The Drachenfels Railway is a popular rack railway line in the North Rhine-Westphalia region of Germany. The line runs from Konigswinter to the summit of the Drachenfels (Dragon) mountain at an altitude of 948 ft. The journey takes visitors to the top of the Drachenfels Mountain and past the Schloss Drachenburg Villa, which is said to have inspired the castle in Disney’s Sleeping Beauty. The cute mint green trains are now electric but when the line was built in 1883, steam locomotives climbed the steep hill. The trains became electric in 1953. In the busy March-October period trains run every 30 minutes, with a less frequent service in November, January and February.
Prices from: €10
Departing from: Konigswinter station
Journey length: 1.5 kms
Drachenfels Cog Railway route
The journey on the Drachenfels Cog Railway starts at Konigswinter Station climbing up 948 feet to the top of Drachenfels Mountain, past Schloss Drachenburg Villa and on to the top of the mountain where you can see the dramatic ruins of Burg Drachenfels, a 12th century castle that was destroyed 500 years later. There are two terminal stations, Konigswinter Drachenfelsbahn and Drachenfels, a single intermediate station. You can buy single tickets for the journey or a return ticket that allows you to get off and on the train to visit Schloss Drachenburg Villa.
Drachenfels Cog Railway trains
The Drachenfels Railway runs a fleet of four four-wheel electric railcars which were built in the 1950s plus a new railcar built in 1979. They are double-ended but only have doors on one side as all the platforms are on the same side of the track. They operate singularly or in pairs, depending on customer demand.
Why we love it
These cute insta-friendly trains are a joy to travel on, taking the hard work out of climbing this steep mountain. Make sure you take a photo of yourself by the train for travel brownie points.