Europe > Germany > Saxony > Railroading > Fichtelbergbahn steam railroad

Fichtelbergbahn Steam Railway

ABOVE: A locomotive of the Fichtelbergbahn takes on water at a station along the 17-km line, which offers scheduled service to Germany's highest town.

By Durant Imboden

Many steam railroads offer excursions, but the Fichtelbergbahn, or Fichtel Mountain Railway, is one of the few that operate scheduled service for tourists and commuters throughout the year. On any given day, three to five trains cover the scenic 17.4-km or 10.8-mile stretch between Cranzahl and Kurort Oberwiesenthal, the highest town in Germany with an elevation of 893 meters or 2,930 feet. Travel time is approximately one hour, and some trains have buffet cars where you can enjoy beer, snacks, coffee, or cakes.

The Fichtelbergbahn is a narrow-gauge railroad, with a track width of 750 mm. The line opened in 1897, and it currently has five steam locomotives that were built from 1952 to1956. (The 30 passenger and baggage cars entered service between 1913 and 1932.)

In addition to its normal schedule, the Fichtelbergbahn operates special trains such as an Easter Bunny express, a Nikolausfahrt or Santa Claus excursion, Moonlight rides, and an Ascension Day/Father's Day trip with musical entertainment.

For more information, including timetables, visit the railroad's Web site.

Note:

• Kurort Oberwiesenthal, the southern terminus of the Fichtelbergbahn, is also home to the Fichtelberg Schwebebahn aerial cable car and is close to the Saxon Narrow-Gauge Museum Rittersgrün, which you can reach via a connecting public bus.

• The Ore Mountains Model Railway Park and the Wolkeinsteiner Zughotel train hotel and restaurant are a short drive away.

More photos:

Passenger cars are parked on sidings at the Fichtelbergbahn's main depot in Kurort Oberwiesenthal, Germany.

The five engines of the Fichtelbergbahn are the most powerful 750-mm narrow-gauge locomotives ever built, with a capacity of 600 horsepower each. The engines burn hard coal.

As the train puffs along a winding route with nine stations and six bridges (including the dramatic Hüttenbach mountain viaduct), you can take photos from the open platforms between the passenger cars.

Don't expect much in the way of creature comforts--the Fichtelberg's carriages have wooden benches, which are fine for a journey that lasts about an hour.

During the trip between Cranzahl and Kurort Oberwiesenthal (or vice versa), a friendly conductor will punch your tickets and answer questions about the train.

About the author:

Durant Imboden is a professional travel writer, book author, and editor who focuses on European cities and transportation.

After 4-1/2 years of covering European travel topics for About.com, Durant and Cheryl Imboden co-founded Europe for Visitors (now including Germany for Visitors) in 2001. The site has earned "Best of the Web" honors from Forbes and The Washington Post.

For more information, see About Europe for Visitors, press clippings, and reader testimonials.

Inset photo: Tourism Company of Saxony.

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