Orava Forest Railway

The narrow-gauge forest railway in Oravská Lesná is one of the most popular family trips in Orava. The train takes you from the Tanečník station to the Beskydy saddle at an altitude of about 935 m above sea level - through a unique system of dead ends, the likes of which are few in Europe.

A bit of history

The 760 mm gauge line was built in 1918 to transport wood from forests. In 1926, it was connected to the Kysucká Forest Railway with a dead-end section through the Beskydy Mountains. The Chmúra – Beskydy – Tanečník section has been a cultural monument since 1972. After renovation, the trains have been running with tourists since 2008, and are operated by the Orava Museum of the Hviezdoslav Railway.

How is the trip going?

• The journey up takes 15-20 minutes, the entire trip, including a break at the saddle, takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes.
• Near the Sedlo Beskyd station, a 5-minute walk takes you to a wooden observation tower and an exhibition about highland culture.
• At the Tanečník station there is an exhibition about the forest railway and logging with a model of headlands, a buffet, climbing frames, and animals for children.
• A motor train or handcar usually runs, a steam locomotive only during events.

Good to know

• There is a paid parking lot at the Tanečník station (2 € / 3 h).
• A stroller, bicycle, and dog (with a muzzle and on a leash) can go on the train for €2.50.
• The railway does not operate in November. In case of bad weather, please call 0905 500 646 to check operation.
• The signal is weak in the mountains - download the Orava Forest Railway application at home.

Photo: Jan Sabaka (CC BY-SA 4.0), Ingo Mehling (CC BY-SA 4.0), Jan Sabaka (CC BY-SA 4.0), Poodle (Marcin Szala) (CC BY-SA 3.0), Ingo Mehling (CC BY-SA 4.0), Nils Öberg (CC BY-SA 3.0) – Wikimedia Commons