My experience:
After I read that the Fairytale Express, which I knew from my childhood, was renewed and had “many new attractions”, I was very curious. Therefore, I decided to take a ride. My expectations were high, because of all the lovely memories I had. I thought, that I’ll might see some new fairytale figures and tales. What I got was something very different. The first stop was at a place where many clocks were hanging on the walls, according to the speakers this was the ‘Otherworld’. I thought that this was a nice start for this journey. The second stop was at the witches place. There you had to ‘clean’ their house, but no witches to be seen. Here I started to feel a little disappointed, because there were no figures, not even a witch’s kettle! The only things you could see were some shelves with pots, cutlery and spider webs. At the stop called Fairytale Woods, I got back my hope of seeing nice figures, but I was wrong! Long story short: It continued like this, I wasn’t able to guess more than 2 or 3 fairytales from the bits that came out of the speakers (e.g. Now you have to learn how to fly.). The final stop is called ball hall. There you had to point the torchlight towards some skirts, which were hanging from the ceiling. The result was that these skirts started to 'dance'.
I can’t put it into words how disappointed I was!
Here are some pictures after the big renewing of 2012!
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| The closest you get to seeing fairytale figures... picture source (http://www.blounge.at/maerchenbahn-graz/) |
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| picture source (http://www.blounge.at/maerchenbahn-graz/) |
Here are some pictures before the big renewing of 2012!
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| picture source (orf.at) |
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| picture souce (kleinezeitung.at) |
Brief history (source: http://www.grazermaerchenbahn.at/geschichte/):
The Fairytale Express runs through the Schlossberg in Graz. During World War II, the tunnel was used as a bomb shelter for the citizens. After the war, the tunnel wasn’t used until 1968, when a part of the tunnel was revived with the Fairytale Express. After 10 years, it was closed for four years. In 1982 the Fairytale Express was reopened and in use until 1997. Due to the atmospheric conditions, the Fairytale Express was in such bad condition, that it had to close. Between 1999 and 2000, the Fairytale Express was opened again. In 2000, it was closed because it didn’t fulfill the fire safety requirements. In 2011, the Fairytale Express was open until it had to close for a whole make over in 2012. Since November 2014, the Fairytale Express is open again.
