The Railway Museum

This place is freaking amazing! It’s like stepping into train heaven. The life-size locomotives are jaw-dropping, the simulators make you feel like a real conductor, and the exhibits are super interactive (even for adults). The whole place is spotless, easy to navigate, and packed with history that somehow never feels boring. Don’t skip the rooftop where you can watch Shinkansen fly by—it’s surreal. If you’re in Tokyo and even slightly curious about trains, this museum is an absolute must-visit.

Amazing museum! Everything about Japanese trains from 19th century to the newest JR additions! From real trains to models to awesome history rooms with many accessories and authentic things from era. Tickets are also really affordable and they have a model train store here! It's one of the best museums not even in greater Tokyo area but in all of Japan!

Every train enthusiasts dream.. Lots about the history of trains and railway cars in Japan and how they evolved. In fact, there is probably too much information for just one day. The museum has: * various trains * a giant diorama (think model train set in a basement but x100) of the trains currently in Tokyo and how and when they operate * simulators (you can to practice driving trains) * a lunch car train for you to eat in * interactive activities, such as making your own train * a cafe/restaurant * souvenir shop * audio information available in English via the app * daily demonstrations of how they would change tracks. I am sure i am missing stuff as well but if you like trains or are with someone who likes trains. I would recommend this museum. It was easy to get to via the metro and you can buy tickets online or in person. Would recommend 2-4 hours based on level of interest.

We visited the museum on a Saturday in November 2024. For train enthusiasts, this place is incredibly exciting; however, we believe that even non-enthusiasts will be in awe of it as well. This place is amazing! There are several exhibitions stretching from the train station to the entrance of the museum. If I remember correctly, there are about four to five ticket machines outside. We paid in cash, and at that time, the ticket price was ¥1600 per adult. Surprisingly, there was no queue since we arrived around 11 am, and the morning crowd had mostly entered by then. The exhibition features a huge hall displaying various models and types of trains used throughout history. We walked around several times to appreciate each train on display. You can even enter some of the trains to experience what the cabin feels like inside. The different designs of the trains and their cabins can be appreciated by anyone, not just dedicated train enthusiasts. It's also a fun place for kids; the displays are not only grand but also quite engaging. The second floor of the exhibition houses a restaurant and presents a chronological timeline of the different types of trains, including those that are still in existence and those coming in the future, complete with detailed miniature models. In another building, there are several simulators where visitors can experience what it's like to be a train conductor. It's surprisingly realistic. Overall, I can confidently say that this museum is worth the visit. It offers not only a stunning perspective on design but also a deep appreciation for engineering and technology. Over the years, advancements in engineering and technology, combined with innovative design, have made significant contributions to the history of trains.

Oh my goodness where do I begin...Rail runs through my veins like blood so this place is pretty much heaven...all the displays are amazing and there's so many trains from so many different eras! And so many carriages that you can enter! The most amazing part was the multiple displays in which a full platform as been rebuilt...signs, maps, clocks and time-tables all on display on a platform in amazing condition, as if it's been lifted straight from their original era. Even if I've never had the feeling, I really could close my eyes and feel like I was standing there on a 1960s or 1970s rail platform...the experience is unbeatable. I would come back 1 million times if I could! I would never get tired of this amazing museum!!

I'm so glad I came here, I'm not even much of a train fan but driving the mini trains and the simulators put a very big smile on my face. A fantastic museum and experience that's well thought out and put together, absolutely worth the journey from central Tokyo! Food in the restaurant was a bit poor, very expensive and not tasty. Would be perfect with a better menu as the decor and atmosphere were great.

Myself, my husband and two friends visited the Railway Museum in May after I saw a couple of videos on Instagram. Honestly, this is a bit of a gem that's more than worth travelling too! I saw online that most people seem to only spend a couple of hours here. To be honest, if you really are into trains I'd dedicate the day. We spent the majority of the day here and loved every moment! You can go inside the majority of the trains/train cars which is really interesting as there are some very old trains exhibited. There are also interactive sections of the museum and at certain times of the day museum staff will talk about the coupling system on trains and demonstrate how it works. This is all in Japanese but they use visual aids so that you can get the gist pretty easily. The museum also boasts a steam locomotive on a turntable that at certain times will turn and toot the whistle! It doesn't sound impressive how I've written it here, but it really is if you see it in person! Be warned though, the trains whistle is very loud so if you are very sensitive to loud noises you might want to wear earplugs. The museum has two cafe's you can grab some lunch in. The food was really reasonably priced and you get it super fast. It was tastier than I expected given how quickly we got our food after ordering. I couldn't recommend going to this museum enough and it was a real highlight to our Tokyo trip this time around! The museum is so beautifully laid out and such a fun place to explore. Even if you are not super into trains I think you'd enjoy a trip here!

