Siaurukas Narrow-Gauge Railway Museum and Train Rides

The narrow-gauge railway, affectionately known as Siaurukas, is a unique piece of technical heritage stretching across eastern Aukštaitija from Panevėžys to Rubikiai. It is one of the region's symbols and very popular with tourists. Here you can take regular services, which run from May to October, join the holiday and sightseeing trips held throughout the year, or simply book a private trip on a route of your choice or one suggested by the organisers. A ride on Siaurukas is an unforgettable attraction in itself. Thanks to the railway's special features, you can enjoy the nature right beside the track and the delightful landscape as you go. But that is not all – each trip has a theme that will help you not only get to know the Anykščiai area and its history more closely but also try out a variety of activities. For example, on the Anykščiai–Troškūnai–Anykščiai route you will visit the Troškūnai monastery and church ensemble. In the church vaults you will hear stories and legends of the monastery and see treasures of sacred art. And on the Anykščiai–Rubikiai–Anykščiai route you will have the chance to taste delicious food at “Žuvienės pašiūrė” and enjoy what Lake Rubikiai has to offer: a white sandy beach and trips by boat, raft or pedalo. Holiday and sightseeing trips are mostly held for particular celebrations, such as Midsummer (Joninės), the Day of King Mindaugas' Coronation, and the start and end of the school year. In autumn there is a Beaujolais run for wine lovers. Trips run even in winter – for Shrovetide (Užgavėnės) and Christmas. Special sightseeing trips are also organised, for example to explore the Latava area, or the outing “The Natural and Cultural Treasures of Anykščiai”. Private charter trips are especially popular with wedding parties, companies treating their staff and organisers of other celebrations. Passengers on these trips enjoy refreshments, live music and other fun surprises. Who hasn't heard of the local Robin Hood-style highwaymen who never miss a chance to check whether the train's passengers are carrying too many valuables? So clearly, if you haven't yet tried Siaurukas and its many delights, you really should! The narrow-gauge railway has quite a rich history in Lithuania. Built at the very end of the 19th century, Siaurukas was used intensively for a whole hundred years not only for passengers but also to carry various goods and felled timber. Over time, however, its importance for transport steadily declined, until at the very beginning of this century it began to be used solely for leisure and tourism. You can learn all about the century-long history of Siaurukas at the Siaurukas Museum in Anykščiai railway station. The stylish two-storey station building itself, as well as the surviving railway workers' houses next to it, the water tower, the goods warehouses, the spacious cobbled square and the steel bridge over the Šventoji, are unique monuments of late 19th- and 20th-century technology, architecture and culture. At the museum, visitors can see a variety of exhibits related to Siaurukas, listen to a guide's interesting stories, and ride a hand-pumped draisine and a rail tricycle.