Over the years we have visited many railway and transport museum. As a Christmas gift, let us offer you an overview. From the worst to the best.

Muzeul CFR, Bucharest, Romania

Muzeul CFR, Romania‘s state railway company CFR‘s railway museum at Bucharest North Railway Station is a joke. It’s two rooms and a backyard. 

The entrance fee is also only half a button so what can you expect?

Last visited in 2017.

Železniški muzej Slovenskih železnic, Ljubljana, Slovenia

The Železniški muzej Slovenskih železnic or Railway Museum of Slovenian Railways in Ljubljana, Slovenia is cute but outdated. It’s more quirky than really interesting. 

For train geeks only.

Last visited in 2019.

Museu del Ferrocarril de Catalunya, Vilanova, Catalonia, Spain

The Museu del Ferrocarril de Catalunya in Vilanova in Catalonia is nice museum but not a great museum. Still it’s a nice excursion if you love trains.

Last visited in 2018.

Museo del Ferrocarril de Madrid Delicias, Madrid, Spain

The Museo del Ferrocarril de Madrid Delicias in Spain‘s capital Madrid is nice but not worth a detour if you’re only mildly into trains. The exhibition is slightly outdated and not everything is translated. 

Last visited in 2018. 

Danmarks Jernbanemuseum, Odense, Denmark

The Danmarks Jernbanemuseum or Danish Railway Museum in Odense, Denmark is not a very contemporary museum like Train World or the Dutch Railway Museum but still presents Danish railway history in an educative and immersing way. 

Luckily the museum has English explanations throughout most of the displays, just the section concerning safety on the tracks requires you to grab an English guide for explanations.

Last visited in 2019.

California State Railroad Museum, Sacramento, California, USA

The California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento is extensive with a large collection of rolling stock. Even for non-rail enthousiasts it’s nicely presented. We spent several hours there gazing at the engines, cars and installations.

Last visited in 2016. 

Deutsches Museum’s Verkehrszentrum, Munich, Bavaria, Germany

The Verkerhrszentrum or Transport Centre of the Deutsches Museum in Munich in Germany comprises of three halls of trains, cars, buses and trams. There’s almost too much to see. But everything is nice and tidy.

A full report will be published in 2021. 

Last visited in 2020.

Train World, Schaerbeek, Brussels, Belgium

Not wanting to blow our own horn, but the NMBS / SNCB‘s Train World at Schaerbeek Railway Station in Brussels, Belgium is a well conceived, interesting train and rail museum.

Belgians are champions at talking down their own assets, but Train World is an comprehensive, modern museum. It is also easily reachable. 

Last visited in 2018.

Verkehrsmuseum Nürnberg, Nuremberg, Bavaria, Germany

The Verkehrsmuseum Nürnberg or Transport Museum in Nuremberg in Germany is very extensive and informative. We’ll publish a report in 2021. 

It’s also known as the DB Museum. It’s not the National Rail Museum in York but it’s good and – if you’re into trains – worth quite a few hours of your time. 

Last visited in 2020.

Verkehrshaus, Lucerne, Switzerland

Ah the Swiss. As the British, they know how to cherish their heritage. The Verkehrshaus or Transport Museum in Lucerne in Switzerland is top notch. Large, informative, fresh, efficient, Swiss. 

We’re pretty biased because we love Swiss railways. 

Last visited in 2019.

Spoorwegmuseum, Utrecht, the Netherlands

The Spoorwegmuseum or Dutch Railway Museum in Utrecht in the Netherlands is not only a top notch railway museum, it’s also partly a theme park. These features earn the museum extra marks.

Last visited in 2020.

National Railway Museum (NRM), York, England, United Kingdom

The British are the best at heritage. They love their past, they invest in it and they work on it. And even if results on some nostalgia led politics, it’s a real Christmas present for train geeks. 

Adjacent to York Railway Station, the National Railway Museum (NRM) is worth a detour. Any even remotely rail fan must go and visit. It’s huge, it’s well conceived, it’s such a nice place to be.

Last visited in 2015.