Ambarawa Railway Museum, Railway museum in Ambarawa, Indonesia
The Ambarawa Railway Museum is a railway museum in Ambarawa, Central Java province, housed inside a former colonial station building. The collection includes more than three dozen rail vehicles, among them steam and diesel locomotives alongside passenger and freight cars of different types.
The station opened on May 21, 1873, as Willem I and primarily served military transport and the export of raw materials from Central Java during Dutch colonial rule. After Indonesian independence the line fell out of use and the building was converted into a museum to preserve the region's railway heritage.
The original Willem I station building now houses restored locomotives that recall a time when cog railways carried troops and goods through the Central Javan hills. Visitors can walk through the open carriage halls and inspect the engineering details of each machine up close.
The museum opens daily and charges admission, with different rates for Indonesian and international visitors. Many exhibits stand outdoors on the tracks, so comfortable footwear for walking on gravel is advisable.
Visitors can take rides on the Ambarawa-Bedono route on selected days, which operates as the only functioning steam cog railway in Indonesia. This route winds through rice paddies and small villages, with the distinctive clatter of the cog mechanism audible throughout.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
