The models in this exhibition, some of which have never been shown before, give an impression of how the railways shaped people’s lives in the past, the role they play today, and how they might look in the future. Join us on an exciting journey back in time with several walk-in carriages and locomotives that you can enter and soak up the atmosphere of past times.
All aboard! – Permanent exhibition on railway transport
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The railways were the starting point and the driving force of industrialization in Germany, and laid the foundation for the (mobile) world as we know it today. The engineering mastermind Johann Andreas Schubert from Dresden pioneered this development with the first fully functioning German locomotive, the “Saxonia”, which he built in 1839. In the first part of the exhibition, Schubert welcomes you in person – spectacularly enacted by means of several large-scale projections – in his workshop, where you can see the only original replica of the “Saxonia”.
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The fascination of locomotives! The Muldenthal dates back to the early days of the railways. Built in 1861, it is considered the oldest fully preserved German locomotive. And how did a princess from the Saxon court travel? Take a look around the original court salon carriage belonging to Princess Mathilde from 1885, and find out for yourself.
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The exhibition also looks at topics including the state railways in Germany in the late 19th century, the Deutsche Reichsbahn up to the end of World War 2, the railways in divided Germany, and railway transport now and in the future.
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As well as meeting Johann Andreas Schubert, you can listen to other people talking about their everyday lives spent working on the railways and traveling by train at numerous audio stations and video installations.
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How does a steam locomotive work?
See parts of the steam engine IV K in action with our augmented reality app.
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Photographic archive of Waggonbau GörlitzDigital collection
The unique collection of glass slides from the archives of the former traditional rolling stock company Waggonbau Görlitz can be seen online at sachsen.museum-digital.de.
Schenkung Bombardier Transportation (© Verkehrsmuseum Dresden)
Our highlights
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The Saxonia
The Transport Museum is proud to present the first working locomotive to be built in Germany: the Saxonia. Modelled on the English-built locomotive, the Comet, it soon improved on its predecessor. At the opening of the Leipzig-Dresden railway in 1839, it could only follow behind the trains pulled by the English locomotives. It was then put into service by the Leipzig-Dresden railway and remained in operation until 1856 at the latest. Our exhibit is the only original reproduction and was built in 1989 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Germany’s first long-distance railway.
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Inside the IV K driver’s cab
Shiny, heavy levers and cranks, the smell of oil and coal. Climb into the driver’s cab of a steam locomotive, turn the cranks and pull the brakes to see, smell and feel the story of the railways for yourself. This is one of just three IV K narrow gauge locomotives supplied to the Saxon State Railway between 1892 and 1921 that are still in their original condition.
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The Railway Depot
The Transport Museum currently owns some 105 original rail vehicles, the vast majority of which have been restored to museum condition. Our aim is to use them to show as many eras of German railway history as possible. The majority of our railway collection has to be stored in the depot due to space restrictions, but we open it up to visitors on special occasions such as the annual steam engine event. The collection includes locomotives of all traction types. We have examples from the railway companies of Saxony, Prussia and Baden, as well as standard locomotives. We also have a number of historic Saxon and Prussian passenger and freight carriages, and modern examples dating to between 1960 and 1985.
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