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Ffestiniog Travel · Escorted tour

Narrow Gauge Steam in Eastern Germany (2026)

Narrow gauge steam railways across eastern Germany via Cologne, Dresden, Stralsund, Wernigerode

Illustration of Narrow Gauge Steam in Eastern Germany (2026)

Ffestiniog Travel's 15-day escorted tour explores eastern Germany's surviving narrow gauge steam railways, a network that endured the Cold War and remains fully operational. The journey begins in Cologne and ends in Wuppertal, with extended stays in Dresden, Stralsund, and the Harz Mountains town of Wernigerode. A tour leader from London accompanies the group throughout. The itinerary weaves between high-speed ICE trains and local heritage railways: guests ride the late-19th-century Radeburg and Weisseritztalbahn near Dresden, the coastal Molli and Rasenden Roland on Rügen Island, and the expansive Harzquerbahn network in the mountains south of Wernigerode, including an optional steam train to Brocken summit. Hotels sit adjacent to major stations, easing access to explore by foot or train. The pace is relaxed, with multiple nights in each city, allowing genuine immersion in German railway heritage and the half-timbered architecture of towns like Wernigerode.

What to know before you look closer

  • Only one departure listed for 2026, in September; confirm availability early.
  • Days 11, 12, and 13 in Wernigerode include optional escorted excursions; the Harz Rover ticket allows independent exploration but some days offer guided options rather than fixed itineraries.
  • The standard class InterRail Pass does not guarantee a seat on some journeys; reserved seats are confirmed on InterCity trains only.

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Cologne

    London to Cologne

    Mid-morning departure on Eurostar from London St Pancras to Brussels Midi, where we make an onwards connection by high speed train to Cologne. Our hotel tonight is a short walk from the station.

  2. Day 2overnight: Dresden

    Onwards to Dresden

    We take a mid-morning ICE travelling via Frankfurt before turning eastwards to Dresden for a 5-night stay, our hotel located adjacent to the main station.

  3. Day 3overnight: Dresden

    Dresden Area Narrow Gauge

    There are two narrow gauge steam lines almost within the city limits so we are able to ride both the Radeburg and Weisseritztalbahn, built in the late 19th Century and still active.

  4. Day 4overnight: Dresden

    Döllnitzbahn Festival

    Our visit coincides with the Open Monuments weekend and the Döllnitzbahn holds a transport festival. We ride the line from Oschatz to Glossen where we find a Feldbahn and the spur to Kemmlitz.

  5. Day 5railovernight: Dresden

    Zittau

    We travel by rail a short distance from Dresden to the nearby Czech border and arrive in Zittau to find another steam hauled line operating two branches to Kurort Oybin and Jonsdorf, before returning to Dresden.

  6. Day 6railovernight: Dresden

    Cranzahl & Oberwiesenthal

    A full day excursion towards Chemnitz, then the branch line to Cranzahl where a steam train takes us to Oberwiesenthal, in sight of the Czech border, before returning to Dresden.

  7. Day 7overnight: Stralsund

    Stralsund & the Baltic Sea

    Travelling via Berlin we arrive in Stralsund, once the second most important Hanseatic port. Our hotel for 3 nights is adjacent to the station.

  8. Day 8overnight: Stralsund

    The Molli

    From Stralsund we take a short journey westwards via Rostock to Bad Doberan, home of the line affectionately known as the Molli, which travels through the streets to Bad Kühlungsborn.

  9. Day 9railovernight: Stralsund

    Rügen Island

    The Island of Rügen is a favourite seaside destination for German tourists and the railway with its steam trains, nicknamed ‘Rasender Roland’, is an important attraction.

  10. Day 10overnight: Wernigerode

    Inland to the Harz Mountains

    Travelling on the main line we make our way to Wernigerode, full of half-timbered buildings with a 12th Century Castle above the town. Wernigerode is the northern terminus of the Harzquerbahn (HSB), and we stay here for 4 nights.

  11. Day 11railovernight: Wernigerode

    Harz Narrow Gauge Railway

    The HSB is the biggest network on this tour, with 140km of running lines from Wernigerode south to Nordhausen and east to Quedlinburg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We include a Harz Rover Ticket and an optional escorted excursion each day, including a trip to the Brocken summit by steam train.

  12. Day 12railovernight: Wernigerode

    Harz Narrow Gauge Railway

    The HSB is the biggest network on this tour, with 140km of running lines from Wernigerode south to Nordhausen and east to Quedlinburg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We include a Harz Rover Ticket and an optional escorted excursion each day, including a trip to the Brocken summit by steam train.

  13. Day 13railovernight: Wernigerode

    Harz Narrow Gauge Railway

    The HSB is the biggest network on this tour, with 140km of running lines from Wernigerode south to Nordhausen and east to Quedlinburg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We include a Harz Rover Ticket and an optional escorted excursion each day, including a trip to the Brocken summit by steam train.

  14. Day 14railovernight: Wuppertal

    West to Wuppertal

    Time to leave the mountains behind and head west to Wuppertal for a 1-night stay close to the station. The afternoon is free to travel on the Schwebebahn hanging railway which runs along the Wupper Valley.

  15. Day 15rail

    To London

    After a leisurely breakfast we take a morning train via Cologne to Brussels where we connect with the Eurostar service to London St Pancras, arriving late afternoon.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 3Ride the Radeburg and Weisseritztalbahn, two narrow gauge steam lines built in the late 19th century and still active almost within Dresden's city limits.
  • Day 6Travel by steam train on the branch line from Cranzahl to Oberwiesenthal in sight of the Czech border.
  • Day 8Board the Molli, which travels through the streets from Bad Doberan to Bad Kühlungsborn on the Baltic coast.
  • Day 9Ride the Rasenden Roland, a narrow gauge steam railway across Rügen Island, a favourite seaside destination for German tourists.
  • Day 11Take a steam train to Brocken summit via the Harzquerbahn, a 140-kilometre network of narrow gauge lines connecting Wernigerode, Nordhausen, and Quedlinburg.

Included

  • Travel throughout in Standard Class
  • Standard Class InterRail Pass
  • Excursions as listed
  • 3-day Harz Rover ticket
  • Accommodation in good, quality hotels on a bed and breakfast basis
  • All local taxes/fees
  • Services of a tour leader from London and throughout the tour

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included in the price?
Yes. The package includes a Standard Class InterRail Pass for unlimited travel, reserved seats on all InterCity journeys, a 3-day Harz Rover ticket, and excursions on at least 9 narrow gauge railways.
Is this tour escorted?
Yes. Ffestiniog Travel provides a tour leader from London who travels throughout the 15 days.
Which heritage railways are included?
The itinerary covers the Radeburg and Weisseritztalbahn, Döllnitzbahn, Zittau narrow gauge, Cranzahl steam branch, the Molli, Rasenden Roland, Harzquerbahn (HSB), and the Schwebebahn hanging railway in Wuppertal.
What hotels are used?
Mondial am Dom in Cologne (1 night), IntercityHotel in Dresden (5 nights), IntercityHotel in Stralsund (3 nights), Weisser Hirsch in Wernigerode (4 nights), and Spark by Hilton in Wuppertal (1 night). All are located adjacent to or a short walk from train stations.
When does the tour run?
A single departure is listed for September 2026 at £2,975 per person.
What is not included?
Meals beyond bed and breakfast, 1st Class rail upgrades (available on request), and any travel to London St Pancras before departure.

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