Transit Oost
Museum workshop next to Winterswijk station on the history of public transport in the east of the Netherlands, with historic buses, railcars and a model railway.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Winterswijk was once a major railway junction with two stations, three engine sheds and an extensive marshalling yard. Trains ran in five directions, and coal from the Ruhr in particular went from here to the west of the country. Next to the NWS station, the station of the Lokaalspoorweg-Gesellschaft GOLS was built in 1884 for branch lines to Neede and Zevenaar; in 1908 it received a new brick building. This former GOLS station building is now a residence.
In the old GOLS station, a model railway club ran a small museum from 1983 onward, documenting public transport in the east of the Netherlands and recreating the Winterswijk rail yard at scale. In 2014 it merged into the Transit Oost foundation, which also includes the Historisch Streekvervoer Achterhoek (HSA) foundation. The HSA restores historic route buses and the DE-2 diesel railcar "Blauwe Engel" and keeps them in running order.
In spring 2018, the entire collection moved into the new museum workshop on Kleine Parallelweg, right next to the main station. Transit Oost now shows buses, railcars, archives and the large model layout there, and restores vehicles in front of visitors' eyes. The museum is run entirely by volunteers.
Highlights
- Diesel railcar DE-2 186 "Blauwe Engel" with a walk-in driver's cab
- Historic buses of the GTW and GSM, from a 1923 Ford T to buses from the 1990s
- Large model railway of the Winterswijk station grounds as they were 100 years ago
- Workshop tour with restoration work
- Archive on the history of public transport in the east of the Netherlands
- "Spoorzoeker" booklet with 14 tasks for children
Permanent exhibitions
- Modellbahn des Winterswijker Bahnhofsgeländes – A large layout shows how important the Winterswijk railway junction was about a hundred years ago.
- Dieseltriebzug DE-2 186 „Blauwe Engel“ – The historic railcar is being restored, and visitors can take a seat in the driver's cab.
- Historische Busse (Mobiel erfgoed) – Buses of the GTW and GSM from the east of the Netherlands, from a 1923 Ford T to vehicles from the 1990s.
- Operated by
- Stichting Transit Oost
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €7.50 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | €5free up to age 3 · Children aged 4 to 12 pay €5; children up to age 3 enter free. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · One companion per visitor enters free, if the visitor cannot demonstrably come alone. |
| Groups (15+ people) | €6.50 per personFor groups of 15 or more: personal welcome and a tour of the museum workshop. Visits are also possible outside opening days. |
Friends of Transit Oost (with Vriendenpas) enter free. Dogs are not allowed, except assistance dogs.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The museum workshop and outdoor area are accessible for wheelchair users; the rooms are spacious. The workshop is only accessible when accompanied by a host, and paths are cleared while work is in progress. Benches are available, and the accessible restroom is freely available.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 3 |
|---|
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
- Hands-on stations
Young visitors receive the booklet "Spoorzoeker" with 14 tasks (included in the children's price); in the "Blauwe Engel" railcar they may sit in the driver's cab.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Winterswijk (Bahnhof und Bushaltestelle)
The museum is right next to Winterswijk main station and the bus stop in the town center.
By car
Free parking
Free parking spaces next to the museum (20, including 2 for people with disabilities); parking is free throughout the municipality of Winterswijk. Further parking at Stationsstraat, Weverstraat, Houtladingstraat and Parallelweg 9.
- Accessible parking
The museum is next to a junction of cycle routes and is easy to reach by bike.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
Breakfast is offered at special events.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | During opening days, the buses can be viewed on the tour of the workshop; not all vehicles are always present. Historic buses are regularly used for sightseeing rides and can be rented (aanvraag@transitoost.nl). |
