The apocryphal tale claims the train full of valuables, including artwork, was concealed in a sealed-up rail tunnel or mine in the Central Sudetes by retreating Nazis.

[9] In late August 2015, news stories began circulating about two unidentified men who had obtained a death-bed confession about a buried gold train.

[9] The two were later identified as Piotr Koper of Poland and Andreas Richter of Germany,[5] co-owners of the mine exploration company XYZ S.C.[10] Using lawyers as an intermediary, the two men opened secret negotiations with the Polish government for a "finders' fee" of 10% of the value of the train in return for information leading to its location.

[12] On 28 August, Polish Deputy Culture Minister Piotr Żuchowski [pl] announced that ground-penetrating radar images taken by Koper and Richter confirmed with 99% probability that a train of 100 metres in length had been found.

[16][17] Polish authorities sectioned off woodland in the area of kilometer 65, as well as deploying police and other guards in order to prevent access to the numerous treasure hunters who had arrived armed with detection equipment.

[17] In late September, the Polish military, acting at the request of the regional governor, began to clear the surface of trees and search for booby traps and mines.

"[22] In May 2016, despite Madej's expert opinion that no train existed, Koper and Richter secured permission to begin digging at the site from the owners of the property, Polish State Railways.

[23] The excavation commenced on 15 August 2016 with a team of 64 people, including engineers, geologists, chemists, archaeologists and a specialist in military demolitions.

[27][28] During the third search in June 2017, with the assistance of a geophysical company from Warsaw, the excavation team encountered seven cavities, which were suspected to be a railway tunnel.