Train World

Train World is the Belgian railway museum, housed in and beside the historic Schaerbeek station at Place Princesse Elisabeth in the Schaerbeek district of Brussels. It opened in 2015 and combines the restored 19th-century station building with a modern hall designed to hold the national collection of locomotives and carriages. Around twenty steam and electric locomotives are on show, including the Belgian-built steam engine Le Belge, a replica of the first Belgian railway line locomotive from 1835, and the royal carriages used by Belgian monarchs. The exhibition tells the story of Belgian railways from the first line between Brussels and Mechelen to modern high-speed travel. Visitors walk through a recreated 1835 train departure, a station hall with period details and a simulated journey through an alpine tunnel and a post-war station. Hands-on displays include signal boxes, a model railway layout and operator simulators that appeal to younger visitors. A visit lasts around two hours and the museum is open Tuesday to Friday 10:00 to 17:00 and weekends 10:00 to 18:00. Adult admission is around 14 euros, with reduced prices for children. Weekday mornings are quietest, whereas weekends and school holidays draw more families. The building is reached by train to Schaerbeek station or by tram 7 to Schaerbeek Gare, making the journey simple from central Brussels in Belgium. The Art Nouveau houses of Schaerbeek, including those on Avenue Louis Bertrand and near Square Riga, are a short walk and make a pleasant addition. Photographers usually shoot the long row of locomotives from the entrance level and from the raised walkway, where the glass roof gives even light. A cafe and shop sit near the exit. The museum suits railway enthusiasts and families alike.