Railway Museums in Poland

There are several large railway museums in Poland. In addition, at some stations were established memorial rooms dedicated to history of the local railways. I assume that railway enthusiasts and ordinary tourists will be most interested in exhibits of historic railway stock. I have prepared a list of the most important Polish railway museums and open-air railway museums. Not all of them are open every day.

Stacja Muzeum – the most important Polish railway museum, located in Warsaw, in the building of the Warsaw Główna Osobowa station (it’s not Warsaw Centralna Station). Stacja Muzeum took over the collections of the Railway Museum in Warsaw, which was closed on March 31, 2016. The biggest attraction is the rich collection of locomotives. Stacja Muzeum has a branch in Sochaczew – the Narrow Gauge Railway Museum.

Stacja Muzeum  – official website

Chabówka Rolling Stock Heritage Park – one of the most popular tourist attractions in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship. The rolling stock exhibit features about 90 vehicles, including operational steam locomotives and diesel locomotives. The museum also runs seasonal retro trains on the Chabówka – Osielec. An affordable lodging facility is available for visitors. Chabówka is situated on the Kraków – Zakopane route.

Railway Museum in Chabówka – official website

Railway Museum in Jaworzyna Śląska – a very interesting museum established in 2005 on the site of a historic roundhouse in Jaworzyna Śląska, in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. It is known for organizing the Steam Locomotive Gala, as well as short rides on historic rolling stock on the roundhouse sidings. The collection includes 150 railway vehicles from 1880 to the 1970s. It is perfect destination for one-day train trip from Wrocław.

Railway Museum in Jaworzyna Śląska – official website

Zduńska Wola Locomotive Heritage Park – a museum at the Zduńska Wola Karsznice station, formerly known as the Locomotive and Technical Equipment Heritage Park, now operates as a branch of the Museum of the History of the City of Zduńska Wola. Officially opened on November 11, 1993, it has struggled with financial issues in recent years. According to the website, the collection includes 10 steam locomotives, 3 diesel locomotives, passenger and freight cars, a wagon from Gubałówka, a rotary snowplow, a steam-powered crane, and a steam tractor. Guided tours are available. Located 4 kilometers from the city centre.

Zduńska Wola Locomotive Heritage Park – official website

Railway Museum in Kościerzyna – a museum with the largest collection of rail vehicles in northern Poland, featuring a historic roundhouse with workshop facilities. Located right next to the railway station, it is open year-round, with reasonably priced admission tickets. The nice town of Kościerzyna is well-connected by train from Gdańsk and Gdynia.

Railway Museum in Kościerzyna – official website

Wolsztyn Roundhouse – world-famous roundhouse famous for the annual Steam Locomotive Parade and the operation of steam locomotive-hauled trains on regular services on selected routes: Wolsztyn – Zbąszynek, Wolsztyn – Poznań, and sometimes Wolsztyn – Leszno (these services are periodically suspended and then reinstated, but they are one of the most interesting railway attractions in Poland). The roundhouse houses about 29 steam locomotives in various states of repair. It is worth to visit Wolsztyn – there are regional trains from Poznań and Leszno.

Wolsztyn Roundhouse – official website

Skierniewice Engine Shed – a railway museum established in the former Skierniewice engine shed. According to the information on the website, the institution has relatively large collections, but it is only open on specified dates. The town of Skierniewice lies on the Warszawa – Łódź route, many trains stop here. It is worth to visit beautiful railway station.

Skierniewice Engine Shed – official website

Narrow Gauge Railway Museum in Wenecja – a popular narrow-gauge railway museum with on the station of the the Żnin District Railway. The oldest steam locomotive in the collection was manufactured in 1899. According to the museum’s website, it is one of the largest open-air museums of its kind in Europe. Ticket prices are relatively high. Żnin District Railway is a narrow-gauge railway running from May to September on the route Żnin – Gąsawa.

Narrow-Gauge Railway  – official website

Additionally, from the windows of trains passing through Pyskowice station (near Gliwice), passengers can see the deteriorating exhibits of the Pyskowice railway open-air museum, which is not accessible to the public. A small rolling stock exhibit of the Coastal Narrow Gauge Railway has been established at the Gryfice station. There is also a small railway Museum in Węgorzewo, dedicated to the abandoned Kętrzyn – Węgorzewo railway line.

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Railway Museums in Poland
Railway Museum in Jaworzyna Śląska (Photo: Cezary Wojtkowski)