Döllnitzbahn - narrow-gauge railway "Wilder Robert"

The roots of the narrow-gauge railway go back a long way in history. While countless industrial companies settled in the Saxon metropolitan areas of Leipzig, Dresden and Chemnitz in the second half of the 19th century, the areas of central and northern Saxony were primarily characterized by agriculture. In the area around Mügeln, the history of the railway and thus the industrial development of the region began in 1884 with a provisionally set up beet transport. Over time, the route network of the small narrow-gauge railway was continually expanded and reached its greatest extent at 91,7 km. The "Wild Robert" not only transported agricultural products, but also kaolin until 2001, which is still mined in nearby Kemmlitz today. The transport of kaolin by the narrow-gauge railway ensured its existence for 98 years and was the main transported goods for many decades. In 1994, Döllnitzbahn GmbH took over operations on the 20 km long route between Oschatz, Mügeln and Glossen/Kemmlitz from the Deutsche Reichsbahn.

Today, the Döllnitz Railway performs its tasks just as reliably as it did over 130 years ago. With its steam and diesel locomotives, the narrow-gauge railway is one of the most important tourism factors in the region. It is not only an attraction for railway enthusiasts, no, entire generations have grown up with and are familiar with the puffing sound.

The journey with the "Wild Robert" begins in Oschatz. It travels along the Döllnitz river, past the O-Schatz Park and the Rosenthal. After a 20-minute journey, the Döllnitzbahn leaves the small town of Oschatz in the direction of Mügeln and delves into the meadows and floodplains of the Döllnitz valley. After a journey of around 15 km, passengers reach what was once Germany's largest narrow-gauge railway station in Mügeln. Once there, there is time for a short rest and the opportunity to explore the station a little more closely. The train then sets off again on a narrow gauge train to Glossen. Here, on certain days, it is possible to change to the historic field railway. On the return journey to Oschatz, guests once again experience the fascination of narrow-gauge railways between tradition and the future.

On selected weekends and holidays, as well as at special events, the romance of the railway invites you to enjoy it. Events for families, such as the Easter and Whitsun trips, the station festival and the Halloween trips, are particularly popular and attract numerous passengers from near and far. On the Open Monument Day in September, interested parties can get an informative look behind the scenes of the Döllnitz Railway. Trips to the Mügeln Christmas market kick off the Advent season. The year comes to a comfortable end with a hot mug of mulled wine and trips through the hopefully snowy landscape.

Adventure tips along the route:

• Feldbahnschauanlage Glossen eV
• Geoportal Erlebniswelt Kaolin
• O-Schatz-Park
• Railway Postcard Museum in the Oschatz South Station
• model railway exhibition at the Oschatz South Station
• City and Scale Museum
• tower keeper's apartment in the church of St. Aegidien