, diesel and battery electric hauled. Operates 5 days each week, April to October. Admission fee to the Zoo is payable in addition to train fare (Site in German)

Draisinenbahn

Hand or pedal powered rail trolleys available for hire

• Kanonenbahn several options from Lengenfeld unterm Stein:
  • to Dingelstädt, 21km; advance booking required
  • to Küllstedt, 13km
  • to Geismar, 3.5km
  • by electric trolley to Entenberg, about 4km
  (Site in German)
• Max und Moritz Erlebnisbahn various options in powered rail trolleys from Schmiedefeld bei Probstzella, total length of line about 4km. Operates any day by advance booking
• Thüringer Oberlandbahn Lückenmühle to Ziegenrück, 10.9km. Operates typically 2 weekends each month, April to October (Site in German)