Discover Brahlstorf: Cycling route, biosphere and railway history

Brahlstorf combines cycling and railway history with a distinctive location in the UNESCO Flusslandschaft Elbe M-V Biosphere Reserve: Brahlstorf railway station lies in the centre of the protected area’s Mecklenburg section. Highlights in the town include a colourful underpass at the Biosphere Station and traces of the narrow-gauge railway.

Colour at the Biosphere Station

The underpass at Brahlstorf Biosphere Station was officially opened on 13 June 2015. It is decorated with 200 colourful images created by groups, individuals and institutions. The many contributions give the underpass its own character: here, the town’s connection to the railway meets an artistic design created collectively.

Cycling with a glimpse of railway history

A cycling route leads directly from Brahlstorf railway station into the Elbe lowlands near Neuhaus. For most of its length, it follows the trackbed of a narrow-gauge railway that began operating in 1912. Many structures have been preserved along the 10.67-kilometre former narrow-gauge railway line from the station towards Neuhaus.

Another reference point for cycling trips: from Brahlstorf railway station, it is about 30 kilometres by bike to Zarrentin in the UNESCO Schaalsee Biosphere Reserve. This gives you a choice of named destinations and route options to help with planning. Before setting off, check the current route and, if travelling by train, also check train connections and the route.

The UNESCO Flusslandschaft Elbe M-V Biosphere Reserve can be reached on Deutsche Bahn long-distance services via Berlin, Hamburg and Schwerin, with Brahlstorf as the destination station. Another detail about the town can be found in Brahlstorf cemetery: a chapel-like funeral hall stands on a slightly raised area covered with trees and shrubs.

Landscape and culture in the wider destination of Ludwigslust-Parchim

In the wider destination of Ludwigslust-Parchim, the Flusslandschaft Elbe M-V offers a broader perspective on nature and cultural landscapes. The UNESCO Biosphere Reserve is characterised by a near-natural lowland river, an extensive floodplain and numerous tributaries. Its wetlands include flood-prone and seepage-water areas, oxbow lakes, former river bends and fens. There are also dry habitats such as Elbe riverbank slopes, inland dunes and heathland, as well as remnants of natural floodplain and carr forests.

Ludwigslust-Parchim also offers distinctive cultural themes in different locations. Ludwigslust Palace was the former residence of the dukes of Mecklenburg. Together with its park and the town, it forms an ensemble known as the “Little Versailles of the North”; the palace presents art and courtly domestic culture from the 18th and early 19th centuries. In Dömitz, the citadel showcases a different type of architecture: a pentagonal Renaissance fortress built on the Italian model, with bastions, casemates and a drawbridge.

Choose the right focus for your accommodation search

When looking for accommodation, it helps to first decide what you want to focus on during your stay. If cycling and railway history are priorities, the station, the route towards Neuhaus and the preserved narrow-gauge railway structures can help guide your plans. Then choose accommodation based on the specific location that best suits your travel plans.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Neu Gülze, Schwanheide, Tessin B. Boizenburg, Gresse, Teldau, Nostorf, Besitz, Greven.

Back to the main travel overview: Amt Boizenburg-Land.