We have expanded the overview of the activities of the public transport and tram museums by Switzerland. An overview for Germany and Austria is already available here:
https://www.urban-transport-magazine.com/museen-sammlungen-und-regelmaessige-fahrten-in-deutschland-und-oesterreich/
In many cases, opening times and travel dates are still unclear due to the restrictions that still persist. Before all visits, please check the websites of the organizers, which may refer to short-term changes.
For the sake of completeness, our overview also includes some museums of the numerous Swiss small and interurban railways. The information was gathered in weeks of deep research. The editors would like to thank all museum railways, associations and transport companies for their support. Despite all care, it cannot be ruled out that we have made mistakes or that some information is out of date. If we have any corrections or additions, please feel free to send them to us: redaktion@urban-transport-magazine.com
Switzerland
Basel
Tram Museum Basel
Location: Basel
Opening days: 15.08., 19.09., 17.10.2021
Activities: Enjoy 125 years of Basel tram history with insights into everything that is part of public transport. The museum is showcasing historical tram cars which tell many anecdotes. On the realistic tram simulator, everyone can pilot a modern tram through the city themselves. Round off your visit with a classic car ride on Museum Line 7, which runs during opening hours – an experience for the whole family!
Please check the museum website regarding the latest changes regaring opening times and events (link see below).
Weblink: https://www.trammuseum-basel.ch
Picture gallery (please click to enlarge):
Bern
Tram Club Bern/ BERNMOBIL historique
Location: The historical tram tours start at the Bern railway station (Schwanengasse)
Operating days 2021: various special trips until October 2021, pls. refer to Weblink
Activities: Classic car rides with historical tram trains and classic car buses, regularly once a month from March and December, on different routes in the city of Bern. The BERMOBIL historique Foundation receives around 30 historic tram and bus vehicles, from the steam tram built in 1894 to the high-floor articulated tram from 1973 and from the oldest operational city bus in Switzerland (1924) to the articulated bus from 1977.
Weblinks:
http://bernmobil-historique.ch
http://www.trittbrett.ch/trammverein-bern/tram-museum/index.php
Picture gallery (please click to enlarge):
Historical railway club Solothurn – Bern
Location: Bahnhistorischer Verein Solothurn – Bern, c/o Stefan Paschke, Fischerweg 17, 3012 Berne
Opening days 2021: no opening days this year
Activities: The association has several Solothurn – Zollikofen – Bern-Bahn (SZB) vehicles and is restoring them. Exhibition days and special trips are currently unknown.
Weblink: http://www.solothurn-bern.ch/
Blonay
Rural railway Blonay – Chamby
Location: Railway station Blonay (Blonay Gare), 1807 Blonay (the museum can only be reached by train)
Opening days 2021: every saturday and sunday until 31 October
Activities: Museum and operation with historic steam locomotives and electric railcars. The collection of vehicles built in meter gauge between 1870 and 1940 is considered one of the most complete and representative in all of Europe.
Weblink: http://blonay-chamby.ch/de/home-d/
Picture gallery (please click to enlarge):
Egg (near Zürich)
Verein zur Förderung historischer Forchbahnfahrzeuge
Location: Egg – currently no historical tours taking place
Operating days 2021: currently no historical tours taking place
Activities: Historical operation with Forchbahn oldtimer vehicles.
Weblink: http://www.vhf-egg.ch/
Picture gallery (please click to open):
Engi
Association Sernftalbahn
Location: Station Engi-Vorderdorf, Sernftalstrasse 17, 8765 Engi
Opening days 2021: The Sernftalbahn museum remains closed due to the current situation.
Activities: Vehicle collection and museum
Weblink:
http://www.sernftalbahn.ch/sernftalbahn.ch/Home.html
Fribourg
Club du tramway de Fribourg (CTF / TCF)
Location: Fribourg
Opening days 2021: Pls. refer to weblink
Activities: Collection of historical trams, trolleybuses and buses
Weblink: http://www.fritram.org/wp/
Picture gallery (please click to enlarge):
Geneva/ Genève:
AGMT (Association Genevoise du Musée des Tramways) – Tram Club Geneva
Location: historical tram tours on the tram network between Cornavin, Plainpalais, Carouge and Lancy via the city centre
Operating days 2021: 05.09., 07.10., 07.11., 26.11., 17.12.2021
Activities: Operation of historical trams from April until October and historical walking tours
Weblink: https://www.agmt.ch
Lausanne
Association Rétrobus Léman
Location: Lausanne, currently no opening days known
Opening days 2021: currently no opening days known
Activities: Historical tours and collection of trolleybuses and buses
Weblink: http://www.retrobus.ch/
Picture gallery (please click to enlarge):
Trolleybus history in Lausanne: On the left, the 565 car built by FBW / EGGLI / BBC in 1963-1964 next to car 5 from FBW / EGGLI / BBC from 1937-1938 I © Association Rétrobus Léman One of the oldest trolleybuses in Switzerland: Car No. 2 from 1932, built by FBW / SWS / BBC I © Association Rétrobus Léman
Luzern
VBL Historic (Verkehrsbetriebe Luzern AG)
Location: Luzern
Opening days 2021: no operations planned
Activities: Historical tours with trolleybuses and buses
Weblink:
https://www.vbl-historic.ch/clubdesk/www
Swiss Museum of Transport
Location: Lidostrasse 5, 6006 Luzern
Opening days: Daily: Summer time 10 – 18h00 Uhr / Winter time 10 – 17h00
Activities: The Swiss Transport Museum in Lucerne covers all areas of rail transport, road transport, shipping, aerospace, cable cars and tourism as well as the numerous achievements of the transport system in Switzerland. With various simulators, themed islands and original objects, visitors can immerse themselves in the fascinating and moving history of transport: on land, on water, in the air and in space.
