Żnin Narrow-Gauge Railway

The Żnin Narrow-Gauge Railway (Żnin is pronounced roughly "zhneen") is a heritage tourist line in central Poland that runs 12 km from the town of Żnin through Wenecja and Biskupin to Gąsawa. Its tiny 600 mm gauge trains link the three best-known sights of the Pałuki region: a medieval market town, a narrow-gauge railway museum beside castle ruins, and Biskupin, one of Europe's most famous reconstructed prehistoric settlements. Looking for things to do around Biskupin? The train links them all.

Where it is and how to get there

Żnin lies in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian region, about 44 km (40 minutes by car) south of Bydgoszcz and roughly 90 km (1 hour 15 minutes) north-east of Poznań. From Warsaw it is around 355 km, or about 3.5 to 4 hours by car. There is no working mainline rail station in Żnin, so the realistic options are a rental car or a regional bus. Poznań and Bydgoszcz both have airports.

A short history

The first sections opened on 1 July 1894, when Żnin was part of the Prussian province of Posen. According to the Pałuki Land Museum, the line was laid by German military railway troops from Berlin as part of field exercises. At its peak the network reached nearly 80 km. Regular passenger service ended in the 1960s, but tourism saved the line: from the 1970s, trains ran for visitors heading to the new railway museum in Wenecja and to Biskupin. Since 2014 the railway has been run by the Pałuki Land Museum, and in 2020 it adopted its current name. Today it carries close to 100,000 passengers a year.

Rail fans should know about the Px38 "Leon", the only locomotive of its class ever built. It was out of service in 2026, so regular trains are pulled by a diesel locomotive.

The route

Trains leave from the station at Potockiego Street 4 in Żnin and call at:

• Wenecja Ośrodek (holiday resort by the lake)
• Wenecja Muzeum (Narrow-Gauge Railway Museum and the ruined "Devil of Wenecja" castle)
• Biskupin (right next to the Archaeological Museum)
• Gąsawa (terminus)

The one-way trip from Żnin to Gąsawa takes about 1 hour 15 minutes; a full round trip is about 2 hours 40 minutes. The open carriages roll past lakes and fields, which is a big part of the charm.

Tickets and opening hours (as of October 2026)

• The 2026 season has ended. The operator says trains will run again from May; the 2027 timetable and fares have not been published yet.
• In 2026 trains ran on selected days in May and June, Wednesday to Sunday in July and August, and on 12–16 September during the Biskupin Archaeological Festival. Departures from Żnin were at 9:00, 10:30, 12:05 and 13:50, plus 15:35 on weekends.
• 2026 fares (adult/reduced) in Polish zloty (PLN): Żnin–Biskupin 22/20 PLN, Żnin–Gąsawa 24/22 PLN, all-day ticket 35/30 PLN; bikes 10 PLN (space permitting), dogs 5 PLN. Tickets are sold on board by the train manager, cash or card.
• Groups can charter a train outside the season.

Staff and signage are mainly in Polish, so having the station names written down helps.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes, especially with children or if you plan to see Biskupin anyway. Buy the all-day ticket, hop off in Wenecja to see more than a dozen historic steam locomotives (the oldest from 1899), spend a few hours in Biskupin, and catch an afternoon train back. Bring water and snacks, as there is no catering on board.

Nearby

In Żnin itself, the Gothic town hall tower on Freedom Square is worth a short stop. About 15 km north is Lubostroń Palace, a Palladian-style residence and one of Poland's official Historic Monuments.