Riding the Zittauer Schmalspurbahn historic steam train from Zittau to Oybin was a highlight of my time in Germany. Steam locomotives have been taking passengers along this narrow-gauge rail line daily since the 1890s, and taking this iconic train journey in Saxony today truly feels like stepping back in time.
I couldn’t find much information about the Zittauer Schmalspurbahn in English when I was planning my own train trip, so I wanted to create a comprehensive guide for other travelers. I will walk you through where to catch the train, how to buy a ticket, what to expect on board and then what you can do when you arrive in Oybin. This will include the Oybin castle ruins, the town’s famous mountain church, and a few other things to do between steam train rides.
What is the Zittauer Schmalspurbahn?
The Zittauer Schmalspurbahn is a narrow gauge railway in Saxony that travels from Zittau to the spa towns of Oybin and Jonsdorf. The railway still uses steam-powered locomotives and occasionally other historic trains (like a 1915 train once owned by the Royal Saxon State Railways and a VT 137 322 Triebwagen from 1937) to create classic rail journeys specifically designed for day-trippers.
How to Ride the Zittau Narrow-Gauge Railway
To ride the Zittauer Schmalspurbahn steam train from Zittau to Oybin or Jonsdorf, you basically just need to get to Zittau in Saxony, Germany. This is most easily done by train from Dresden, but it’s also not far from Leipzig, Chemnitz and Görlitz. Then, it’s just a matter of buying your ticket, finding a seat on board and enjoying the journey!
Buying Your Ticket to Oybin
The Zittauer Schmalspurbahn train station and ticket office is directly beside the Zittau Hauptbahnhof train station, in the small white building shown above.
I visited the ticket office in Zittau the day before I traveled to Oybin to see if I needed to reserve or pre-purchase a ticket, and I was told that wasn’t necessary. So, I returned to the station the next morning about 30 minutes before the departure I wanted, queued for less than five minutes, and had a return ticket in hand.
For an adult, a return ticket from Zittau to Oybin costs €18. Children fourteen and under are free when traveling with a paying adult, and return tickets for older children between fifteen and seventeen cost €10.
Once you have your ticket you can go straight to the platform. If the train is already there you can just get on (no need to wait for permission). If the train hasn’t arrived yet, just wait until it pulls up and the passengers get off, then you can hop on and choose a seat. If the weather is nice you’ll need to be there half an hour early to snag one of the coveted seats in the open-air wagon. Otherwise, if you’re there at least 15 minutes early you should be able to find a seat somewhere on the train.
Seats on the Steam Train
The train journey from Zittau to Oybin takes about one hour, and the train makes eight very brief stops en route. At the Bertsdorf stop some travelers will get off the train and connect with a smaller train bound for nearby Jonsdorf, but most travelers stay on the Oybin train.
On the journey from Zittau to Oybin I sat in the open-air wagon, which is fully exposed to the elements. It is a two-four configuration, with pods of two seats facing one another on one side of the aisle, and pods of four on the other. As a solo traveler I sat in one of the pods of two, facing forward, and the seat opposite me remained free for most of the journey.
On the way back from Oybin to Zittau it was quite rainy, so I took a seat in one of the covered carriages. We kept the windows closed (to stay dry) but kept the doors open to keep cool air flowing through the warm wagon. If you sit at the end of the one of the wagons you can still have a good view out the door, even with the windows closed.
The train company advertises that all of their regularly-scheduled trains have a barrier-free carriage that is wheelchair accessible. Anyone with mobility limitations should be able to enjoy the ride, but do note that Oybin is not a particularly accessible town, as most attractions are up steep hills and old stairways (see below).
I believe that there was a restaurant or cafe cart on the train, but as a solo traveler with nobody to save my seat for me I didn’t get up and walk around to find it. If you’re not traveling solo you might be able to walk down the train to find it if you can’t wait an hour to reach your destination. I don’t think there was a bathroom on board the train.
Sights on the Steam Train
The trip will take you through the outskirts of Zittau, and then through the forest along the Neisse and Mandau Rivers. You’ll then see the town of Olbersdorf before the train stops in Bertsdorf, where some passengers change for the train to Jonsdorf but most stay on board as the train continues to Oybin.
