Kuckucksbähnel
DGEG heritage steam railway running from Neustadt an der Weinstraße through the Elmstein Valley in the Palatinate Forest to Elmstein, with operating days from May to October.
About the museum
The railway line in the Speyerbach valley began in 1901 as an industrial siding serving businesses as far as the Sattelmühle. On January 23, 1909, it was completed as a branch line of almost 13 kilometers from Lambrecht to Elmstein, officially named the Elmsteiner Talbahn but soon nicknamed the Kuckucksbähnel ("little cuckoo railway") by locals. Passenger service ended in 1960, and the last freight trains ran in 1977.
Members of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Eisenbahngeschichte (DGEG, German Society for Railway History) campaigned to use the line as a heritage railway: on June 2, 1984, the first museum train ran from Neustadt via Lambrecht to Elmstein. Since then, the Kuckucksbähnel has operated as a steam train on selected Sundays and public holidays during the season, hauled by historic locomotives – in 2026 by locomotive 378.78 – and with passenger cars, some of which are more than a hundred years old.
The journey starts at Neustadt an der Weinstraße main station, where the DGEG also runs the Eisenbahnmuseum der Pfalz (Palatinate Railway Museum) in the 1847 engine shed. The trains first travel on the main line to Lambrecht and then continue on the heritage line, with several stops such as Erfenstein, Breitenstein and Helmbach, through the Palatinate Forest to Elmstein. In addition to the regular trips, there are wine-tasting trips in summer and St. Nicholas trips in Advent, whose seats are allocated by lottery due to high demand. In 2022, the state of Rhineland-Palatinate named the railway museum together with the heritage railway "Museum des Monats" (Museum of the Month).
Highlights
- Steam train ride through the Elmstein Valley in the Palatinate Forest
- Historic passenger cars with wooden seating
- Wine-tasting trips with tasting in Elmstein
- St. Nicholas trips with a torchlight walk in Advent
- Departure right at the Eisenbahnmuseum der Pfalz in Neustadt main station
- Founded
- 1984
- Operated by
- Deutsche Gesellschaft für Eisenbahngeschichte (DGEG) – Eisenbahnmuseum der Pfalz, Neustadt an der Weinstraße
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €12 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €6Children aged 6 to 15 (50% discount) |
| Children & teens | €6free up to age 5 · Children aged 6 to 15 pay half fare (e.g., €10 for a round trip Neustadt–Elmstein). Children under 6 ride free. |
| Seniors | –No senior discount listed. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –No discount for people with disabilities listed. |
| Students & apprentices | –No student discount listed; school students up to age 18 with a student ID count as children for the family ticket. |
| Groups (16+ people) | –Groups of 16 or more paying passengers (children under 6 don't count) receive a group ticket with seat reservation; register via the online form or at gruppenres@eisenbahnmuseum-neustadt.de. Family tickets are not issued in that case. |
| Families | €40Family ticket Lambrecht–Elmstein round trip €40, Neustadt–Elmstein round trip €45; for one or two parents with their own children aged 6 to 15 (according to the timetable flyer, up to three paying children). |
| One way Lambrecht–Elmstein (or vice versa) | €12Children 6–15: 50% |
| Round trip Lambrecht–Elmstein | €18Children 6–15: 50% |
| One way Neustadt–Elmstein (or vice versa) | €15Children 6–15: 50% |
| Round trip Neustadt–Elmstein | €20Children 6–15: 50% |
| Family ticket Neustadt–Elmstein round trip | €45 |
| Wine-tasting trip | €85Includes tasting in Elmstein, food, a tasting glass and a reserved seat; 2026 dates: July 10–12 and August 22. |
2026 fares; the standard price shown is the cheapest route (one way Lambrecht–Elmstein), with fares up to €20 (round trip Neustadt–Elmstein). Tickets are sold at the kiosk on platform 4/5 at Neustadt main station (on regular operating days approx. 9:30–10:45), before departure at Lambrecht and Elmstein stations, and from the train crew; card payment (EC/debit card only) is available only at the kiosk in Neustadt. Only Kuckucksbähnel tickets are valid; the Deutschlandticket is not accepted. Dogs ride free. St. Nicholas trips are booked separately and allocated by lottery.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: not available
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Step-free boarding is not possible. Non-electric wheelchairs, bicycles and empty strollers are carried in the covered freight car. The historic train toilets are open-discharge systems and cannot be used while the train is stopped at stations.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 5 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | €40 · Family ticket Lambrecht–Elmstein round trip €40, Neustadt–Elmstein round trip €45; for one or two parents with their own children aged 6 to 15 (according to the timetable flyer, up to three paying children). |
- Family tours & workshops
- Stroller-friendly
Saint Nicholas rides for families. Children aged 6 to 15 ride at half price; family tickets are available. Empty strollers are carried in the baggage car.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Neustadt (Weinstraße) Hauptbahnhof
Departure from Neustadt (Weinstraße) main station, track 5 (regional and S-Bahn service); boarding also possible at Lambrecht (Pfalz) station, reachable by S-Bahn. Traveling with the VRN day ticket is recommended.
Amenities & dining
Tips on restaurants and attractions around the terminus are compiled on the website under "Gastronomie und Sehenswertes in Elmstein". The Eisenbahnmuseum der Pfalz at Neustadt main station has a museum café.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Private parties
- Corporate events
- Weddings / ceremonies
The train can be chartered for company outings, birthdays, weddings and other celebrations; flat rate €5,000.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Good to know | Travel time Neustadt–Elmstein about 1 hr 15 min; the first roughly 7 km run on the double-track main line toward Kaiserslautern. Reservations are only possible for groups of 16 or more; the morning train D3 is usually quite full, while in the afternoon (D5/D6) there are generally enough seats. Because the steam locomotive is coal-fired, soot may get on clothing. |
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