Walking into Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg, Germany, I thought I knew what to expect. Model trains going round in circles, maybe some tiny buildings. Then I saw a miniature airport with planes actually taking off, a fully functional fire brigade responding to emergencies, and over 1,100 trains running on 16 kilometres of track across detailed recreations of Germany, Switzerland, Scandinavia, the USA, Italy, and South America. This isn’t a model railway. It’s the world’s largest miniature world, built with obsessive attention to detail over 990,000 hours by 300 employees.
Quick answer
Miniatur Wunderland costs €22 for adults and €13 for children under 16. Children smaller than 1 metre (3 feet) enter free when accompanied by a parent. Concessions (students, seniors, unemployed, disabled) pay €19. Wheelchair users pay €10. The exhibition opens daily but hours vary rather wildly by season (check the website for current times). Advance online booking is strongly recommended to avoid queues, particularly during peak season and school holidays. Located in the Speicherstadt warehouse district at Kehrwieder 2-4, Block D, Hamburg. The nearest U-Bahn station is Baumwall (U3), 5 minutes’ walk.
At a glance
| Price | Opening hours | Address | Free for | Last entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| €22 adults, €13 children under 16 | Daily (hours vary seasonally, check website) | Kehrwieder 2-4, Block D, 20457 Hamburg | Children under 1 metre/3 feet | 1 hour before closing |
How much does Miniatur Wunderland cost?
The museum is privately operated and admission fees fund ongoing expansion and maintenance.
| Ticket type | Price | Who qualifies |
|---|---|---|
| Adults | €22.00 | Ages 16 and over |
| Children | €13.00 | Under 16 years |
| Children under 1 metre/3 feet | Free | When accompanied by parent |
| Concession | €19.00 | Students, seniors (65+), disabled, unemployed (proof required) |
| Wheelchair users | €10.00 | Reduced rate with wheelchair |
| School classes | €13.00 per person | Groups of 10+, max age 18 (1 teacher free per 10 students) |
| Annual pass (adult) | €99.00 | Personalized, non-transferable |
| Annual pass (child) | €59.00 | Personalized, non-transferable |
Guided backstage tours cost extra. The 60-minute tours (Little Wonders or New Worlds) cost €17.50 adults, €13.50 children. The Great World of Wonders tour (two 60-minute parts with break) costs €35 adults, €27 children. Tours are not offered daily and English tours are limited outside holidays. Book separately through the online system.
Special events include Wunderland at Night (€32 adults, €18.90 children), Big Tubs & Small Trains combining harbour tour and museum (€34.90 adults, €25.90 children), and Culinary Trip around the World with food (€95 adults, €49.90 children).
These prices were checked and verified in January 2026.
Is Miniatur Wunderland free to enter?
No. There are no free entry periods or discount days. Children under 1 metre (approximately 3 feet) tall enter free when accompanied by a paying adult, which is the only complimentary access available.
What time does Miniatur Wunderland open?
Opening hours vary seasonally and the museum updates its schedule regularly. Check the official website for current times before visiting. The museum opens 365 days a year including Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Last entry is typically one hour before closing.
During peak season (school holidays, summer months), the museum extends hours to accommodate demand. Some days, it’s open from 7.30am to 11pm. Outside peak season, hours may be reduced to 7.30am to 1pm. The hours, frankly, are wildly inconsistent, and you’re best off checking and booking ahead.
Online booking includes selecting a time slot, which helps manage visitor flow.
Do I need to book Miniatur Wunderland tickets in advance?
Yes, advance booking is strongly recommended. The museum is one of Germany’s most popular attractions and can sell out days or weeks ahead during peak season. Online tickets allow you to skip the ticket desk queue and proceed directly to the entrance.
Without advance booking, you may face significant waits. During busy periods, same-day tickets may be unavailable. The official website displays current waiting times and ticket availability, helping you plan your visit.
From hobby to world record
Twin brothers Frederik and Gerrit Braun founded Miniatur Wunderland in 2000. What began as a model railway hobby in their childhood transformed into the world’s largest model railway exhibition. The museum opened in August 2001 in Hamburg’s Speicherstadt, the historic warehouse district.
The initial exhibition covered 200 square metres. Today, it occupies 1,545 square metres with plans to expand further. The permanent construction site mentality means something is always being added or improved. Current sections include Central Germany, Austria, Hamburg, the USA, Scandinavia, Switzerland, Knuffingen Airport (with planes that actually take off), Italy, Venice, Monaco & Provence, Rio de Janeiro, and Patagonia.
The level of detail is extraordinary. Over 289,000 figures populate the landscape. There are 10,250 cars controlled by a sophisticated computer system that manages traffic, 47 airplanes in the air, 4,340 buildings, 137,000 trees, and 16,138 metres of track. Day and night cycles occur every 15 minutes. Fires break out and miniature fire brigades respond. Ships move through canals. Formula 1 cars race around tracks.
Walking through miniature worlds
The exhibition occupies multiple floors in a converted warehouse. Start at the top and work down. Each section represents a different region with distinctive characteristics. Germany includes the Harz mountains with endless ICE high-speed trains, Hamburg’s Michel church, and Hagenbeck Zoo recreated in miniature.
Knuffingen Airport is the technical masterpiece. Planes taxi, take off (magnetically propelled), circle, and land on the runway. Ground crew service aircraft, passengers board through jetways, and luggage gets loaded. It took seven years to develop the technology making this possible.