Arrival in Oybin
There is a small train station in Oybin – it has a little cafe and a pay-per-use toilet (one fifty-cent coin is needed to unlock the door). If you look on the opposite side of the tracks from the station you’ll see a large rock formation – that is the hill upon which the town’s famous castle is located. As you’re looking at the rocks, the town center is to your left. Follow the signs for the castle and church to get there.
Things to Do in Oybin
There’s enough to keep you busy for a full day in Oybin, especially if you’re traveling with children who will be interested in some of the town’s simple, historical attractions.
The Oybin Castle Ruins (Oybin Berg)
The Oybin Castle is a fifteen to twenty minute walk from the train station, with half of the walk being through the flat town center and then half being uphill. There are two paths for the uphill section: a paved route that is mostly via stairs, or a dirt trail through the forest. The trail isn’t marked but it’s pretty obvious where to go.
During high season admission to the castle is €9, and there are discounts in low season and for children. Most visitors who come are German and Czech, but the woman at the ticket office was able to find an English brochure (including a map) for me.
Castle Ruins
Oybin Castle dates back to the fourteenth century, when a hilltop castle was constructed to help protect the town and traders passing through. Today, you enter the castle through three gates, stopping in the former servants’ quarters to buy your ticket.
From there, you enter the castle courtyard and the former residence buildings of the Kaiser. Some of the buildings and rooms are filled with exhibits (only in German and Czech) while others are left in their abandoned state. Every part of the castle complex offers sweeping views of the town and countryside below.
The castle experienced a major fire in the late 1500s and then a landslide in the 1600s, after which it was no longer used. It was left to be absorbed into nature for about 100 years, until an enterprising local set up a small cafe on the mountain and attracted artists and writers seeking inspiration from nature.
Cathedral Ruins
From the castle area you pass through a arrow walkway to reach the cathedral, which was built in the late 1300s in cooperation with the Prague Cathedral School. There are various chapels and crypts to enter, as well as a tower you can ascend (accessed from behind the church).
Walking Trail
There is also a walking trail called the “Path Around the Rock” that begins at the Oybin Castle. The beginning of the path is just past the mountain cemetery and the mountain inn (now the restaurant), beside the large rocks. The loop takes about twenty minutes and it’s flat, easy walking, but there are a few tight squeezes. This is where you’ll get the best views of the unique natural rock formations in Oybin.
From the walking trail you will be able to ascend to the north plateau, which is where the oldest fortifications are located. Here, there is a camera obscura, or a dark room where light enters via a pinhole opening and projects a scene onto the wall. Unfortunately it was closed at the time of my visit so I didn’t get to go inside.
Oybin Mountain Church
Separate from the ruins of the cathedral, Oybin also has a historic “mountain church”. You’ll pass it on the stairs up to the castle, and it’s free to enter. The wooden interior has been ornately decorated by local artists, with interior signage explaining the scenes painted on the walls.
I should mention that a sign indicated that you had to pay to take photos inside, but I didn’t see any staff or anywhere to leave money.
Other Things to Do in Oybin
For most adults, the hilltop castle and cathedral will take up most of your time in Oybin. However, if you’re traveling with children, I noticed a few other attractions that might pique their interest.
First, there is the Marchenspiel, which I believe is a sort of historic fairy tale garden that is also home to some mechanical scenes featuring hand-carved wooden figurines that children can move by turning cranks and pushing buttons. It is only open in high season.
Across the lane from the Marchenspiel there is Oybin Miniwelt, or the Miniature Museum of Upper Lusatia. Here, miniature models of typical local buildings, castles, townscapes and landmarks are on display.
Both attractions are open from Wednesday to Sunday during high season. During low season I wouldn’t expect to find either open.
The last attraction of note in Oybin is the Zittauer Schmalspurbahn Museum at the train station. It only costs €1 to visit the railway museum, which is full of exhibits about the history of the steam train. It’s open from May to October (closed on Mondays) and in low season it can be opened upon advance request for true train fanatics.
Hiking in Oybin
Many people visit Oybin for hiking vacations. I was just wearing my Birkenstock sandals so I didn’t venture too far into the woods, but I noticed lots of well-signed hiking routes and found several trip reports online from people who have hiked in the area.
Apps like AllTrails will give you a variety of options starting from Oybin, as well as from other stations along the train line. The tourist information office in town can point you in the right direction, and they may also be able to connect you with a local guide if you’d prefer to hike with someone who knows the area. Just keep in mind that Oybin is famous for its mountains, so any hike is likely to have significant altitude gains.
