Hannover Hauptbahnhof (German: Hanover central station) is the main railway station for the city of Hanover in Lower Saxony, Germany. The railway junction is one of the 21 stations listed as a railway Category 1 station by DB Station&Service. It is also the most important public transport hub of the region of Hanover and it is served regional and S-Bahn services. The station has six platforms with twelve platform tracks, and two through tracks without platforms. Every day it is used by 250,000 passengers and 622 trains stop at the platforms (as of October2012[update]). About 2,000 people work here.
The first station on the current site, a temporary building that served the line to Lehrte, was erected in 1843. Instead of building a monumental terminus, a through station was built along with the line, making it the first through station in a major German city.
The first central station (Central-Bahnhof) was built from 1845 to 1847. Its architect is not certain, but it is sure that the far-sighted city architect August Heinrich Andreae[3] was involved in selecting its specific location and that the Hanoverian court architect Georg Ludwig Friedrich Laves and Ferdinand Schwarz contributed to it. It was built in a romantic-neoclassical style as a strictly symmetrical building. The massive masonry was covered in yellow plaster. Laves planned a new district, the Ernst-August-Stadt, for the area between Georgstraße and the railway. Roads led from several directions and converged on the station forecourt, the Ernst-August-Platz.
A wooden platform area was built next to the entrance building and on each side of the two tracks. That was enough for the first traffic because the still short trains running to the east and the west stopped at the same platform. There were no through trains initially. The first through train ran from 1 May 1851 between Berlin and Cologne. The first railway workshop was built opposite the station building. In 1853, the opening of the first section of the Southern Railway to Alfeld, Göttingen and Kassel made the through station into a railway junction. A marshalling yard was established in Hainholz to relieve the station in 1868.
The increasingly dense traffic on the railway created a problem since the railway line cut through the city. It was decided in 1873 to raise the railway line through the urban area by a height of 4.5m (15ft). The old station building was demolished in 1875. The route built between 1875 and 1879 became the model for the Berlin Stadtbahn and similar projects in other German cities. In 1876, a yard for general freight was established at Weidendamm.
Second Station of 1879
The Hauptbahnhof about 1900The underpass created by the raising of the tracks over the old Celler Heerstraße (looking northeast towards Raschplatz)
As the first station was built at street level and therefore hindered the expansion of the city, 8km (5.0mi) of railway track were laid for a new rail network that was grade-separated from the street system. In addition, the new station had a long system of tracks. After preparatory work in 1873 to relocate the workshops to Leinhausen and the marshalling yards to Hainholz and the construction of freight diversion routes, construction of the core network, which still exists, began in 1875.[4] The new station building was designed by Hubert Oswald Stier in the Renaissance Revival style. It was again a symmetrical building with a main hall and two wings, each of which was completed by a corner building. The eastern corner building with its Kaiserzimmer (lit.'Emperor's room') had a separate driveway. The building was designed in yellow brick with red brick stripes and a sandstone base. The four platforms with seven platform tracks and two through tracks were spanned by two halls with a 37-metre (121ft) span. After the demolition of the nearly 30-year-old station building, the construction of the new station began in April 1877. It was opened on 22 June 1879 after 26 months of construction. Access to the platforms was via three tunnels and there were two more tunnels for the transport of luggage and for postal traffic. The system of tracks finished in 1883 comprised seven platform tracks and two central through tracks for freight trains. The train sheds consisted of two separate halls, each 37m (121ft) wide and 167.5m (550ft) long with a 9.25m (30ft 4in) wide space between them for the two through tracks. The construction cost 12.7 million marks for the buildings and 22.5 million marks for the entire station precinct.[5]
In 1910, a third hall was built between tracks 10 and 11. The new hall, made of steel, had a span of 27.5m (90ft 3in) and a height of 15.3m (50ft 2in) and was built to a design by municipal architect Möller. Of particular operational significance for the Hanover–Hamburg railway was the completion of the Hasenbahn (lit.'rabbit line')–a branch line planned in 1913 from the Heath Railway from Langenhagen via Großburgwedel to Celle: from May 1938 trains could run directly between Hamburg and southern Germany without running through Lehrte; it was no longer necessary for trains to reverse in Hanover.
