Celebrating 175 years of German railways

This year, Germany is celebrating the historic occasion on 7 December 1835 when the Adler locomotive first chugged its way along 7.5 kilometres of track from Nuremberg to Fürth.

175 years on, numerous high-profile events are being held throughout Germany to commemorate this landmark event.

Nuremberg is the main venue for the anniversary celebrations. The city in northern Bavaria is steaming ahead until the end of the year with a broad-ranging programme of events. These include exhibitions on a huge range of railway-related topics, one-off trips in a faithful replica of the Adler and many other historical trains, and themed guided tours. All of this is making 2010 a railway year for more than just enthusiasts (nuernberg.de/internet/bahnjahr2010).

One highlight is the Planet Eisenbahn (Planet Rail) exhibition, which runs from 7 July 2010 to 27 February 2011 at the Deutsche Bahn Museum in Nuremberg and tells the story of the world's railways. Who financed the construction of the rail networks in America and Asia? Who pioneered high-speed train travel in France and Japan? And what does the future hold for railways? These questions and many more are answered by a multitude of fascinating exhibits and exciting installations. The Deutsche Bahn Museum will also be home to the 'Adler, Rocket & Co.' exhibition from 6 August to 31 October 2010. Trailblazing locomotives from all over Europe will be on display (dbmuseum.de).

The anniversary is also being celebrated in other German cities. In June this year, the German railway provider Deutsche Bahn embarked on a commemorative national tour. Until the beginning of November, the tour will be stopping at 16 major train stations across the country and inviting people to join in the celebrations for one whole Sunday. Visitors can expect a packed programme of fun and games and information about the railways (deutschebahn.com).

The full anniversary calendar is available at planet-eisenbahn.de. Hamburg, Aachen, Osnabrück and Berlin are among the main venues. But in all regions, Germany's railway heritage is being brought to life in new and exciting ways until the end of the year.

Beyond the anniversary celebrations, however, there is still plenty on offer for enthusiasts at year-round museums and exhibitions. The Eisenbahnwelten (Railway Worlds), for example, in the resort of Rathen in eastern Germany has a fine display of LGB model railways for all ages to enjoy. Most of the landscapes through which the miniature trains run are typical of those around Dresden and the Saxon Switzerland mountains. The 25 to 30 trains in constant operation have to climb around 4.2 metres in total (eisenbahnwelten-rathen.de).

For all holidaymakers in Hamburg, a visit to the Wunderland miniature world is a must. Since opening in the year 2000, the model railway exhibition has established itself as a favourite among tourists in the Hanseatic city. Currently, some 830 model trains whizz around on 12 kilometres of track in an area covering 1,150 square metres. The whole operation is controlled by a total of 40 computers, while 185 members of staff ensure that everything runs smoothly. The trains pass by miniature versions of Hamburg's main attractions and take visitors on a scaled-down journey of discovery around the continents (miniatur-wunderland.de).

For more information visit: germany.travel