the heritage of the Alpine railways

On November 26 and 27, 2026, a two-day international symposium on the 120th anniversary of the Alpine railways will take place in Ljubljana, which will bring together domestic and foreign experts in the fields of cultural heritage protection, railway infrastructure, architecture, and tourism.

The symposium is organized by Slovenian Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage (ZVKDS) and Slovenian Conservation Society. The event will be dedicated to presenting the importance of the Alpine railways as an exceptional technical, architectural and cultural heritage and to exchanging knowledge and experience on their preservation, management and modern use.

Experts from Slovenia, Austria and Italy, Among them are representatives of institutions for the protection of cultural heritage, operators of railway infrastructure, designers, contractors, museum and archival professionals, and representatives of the tourism sector.

The discussions will shed light on the various aspects of safeguarding and restoring historical railway facilities, as well as on the possibilities for their sustainable use and integration into the modern space. Special attention will be given to linking professional approaches and good practices that contribute to the long-term preservation and recognition of Alpine railways.

The 120th anniversary of the Alpine railways is an opportunity to reflect on the importance of railway heritage, which is not only a testimony to the extraordinary engineering achievements of the past but also an important part of the cultural identity and development potential of the Alpine region.

Information about the event

• Date: 26th and 27th November 2026
• Location: Archive of the Republic of Slovenia, Poljanska cesta 40, Ljubljana
• Organizers: The Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia and the Slovenian Conservation Society
• Participation: free, subject to mandatory prior registration
• Applications: simpozij.zeleznice@zvkds.si
• Number of places: limited to 80 participants

We invite you to participate and to reflect together on the future of our railway heritage!