Opened in 1971 as the Musée français du chemin de fer (French Railway Museum), the Cité du Train – Patrimoine SNCF describes itself as the largest railway museum in Europe: 60,000 m² and trains from 1844 to the TGV, in the Dornach district. It is about fifteen minutes by tram from our crêperie.
At a glance: open every day except 25 December. €16 adults, €12 for ages 4 to 17, Family Pass €48, free for under-4s. Allow 2.5 hours. Tram 3 or tram-train, "Musées" stop. Free parking.
A museum in three areas
- The Parcours Spectacle (indoors): 27 pieces of rolling stock staged with sound and light around six themes (holidays, the mountains, official trains, war, railway workers, the world of travel), from bare comfort to the luxury of the Wagons-Lits.
- The Quais de l'Histoire (indoors): 64 pieces of rolling stock over 13,000 m², from the oldest steam locomotive in the collection (1844) to the TGV.
- The Panorama Ferroviaire (outdoors): a reconstructed small station from the early 20th century, temporary exhibitions from April to October and TGVs and regional trains passing by in service. It closes 30 minutes before the museum.
Highlights
- The Buddicom no. 33 "Saint-Pierre" (1844), described as the oldest preserved steam locomotive in Europe.
- The 232 U 1 (1949), a steam locomotive that sets off every 30 minutes to show how the connecting rods work; a pit lets you see the underside of the engines.
- The presidential saloon car PR1 (1913), in the official trains area.
- The presidential Bugatti railcar (1933): a nod to the car museum, which displays cars of the same make.
- The BB 9291 in Capitole colours, the first commercial train to run at 200 km/h, from 1967, and the orange power car no. 61 of the TGV Sud-Est (1982), from the first generation of TGVs.
- The power car of TGV Atlantique 325, holder of the world speed records of 1989 (482.4 km/h) and 1990 (515.3 km/h), on display outdoors.
- The 1:5 scale model of locomotive 141 TC 701, built in 1930 in 80,000 hours of work, set in motion several times a day.
2026 prices
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Full price, 18 and over | €16 |
| Child, ages 4 to 17 | €12 |
| Reduced (students up to 26, jobseekers, disability card holders and one companion, SNCF railway staff) | €13 |
| Family Pass, 4 people (2 adults maximum, children aged 4 to 17) | €48 |
| Under 4 | Free |
| Guided tour | + €4 |
- On the first Wednesday of the month, adult and child tickets are half price.
- The Museums-PASS-Musées gives free entry to the museum, except during events.
- The Mulhouse City Pass (€20, €15 for ages 4 to 17, valid 3 days) includes entry to one site of your choice, the Cité du Train among them, and unlimited Soléa public transport.
Combined tickets
| Combined ticket | Adult | Child |
|---|---|---|
| Cité du Train + Electropolis | €24 | €16 |
| Cité du Train + Écomusée d'Alsace | €29 | €19 |
The ticket with Electropolis, the electricity museum 50 metres away, is sold only at the ticket desks and stays valid for 30 days, so you can visit the second museum on another day. Electropolis is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00–18:00, and closed in January. The ticket with the Écomusée d'Alsace, in Ungersheim, is valid until 3 January 2027; check the Écomusée's opening days.
Opening hours and length of visit
The Cité du Train is open every day except 25 December.
| Period | Hours |
|---|---|
| January to March | 10:00–17:00 |
| April to October | 10:00–18:00 |
| November and December | 10:00–17:00 |
The museum recommends 2.5 hours on average. Add Electropolis and it is a full day out.
Getting to the Cité du Train
- By tram: tram 3 (towards Lutterbach Gare) or tram-train (towards Thann St-Jacques), "Musées" stop. Allow about fifteen minutes from the Porte Jeune stop in the city centre. A ticket costs €1.60 (payable by bank card on board), and the Ticket Famille €5.20 for a return trip for 3 to 5 people.
- By car: A35 or A36, exit "Mulhouse Dornach". The large car park in front of the museum is free (unattended) and takes camper vans during opening hours. Address: 2 rue Alfred de Glehn.
- By bike: along the EuroVelo 6 cycle route.
- From Switzerland or Germany: all our tips in our day trip to Mulhouse from Basel or Freiburg.
Tips for a family visit
- Free activities: an activity booklet available at reception, the little electric train (subject to availability), the Mini-Express d'Alsace from April to October (weather permitting) and a "rail baptism" on a draisine at weekends and on public holidays, April to September.
- Climb aboard: a passenger coach and a metro motor car are open to visitors, as is a steam locomotive cab platform.
- The model room: a large animated model railway, set in motion for €1.
- Leaving is final: you can't go into town for lunch and come back on the same ticket. Visit in the morning, have lunch afterwards.
- No suitcases: large luggage and pets (except assistance dogs) are not allowed.
More ideas in Mulhouse with kids.
Lunch at the crêperie after your visit
Take tram 3 or the tram-train back towards Gare Centrale and get off at Porte Jeune (about fifteen minutes): Crêperie Crampous Mad is a few minutes' walk away, at 14 rue des Tondeurs, a few steps from Place de la Réunion.
We serve all day long, Tuesday to Thursday from 11:30 to 21:00 and Friday and Saturday from 11:30 to 21:30: after a visit from 10:00 to 12:30, you can have lunch without rushing. Closed on Sundays and Mondays.
- For children, Le Menu Bambin at €10 (up to age 10): a savoury galette, a sweet crêpe or a scoop of ice cream, and a drink.
- For parents, our 100% buckwheat, gluten-free galettes, such as La Complète (€10.50).
- For an afternoon snack, a hot chocolate (€3.80) and a Chocolat Crampous crêpe (€4.70).
- Takeaway: crêpes and galettes.
Discover our menu, book your table or call +33 3 89 45 79 43. Coming by car? See our guide to parking in Mulhouse.
Information checked in October 2026 on the websites of the Cité du Train (citedutrain.com), Soléa (solea.info) and the Mulhouse tourist office (tourisme-mulhouse.com). Opening hours and prices may change: please check them before your visit.