It is a crossover between a museum and a theme park. But unless you live in the Netherlands and also have children, you have probably never visited the Dutch Railway Museum in Utrecht.

When we arrived there was almost no one there. It was still early, 10 AM on a Saturday.
But if you’d arrive at a theme park on the first train which arrives just as the gates open, the train would have been cramped and upon arrival you’d have to go straight to the most popular rides to make the most out of that first hour when there are fewer people in the park.

But we had none of that.

The train was quiet, which was a relief after total chaos and mayhem we’d had on the other lines to Utrecht.
And in the quiet museum the large food court was already ready to serve us, despite there only being a handful of visitors yet.
It was like heaven, if heaven was a theme park that welcomed guests with a cup of well-earned coffee and a remedial bagel.
The dark rides and thrill rides could wait.

After that we were still in time to be among the only ones in the ride which had brought me there, The Trial By Fire Ride.
The reason I wanted to go there, was because the script of two centuries of train history, was written and narrated by the late Rutger Hauer.
He was actively involved in creating it and can be seen in a long video at the beginning of the ride.

The ride itself is a train simulator which, coincidence or not, also rides through a Bladerunner-like futuristic landscape at high speed.

At the museum the best displays can often be found in the entrance halls and queuing areas.
So you can read them while you wait.
But the disadvantage is that if you would choose to not do a certain ride, you also miss out on these beautiful vintage displays.
And on Rutger Hauer teaching on trains.

I think the museum has clearly been betting on two horses, which means you’ll never be one for the masses.

But you could be the only one Holland’s biggest movie star has ever graced with their presence.

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~Suzanne Beenackers
Catacombe
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