Lichtenhain: Mountain Railway, Fröbel Forest and Maschinarium

When planning a stay in Lichtenhain, the mountain station of the Thuringian Mountain Railway offers several different highlights: Fröbel Forest as a nature experience, the Maschinarium with insights into railway technology, and a ride along a historic route. A hiking trail also begins and ends at the mountain railway station. When choosing accommodation, it may help to consider in advance whether forests, technology, hiking or the railway itself will shape your stay. If you are planning a railway journey, you should also take into account the temporary service interruption in 2026.

Nature and railway technology at the mountain station

Fröbel Forest is located right next to the mountain station in Lichtenhain and is Lichtenhain’s forest adventure area for children. Visitors can experience the fresh forest air, sounds of nature and the natural world through various senses. The offerings also include interesting facts about the forest and its inhabitants, as well as the region’s traditional crafts. Nature and regional topics therefore give the visit its own focus. For a trip with children, the explicit description of Fröbel Forest as a children’s attraction is a useful point of reference.

The Maschinarium at the mountain station offers a different focus: it provides an interactive insight into the technology of the mountain railway. The main features are the engine house and its drive system, the traction sheaves, motors and brakes. At various stations, the railway’s function, technology and special features are explained interactively. This lets you explore individual technical components as well as how they work together within the mountain railway. In contrast to the nature experience at Fröbel Forest, a visit here focuses on the technical side of the route.

The route and a ride on the Thuringian Mountain Railway

The Thuringian Mountain Railway opened in 1923. Its operator still describes it as the world’s steepest funicular railway for transporting standard-gauge railway cars. Two historic ET 479 electric railcars run from Lichtenhain mountain station via Oberweißbach to Cursdorf. The route and the technology explained at the Maschinarium offer different perspectives on the same mountain railway: one focuses on its connection between the places mentioned, the other on its technical components.

The operator’s notice announces a suspension of Thuringian Mountain Railway services from July 13 to mid-December 2026 for maintenance work. If a ride is part of your plans, check the current service status before you travel. This lets you take the railway journey into account when choosing your travel dates, without planning it during the announced interruption.

Passengers can discover herbs and Olitäten (traditional herbal remedies) in the Olitätenwagen during the ride. This experience is seasonal and weather-dependent. If this particular part of the journey interests you, factor the relevant conditions into your plans and check the latest information. The Olitätenwagen adds a special theme to the route, but because it is available seasonally and depends on the weather, you should not assume it is offered in the same way all year round.

Hiking trail and group activities

The “In the Footsteps of the Buckelapotheker” hiking trail begins and ends at Lichtenhain mountain railway station. The nature park trail of the same name reaches the Thuringian Mountain Railway and Fröbel Forest in Lichtenhain. This establishes both the hiking trail’s start and end point and the destinations it reaches there. Check local information about the trail before setting out.

For children’s groups, ThüringenForst offers forest education tours about forestry work and the forest. These tours require an appointment. If you are travelling with a children’s group and would like to include this activity, arrange a time with the provider before your visit. This distinguishes the organised activity from visits planned without a scheduled guided tour.

The experiences described offer different reasons to include Lichtenhain in your stay: nature at Fröbel Forest, technical insights at the Maschinarium, the historic mountain railway and the hiking trail mentioned here. Which of these shapes your plans depends on what you want to focus on during your visit. When looking for an overnight stay, you can choose Lichtenhain as your destination and include your planned visits and the current railway status in your further planning.

Discover more destinations: Barigau, Lichte, Unterweißbach, Deesbach, Gräfenthal, Probstzella, Cursdorf, Leutenberg

Back to the overview of the wider travel region: Saalfeld-Rudolstadt.