Lichtenhain: Mountain Railway, Fröbelwald and Maschinarium

At the mountain station, Lichtenhain brings together a range of themes: the Maschinarium focuses on railway technology, while the Fröbelwald, located right there, is dedicated to experiencing nature. There is also a hiking trail that starts and ends at the mountain railway station. When planning your stay, you can decide whether you would like to focus on technology, the forest and traditional crafts, or hiking.

Railway technology and history

The Thuringian Mountain Railway opened in 1923. Its operator describes it as the world's steepest funicular railway for transporting standard-gauge railway cars, a distinction it still holds today. At the mountain station in Lichtenhain, the Maschinarium offers an interactive insight into the railway's technology. Visitors can explore the engine house, including its drive system, drive wheels, motors and brakes. The way the system works, its technology and its special features are explained interactively at various stations. This presents the railway's historical context alongside its practical mechanics as two ways to explore it. The technical perspective focuses not only on history, but also on the components and their functions.

During the ride, passengers can discover herbs and Olitäten in the Olitätenwagen. This experience is seasonal and weather-dependent. If this part of the railway journey is important to you, check the passenger information for your travel dates.

Fröbelwald and forest themes

The Fröbelwald is Lichtenhain's forest experience area for children and is located right next to the mountain station. You can experience forest air, the sounds of nature and the natural environment using different senses. Information about the forest and its inhabitants, as well as the region's traditional crafts, adds to the nature experience. Unlike the Maschinarium, the focus here shifts: instead of the drive system, motors and brakes, the emphasis is on experiencing nature, the forest and local crafts. Sensory experiences and informative content give the Fröbelwald a different thematic focus from the interactive insight into railway technology.

ThüringenForst offers forest education tours for children's groups, focusing on forestry work and the forest. Arrange your visit in advance. Compared with the Fröbelwald, these tours focus on forestry work and forest education; the Fröbelwald combines experiencing nature with learning about forest inhabitants and traditional crafts.

Hiking and travel dates

The “In the Footsteps of the Hunchbacked Apothecaries” hiking trail starts and ends at Lichtenhain mountain railway station. In Lichtenhain, the nature park trail of the same name reaches the Thuringian Mountain Railway and the Fröbelwald. This links the hiking theme with the town's railway and forest attractions.

The service break is important when choosing your travel dates: due to maintenance work, the Thuringian Mountain Railway will be out of service from 13 July until mid-December 2026. Check the latest information before travelling. If a railway ride is an important part of your hotel stay, take this interruption into account when planning. The Olitätenwagen is also subject to seasonal and weather-dependent availability. You can plan your travel dates around the experiences described here that matter most to you.

Discover more destinations: Unterhain, Leutnitz, Schwarzburg, Saalfeld, Unterweißbach, Katzhütte, Deesbach, Rudolstadt

Return to the broader travel overview: Saalfeld-Rudolstadt.