Bahnwelt Darmstadt-Kranichstein is an umbrella organisation of and for railway clubs in Darmstadt with the aim of preserving and presenting the history of the railway in the Darmstadt area and making it accessible to future generations. They operate the railway museum, the ‘Feuriger Elias’ steam tram and the Darmstadt tram museum under the Bahnwelt Darmstadt-Kranichstein brand.

Opened in 1976, the railway museum is the largest railway museum in Hesse and is located on the site of the former railway depot of the former Darmstadt-Kranichstein marshalling yard. Here, visitors can view an impressive collection of over 200 historic vehicles from all eras of railway history. These include steam locomotives, diesel locomotives, electric locomotives as well as small and special vehicles. The exhibitions in the museum are varied and cover topics such as historical tickets, uniforms, track superstructure and a model of the Darmstadt Main-Neckar railway station. Of particular interest is the educational signal box, which explains how signal boxes work using a model railway. There are also regular special events, such as the Bahnwelttage, where the vehicles are demonstrated in operation.

The ‘Fiery Elias’ steam tram, which is unique in Germany, is another highlight of the railway world. Since 1997, the historic tram runs on various sections of Darmstadt’s tram network several times a year, allowing passengers to experience a historic steam tram up close.

The Darmstadt Tram Museum at Marburger Straße 16 exhibits historic tram vehicles and organises regular events that shed light on the history of trams in Darmstadt and the surrounding area.