Straßenbahn-Museum Thielenbruch

About the museum

The Thielenbruch depot was built in 1906 on Cologne's city limits for the new suburban railway to Bergisch Gladbach, with a station building, car shed and workshop. A second car shed was added in 1925/26. The complex survived World War II almost undamaged, has been a listed monument since 1985 and served the Kölner Verkehrs-Betriebe (KVB, Cologne's transit authority) as a depot until September 1994.

Back in November 1991, employees of the KVB main workshop had founded the Verein Historische Straßenbahn Köln to preserve historic vehicles. When the KVB planned a museum in the mid-1990s, the association took over the design and setup of the exhibition. The museum opened on September 14, 1997, in the second car shed; the older shed from 1906 has since served as a light rail terminus. The KVB owns the museum, which is run by the association's volunteer members.

On display are more than 20 rail vehicles from eight decades of Cologne public transit history, including a horse-drawn tram car from 1894, the "Erste Elektrische" (first electric tram) from 1902, the suburban train "Finchen", high-capacity and articulated cars, and freight and service vehicles; some are still operational. An exhibition room with models, photos and operating equipment, technical objects such as a signal box panel and driver's cabs, a model railway layout and a virtual reality ride through Cologne in 1909 round out the collection.

Highlights

• Horse-drawn tram car 211 from 1894 and the "Erste Elektrische" (car 407) from 1902
• Suburban train "Finchen" from 1911
• VR time travel through Cologne in 1909 in converted car 1872
• Model railway inside six-axle car 3501, the last tram built in Cologne
• Driver's cabs you can operate and historic signal box technology

Permanent exhibitions

• Fahrzeugsammlung der Kölner Straßenbahn – More than 20 cars, from horse-drawn trams to suburban and high-capacity cars to the Type B light rail car, plus freight and service vehicles in the historic car shed.
• Ausstellungsraum, Technik und Modellbahn – Models, photos and operating equipment on Cologne's public transit history, historic signal box and vehicle technology, and a model railway layout built by the association.

Founded

1997

Operated by

Historische Straßenbahn Köln e. V. (Eigentümerin: Kölner Verkehrs-Betriebe AG)

Admission & discounts

Guided tours on opening days are free. On special days such as Tag des offenen Denkmals (Heritage Day), admission is sometimes free.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations

Operable driver's cabs, model railway, and walk-through vehicles for technology-loving children; children's tours for groups (10–25 people) with booking.

Getting there & parking

By car via Bergisch Gladbacher Straße (A3 exit Köln-Dellbrück), then Otto-Kayser-Straße and Gemarkenstraße.

Amenities & dining

• Restaurant
• Museum shop

Aubeles Restaurant at the Straßenbahn-Museum in the building complex (access to the museum through the restaurant; closed Mon, Sun 11:00–20:00). Museum shop with souvenirs, models, and specialist literature.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Plan your visit