Newly opened Kyoto Railway Museum lets train enthusiasts explore everything from steam locomotives to bullet trains

▲ Kyoto Railway Museum opening, poster showing locomotives from different eras (Image / Kyoto Railway Museum fan page)

By Rita

According toJapanese guide website (japan-guide), the long-awaited Kyoto Railway Museum has finally opened. The former site of the Umekoji Steam Locomotive Museum, the new museum spans 30,000 square meters and features not only historic trains but also many interactive exhibits, making the history of railways anything but dull knowledge.

Just a 20-minute walk from Kyoto Station, the new railway museum displays 53 types of trains, ranging from early steam locomotives to today’s bullet trains.

▲ Kyoto Railway Museum opening (Image / Kyoto Railway Museum fan page)

The museum includes interactive displays explaining the history of trains and serves as an important representation of western Japan. Other famous railway museums include the Omiya Railway Museum in Tokyo and the SCMaglev and Railway Park in Nagoya.

Kyoto Railway Museum
Address: Kankiji-cho, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture
Website: http://www.kyotorailwaymuseum.jp/
Opening hours: 10:00–17:30 * Last admission at 17:00
Admission: Adults (18+) approx. 400 TWD
  University & high school students approx. 350 TWD
  Junior high & elementary students approx. 150 TWD
  Children (3 and above) approx. 60 TWD
Closed: Wednesdays (open on public holidays), New Year holidays (Dec 30 – Jan 1)