The light railway Philippsheim - Binsfeld, affectionately called the "Schnaufbähnchen" by locals, operated for a total of 65 years from 1900 between Philippsheim and Binsfeld. The steam-powered little train reliably managed a considerable height difference of 120 meters on the only eight-kilometer-long route. The railway was built to ensure transport from the train station in Philippsheim on the Eifel line Cologne - Trier to the Binsfeld clay pits and brickworks. In the 1950s, two locomotives with 200 hp each, 47 freight wagons and 38 tipper cars were in operation. With the establishment of a bus line between Binsfeld and Trier and the transfer of freight traffic to the road, the end of the "Schnaufbähnchen" was sealed in 1965. Today, the well-preserved locomotive in front of the former engine shed on Bahnhofstraße commemorates the historic narrow-gauge railway and serves as the starting point for our bike tour along the former train track to Philippsheim.
The former narrow-gauge railway track of the historic light railway from Binsfeld to Philippsheim was partly converted into a bike path in 2010 and here meets the Kyll bike path.
Via the A60 motorway, Landscheid exit, continue via the federal highway B50 to Binsfeld.
Binsfeld and Philippsheim can be reached by bus or train; current travel times and prices are available on the website of the Trier transport region: www.vrt-info.de or on the railway's website: www.bahn.de
Our tip: Line 403 connects the train station in Speicher with Binsfeld (travel time about 30 minutes).
From Philippsheim it is about 4 km by bike via the Kyll bike path to the station in Speicher.
Please note: In buses without bike transport facilities, bike transport is possible from 9 a.m., but depends on available space. The decision on bike transport lies with the bus driver!
Free parking is available at the church and/or the cemetery in Binsfeld. You can also park on the roadside in Bahnhofstraße.
From the old locomotive on Bahnhofstraße, we ride towards the roundabout, which we cross. Soon the bike path turns left. It continues along the fields and the federal highway B50 until the federal highway is crossed. Follow the signs, from Beilingen it goes down into the valley to Philippsheim.
Please pay attention to safety when crossing the street!
We recommend e-bikes for the bike tour, as on a planned return by bike to Binsfeld there are partly steep climbs on all routes!
In Philippsheim there is the possibility to extend the bike route via the Kyll bike path, heading north to Bitburg or south to Trier.
Rail trail cycling: http://www.bahntrassenradeln.de/details/rp1_09.htm
Philippsheim station / connection to the Kyll bike path towards Trier and/or Bitburg/Gerolstein
