The Museum Railway Association's 2026 autumn tour will take place on 5–6 September 2026 to the Loviisa railway, where we will learn in depth about the history of both narrow-gauge and broad-gauge railways. We will also travel the Heinola railway. The journey begins on Saturday morning on our own diesel locomotive-driven "express train" from Helsinki (tentatively at 8.25, from Tikkurila at 8.45) to Lahti. From Lahti all the way to the port of Loviisa, we will stop at former stations, some even longer, and hear about their history. The Saturday evening program includes dinner at the former Kuggomi folk high school from 1910 and an evening out with presentations about the Loviisa railway and the region. As a special feature, we will be able to go shopping on Saturday at the model railway warehouse store next to the railway. On Sunday morning we will depart from the train by museum buses to the Church Bell Museum railway in Lapinjärvi (gauge 600 mm). After the Loviisa railway, before returning to Helsinki, we will take a bonus ride in Heinola; on the way we will stop in Vierumäki to get to know the station's museum operations. We will return to Helsinki on Sunday tentatively at 18:08 (to Tikkurila at 17:49). Final schedules will be confirmed later.

 

Black and white photo of a wooden station building and goods depot. In front of the station is a double-track yard and a high wooden platform between the tracks. A steam locomotive is arriving at the station and a train conductor is standing on the platform with a ticket and a couple of passengers.
Lapinjärvi station at the time of the Loviisa narrow-gauge railway in the early 20th century.

 

The price includes all train journeys, accommodation at the Kuggomi Heritage Centre in rooms of various sizes, light lunches in the restaurant car on Saturday and Sunday, dinner and breakfast at the Kuggomi Folk High School, museum bus trips and a visit to the Church Bell Museum. A few places of accommodation are also available in the sleeping car of our train, but you must bring your own bedding or sleeping bag. In addition, you can purchase coffee and snacks from the train's Rkt restaurant car throughout the journey. The final price and more detailed payment instructions will be sent to those who have registered in the spring, the final price depends on the number of participants. However, the total price with all services is a maximum of 228 euros. The due date for the participation fee is 31.7.2026. We are very grateful for registrations already in early spring, because then we will see that the minimum number of participants has been met. The trip with trains, buses, meals, etc. is primarily intended for those participating in the entire travel package. For example, if you have your own accommodation in the Loviisa region, please let us know when you register, and the price will be determined separately.

Registrations to Markku Nummelin, preferably by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by text message to 040 548 7601. The tour will be filled in the order of booking. Please provide your name, email address and phone number, as well as any food allergies. Please also indicate whether you will join the Church Bell Museum tour on Sunday morning (there are a total of 74 seats on the buses) or whether you will wait on the train. Also indicate if you would like to stay overnight in a sleeping car instead of the folk high school, but without sheets and linean (the distance between the train and the college is approximately 450 meters, toilets at the college, price 20 euros cheaper). We are traveling in the camping spirit, and at this stage, we cannot promise anyone single accommodation. We kindly ask you to note that the museum trains and buses we use are not suitable for everyone with reduced mobility.

This year the Museum Railway Association will organize the yearly autumn tour to narrow gauge railways of Latvia. the tour will be held on extended weekend 30.8.–2.9.2018. In Latvia we will travel by a steam locomotive hauled trains on both 600 mm and 750 mm gauge railways. We will also visit the Riga railway museum and on our way back the Estonian road museum in Varpuse.

A steam train standing in front of a big station building with some people on the platforms.
Steam train standing in front of the Gulbenen station. Photo: Wikimedia commons/CC-BY-SA-3.0.

The Tallink ship will depart Helsinki Länsiterminaali 2 on Thursday 30.8.2018 at 16.30. The return to Helsinki will be on Sunday 2.9. 2018 at 18.30.

The price of the trip includes coach transportation, the ferry crossings and three night hotel accomodation with breakfasts in two person rooms. Total price of the trip is about 350 euros. The final price and more precise information will be sent to everybody signed on the trip. You can sign on the trip either by email to Markku Nummelin, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by a text message to a number 040 548 7601. Places will be filled in order. Please give your name, email address, nationality and time of birth and if you have a Tallink ClubOne card number. The trip is organized by travel agency Astor, The coach transportation is taken care by Packalén Bus Oy, the buss driver will be Timo-Pekka Lange and the tour leader Markku Nummelin.