Really fun for adults and children alike! I saw lots of families with young children having fun exploring the museum and older children and teenagers definitely have more fun with special experiences like conductor of a train etc. even as adults we enjoyed the mini train driving experience and recommend everyone to try it! If you are buying advanced tickets, although it is more expensive, pre ordering the add-on options like the mini train driving experience might be more worth it. Otherwise the rest of it is via balloting through their apps.

Got a train enthusiast or just love trains? Well this is the place to be. We vacationed in Tokyo for a couple of weeks and found this railroad museum. It was quite the train ride like 1+ hours (switch to a smaller local train that takes you directly there) but well worth the break in our busy days of traveling. We got tickets when we got there...plenty of kiosks to purchase from...can use credit card or suica. Entering felt a bit intimidating- so much to look at. There are massive trains you can get explore and a whole 2nd floor for great views (check out their scheduled turntable times). You can have lunch there with window seating to see trains go by or step outside and check out other food options (go to the 3rd floor in the building across). Don't forget to check out the gift shop! Your children can spend all day here and they will get tired at some point. But they can also learn and explore. Depending where you stay however, this can be out of the way to check out.

One of the biggest Train museums I have ever visited. The Railway museum is awesome for adults and children of all ages. They have something for everyone from full size trains, miniature models, simulators, rides and toys! All of the trains are well maintained and could roll out at any moment and be back in service. My favorite part is you can literally go on every single train, most museums I've visited in US they have a few you can go into but most you just look at from the outside. The care for every detail is meticulous and you can tell these trains have been well cared for. My boys loved the children's area that had tons of toy trains and tracks to play with and build their own city. They have a great kids cafe that was a fantastic value. They could easily mark up their menu but served cheese burger sets which included drink and a huge bag of fries for roughly 1,000yen. I ordered the chicken sandwich and it was fire! You can enjoy a meal while watching the kids play. They had miniature trains that adults or kids could drive on a mini track. They had an outdoor playground as well. We spent 4 hours here and the kids were still not ready to go. Needless to say we will be back next time we visit Japan.

The Railway Museum in Saitama on a Sunday: Me and many kids and parents. It's a great family place - inexpensive and lots of room to run. Who'd wear out first: My nearly 64-year-old arthritic joints or the children? You take the New Shuttle from JR Omiya Station. It's a bit of a walk, but not bad. Just stay inside the building. The signs by the door can make it seem like you go outside. Buy a one-way or round-trip ticket at a machine (190 yen or 380). The shuttle is not just for museum-goers, but for locals too. The museum is the first stop and the ride is only a few minutes long. The entrance to the museum is immediately after you exit the station. I bought a ticket online the day before and mistakenly ended up with a same-day ticket. I was prepared to buy another but two kind staff members assisted me. All of the buildings, restrooms, and restaurants are accessible. There are ramps throughout but you need to be able to take stairs to get up close to some of the rolling stock. It's an extensive collection on the main floor. A lot of upstairs is kid-directed but that doesn't mean adults wouldn't enjoy it. There are escalators and elevators. At 10:30 I went to the 4th floor of the South building, a short walk away, and ate at the View Restaurant. It's a small menu with items for adults and kids. Order at a machine first (English available), select your main dish by itself or of your want to bundle it with a drink. (No diet soda.) There are only two machines, and the far one takes only Suica/IC cards. I think there are only two machines so neither the kitchen nor the dining room gets overwhelmed. Turn in your ticket at the counter behind you and you'll get a buzzer that will notify you when it's time to pick up your food. I had hamburg steak with karaage chicken, ham, and fried egg. Rice and cabbage too, of course. It was fresh and tasted good. Tables next to the window have an unobstructed view of passing Shinkansen; of course those get filled immediately. (The museum is sandwiched between the Shinkansen tracks on one side and local and freight train tracks on the other.) Just outside the restaurant is a terrace with tables and where you can watch Shinkansen and other trains go by. You can eat in the train car restaurant or get ekiben at a little outside stand between the main and South buildings. The ekiben selections include special train-themed containers. There are drink vending machines sprinkled around, and benches at ground level in various places so you can watch local and freight trains go by. Naturally I had to spend a little money in the souvenir shop before departing. I saw kids running laps through and around cars, followed by parents desperately trying to corral them. In one case, a child was literally bouncing off the seats. A little girl in a princess dress lovingly hugged a bag that had a Shinkansen model peeking out of the top. A freight train ambled past while commuter trains moved more quickly on several different tracks. My joints began to really ache around noon, necessitating more time seated and pain medication. So I guess my body gave out before the kids. But it doesn't matter because we all had a good time.

