Eisenbahnmuseum Kötzschau

About the museum

The railway museum is housed in the reception building of Kötzschau station, which opened in 1856 with the Leipzig – Großkorbetha line. The association Eisenbahnfreunde Kötzschau runs the museum on a voluntary basis and tells the history of this railway line from the first plans to the present day. Staged rooms such as an office with ticket counter and a waiting room around 1935, as well as uniforms, tickets, signals, lanterns and track-building tools, convey everyday railway life of earlier decades.

In the west wing stands the railway operating field "Leipzig-Leutzsch", a functioning training facility of the former operating school of the Reichsbahn office in Leipzig. It was dismantled at its old location in 1999, moved to Kötzschau and has been fully on view again since 2014; to this day, new recruits for railway careers are trained on it.

In the outdoor area, the association shows a movable standard Reichsbahn level crossing barrier in its condition around 1930, signals, a telephone booth and a track on which visitors can ride a hand-lever handcar. Diesel locomotive No. 3 of type V22 B has its own engine shed. Another focus is the Tollwitz-Dürrenberg coal railway, opened in 1836, one of the earliest railways in central Germany.

Highlights

• Reception building of 1856 with office and waiting room around 1935
• Functioning training signal box "Leipzig-Leutzsch"
• Standard Reichsbahn level crossing barrier from around 1930 in operation
• Rides on the hand-lever handcar
• Works locomotive V22 B with accessible driver's cab

Permanent exhibitions

• Geschichte der Eisenbahnstrecke Leipzig – Großkorbetha – Picture and text panels, original objects and staged station rooms on the history of the line opened in 1856.
• Eisenbahnbetriebsfeld „Leipzig-Leutzsch“ – Functioning former Reichsbahn training facility showing various types of signal boxes and how they are operated.
• Tollwitz-Dürrenberger Eisenbahn – Finds, models and information on the early coal railway of the Bad Dürrenberg saltworks from 1836.

Operated by

Eisenbahnfreunde Kötzschau e.V.

Admission & discounts

Three handcar rides are included in the admission (only in dry weather, not in winter). Payment in cash or by card.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Wheelchair ramp via the access from platform 2, not at the main entrance; staff are happy to help. Accessible toilet in the museum building.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Hands-on stations
• Baby changing facilities

Children can ride the handcar, look at the locomotive's driver's cab and see the level crossing barrier in motion. Kindergarten groups are welcome.

Getting there & parking

By car via the A9, exit Bad Dürrenberg/Leipzig-Süd, on the L 187 towards Bad Dürrenberg, after about 200 m onto the K2179 towards Thalschütz/Kötzschau and on to the station.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit