Wolkensteiner Zughotel

Wolkenstein Train Hotel

ABOVE: Look for the Wolkensteiner Zughotel next to the railroad tracks in Wolkenstein, Saxony. INSET BELOW: The Zughotel's restaurant menu (called a "timetable") and the owner's son, whose neighboring diner has a '60s American theme.

by Durant Imboden

Wolkenstein is a small German town in the Erzgebirge, or Ore Mountains, near the border between Saxony and the Czech Republic. The area is popular with hikers, bicyclists, skiers, and railfans--the latter because of its proximity to nearby attractions such as the Ore Mountains Model Railway Park and the Fichtelbergbahn Steam Railroad.

In recent years, Wolkenstein has offered a railroad attraction of its own: the Wolkensteiner Zughotel, or Wolkenstein Train Hotel, in the center of town on track 10 of the railway station (which you can reach by train from Chemnitz via Flöha, or by road on the B101 to Annaberg-Buchholz).

Sleeping compartments

The Wolkensteiner Zughotel has a full-service restaurant, an outdoor snack bar, and three types of rooms:

• Two-berth compartments in a former private sleeping car that was used by government officials of the German Democratic Republic during the 1970s;

• Two-berth compartments in a former first-class sleeping car;

• Four-berth compartments in a former second-class sleeping car of the GDR railways.

Two-berth compartments have bathrooms with showers that are shared by adjacent cabins, while four-berth compartments have washbasins with toilets at the end of the car.

Rates in 2008 are €30, €26, or €22 per person per day (including breakfast), depending on the class of accommodation.

In addition, the Wolkensteiner Zughotel has a four-person "Ferienzug" apartment for families, and owners of trailers or RVs can rent camping spaces alongside the railroad tracks.

Wolkensteiner Zughotel Restaurant

Even if you don't spend the night, you should consider having a drink, snack,or meal in the Zughotel's restaurant, which occupies two converted railway cars and is open from 8 a.m. until 11 p.m. daily. The menu is extensive, the traditional German food is outstanding, and the portions are huge.

Prices are reasonable, too: When I visited in June, 2008, you could get a Schnitzel or cutlet with vegetables and pommes frites for €8,95, and a big plate of Nudeln (similar to Spätzle) with a tasty goulash was only €7,25. (If you're on a really tight budget, order a sausage or other light meal from the Imbisswagen, which has outdoor tables.)

For photos, current rates, and other information, visit the hotel's German-language Web site at www.wolkensteiner-zughotel.de.

Sixties American Restaurant

Across the street from the Wolkensteiner Zughotel, the owner's son (photo at left) runs the 60's American Restaurant & More, where you can enjoy vintage U.S. pop music with your hot dog or chili. The small restaurant is like a classic American diner, with one difference: You can order a bottle of Beck's in lieu of a Coke, root beer, or milkshake.

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