Declining Passenger Numbers, Reduced Schedules, and Rising Costs Put Saxony's Historic Railways Under Pressure: How Narrow-Gauge Lines in the Dresden Region Are Faring Economically

Saxon Steam Railway faces 9% passenger slump amid financial struggles

Rain-soaked holidays and slashed subsidies made 2025 a mixed year for the two narrow-gauge railways in the Dresden area. Despite a nearly nine percent drop to 275,000 passengers, Mirko Froß, operations manager at the Saxon Steam Railway Company (SDG), expressed cautious satisfaction given the challenging conditions.

The Lößnitzgrundbahn, running between Radebeul-Ost and Radeburg, carried around 157,000 passengers—a 13 percent decline from the previous year. Froß noted that the absence of the annual Narrow-Gauge Railway Festival, postponed until this year, also contributed to the shortfall. Germany's oldest narrow-gauge line, the Weißeritztalbahn—connecting Freital-Hainsberg to the spa town of Kipsdorf—saw 118,000 passengers, an eight percent decrease compared to 2024.

Rain Disrupts Peak Excursion Seasons

"We had an extremely wet first half of the summer break, and even worse, the October holidays were also very rainy," Froß explained. These periods are typically when families flock to the Lößnitzgrundbahn and Weißeritztalbahn as popular day-trip destinations.

Compounding the issue, the SDG was forced to cut services due to a lack of funding from Saxony's state budget. In 2025, savings of €800,000 were required; this year, the figure rises to €900,000. A five percent fare increase introduced in January, Froß admitted, would not come close to covering the deficit. "That will never make up for the shortfall we're facing."

Maintenance Scaled Back Due to Funding Shortages

With insufficient funds, the SDG has also had to reduce maintenance, meaning fewer trains will be available in the future, Froß warned. To keep operations running, the company now depends on adequate funding in the upcoming 2027 and 2028 budgets. "We hope the narrow-gauge railways will be recognized as cultural assets in the budget negotiations," he said.

Both lines will remain closed for maintenance until March 27, with services resuming just in time for the school holidays. For 2026, over 130 special events and themed trips are planned across the two routes. Highlights include the "Easter Bunny Express" on April 6, featuring an egg hunt, as well as the Narrow-Gauge Railway Festival on September 19 and 20, and the festive "Bimmelbahn Lichterglanz" (Jingle Train Lights) on November 28 and 29.