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Zimbabwe🇿🇼 | attractionsBulawayo Railway MuseumGarratt locomotives, open engine yard, Rhodes’s saloon carriage, signal levers | things to do and best time to go

Explore National Gallery in BulawayoExplore Zimbabwe Museum of Human Sciences

Backpacking in Bulawayo Railway Museum
👍 Recommendedattraction ranked #9
By Johan Kruseman 🇳🇱 | Updated October 22, 2026

Steam locomotives stand outside in the open yard, rust-brown and enormous, and you can walk right up to their wheels. Bulawayo Railway Museum sits in the Raylton area, a short ride north of the city center in Zimbabwe’s second city, beside the working rail lines. I expected a dusty shed with a few faded photos. Instead I found Cecil Rhodes’s private railway carriage, paneled and fitted like a tiny parlor, and I kept peering through its windows at the little dining table. The engines and carriages are the draw, so spend your hours there. The indoor exhibits of tickets, uniforms and lamps are fine for a quick lap, nothing more. Crowds are rare, entry is cheap, and the vibe is that of an enthusiasts’ yard. Check the brass plates on the Garratt locomotives.

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✨ Why go?
Ranked #9 attraction in ZimbabweReasons people choose to visit here

Bulawayo Railway Museum is the place to understand why this city exists at all. Bulawayo grew as a railway hub, and the yard lets you touch that history instead of reading about it. You can climb around Garratt locomotives, the articulated steam giants built for the tight curves and heavy loads of southern African lines, and stand beside engines that once hauled freight and passengers across the country. The collection also holds Cecil Rhodes’s private saloon carriage, which gives a rare look at how the colonial elite traveled.

It also suits a backpacker’s pace. Nobody herds you along, so you can linger, photograph the oxidized steel in the afternoon sun and chat with the staff, who tend to know the engines by number. Pair it with Bulawayo’s colonial-era streets and you have a half-day that … read more 👉
Bulawayo Railway Museum is the place to understand why this city exists at all. Bulawayo grew as a railway hub, and the yard lets you touch that history instead of reading about it. You can climb around Garratt locomotives, the articulated steam giants built for the tight curves and heavy loads of southern African lines, and stand beside engines that once hauled freight and passengers across the country. The collection also holds Cecil Rhodes’s private saloon carriage, which gives a rare look at how the colonial elite traveled.

It also suits a backpacker’s pace. Nobody herds you along, so you can linger, photograph the oxidized steel in the afternoon sun and chat with the staff, who tend to know the engines by number. Pair it with Bulawayo’s colonial-era streets and you have a half-day that tells the story of Zimbabwe’s rail age better than any sign could.

💡 HighlightsThe experiences that define the visit

  1. Cecil Rhodes’s private carriage: the museum’s best-known piece, a wood-lined saloon with a sitting area, dining space and sleeping quarters that shows how comfortably the founder of the colony crossed the country.
  2. Garratt steam locomotives: huge articulated engines with a distinctive split boiler design. Walking beside the drive wheels gives you a sense of scale photographs lose.
  3. The open locomotive yard: rows of retired engines and rolling stock standing on original track, ideal for wandering and photography without barriers between you and the metal.
  4. Vintage passenger coaches: several carriages from different eras, with wooden compartments, luggage racks and old fittings that show how class divided travel.
  5. Indoor exhibition hall: tickets, signal lamps, uniforms, bells and models that explain
… read more 👉
  1. Cecil Rhodes’s private carriage: the museum’s best-known piece, a wood-lined saloon with a sitting area, dining space and sleeping quarters that shows how comfortably the founder of the colony crossed the country.
  2. Garratt steam locomotives: huge articulated engines with a distinctive split boiler design. Walking beside the drive wheels gives you a sense of scale photographs lose.
  3. The open locomotive yard: rows of retired engines and rolling stock standing on original track, ideal for wandering and photography without barriers between you and the metal.
  4. Vintage passenger coaches: several carriages from different eras, with wooden compartments, luggage racks and old fittings that show how class divided travel.
  5. Indoor exhibition hall: tickets, signal lamps, uniforms, bells and models that explain how the network ran day to day. Give it a short visit.
  6. Historic photographs and documents: images of early construction crews and the line’s arrival in Bulawayo, useful for placing the engines in context.
  7. Railway signaling equipment: levers, semaphore-style gear and telegraph instruments that show how trains were kept apart before electronics.
Bulawayo Railway Museum charges a small entry fee, and the open-air yard costs nothing extra to roam once you are inside.
Spotted a mistake or missing something? Contact us.

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Ratings based on Tripadvisor reviews. When you book through this link, you support our work at no extra cost to you.

