Pošumavská jižní dráha, Heritage railway in Stožec, Czech Republic
Pošumavská jižní dráha is a 105-metre, 1435 mm gauge museum line between Nové Údolí and Haidmühle, the world's shortest international railway. It runs on the former Haidmühle–Wallern section of the United Bohemian Forest Local Railways, with stops at Nové Údolí PJD, U Břízy and Haidmühle Zoll. Boarding is only possible on the Czech side, where three old freight wagons hold a museum of the Bohemian Forest local lines.
Railway reached Nové Údolí in 1910 from both Stožec and Haidmühle as part of the Sdružené pošumavské místní dráhy; direct trains once ran Volary–Passau. Traffic over the border stopped after World War II, and in 1948 the Nové Údolí–Haidmühle track was torn up. The association Pošumavská jižní dráha, founded in 1996, laid rails on the Czech side and completed the German side in 2001.
The association Pošumavská jižní dráha, founded in 1996, runs the line with a pedal draisne called "Gigant" built in 2001. Three old freight wagons at the Czech track end hold a museum of the Šumava local railways, plus simple accommodation and occasional sales of refreshments and souvenirs.
Summer months offer the best conditions for visiting, when trains run most frequently and weather is typically stable. Wear sturdy shoes, as the forest path can become slippery after rain, and plan for a slow, leisurely pace along the route.
The line is not connected to the ČD network, so boarding happens only on the Czech side, at Nové Údolí PJD; the intermediate stop U Břízy lies by a birch tree, and the German stop is Haidmühle Zoll. The association Pošumavská jižní dráha calls the 105-metre, 1435 mm gauge track the world's shortest international railway.
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