The Harz Steam Adventure

A final blast of steam in the wild heart of the Harz Mountains — before the railway falls silent.

Experience the sights and sounds of steam and famed German Plandampf over the rural Selketalbahn, part of the Harz Mountains narrow-gauge railway network. This scenic metre-gauge line, running from Quedlinburg via Alexisbad to Eisfelder Talmühle, is scheduled to close from 5 April 2027 for extensive engineering works and modernisation, with disruption expected to last at least two and a half years. Whether steam and Plandampf will return afterwards remains uncertain. Join us for a last blast of steam behind the iconic 2-10-2 tank engines on a railway renowned for its steep gradients, remote valleys and long, lonely stretches of track across the vast German hinterland. A rare opportunity to experience this distinctive railway atmosphere before the line enters a prolonged period of change.

• This tour is conveniently based at the 4-start Hotel HKK in Wernigerode throughout and includes the hotel’s famed buffet dinner each night.
• Make the most of your 3-Day HSB network rover ticket, allowing you to storm up Mount Brocken as often as you like, while also riding on the Selketal steam trains from Quedlingburg via Gernrode, Alexisbad and Hasselfelde to the famed junction Eisfelder Talmühle.
• Enjoy the company of fellow enthusiasts and the editorial team from Trackside magazine, with expert photo and filming opportunities also laid on thanks to the provision of a lineside bus in the Selke Valley on one day.
• A private steam charter train at the Mansfeld narrow gauge railway on the south side of the Harz mountain range is an added bonus, using the 750 mm line’s powerful tank engine. 
• Combine this tour with our immediately following ‘Steam in Saxony’ holiday for an epic German steam double-header that includes the best narrow gauge railways in Saxony and the Dresden Steam Locomotive festival.

Monday 29 March

London to Wernigerode

The journey begins at London St. Pancras International, where you travel in Eurostar Plus seating to Brussels Midi, before changing onto an ICE train to Hannover Hbf via Cologne. The final part of your journey will be by road coach from Hannover Hbf to Wernigerode, as this is significantly faster than rail. You arrive in Wernigerode and check into the Hotel HKK, which is located near the HSB steam shed. (B D)

Tuesday 30 March 

Storming up Mount Brocken by steam and Wernigerode workshop visit

For the next three days you can enjoy the ‘Freedom of the Harz Mountains’ with your 72-hour HSB network rover, allowing you to travel on all of the fabled ‘Plandampf’ steam trains. You start the day by filming the first steam departure from Wernigerode, then visiting the new and very modern steam locomotive workshop at Westerntorn station. Then you join the second morning steam departure and ascend the steep spiral line to the summit of Mount Brocken, the highest point in Northern Germany. You can use the flexibility of your rover ticket to make repeated trips up and down the mountain to enjoy the sheer spectacle and thrash as the 2-10-2 ‘Brockenloks’ battle the gradients. Additionally you could also lineside trains at the summit or the junction station Drei Annen Hohne. There is also the chance to continue by steam train on the Harz Trunk Route (Harzquerbahn) from Drei Annen Hohne to Eisfelder Talmühle, the junction with the Selketalbahn. Your Tour Manager will be pleased to advise you of the exact timetable and advise suitable itineraries. In the evening you rejoin your fellow travellers for a buffet dinner (B D).

Wednesday 31 March 

Full throttle steam and German Plandampf for ‘Last Chance’ Steam on the Selketalbahn

After breakfast you catch a DB service train from Wernigerode to the UNESCO World Heritage town of Quedlinburg. Here you catch a late morning steam departure on the full length of Selketalbahn and have the opportunity to make the longest steam trip on the HSB network, going all the way from Quedlinburg via Alexisbad to Eisfelder Talmühle, before changing there on to another HSB steam train on the route to Wernigerode via Elend and Sorge. This will be one of the last times that the famed double steam departure from the junction station Eisfelder Talmühle is still possible! Generally, all of the HSB steam trains give you great views from their open balconies, on which you are permitted to ride. The Selke Valley is the least visited part of the HSB network and under political pressure to modernise and it is unsure if ‘Plandampf’ will ever return on the line in the future. For at least the next two and a half years from mid April 2027 to late 2029, the metre gauge railway line must be closed for flood defense installations and the construction of a new stormwater retention basin. See the old and original Selketalbahn, before it changes forever! Even on the rest of the HSB network, there is a trend to increase diesel operation due to summer fire risks and political pressure to improve operating economies because of large deficits. The Brocken line and the rest of the network will therefore also be subject to constant changes and increasingly less steam over the coming years. Make the most of it, while you can. In the late afternoon you arrive by steam train to Wernigerode. You reconvene at the Hotel HKK for dinner. (B D)

Thursday 1 April 

Steam at leisure around the Harz network and optional line-side bus in the Selke Valley

Your third day exploring the Harz narrow-gauge railway network offers numerous possibilities. Depending on the weather, you may choose to return to the summit of Mount Brocken or head back to Quedlinburg for another memorable steam-hauled journey along the scenic Selketalbahn. The choice is entirely yours. Alternatively, take the opportunity to relax and explore the delightful historic town of Wernigerode, renowned for its colourful half-timbered houses, charming pedestrianised shopping streets, inviting cafés and magnificent medieval Gothic Town Hall. For railway photographers and film enthusiasts, there is also the option of joining a dedicated line-side bus excursion. This provides an excellent opportunity to follow the steam trains through the picturesque Selke Valley and capture them at a variety of locations along the route. Your Tour Manager will be happy to advise you on the arrangements and timings. In the evening, rejoin your fellow travellers at the hotel to enjoy another delicious buffet dinner. (B D)

Friday 2 April

Steam at the Mansfeld narrow gauge railway plus steam locomotive works visit

Today, you discover one of the Harz region’s best-kept secrets: the Mansfelder Mining Railway. Located on the southern side of the Harz Mountains, this historic narrow-gauge railway once served the local copper-mining industry, running for 11 km past impressive spoil heaps and reminders of the area’s industrial heritage. You’ll enjoy a special full return journey aboard a privately chartered train, with several opportunities to photograph the locomotive during a series of carefully arranged run-pasts. At the terminus in Hettstedt, the 0-8-0 steam locomotive will be positioned alongside the station’s landmark clock tower, providing a memorable photographic opportunity. The return journey to Benndorf includes further photo stops, ensuring plenty of chances to capture the train against the distinctive mining landscape. On arrival, you’ll enjoy lunch in the historic station building, which dates back to 1876, before visiting the railway’s local locomotive works. In the early afternoon, continue to the adjacent MaLoWa steam locomotive workshop, where locomotives from across Germany are maintained, repaired and restored, offering a fascinating insight into the skills and craftsmanship involved in keeping these historic machines running. Later in the afternoon, you’ll return to Wernigerode by scheduled DB services, travelling via Halberstadt after a rewarding day of steam, railway photography and industrial heritage. (B L D)

Saturday 3 April

Return to London by High Speed Rail; or continue to nearby Leipzig for our ‘Steam in Saxony’ tour

This morning a private coach will transfer you from Wernigerode directly to Hannover Hbf, before you continue by ICE to Cologne and Brussels. From there you take a Eurostar service in Eurostar plus seating back to London St. Pancras via the Channel Tunnel, where you tour concludes. (B)



For those of you combining this tour with our ‘Steam in Saxony and Dresden Steam Locomotive Festival’ tour, you will take a connecting train to nearby Leipzig. Arriving early afternoon, you check in to the centrally located hotel near the main railway station, you can then enjoy time at leisure befire joining your new travellers for an evening dinner. (B D)