Visit the Cité du Train in Mulhouse

Published on 2024-10-23

The Cité du Train is one of Mulhouse's must-see museums. This museum houses a very impressive collection of trains from all eras: in fact, the Cité du Train is the largest railway museum in Europe, no less! Let me introduce you to it in this blog post.

Laurène

Laurène is the blog's creator. Originally from Brittany but now living in Alsace, she has fallen in love with her adopted region and loves exploring its every nook and cranny to unearth great ideas to share with you!

My summary

I liked

Superb collection of trains from all eras
The “Parcours spectacle” room and its staging
Numerous activities and events

I liked less

The “Quays of History” section is a little duller for non-fans.

Why a Cité du train in Mulhouse?

The French Railway Museum was founded thanks to the passion of Jean-Mathis Horrenberger, an industrialist from Mulhouse. Supported by the city of Mulhouse, the Société Industrielle de Mulhouse, the French Ministry of Transport and the SNCF, he collaborated with railway specialist Michel Doerr to develop the collection. The museum opened in 1971 in Mulhouse Nord under the name Musée français du chemin de fer, then moved to Dornach in 1976, where it remains today.

In 2005, it became the Cité du Train, with a complete renovation incorporating interactive staging and a vast collection of railway equipment to enrich the visitor experience. Its vocation is to preserve and present the historical treasures of the French railway network.

An exceptional collection

The Cité du Train is home to one of the world’s largest and most varied collections, with over 100 locomotives and 200 rolling stock exhibited over an area of almost 60,000 m². The collection includes steam locomotives, diesel trains and electric trains, as well as luxury wagons, railcars and even presidential carriages. It’s a journey through time, showing the technical and industrial evolution of French rail transport since 1844.

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Different spaces

The museum is divided into several sections to offer visitors a complete and educational immersion experience:

The show trail features trains from different eras and with different themes, allowing you to climb aboard some of the trains, admire reconstructions made inside the carriages, and watch short films placing the trains in their period of use. The space is beautiful, and you’re immediately immersed in the different atmospheres described! This was my favorite part.

Les Quais de l’Histoire (The History Quays ): a chronological tour of the major milestones in French railway history, from 1844 to the present day. Enthusiasts can take in every technical detail, while average visitors (like me) can simply admire the trains and discover their evolution. Explanatory panels and short films are provided to aid understanding, which is very useful and makes the visit really interesting.

The Railway Panorama: outside the museum are several tracks featuring life-size trains. This is a dynamic area where demonstrations can be organized, notably of steam locomotives in operation. Visitors can also climb aboard some of the trains to see them from the inside.

Lots of entertainment and events!

The Cité du Train offers a wide range of activities: you can take a tour of the museum on a miniature train pulled by a small steam locomotive (I say “on” because you’re sitting astride it!), admire a steam locomotive being set in motion, or watch the museum’s huge model railway come to life (really take the time to observe it, there are some very funny details hidden away in this model!) On some days, you can even try your hand at train driving!

You can also take part in an escape game, open daily with prior reservation.

Finally, the Cité du Train regularly organizes temporary exhibitions on specific themes, as well as a wide variety of cultural and entertainment events. Don’t hesitate to consult the agenda!