European public transport museum reviews

Basics::
Address: Am Bavariapark 5, 80339 Munich, Germany
Web: http://www.deutsches-museum.de/en/verkehrszentrum/information/
Opening times: Daily except public holidays 0900-1700
Admission: Adults six euros, children 3 euros

Visit date: June 2016

Access by public transport: U-Bahn U4/5 to Schwanthalerhöhe, bus 134 to Theresienhöhe.

Collection: This is the land transport collection of Munich's gigantic Deutsches Museum of science and technology, covering all forms of land transportation, both private and public. The public transportation collection includes 4 steam locomotives, 3 electric locomotives, 1 steam railcar, 4 EMU cars, 3 passenger carriages, 2 freight wagons, 4 tramcars, 2 buses, and 1 trolleybus. Highlights include an original steam railcar from the Pilatus rack railway, the steepest non-cable railway in the world; the Grand-Ducal Oldenburg State Railway 0-4-0 no. 11 "Landwührden", the first locomotive manufactured by the Krauss company; the Royal Bavarian State Railway class 53/6 4-6-2 no. 3634; and a driving motor car from the prototype ICE high-speed train unit. As well as the public transport exhibits, there are many private cars also on display.

Presentation: The museum occupies the former trade fair halls of Munich, divided into three sections, covering "Traffic and City Transport", "Travel", and "Transport and Technology". All the exhibits are static and labelled in a mixture of German and English. The "Travel" section is historically arranged to cover the development over the years of long-distance land travel, both technologically and socially, while the other two halls are more thematically arranged. The museum is definitely recommended if you are in the region.

Basics:

Address: Ludwig-Koeßler-Platz, 1030 Vienna
Web: www.wienerlinien.at/eportal2/ep/channelView.do/pageTypeId/66526/channelId/-46636
Opening times: Wednesday 0900-1800; Saturday, Sunday and public holidays 1000-1800
Admission: €6 adult, €5 reduced, €4 under 19, €3 under 19 reduced, free under 15

Visit date: September 2014

Access by public transport: U-Bahn U3 from city centre or tram line 18 from Hauptbahnhof to Schlacthausgasse, bus 77A or 80A from Prater area to Ludwig-Koeßler-Platz

Collection: On display on opening day:
1 horse tram
1 steam tram engine with trailer
4 motor buses
25 electric tramcars (motor and trailer)
6 Stadtbahn cars
4 tramway works vehicles
2 tramway freight vehicles
1 U-Bahn car

It is possible that some of the vehicles being used for heritage tram and bus service on the opening day will normally be on display in the museum as well as these.

Presentation: A former tramway depot with vehicles displayed on the original floor and slightly elevated stands or kiosks for informative displays and small exhibits. The main introductory paragraphs in the display stands and all vehicle labels are in both German and English, other display text in German only. Some of the display areas are slightly cramped, but otherwise this is a fascinating and informative city transport museum of world-class standard. At the time of the visit, no museum guide was available, although a 2009 hardback guide to the collection, "Sammlung Wiener-Tramwaymuseum", is available from online sellers.