Year

Rolling stock

Route

1984

Dm7 4216

Haapamäki-Virrat-Kankaanpää-Tampere

1985

Dm7 4133+11606

(Helsinki)-Kuopio-Iisalmi-Haapajärvi-Jyväskylä

1986

Dm7 4201+4212

(Helsinki)-Rovaniemi-Kelloselkä-Rovaniemi-(Helsinki)

1987

Dm7 4209

(Helsinki)-Kontiomäki-Ämmänsaari-Taivalkoski-Vartius-Lahnaslampi-Kontiomäki-(Nurmes-Joensuu-Helsinki)

1988

Dm7 4162+4163

Kouvola-Sunila-Kotka-Hamina-Loviisa-Vesijärvi-Lahti

1989

Dm7 4142+4216

Tampere-Haapamäki-Seinäjoki-Kaskinen-Kovjoki-Ylihärmä-Tampere

1990

Dm7 4162+4163

(Helsinki)-Joensuu-Ilomantsi-Outokumpu-Juankoski-Kuopio-Iisvesi-Pieksämäki

1991

Vr1 665/Dv15 1975+Em

(Helsinki)-Pieksämäki-Savonlinna-Parikkala-Imatra-Lappeenranta-Mustola-Simola-Vainikkala-(Helsinki)

1992

SO17/TE/P36+Russian carriages

(Helsinki)-Joensuu-Sortavala-Elisenvaara-Viipuri-(Helsinki)

1993

Dr16 2801+Em+Ei

(Helsinki)-Kolari-Rautuvaara-Äkäsjoki-Haaparanta-Elijärvi-Ajos-Toppila-Oulu-(Helsinki)

1994

Dm7 4207+11655+4211

Helsinki-Säkylä-Rauma-Ruosniemi-Mäntyluoto-Tahkoluoto-Helsinki

1995

Dm9 5123+5612+5124

(Helsinki)-Jyväskylä-Haapajärvi-Raahe-Pietarsaari-Tampere

1996

Dm10 4301

(Helsinki)-Joensuu-Pankakoski-Kontiomäki-Otanmäki-Pieksämäki-(Helsinki)

1997

Dm7 4162+11592+4207

Helsinki-Turku-Uusikaupunki-Naantali-Turku-Helsinki

1998

Dr12 2216

(Helsinki-Seinäjoki)-Haapamäki-Mänttä-Valkeakoski-Humppila-Tampere

1999

L 3297+Estonian carriages

Tallinna-Viljandi-Pärnu-Möisakylä-Tallinna

2000

Dm7 4185+11599+4187/ Y7

(Helsinki)-Tornio-Boden-Luulaja-Haaparanta-Kelloselkä-Rovaniemi-(Helsinki)

2002

Dm7 4142+4204 / bus

Kontiomäki-Ämmänsaari-Taivalkoski-Korvua-Metsäkylä-Taivalkoski-Isokumpu-Piispajärvi-Suomussalmen kk-Raate-Alavuokki-Vartius-Kontiomäki-Kajaani

2003

Dr13 2343

Haapamäki-Seinäjoki-Haapamäki (in winter)

2009

Sm2 6098+6298

Helsinki-Tampere-Pieksämäki-Kuusankoski-Olli-Helsinki

2011

Dm7 4142+11637+4204 / boat / 3x buses / A 20

(Helsinki)-Kemi-Veitsiluoto-Oulu-Rusko-Utajärvi-Rokua-Vaala-Kajaani-Lamminniemi-Otanmäki-Talvivaara-Kajaani-Helsinki

2012

Dm7 4142+11637+4204 / 1 x bus (for extra fee)

Tampere-Kalkku-Siuro-Karkku-Äetsä-Kokemäki-Harjavalta-Pori-Ruosniemi-Isosanta-Tahkoluoto-Pori-Kiukainen-Rauma-Kokemäki-Vammala-Nokia-Lielahti-Tampere

2015 Dv16 2038 +Eit+CEm+CEmt+Cm+Fo Haapamäki-Kokkola-Ykspihlaja väliratapiha-Kihniö-Niinisalo-Tampere
2016

Dm7 4163+4207+4211

Helsinki-Kouvola-Pulsa-Lappeenranta-Imatrankoski raja-Mustola harbour-Kouvola goods-Helsinki
2017

Dm12 4407 (H762) / 2xbus

Kitee-Puhos-Savonranta-Vihtari-Sarvikumpu-Joensuu-Eno-Uimaharju-Vuonislahti-Pankakoski-Lieksa-Kylänlahti-Viekki-Mätäsvaara-Höljäkkä-Nurmes-Joensuu