In the timetable of summer 1939, Hanover station had a total of 144 scheduled long-distance arrivals and departures. It was the most important junctions on Deutsche Reichsbahn’s long-distance network after the terminal stations of Berlin, Cologne, Frankfurt am Main and the main stations of Leipzig and Duisburg.[6]
The station was largely destroyed during the air raids on Hanover in July and October 1943. Only the skeleton of the halls and the outer walls of the entrance building remained. It took four days to re-open one track.
On 13 June 1945, passenger services ran for the first time after the war to Minden, Nienburg and Göttingen. On 14 August, passenger services were significantly expanded. Passenger services again ran from Hanover to Bremerhaven, Duisburg, Hamelin, Göttingen, Braunschweig and Uelzen. On 15 August 1946, Hanover was again served for the first time after the war by the Nord Express running from Paris by Berlin and thus reconnected to the international long-distance network.
After the severe bomb damage, the reconstruction of the entrance building began in the summer of 1948, resulting in a facade with newly designed interiors and the remaining steel work of the roofs of the old halls was removed and the platforms were covered by temporary wooden canopies. The platforms were rebuilt from 1959 to 1961 and the baggage platforms disappeared as baggage lifts were built on the passenger platforms. The middle entrance was widened, the side pedestrian tunnel was closed and the platforms received new canopies. Since 1957, signals and switches were controlled by a mechanical interlocking. In 1963, the fifth platform was extended on track 12 (tracks 5 and 6 were through tracks without platforms). Coming from the south, electrification of the tracks reached Hannover Hauptbahnhof on 26 May 1963. Electrification was extended to Lehrte on 20 December 1963 and to Bremen on 14 December 1964. The connection to Hamburg was electrified at the end of 1964 and the two tracks to Celle were electrified on 6 April 1965. The overhead line from Lehrte via Brunswick to Helmstedt was not completed until 1976.
Construction of the Hanover StadtBahn
View from Raschplatz of the back of the station
The construction of the Hanover Stadtbahn caused far-reaching alterations to the station. Since the entire station had to be operated during the reconstruction, construction was only possible by blocking tracks. Between July 1969 and the spring of 1973, a sixth platform was built on tracks 13 and 14.[7] Upon completion, two tracks were blocked from 1970 to 1975, through which the Stadtbahn tunnel and an overlying pedestrian level were built. For this, the central pedestrian tunnel was blocked and access to the platforms was via the re-opened side tunnel. As part of this restructuring the through track 6 was shifted to lie between platform tracks 8 and 9, while the through track 5 (now 40) remained at the old place (now 80). Then the station was rebuilt. The platforms including the canopies were also renewed. The western Lister Meile underpass between the main post office and the parcel post office located on Raschplatz was connected by long ramps for the transport of baggage and mail to the platforms.
With the introduction of the Intercity network in 1971, Hanover became a transfer hub, where it was possible to change between IC trains on the same platform. A passenger information system with information displays on the stairways and platforms was installed in the spring of 1988.[8] With a total of 323 arrivals and departures of regularly scheduled long-distance trains, the station was the fourth most-important junction in the Deutsche Bundesbahn network in the summer 1989 timetable.[6]
Construction began on Deutsche Bahn's largest electronic interlocking to date in 1993. The system, which cost about 100 million marks, was designed to control about 5,000 trains and shunting movements each day, 279 sets of points and 535 signals by ten dispatchers.[9] According to the manufacturer, it was the largest and most advanced electronic interlocking in the world in August 1998.[10]
The station was the most important node in Deutsche Bahn network in the summer 1996 timetable, with 398 arrivals and departures of regularly scheduled long-distance trains each day.[6]
Niki-de-Saint-Phalle-Promenade on the first basement level beneath the station
The station was again completely rebuilt for Expo 2000: the entrance building was gutted to the outer walls and rebuilt; the central tunnel was enlarged and opened to the platforms in order to allow in daylight; and passenger lifts to the platforms were installed. The conversion created a promenade in the station. Among other things, a 7,000m2 (75,000sqft) shopping area was built in the entrance building after the relocation of the ticket office and the closure of the system for transporting baggage.