Before planning my most recent trip to Tokyo, I had watched quite a number of programs on NHK World. One of my favorite programs, Japan Railway Journal, had an entire program on the Railway Museum in Saitima. I had been anxious to visit this fascinating museum ever since I first watched that program. The museum is about an hour train ride north of Tokyo Station, but well worth the time and effort. My first visit to Tokyo was in 1990 and I had my first experience riding the very unique trains and shinkansen (bullet train) in Japan. Ever since then I always looked forward to riding the trains in Japan! One of my favorite things to do is to get an ekiben (packaged bento lunch for traveling) and take a ride on a Shinkansen. At the museum you can purchase a variety of ekiben and sit inside one of the trains on display (outdoors) and enjoy your meal without the movement of a train you would normally experience! This apparently is a very popular place to have that experience. There is also a couple of more upscale restaurants. The View Restaurant on the 4th floor and the Nippon Shokudo on the 2nd floor. The Railway Museum was fascinating & enormous in size. I might recommend downloading the Museum's app to your smart phone prior to visiting the museum. Most of the signage at the museum is, naturally, in Japanese and this app really helped give me a background on most all of the train cars on display. I believe there are around 40+ full-size train cars available to view and most all of them allow you to tour inside them. The second floor has an entire very long wall (75 yards long) of miniature trains which really show the evolution of trains in Japan--amazing. I think it's a great museum for families interested in trains, as they have a play area on the ground floor devoted to children. There is a "kid's" café with many choices of meals available & most served in dishes to resemble a train car. There is also a small shinkansen which the kids can ride outside in this same area. I think one of the most popular attractions is the train simulators. I believe there are 3 different simulators you can get in line for. Since my Japanese language is very rudimentary, I didn't dare give it a try. I went on a weekday morning so there was virtually no waiting. In the center of the main floor display of "Rolling Stock" trains, there is a large steam locomotive train on display. At noon and 5pm, it's a big production and the train is turned around on a really enormous turntable complete with large train whistles and a conductor directing the move. All things considered, if you have an interest in trains, it's well worth the time to travel to the Tetsudo-Hakubutsukan station to see this museum. (The museum is a direct short walk from the train station and sits parallel to the station.) Lastly, there is an excellent museum shop, TRAINIART, which a huge variety of goods for gift giving and souvenirs!

I visited here on Thursday, April 18th.There were still a lot of people.Even I could see many kids.This museum is very family friendly.There were a lot of activities for kids.Kids can learn trains and the technology. Of course, the adults can enjoy this museum.Many people were waiting for train simulations which people can operate some trains on the computer screens. Personally, I really liked history of Japanese railways.150 years ago, Japan started modernization and hired many Europeans&Americans in order to develop nationwide railways.Today, Japanese high speed rail technology is the greatest in the world! I saw a lot of non-Japanese.Many people around the world want to learn Japanese high speed rail technology. They can learn lots here.However, most of the descriptions at the exhibition were written in Japanese.The museum needs English, Chinese and Korean descriptions. This is a new and super clean museum.You can enjoy great views of high speed trains and Saitama city.Please visit here!

An incredible museum and a must stop when visiting. Once you have spent some time in Japan you can begin to feel how trains have shaped this country and are a way of life. You can take them almost anywhere at almost any time and be certain you will be onetime and safe. Their time tables not only maintain their operations, but also the habits of the people. For this reason I wanted to visit the Museum to get a true sense of their history and when I arrived I was shocked at the size and detail of the museum. It is by far one of the greatest sites I've ever visited. From just simply walking inside the historic cars to learning all about the fundamentals of engineering trains. This site has it all and will require you a full day, I promise. If you ever are in Tokyo, make sure you see this site if you are at all interested in the culture of trains in Japan.