Switzerland features the Alps with cog railways climbing mountains and cable cars crossing valleys. Austria includes Sound of Music locations. Scandinavia shows Nordic landscapes with fjords and midnight sun. The USA section includes Las Vegas with miniature casinos and Grand Canyon scenery. Italy presents Venice with working gondolas, Rome’s Colosseum, and Vesuvius erupting.
Monaco recreates Formula 1 racing with tiny cars completing full laps around detailed street circuits. Provence shows lavender fields and Mediterranean villages. Rio de Janeiro features Carnival celebrations, Christ the Redeemer, and Sugarloaf Mountain. Patagonia includes glaciers and the Drake Passage with sophisticated wave mechanics.
Interactive buttons throughout let you trigger events. Press a button and a bakery catches fire, the fire brigade arrives, and crews extinguish flames. Another button starts a rock concert with 20,000 tiny spectators. There are hundreds of these hidden details and Easter eggs to discover.
The technical achievement is as impressive as the artistic detail. Over 50 computers control everything. The car system alone required developing custom software and hardware. Ships navigate canals autonomously. Day-night lighting cycles every 15 minutes involve 485,000 individual lights.
What’s included with your ticket
Your admission includes access to all exhibition floors, all miniature worlds, day-night lighting cycles every 15 minutes, interactive button features throughout, the restaurant/bistro area (food purchased separately), and all-day access once admitted (you can leave and return the same day).
Not included are guided backstage tours (booked separately), special events like Wunderland at Night (separate tickets), food and beverages from the restaurant, and items from the gift shop.
5 great things to do in Hamburg
- 🚢 Glide through the Speicherstadt warehouses on a two hour harbour cruise.
- 🪞 Head to the Museum of Illusions for spectacular selfies.
- 🏰 Get a gruesome take on the city’s history at the Hamburg Dungeon.
- 🚶 Take a Reeperbahn walking tour to discover Hamburg’s wild side.
- 🍺 Hear the stories of St Pauli on a guided pub crawl.
Things to do near Miniatur Wunderland
Speicherstadt (immediate area) – The world’s largest warehouse district from 1883-1927, built on timber piles as a free economic zone. UNESCO World Heritage Site with red-brick Neo-Gothic architecture. The museum sits within Speicherstadt, so you’re already there.
Elbphilharmonie (700 metres, 8-minute walk) – Hamburg’s wave-shaped concert hall completed in 2017. The Plaza viewing platform at 37 metres offers free harbour views (advance booking required). The glass structure sits atop a brick warehouse.
International Maritime Museum (450 metres, 6-minute walk) – Nine floors of maritime history in Kaispeicher B, the oldest warehouse in Speicherstadt. Ship models, navigational instruments, historical documents. One of Europe’s largest maritime collections.
Hamburg Dungeon (same building) – Interactive horror attraction covering dark Hamburg history. Actors perform scenes from plague, fire, and infamous criminals. Combination tickets available with Miniatur Wunderland.
Speicherstadt Museum (400 metres, 5-minute walk) – History of the warehouse district covering construction, trading history, and coffee importation. Located in a restored warehouse showing original working conditions.
Outside of the Speicherstadt area, Hamburg’s highlights include the St Nikolai Memorial, the nightlife around the Reeperbahn in St Pauli plus museum ships Rickmer Rickmers and Cap San Diego near the Old Elbe Tunnel.
Practical tips
Getting there: U-Bahn U3 to Baumwall station (5-minute walk). Bus 6 stops nearby. The Speicherstadt is central and well-signposted. From Hamburg Hauptbahnhof (main station), take U3 toward Barmbek, alight at Baumwall.
Time needed: Three to four hours minimum. Thorough exploration takes five to six hours. With over 1,545 square metres and countless details to discover, rushing through defeats the purpose.
Photography: Personal photography allowed. No flash. Tripods not permitted. The lighting cycles mean photos vary dramatically depending on whether it’s “day” or “night” in the exhibition.
Accessibility: Fully wheelchair accessible with lifts to all floors. Reduced admission for wheelchair users (€10). The exhibition layout accommodates wheelchairs throughout.
Crowds: Busiest during school holidays (particularly summer), weekends, and German public holidays. Weekday mornings outside holidays are quietest. The online booking system shows current visitor levels.
Food: Restaurant/bistro on the second floor serves freshly cooked meals, pasta, traditional German food like Currywurst, and beverages. Prices are family-friendly. You can leave the exhibition, eat, and re-enter the same day.
FAQs
How long does it take to see everything? Three to four hours minimum. Enthusiasts easily spend five to six hours. There’s so much detail that returning visitors discover things they missed previously.
Is it just for children? No. While children love it, the technical achievement, artistic detail, and scale appeal equally to adults. Many visitors are adults without children.
Can you touch the models? No. Everything is behind barriers or under glass. There are interactive buttons throughout that trigger specific events without touching the models directly.
Are there English tours? English guided backstage tours run but not daily, especially outside holidays. Book through the website. The exhibition itself has information in German and English.
When is best to visit? Weekday mornings outside German school holidays. Book at least a week in advance during summer months.
More Hamburg travel
Other Hamburg travel articles on Planet Whitley include:
- 9 reasons to take a Hamburg city break.
- Why Hamburg’s vibe comes from St Pauli, musicals and the port.
- Where to eat, drink, shop and stay in Hamburg.
- How to get cheap Hamburg to Berlin train tickets.
- What to expect at the St Nikolai Memorial in Hamburg.
