Panevėžys City Municipality
Aukštaitija
narrow-gauge railway station, depot, and rolling-stock exhibition
Geležinkelio g. 23, Panevėžys
55.74550, 24.35470
1 hour for the depot programme; 2-4 hours with a train trip
May to October for train journeys
Siaurukas, Panevėžys depot of the Aukštaitija Narrow-Gauge Railway, Panevėžys narrow-gauge railway complex
The heart of the Siaurukas
Panevėžys Narrow-Gauge Railway Station and Depot is the heart of Europe's longest operating 750 mm narrow-gauge railway, known as the Siaurukas. Since 1935 Panevėžys has been the centre of the whole line, so the old depot, engine shed, and rolling-stock exhibition are here.
This is living railway heritage: visitors can see historic buildings, steam locomotives, wooden carriages, and rail trolleys, while retro train journeys depart from Panevėžys. Understand this depot as the line's centre; the other end is in Anykščiai.
History of the Siaurukas
The first 750 mm gauge section was built in 1895 in the eastern part of the region, and around 1899 the approximately 145 km Švenčionėliai-Panevėžys section began operating. In the interwar period the network was reorganised, new branches were built, and in 1937-1938 the Panevėžys-Joniškėlis line was equipped with new depots in Panevėžys and Biržai.
During the Soviet period, much of Lithuania's narrow-gauge network was dismantled. Freight traffic ended in 1999, and in 2001 the public institution Aukštaitija Narrow-Gauge Railway was created, preserving the Panevėžys-Anykščiai-Rubikiai line as a heritage and tourist train. In 2024 the Siaurukas marked its 125th anniversary.
Station, depot, and steam locomotive KP4-708
The Panevėžys narrow-gauge railway complex is a state-protected cultural-heritage object of national significance, comprising about nine structures. The main one is the 1938-1939 red-brick depot with train gates; nearby stands the 1937 administration building, and the passenger station was rebuilt in 2014 from 1905 drawings.
The engine shed displays the rare steam locomotive KP4-708, made in Poland in 1957 and used at the Panevėžys sugar factory until 1970. Fewer than twenty of the 885 KP4 locomotives built survive worldwide, making it one of the exhibition's most valuable pieces. Wooden passenger and freight carriages and rail trolleys are displayed nearby.
Journeys and visiting
Educational depot programmes from Panevėžys take about an hour and include the rolling-stock exhibition, depot buildings, map room, and engine shed; for a small fee, visitors can ride a hand-powered rail trolley. Visits and excursions are organised by the operator, so arrange them in advance.
In summer, roughly May to October, longer Siaurukas journeys also run along the Panevėžys-Rubikiai line, about 68 km, via Anykščiai. Routes, schedules, and ticket prices should be checked on the operator's official page because they change by season.
