Locorama
Railway adventure world in the old SBB locomotive shed in Romanshorn with steam locomotives, historic vehicles, signal boxes, a garden railway and a driving simulator.
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About the museum
The railway reached Romanshorn as early as 1855. In 1898 the Nordostbahn put the three-track locomotive shed into service, which today forms the heart of the adventure world. About twenty years ago the foundation Stiftung Historisches Bahnhof-Ensemble Romanshorn took over the site with the locomotive shed and the old signal boxes I and II from the SBB under a building lease, in order to preserve the historic railway heritage.
Museum operations, with tours and events, are run by the association Locorama, founded on 20 January 2014 and carried almost entirely by volunteers. The locomotives and carriages on the site belong to associations or private individuals, such as Eurovapor and the Verein Historische Mittel-Thurgau-Bahn; many are still operational, while others are parked as witnesses of their time. It is precisely this mixture at the former site of railway operations that makes the grounds so appealing.
The facilities include the signal gantry of 1913, which was dismantled in 2003 during the rebuilding of the station and, from 2011 to 2013, restored by a specially founded association and re-erected at Locorama. There are also a garden railway (built up since 2009, with a turntable), a draisine, a driving simulator and a former training signal box that is connected to a model railway.
Highlights
- Steam locomotives in the historic locomotive shed, including MThB Ec 3/5 and Bavarian S 3/6
- Original signal gantry of 1913 and operable signal boxes
- Garden railway and hand-lever draisine (in dry weather)
- Driving simulator on Thurbo and Appenzeller Bahn routes
- Mittel-Thurgau-Bahn steam train every last Sunday of the month
Permanent exhibitions
- Lokremise und historische Fahrzeuge – In the locomotive shed of 1898 and on the open-air site stand steam locomotives, the Gotthard locomotive Ae 6/6, TEE railcars and other historic vehicles, including the Be 4/4 BT-13 locomotive, which can be viewed.
- Stellwerke und Signale – The Gurtnellen training signal box, the Romanshorn command box and the partly working signal box II demonstrate mechanical railway technology; in addition there are the signal gantry of 1913 and the Hipp turning disc.
- Gartenbahn und Draisine – A garden railway about 280 metres long with a turntable and a hand-lever draisine invite visitors to ride around the grounds in dry weather.
- Founded
- 2005
- Operated by
- Verein Locorama (Betrieb), Stiftung Historisches Bahnhof-Ensemble Romanshorn (Trägerin)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | CHF 7.50 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | CHF 3.50Recipients of disability insurance (IV) |
| Children & teens | CHF 3.50The adult price includes one person aged 6 to 16; each additional person aged 6 to 16 pays CHF 3.50. |
| Visitors with disabilities | CHF 3.50Recipients of disability insurance (IV). |
| Groups (10+ people) | CHF 6 per personGroups of 10 or more. |
| Families | –One adult including one person aged 6 to 16 costs CHF 7.50. |
The Swiss Museum Pass and the Raiffeisen Museum Pass are valid. Payment is possible in CHF and euros, by credit card and Twint.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: no information
- 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
Two of the four carriages of the garden railway are wheelchair-suitable (manual wheelchairs), and there is a boarding ramp at the garden railway station.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
- Hands-on stations
- Playground / play area
For families there are the garden railway and draisine (in dry weather only), the driving simulator, a locomotive to look around inside, as well as a children's playroom with an H0 model railway on the 1st floor and a reading corner.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Bahnhof Romanshorn · 10-min walk
About a 10-minute walk from Romanshorn station; the station can be reached by S-Bahn from St. Gallen, Kreuzlingen, Rorschach and Weinfelden, by IC from Zurich, by RE from Konstanz and St. Gallen, and by ferry from Friedrichshafen.
By car
Parking available
Only a few parking spaces are available at Locorama; more parking is available at the ice sports centre (EZO) within walking distance.
The venue recommends arriving by public transport. Access to Egnacherweg 1 is permitted as a feeder service despite the driving ban. The site lies directly on the international Lake Constance cycle route.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
LokCafé/bistro with bratwurst, hot dogs, pizza slices, sandwiches, snacks, ice cream and drinks; on days with more visitors also chips. You may bring your own food on the grounds, but the seats in the bistro are reserved for the bistro's guests. On the last Sunday of the month (except April) a set menu is available by advance order in the Mittel-Thurgau-Bahn's track gang carriage.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Private parties
- Corporate events
Up to 200 guests.
Available for hire are the locomotive shed (aperitif or meal for 10 to 200 people, unheated, banquets only from about mid-May to mid-September) and a heatable exhibition room for 20 to 25 people; with a tour, draisine and garden railway on request.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Tours and visits for groups by arrangement (reservation on tel. +41 71 460 24 27); signal box II can only be visited with groups. Which attractions are running (e.g. Gurtnellen signal box, locomotive Be 4/4 BT-13, steam locomotive) is listed in the daily programme on the website. The RhB model railway is currently not in operation. |