🌤️ When to go?Choosing the right time of year

  • Dry Winter (May to August): Cool, sunny days of 20 to 25°C (68 to 77°F) suit wandering the open yards of locomotives, while nights drop to 3 to 8°C (37 to 46°F). Daylight runs about 11 hours. Bulawayo Railway Museum is comfortable all day, and photos of the steam engines come out crisp.
  • Hot Late Dry (September to October): Afternoons reach 28 to 33°C (82 to 91°F), and the metal rolling stock radiates heat. Go in the morning.
  • Rainy Season (November to March): Expect 25 to 30°C (77 to 86°F) with afternoon storms that turn the yard paths muddy. Crowds are thin, and guesthouse prices soften.
  • School Holidays (April, August, December): Local families and tour groups appear, so weekends feel busier.
Aim for a weekday morning in June or July for cool air and an empty yard.

source: climatestotravel.comJANJanuary: fair for travelingFEBFebruary: fair for travelingMARMarch: fair for travelingAPRApril: good for travelingMAYMay: highly recommended for travelingJUNJune: highly recommended for travelingJULJuly: highly recommended for travelingAUGAugust: highly recommended for travelingSEPSeptember: highly recommended for travelingOCTOctober: good for travelingNOVNovember: fair for travelingDECDecember: fair for traveling
when-to-go

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🛏️ Where to stay?Best areas and accommodation options

The Bulawayo city center, within a few blocks of the main grid around Fort Street and 8th Avenue, is the best base for backpackers. The museum sits in the Raylton area, on the edge of the center, and a short taxi or a 20 to 30 minute walk in daylight connects the two. You will find the most guesthouses, backpacker-style lodges and small cafés here, so meeting other travelers over a shared table is easy. Streets are flatter and calmer than in Harare, though you should still take taxis after dark rather than walking. Suburbs such as Suburbs and Hillside, a taxi ride south, offer quieter garden guesthouses … read more 👉
The Bulawayo city center, within a few blocks of the main grid around Fort Street and 8th Avenue, is the best base for backpackers. The museum sits in the Raylton area, on the edge of the center, and a short taxi or a 20 to 30 minute walk in daylight connects the two. You will find the most guesthouses, backpacker-style lodges and small cafés here, so meeting other travelers over a shared table is easy. Streets are flatter and calmer than in Harare, though you should still take taxis after dark rather than walking. Suburbs such as Suburbs and Hillside, a taxi ride south, offer quieter garden guesthouses with kitchens and secure parking, good if you want sleep over socializing. Hillside also puts you closer to Matobo Hills trips. Dorm beds in town typically run US$10 to 20, and private rooms US$25 to 50. Pick somewhere with a generator or solar backup, as power cuts are common.
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Best quality hotels in Zimbabwe

👛 Costs (as of 22 October 2026)What things cost and how to budget

Bulawayo Railway Museum costs a backpacker roughly US$31 to 68 per day, including a bed, food and local transport.
CategoryBudget RangeLocal Reality
Museum entryUS$5 to 10Foreign adult rate, paid in cash at the gate; guided walk through the yard is often included or tipped.
Accommodation (high season)US$15 to 30Dorm or basic private room in central Bulawayo; cheaper in the rainy season.
FoodUS$8 to 15Sadza meals at local eateries cost less; café lunches cost more.
Local transportUS$3 to 8Short taxi rides from the center, or a free walk by day.
Photography and extrasUS$0 to 5Small tip for the guide; drinks and souvenirs optional.
Total Daily BudgetUS$31 to 68US dollars are widely used, and small change is handy.
⚠️ Prices can change and everyone travels differently, so take this as a rough guide. Hope it helps you plan your adventure!

FAQCommon questions from travelers

Bulawayo Railway Museum needs about 1.5 to 2 hours for a relaxed visit. Rail enthusiasts and photographers can stretch that to half a day among the steam locomotives and carriages in the yard. Combine it with the nearby city center, a short taxi ride away, for a full day.
Bulawayo Railway Museum is worth the roughly US$5 to 10 entry if you like steam engines, colonial-era rolling stock or Cecil Rhodes-era railway history. Its collection includes restored Garratt locomotives and historic carriages, and a guide brings them to life. Skip it if trains do not interest you, since the stay is short.
Bulawayo Railway Museum sits in the Raylton area, a 5 to 10 minute taxi ride from the city center for around US$3 to 6. Fit walkers can cover it in 20 to 30 minutes by day. Buses and minibuses from Harare and Victoria Falls arrive in central Bulawayo, so you finish the journey by taxi.
⚠️ Things can change over time, so always validate details locally before you go.

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We 💚 feedbackIs it worth it?

Bulawayo Railway Museum rewards a look at the small things: the worn brass builder’s plates on the locomotives, which tell you where and when each engine was made. I would bring a camera and a bottle of water, walk the yard slowly, and skip the indoor hall if time is tight.

✈️ When did I visit Zimbabwe?
I have backpacked Zimbabwe all the way back in 2001.

✍️ Help improve this page!
The information on this page is based on my own backpacking experience in Zimbabwe, supplemented with up-to-date research and feedback from other travelers. Travel details can change, so if you notice anything outdated or incomplete, feel free to let me know.



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