Miniature Wunderland - Hamburg

[clivef5915]

During a recent cruise there was a stopover in Hamburg for the day and I convinced my better half, my sister-in-law and brother-in -law that a visit to the Wunderland would be well worth the effort. And it was, apart from there not being any reference to the railways of the UK in any of the modelling except for one 'easyjet' in the model airport! They really don't like us on the Continent do they!!

[TimberSurf]

France is next and then South America by 2020, but UK is also muted to be on the list in the future!
Go back in 5 years time! lol

[GeraldH]

It's an excellent day out and worth a trip to Hamburg just to see it. The behind the scenes tour is fascinating.

[Bufferstop]

Including the UK into an HO layout does pose one or two problems, but if they were to keep the two scales well apart they might borrow a trick from the Great Model Railway Challenge, Build the two ends of the Channel Tunnel, and have HO models going into the tunnel at one end and 00 ones coming out the other, Just need an 00 scale ICE from somewhere, but I'm sure that with their resources anything is possible.

[SRman]

My OH and I visited there in September, and we were not disappointed at all. It is definitely worth a visit.

There are lots of humorous touches around. As Timbersurf said, they are constantly working on new sections, but it takes time. The Italian section has only recently opened (and very good it is too), but that took a number of years to come to fruition. I think they are planning a British section for the future, and even, eventually, an Australian bit.

While I was there, I saw a 'Hogwarts Express' trundling around one of the European sections, so they aren't totally averse to running British trains!

Other bits of humour include things like the Death Star appearing on the arrivals board at their airport, the Millenium Falcon actually landing there while we watched, an electric car snagged on the charging lead because the driver forgot to unplug it, a horse driving a car at an equestrian event, a truck loaded with portaloos about to enter a tunnel with the top of the tunnel lower than the height of the load ... there are so many things to look for and see, you cannot take it all in in one visit.

Also, we were very grateful that when we were in Hamburg as a whole (and Copenhagen before that), everyone spoke English very well, whereas my German (and Danish) is limited to maybe a dozen words.


Incidentally, we travelled from Copenhagen to Hamburg by train; I got us into first class by taking a train an hour later than the one I originally thought would suit us, where the fares were cheaper ... first class cost us what we would have paid for standard class on the earlier train. I have included the shot of the DSB (Danish State Railways) IC3 train in Hamburg. It was a comfortable trip that took around 5 hours.

These are just a few of the photos I took - I actually took heaps of photos, but I am not going to load them all on to Flickr, you'll all just have to go and see it for yourselves . Note the model of their own buildings and the Hafen City area they are in. I have also included a shot of the exterior of the real Miniatur Wunderland buildings at night. We walked back to our hotel after they closed at about 9:30pm, and felt perfectly safe, for anyone who might be concerned. We passed only a few other people, mostly couples like us out for an evening stroll.


P_20180925_183355_vHDR_On by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr


P_20180925_174717_vHDR_On by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr


P_20180925_183912_vHDR_On by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr


P_20180925_185058_vHDR_On by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr


P_20180925_171303_vHDR_On by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr


P_20180925_211241_vHDR_On by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr


P_20180924_180231_vHDR_On by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

[actonnorth]

I’m going here in January and I cannot wait. I’ve been to Hamburg a few times, but, never had the chance to visit Miniatur Wunderland. I’ve genuinely never heard a bad review.

[Flashbang]

I would highly recommend pre booking tickets before you go. They are undated (or they were when we went) and it saves any delays getting in.
https://shop.miniatur-wunderland.com/adult-ticket.html
About a six to eight minute walk from the nearest railway station which is Baumwall.

My wife, who isn't really into model trains really loved it, and she spend a good 45 minutes looking of Michael Portillo on the Hamburg station model!!

We went in 2013 and just before Christmas. The many Hamburg Christmas markets were all in full swing and great to visit especially in the late afternoon or evening when its dark.

[actonnorth]

I’ve pre booked tickets as well as a ‘skip the queue’ feature. Having a 2 and 3 year old in tow means I want to get in ASAP!

[TimberSurf]

I have heard you can book a 'behind the scenes' tour that is well worth it too!

[4472]

Where do/did you guys stay when there

[Flashbang]

We stayed at the Radisson Blu hotel right outside Dammtor station. Link to bookings Flying into Hamburg, then took the train direct to Dammtor. We stayed for three nights, but only on a B & B basis and we eat in the evenings in the city. Which is around a six minute walk from the hotel. We had a bargain break offer for around Euro 150 per room. Dammtor to Baumwall and Minature Wonderland which is about a 20 to 25 minute train trip changing in Hamburg Central. We obtained a daily rail and bus transport travel ticket for 5 Euro each which was unlimited travel in the whole Hamburg area.
As I said previously we went just before Christmas and took in the many Christmas markets around Hamburg and the outlaying suburbs. Great time and happy to go back again.
In fact we cruised into Hamburg this year, but only went back into the city centre.

Wonderland building

One of the many Christmas markets. Held in the square of the Rathaus

Rathaus 2018

[Leekmuncher7474]

Just picked up on this thread and note that you visited during a cruise visit? We are also stopping off at Hamburg on a cruise this October and I would love to visit Miniatur Wunderland. My question is how far is it from the cruise terminal? Is it a bus or taxi ride away or is it walkable? Cheers, John

[mossdp]

I have walked there from the ship cruise dock but it may depend on the exact location your cruise ship docks. You may be able to find that the Port of Hamburg may have a website listings of which ship is docking in which berth. You can prebook tickets as it does get crowded but I found going there early in the morning from a cruise ship it was pretty empty. Cruise ships do organise their own own tours there but will cost very much more than doing it yourself. If you are going independently and your ship is also organising a tour there, best to arrive before the tour does.

[Flashbang]

Just picked up on this thread and note that you visited during a cruise visit? We are also stopping off at Hamburg on a cruise this October and I would love to visit Miniatur Wunderland. My question is how far is it from the cruise terminal? Is it a bus or taxi ride away or is it walkable? Cheers, John

We walked from where the cruise ship was docked into Hamburg city centre. It took a good 40 minutes! But as stated it really depends on where the ship docks. If wanting only to visit MWL I would take a cab direct from outside the cruise terminal and back and not risk walking or using the excellent German railways. But I'm rather a 'chicken' when it comes to needing to be back on board, as I fear seeing the ship sailing away with us on the dock side!

[Bufferstop]

Too true Flashbang, we watched it nearly happen in Bergen, a couple with a toddler in a pushchair had encountered some problem in getting back to the Ventura, fortunately they turned up when it was about twenty yards from the quayside. It was a few seconds from commencing it's turn towards the open sea, and with no fuss the helmsman turned the stern towards the quay and moved the entire ship sideways until a short gangplank could reach the ground. it could never have been done with a conventional propeller and rudder and a load of tugs fussing around. As one of our fellow travellers said It's like seeing six blocks of flats chugging along at twenty miles an hour suddenly decide its going to move twenty yards sideways without any external help.