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On bahn.expert I found an unusual train DZ 5259 from Rüdesheim to Hanau:

Screenshot bahn.expert with train DZ 5259 from Rüdesheim to Hanau

This train does not appear in regular customer-oriented train search engines such as HAFAS. According to Fernbahn.de, DZ stands Zug des Sonder- und Charterverkehrs, meaning a train for extraordinary or charter traffic.

I think it could be fun to travel on such a train. How can I find them? Of course, it's not a given that it's possible at all to book travel on this particular train, but maybe on some excursion trains it is possible. Is there some way to search the timetable directly for such planned trains and find out who operates them?

In this case, it might be the Museumseisenbahn Hanau organising the train, as they report they ran a charter train between Hanau and Rüdesheim on 12 June 2024 for a company event, although they (at the time of writing) have no information on a train running 10 July 2024.

Edit: I saw the train stopping in Offenbach, where it had to wait a while to be overtaken by other trains. Talked to the driver, who confirmed it was a private event (geschlossene Gesellschaft) on a train operated by the Museumseisenbahn Hanau.

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    If Museumseisenbahn Hanau runs trains for company events (or charter trains for other private arrangements), you can't expect that you can book tickets on such trains at all. They do however run museum trains open to the public, the next trips being in September and November (see their web site for more information). I would hardly believe that there is a central database for such special trains, where you can search for all planned trips. You probably have to check each operator and see what they are offering.
    – Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
    Commented Jul 10 at 16:12
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    Don't know about Germany, but in France it's possible to book trains for private events, and those trains are obviously 100% reserved for the company who booked it. I work with a company which does it once or twice a year (booking a full TGV Duplex from Paris to the Alps or South of France), they also used to do the same thing with aircraft (up to three A320s for an event, sometimes a 747...). For smaller events they just book a few carriages on a regular train (I've seen other companies do that). I don't think the operator would make the name of the client public.
    – jcaron
    Commented Jul 10 at 16:33
  • I think there should be some tools. I think I saw some demo using opendata access to see scheduled trains (not necessarily public train). Just that without a good interface the data are chaotic.
    – Giacomo Catenazzi
    Commented Jul 11 at 7:08
  • @Tor-EinarJarnbjo OK, no tickets then, but trainspotting would work! (Not sure if trainspotting is on-topic on Travel.SE)
    – gerrit
    Commented Jul 12 at 7:10
  • Local tourists information offices might have information on regularly occurring events or tourists accessible museum train rides.
    – Willeke ♦
    Commented Jul 12 at 8:16

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