First Weekend of the Season: New Attractions Await at the ČD Museum in Lužná

On the last weekend in April, the ČD Museum in Lužná near Rakovník, Czech Republic, will open for the first time this year.

Visitors will be offered rides on the newly extended narrow gauge track in the museum grounds, rides on the historic train with the steam locomotive "Kafemlejnek" from Lužná to Rakovník, Krupa, and Řevničov, and, of course, tours of the museum's exhibitions with a unique collection of historic vehicles. During the season, the ČD Museum is planning several themed weekends and several historical rides for railway fans.

One of the main novelties of this season at the ČD Museum in Lužná u Rakovníka is the extension of the narrow gauge museum track with a gauge of 800 mm. "The 800 mm gauge track now leads to the entrance of the museum," says Marek Plochý, Director of the Czech Railways Historical Vehicle Centre, and adds, "During the opening weekend, both diesel and steam trains will take visitors on the narrow gauge circuit."

Tickets for the narrow-gauge trains will be on sale at the museum ticket office and the price will be EUR 1.99 (CZK 50) for a motor train and EUR 2.80 (CZK 70) for a steam train. Train timetables will be posted at the ticket office and on the narrow gauge platform.

During the weekend there will also be rides by a historical train led by the steam locomotive "Kafemlejnek." On both days of the weekend, it will take passengers from Lužná u Rakovníka to Rakovník (departures from Lužná at 9:00 and 15:45), to Krupa (departure from Lužná at 11:00), and Řevničov (departure from Lužná at 12:55). Only return tickets will be sold on these trains for EUR 8 (CZK 200) for adults and EUR 6.50 (CZK 160) for children. Tickets will be sold by train staff.

The ČD Museum in Lužná near Rakovník displays the largest collection of steam locomotives on the Czech territory, some of which date back to the Austro-Hungarian period. Visitors can also see historic motor locomotives, diesel or electric locomotives, period passenger and freight cars, and many other interesting exhibits from railway operations.

A gift will be prepared for the first hundred visitors who arrive at the opening weekend of the ČD Museum. They will receive a printed Book Timetable 2024, published by Avizer, the operator of the zdopravy.cz transport server.

Events at the ČD Museum during the 2024 tourist season The themed weekends in the ČD Museum have long been very popular. "We are preparing them for this year as well, and the first of them is coming up in just a fortnight on the weekend of 11 and 12 May, when we are planning a Steam Weekend. Visitors can look forward to a parade of steam locomotives on the turntable, a ride on a historic train from Prague to Lužná, and a visit to the surroundings of the Railway Museum. For railway connoisseurs, there will be a night photography opportunity on Saturday," invites Marek Plochý, the director of the ČD Museum, to another important event.

Other events will follow. On Friday, 17 May, as part of the Museum Night, it will be possible to visit the museum in the evening and experience the extraordinary atmosphere in the depot in the early evening, on the weekend of 20 and 21 July there will be a meeting of cabooses, on 17 and 18 August there will be a Model Weekend, where not only railway modelers will present themselves, and on 5 and 6 October fans of motor locomotives Hektor will be in for a treat. The museum will close its doors on 27 October. A new feature will be the St. Nicholas train rides around the museum on 7 December.

In addition, various nostalgic journeys from the ČD Museum have been prepared for several weekends, e.g. on 22 June, a special train will set off for Bochov, on 6 July, a steam train will travel along the Berounka Valley to Nižbor, and on 7 July a steam train will set off on the line to Kolešovice. These journeys will also be repeated on 3 and 4 August. On 9 and 23 July, and then on 6 and 20 August, there will also be rides on the historic motor train to Kralovice. Every holiday Wednesday, i.e., throughout July and August, those interested will ride special nostalgic trains to the depository of the National Technical Museum in Chomutov. In one day it will be possible to see two of the most interesting railway exhibitions in our country and enjoy a ride on a historic motor car.

Source: České drahy Press Releases