The Yunnan Railway Museum (云南铁路博物馆), established in 2004, occupies the former waiting room of Kunming North Railway Station. It serves as a tribute to the rich history of railway development in Kunming, with a particular focus on the narrow-gauge railway heritage, notably the Michelin internal combustion train, designated as a national-level cultural relic. This train, originally deployed in 1914, was a high-end commercial service catering exclusively to senior officials from both China and France, featuring rubber tires for a smoother ride.
Spanning a total area of 3,176 square meters, the museum boasts a collection of over 9,500 historical artifacts, including old photographs, documents, and other archival materials related to the Yunnan-Vietnam Railway. Among the exhibits are locomotives like the “Misinlin Locomotive” and passenger and freight carriages that once operated on the Yunnan-Vietnam Railway. Through vivid color contrasts, the museum vividly portrays the century-long history of this railway line.
Inside the exhibition hall, visitors can explore relics such as tools used by the Tea Horse Ancient Road caravans, railway surveying equipment, and models depicting the unique architectural features of Yunnan railways. These models include scenes of tunnel excavation, iconic bridges like the Zigzag Bridge and Huaqiao Bridge, the French-style architecture of the Bishuizhai Station, the fusion of Chinese and Western architectural styles at the Lin’an Station, and a replica of the entrance hall of the Ge Bi Linping Company. Additionally, dynamic models illustrate the challenges faced during the construction of the Cheng-Kun Railway and showcase engineering marvels like the Nanpan River Quadruple Track Bridge and the Nu River Double Track Bridge.
The Yunnan Railway Museum stands as the sole thematic museum in China dedicated to the history of local railway development. It serves as a witness to the history of old China and remains an indelible chapter in the modern history of Yunnan.
Basic Information
| Estimated Length of Tour | 1 hour |
| Ticket Price | 10 RMB |
| Opening Hours | 9.00 – 17.00; Last admission: 16.00 Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays |
| Telephone Number | 0086-0871-66138610 |
Location and Transportation
The Yunnan Railway Museum is located at 913 Beijing Road, in the northern part of Kunming City, Yunnan Province, China. To get there, you can choose one of the following ways:
Bus: Take bus 3, 23, 61, 85, 105, or Z63, get off at North Railway Station Stop (火车北站), and walk about 350 meters to the north to reach the museum.
Metro: The closest metro station to Yunnan Railway Museum is North Railway Station (火车北站) on line 2, line 4, and line 5. After getting out of the station from Exit D, you will be standing right at the entrance.