Oybin The Health Resort
You will often find Oybin referred to as a “health resort” or a “spa town”. However, when you arrive in town it’s hard to see much evidence of healing therapies (much less indulgent ones!).
Through my research I learned that this is a bit of a mistranslation of the German word kurort. A kurort is a village, town or city that is designated to have beneficial health properties for visitors. In most case it’s because there are thermal waters that can be visited in a spa or swimming pool, but in some places it’s simply because of the fresh air and immersion in nature.
Oybin falls into the latter category, so don’t expect to be able to book luxurious spa treatments or couples massages. The closest thing you’re likely to find is Naturparkhotel Haus Hubertus, which does have some basic health and beauty treatments, as well as healthy eating programs and even a therapeutic fasting program.
Bonus Oybin Trip Planning Advice
I’ve got a few extra tips about transportation, food and accommodation that will hopefully make your trip on the steam train to Oybin go a bit more smoothly!
Zittauer Schmalspurbahn Schedules
The best place to find current train schedules is on the railway’s official website. There are frequent daily departures during the high season and limited departures during the low season. Times listed in black are daily departures, and times listed in red are additional weekend departures.
Buses to Oybin
If you miss the train or it’s not operating for extraordinary reasons, you can take a bus from Zittau to Oybin (and back). Current schedules are usually posted here.
Food & Drink in Oybin
I wasn’t confident that I would find good vegetarian food in Oybin, so instead I chose to pack a picnic lunch for my day on the steam train. There is a great takeaway restaurant in Zittau called GenussSchmuggler that does daily wraps, sandwiches and salads, always with some vegan and vegetarian options. Over my three days in Zittau I tried a wrap, a sandwich and a salad, and they were all really good.
You’ll find their current weekly menu at the link above. They open at 10:30 am, which is enough time to make the 11:00 train to Oybin or if your hotel room has a fridge you can pick up something the day before.
Otherwise, there a few places to eat typical German cuisine in Oybin. There was a small cafe at the station, a snack bar near the central parking lot and a few open restaurants along Hauptstrasse, on the way to the castle. There was also a quick-service restaurant inside the castle, serving soft ice cream, fries, langos (deep-fried bread), goulash and beer.
Hotels in Oybin
I can’t imagine that Oybin is a very happening place in the evening, so you’d only need to think about staying overnight here if you’re coming by car and it’s convenient, you miss the last train (and bus) back to Zittau, or you’re staying for a few days to hike in the surrounding mountains. The hotels I saw that looked interesting were:
- Naturparkhotel Haus Hubertus – As I mentioned, they do offer a few wellness treatments and serve healthy meals.
- Hotel Am Berg Oybin – This is located right beside the train station, so it would be easy to hop on board to visit Jonsdorf on your second day in the area.
- Oberlausitzer Ferienhaus Gebirgshäusl – If you’re staying in town for five nights or more, this three-bedroom vacation rental has wonderful reviews.
- Hotel Oybiner Hof – Situated right in the center of town at the base of the mountain, this hotel has ample parking and an unbeatable location.
Where to Stay in Zittau
Personally, I think it makes more sense to stay in Zittau and to visit Oybin as a day trip. It’s easier in terms of transportation by bus and train, and there are certainly more things to do in Zittau. Here are some places to consider:
- Hotel Zittauer Hof – I stayed in this twelve-room hotel right on the new market square. It’s an easy walk from the train station, or an even easier bus ride!
- Hotel Sonne – Located inside heritage building on the historic market square, Hotel Sonne is a four-star hotel with rooms recently updated by an international architecture firm.
- This Apartment Rental With a Really Long Name – You might think you’re in a ski chalet in this wood-beamed apartment decorated with both modern and historic touches.
If you love steam trains then check out my one-month Romania itinerary, which includes a section on riding a similar historic steam train into the Maramures mountains.
Otherwise, here are a few more of my Saxony travel guides:
🗺️ How to Spend Two Days in Dresden, Germany
🚃 How to Ride the Funicular & Suspension Railways in Dresden
🪨 The 10 Best Things to Do in Freiberg, Saxony
🫛 The Best Vegetarian Restaurants in Leipzig
💎 Terra Mineralia in Freiberg: The World’s Best Gemstone Museum
🍷 A Guide to Weinfest Chemnitz (The Secret German Wine Festival)
🏰 How to Visit Schloss Glauchau Castle in Saxony
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