About the place

The dark-red brick building on Priestočio Street is the former Klaipėda narrow-gauge railway station, affectionately known to local residents as the “Siaurukas”. On 22 October 1906, the first trains departed from here along tracks only 1,000 mm wide, heading out of the city. The railway was built and operated by a private joint-stock company, and the network itself was known as the Memeler Kleinbahn.

The lines connected Klaipėda with Dovilai, Vėžaičiai, Plikiai and Laugaliai, carrying both passengers and freight. The trains were not fast, but they were reliable – a journey became an event in itself, especially for children and travellers with suitcases. The narrow-gauge railway also transported sawmill products and lime.

Steam locomotives whistled at the station, footsteps echoed and the bustle of departures filled the air – everyday city life was in full swing here. Today, the building is like a frozen memory of a time when little trains led from Klaipėda to every corner of the region, leaving a ribbon of smoke and the excitement of departure behind them.