Aukštaitijos Siaurukas (Siaurukas Narrow-Gauge Railway)

VšĮ Aukštaitijos siaurojo geležinkelio fondas (public non-profit heritage foundation)
Lithuania
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The Journey

Navigate from Anykščiai Station to Rubikiai Station across a span of 12km.

Scenery Highlights
  • Šventoji River valley with multiple bends and small rapids
  • 1936 riveted iron truss bridge (heritage-listed, ~32 m single-span)
  • Aukštaitija mixed forest (pine, birch, spruce) — part of Aukštaitija National Park buffer zone
  • Traditional Aukštaitija wooden villages along the line
  • Open meadows between Anykščiai and Rubikiai with seasonal wildflower displays (June–July)
  • Šventoji River floodplain wetlands with beaver dams and waterfowl
  • Anykščiai Tree-Top Canopy Path (Labirintas) visible from the departure station
  • White stork nests on heritage chimneys in the surrounding villages (breeding season April–August)
Quick Facts
  • Duration

    0.8 hours

  • Distance

    12 km

  • Est. Price

    Adult €14 / Child €8 (regular season, 2026); themed event tickets €10–€16 per person

Classes & Accommodations

Meals:

Ensuite: No

Meals:

Ensuite: No

Meals:

Ensuite: No

Engine / Locomotive

Tu4-class narrow-gauge diesel locomotive (Kambarka Engineering Works KEMZ, USSR/Russia, 1967–1989)

Locomotive Weight

22 tonnes (Tu4 operational); 24 tonnes (Tu2-090 static display)

Track Gauge

750 mm narrow gauge

Braking Technology

Compressed-air train brake (Russian heritage pattern); heritage coaches retain manual braking backup

Route Engineering Challenges

  • Single-track with no passing loops on the active 12 km tourist segment — only one train can run at a time, scheduled to clear Rubikiai before the next departure

  • 1936 riveted iron truss bridge over the Šventoji (~32 m single-span) requires annual inspection and repainting to remain serviceable

  • Heritage wooden-sleeper track on the original 1901 alignment requires manual track inspection each spring before the May season opening

  • Original Russian-broad-pattern signalling (no automatic block) — heritage operations rely on radio and hand-signals between the locomotive crew and Rubikiai turn-around staff

  • Tu4 fleet maintenance requires sourcing parts from Kambarka (RU) and the shrinking post-Soviet narrow-gauge spares pool; foundation staff perform winter overhauls

  • Winter freeze-thaw on the Šventoji floodplain causes minor track alignment shifts each spring; tamping is done manually

  • Step-up boarding from the Anykščiai platform to the heritage 1-axle coaches (Pafawag / Rybnik) limits accessibility and complicates wheelchair access

  • Original 68.4 km Panevėžys–Anykščiai–Rubikiai trunk was largely lifted after 1965 freight cessation; the surviving tourist segment (12 km) is anchored on the Anykščiai–Rubikiai 1901 alignment

Line

Anykščiai – Rubikiai tourist heritage segment (12 km of original 68.4 km Panevėžys–Anykščiai–Rubikiai trunk)

Total distance

12 km round-trip (Anykščiai → Rubikiai → Anykščiai)

Departure station

Anykščiai Station (built 1901, Anykščiai, Utena County)

Arrival station

Rubikiai Station (turnaround, picnic area, Aukštaitija National Park buffer zone)

Status

Active heritage / living-museum railway

Service

Weekend heritage service May–October; themed event weekends November–April

Ticketing

siaurukas.eu online (recommended for themed events); on-site at Anykščiai station ticket office

Bedding

Bench seating only — no sleeping berths (day-return service)

Operating Speed

Typically 15–20 km/h during tourist runs

Electrification

Diesel-only — no electrification on the line

Service Frequency

Single-train daily frequency with one diesel locomotive pushing two to three coaches

Signalling

Heritage signalling — staff communicate by radio and hand-signals; no automatic block

Operations Staff

Operational volunteer staff plus a small permanent team from VšĮ Aukštaitijos siaurojo geležinkelio fondas

Quick Facts
  • Duration

    0.8 hours

  • Distance

    12 km

  • Est. Price

    Adult €14 / Child €8 (regular season, 2026); themed event tickets €10–€16 per person