Museum Steamtram Hoorn-Medemblik

The basics

The Museum Stoomtram Hoorn-Medemblik is a museum and rail line between the Zuiderzee towns of Hoorn, Medemblik, and Enkhuizen. The museum highlights the history of steam trains in the Netherlands while vintage steam engines take passengers along a heritage route, passing restored stations and signal boxes.

With its collection of restored 19th-century Dutch steam trains, the museum is a must for train enthusiasts and families who can marvel at nine steam locomotives, around 30 coaches, and 20 freight wagons. Pair a self-guided walking tour of Hoorn’s old town with a stop at the Museum Stoomtram Hoorn-Medemblik and chug through the countryside along one of the most historic routes in the Netherlands.

Things to know before you go

• The steam train route runs through the West Frisian countryside between the towns of Hoorn and Medemblik: the final leg between Medemblik and Enkhuizen is on board a vintage ferry.

• One-way trips take up to four hours, while the round-trip journey takes about seven hours.

• Passengers can stay on the train for the entire journey or get off at the intermediate stations of Wognum, Twisk, and Opperdoes.

• The museum in Hoorn and train terminal Medemblik have cafés, restrooms, and gift shops.

• With special activities and exhibits at the museum and the stations along the train route, the Museum Steamtram Hoorn-Medemblik is very family-friendly.

• There are steps to board the vintage steam cars, so they are not fully accessible for passengers using wheelchairs or strollers.

How to get there

The Museum Steamtram Hoorn-Medemblik is located in Hoorn. However, passengers can begin their trip along the heritage rail line either in Hoorn or Enkhuizen (for round-trip rides) or in Hoorn, Medemblik, and Enkhuizen for one-way rides. Direct trains run from Amsterdam to Hoorn and Enkhuizen in about 30 minutes, where you can connect to the heritage route.

When to get there

The museum and heritage line is open from April through October, with several trains departing daily in July and August and holiday weeks. If you plan on taking the line round trip, leave in the morning to have time to make it back with the final train or ferry of the day.

Tulip fields near Hoorn

The most famous tulip viewing in the Netherlands is at Keukenhof Gardens, southwest of Amsterdam. Those in the know skip the crowds that overrun this area come spring and instead head north to West Friesland to take in the colorful blooms that blanket the countryside between the historical towns of Hoorn and Medemblik. West-Friesland also borders Noord-Holland, home to the Netherlands's largest continuous area covered by tulip fields.