Weblink: https://www.verkehrshaus.ch/en/home.html
Melchnau
Swiss Narrow Gauge Railway Club/ Amis des petits trains suisses
Location: Depot Melchnau; Postal address: Freunde Schweizer Schmalspurbahnen, Postfach, 4901 Langenthal
Opneing days: 16.10.2021
Activities: The Friends of Swiss Narrow Gauge Railways Association was founded in 1997 by railroad fans in Uster ZH. With the arrival of the “Melchnauerlis” Ce 2/2 14 of the LMB and the later purchase of the former LMB depot in Melchnau, the club’s headquarters were relocated to Melchnau in the canton of Bern.
Weblink: https://fss-verein.ch/
Picture gallery (please click to enlarge):
The motor car of the Frauenfeld – Wil Bahn BCe 2/4 No. 1, parked in a protected place in a hall rented by the FSS. The FSS also owns narrow-gauge passenger and freight cars of this railway I © FSS The club’s own depot in Melchnau with the former “Melchnauerli” railcar Ce2 / 2 14 of the LMB railway I © FSS that is being processed
Neuchâtel
Tram Museum Neuchâtel
Location: chemin des Isles 33, 2015 Areuse
Opening days: 15.08., 05.09., 03.10.2021
Activities: Museum and historical tram operation on the route of the interurban tram between Neuchâtel and Boudry with the two-axle tram car, SIG year of construction 1922
Weblinks:
https://www.j3l.ch/en/P33490/tramway-museum
Picture gallery (please click to enlarge):
Vehicle parade in Neuchâtel: the historic car 73 from 1922, Be 4/4 from 1981 and the successor from St. Gallen (ex Trogenerbahn / Appenzeller Bahnen) I © Tram Museum Neuchâtel Tram car 73 in front of the tram museum I © Tram Museum Neuchâtel The tram museum is connected to the interurban tram Neuchâtel – Boudry I © Tram Museum Neuchâtel The tram museum organises regular events I © Tram Museum Neuchâtel
Wasserauen/ Appenzeller Land
Historical depot in Wasserauen/ Museum of the Appenzell Railways in Wasserauen
Location: Station Wasserauen
Opening days 2021: Saturdays and Sundays from April until Oktober; 11h00 – 17h00, operation of the historic train of the Appenzellerbahn on various weekends until December 2021
Activities: The aim of the Appenzell railway museum is to make the history of the Appenzeller Bahnen accessible to all visitors. For this purpose, the museum association collects and preserves documentation and objects. The museum shows them in an exhibition together with historical vehicles in the former depot of the Säntisbahnen in Wasserauen. The exhibition changes annually and always follows a specific theme. Further information on the Museum of the Appenzeller Bahnen can be found here. In addition, nostalgia trips take place on the Appenzeller Bahnen route network.
Weblink:
https://appenzellerbahnen.ch/de/index/erlebnisse/nostalgiefahrten/museum-wasserauen.html
https://appenzellerbahnen.ch/de/erlebnisangebote/oeffentliche-erlebnisfahrten.html
Picture gallery (please click to enlarge):
Winterthur
Trolley Club Switzerland/ Club suisse du trolleybus
Location: Club suisse du trolleybus, case postale 55, 8402 Winterthour
Opening days 2021: no events planned
Activities: The Trolleybus Club Switzerland (TVS) is committed to the preservation of historic trolleybuses in Switzerland. The club has currently have nine trolleybuses, a passenger trailer and a company vehicle from six Swiss trolleybus cities. In addition to the refurbishment of our classic cars, this also includes the organization of events and special trips.
Weblink: http://www.trolleybus.ch/de/index
Zugerland
Träger des Vereins Zuger Depot Technikgeschichte/ Orion-Club Zugerland, c/o Zugerland-Verkehrsbetriebe
Location: Zuger Depot Technikgeschichte, Neuheim (ZDT), Sihlbruggstrasse 51, 6345 Neuheim
Opening days: 11/09/2021, individual visits are possible for groups
Activities: Collection of rail and road vehicles
Weblink: http://www.zdt.ch/orion-club/
Zürich
Tram Museum Zürich
Location: Zürich: Tram-Museum Zürich, Forchstrasse 260, 8008 Zürich
Opening days: Mondays, wednesdays, saturdays and sundays from 13h00 – 18h00; operation on the historical tram line 21 on the last weekend of each month (excl. December)
Activities: Museum and historical tram operation on line 21. The museum also offers digital tours: https://artonair.tv/programs/tram-museum
Weblink: https://www.tram-museum.ch/de
Picture gallery (please click to enlarge):
Parade (from left to right) of Mirage Be 4/6, Kurbeli Ce 4/4, Karpfen Be 4/4 and Mirage Trams) I © Christoph Wehrli Ce 2/2 tram Nr. 1, built in 1928 with trailer car I © Tram Museum Zürich Four-axle Kurbeli tram type Ce 4/4 with trailer car, built in 1950 I © Tram Museum Zürich The tram museum offers some spectacular insights into tram history and technology I © Tram Museum Zürich
Verein Aktion Pro Sächsitram
Location: Historical tram operation between Zurich Central Station (Hauptbahnhof) and the zoo
Operating days: see Weblink
Activities: Historical tram operations on line
Weblink:http://www.6-tram.ch