Between the summer of 2004 and the spring of 2006, the passageway in the basement was extensively modernised and adapted to become part of the Niki-de-Saint-Phalle-Promenade from Kröpcke to Raschplatz. There is a wide variety of outlets in the 20,000m2 (215,000sqft) of retail space on two levels, and most stores are open to 10pm on weekdays.
The Hanover S-Bahn was opened on 28 May 2000. Platforms 1 and 2 now serve S-Bahn services towards H-Bismarckstraße and Wunstorf and platforms 13 and 14 serve S-Bahn services towards Lehrte and Celle. At the same time, the approaches to the station were changed: in the west an additional pair of tracks was built south of the existing tracks for the S-Bahn track to Lehrte and in the east an additional track was built to the north of the existing tracks.
Train services
Up to platform 7/8
Hannover Hauptbahnhof is served by some 622 trains daily, excluding the Hanover Stadtbahn and tramway. Hannover Hauptbahnhof connects the north-south ICE lines from Hamburg to Munich with the west–east lines from Dortmund and Cologne towards Berlin.
The station is served by the following services:[11]
Hannover Hauptbahnhof is served by all A, B and D lines. It is the terminus of line 8 and the event line 18. The station is the only one on the Hanover Stadtbahn where one can change from A to B line via Cross-platform interchange.
Berlin Hauptbahnhof is the main railway station in Berlin, Germany. It came into full operation two days after a ceremonial opening on 26 May 2006. It is located on the site of the historic Lehrter Bahnhof, and on the Berlin S-Bahn suburban railway. The station is owned by DB InfraGO, a subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn AG, and is classified as a Category 1 station, one of 21 in Germany and four in Berlin, the others being Berlin Gesundbrunnen, Berlin Südkreuz and Berlin Ostbahnhof.
Hanover Stadtbahn is a light urban rail transport system in the city of Hanover, the capital of Lower Saxony, Germany. It opened on 29 September 1975, gradually replacing the city's tramway network over the course of the subsequent 25 years. As of 2024, the Hanover Stadtbahn system has 12 main lines, one weekend express night line, and two supplemental lines, serving 201 stations, operating on 121 kilometres (75 mi) of route. The system is run by üstra, which was originally an abbreviation for Überlandwerke und Straßenbahnen Hannover AG. In 2007 Hanover Stadtbahn transported 125 million passengers per year.
The Hanover S-Bahn is an S-Bahn network operated by Transdev Hannover in the area of Hanover in the German state capital of Lower Saxony. It went operational shortly before Expo 2000 and is focused on the Hanover region, and also connects with adjacent districts, and into the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The S-Bahn is an evolution of a suburban railway.
Köln Hauptbahnhof is the central railway station of Cologne, Germany. The station is an important local, national and international transport hub, with many ICE, Eurostar and Intercity trains calling there, as well as regional Regional-Express, RegionalBahn and local S-Bahn trains. EuroNight and Nightjet night services also call at the station. It has frequent connections to Frankfurt by way of the Cologne–Frankfurt high-speed rail line, which starts in southern Cologne. On an average day, about 280,000 travellers frequent the station, making it the fifth busiest station in Germany.
Bielefeld Hauptbahnhof is the main station in the region of Ostwestfalen-Lippe, in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is an important station because of the size of the city of Bielefeld and its location at the Bielefeld Pass, which makes it a node for long-distance and regional traffic. It was opened in 1847 with the opening of the Cologne-Minden trunk line. It is classified by Deutsche Bahn as a category 2 station.
Berlin-Spandau station is a Deutsche Bahn station in the Berlin district of Spandau on the south-western edge of the old town of Spandau. The railway junction station is one of the 80 stations classified by Deutsche Bahn as a category 2 station. It has the longest train shed in Germany.
The Class 424 is a class of electric multiple units formerly used on the Hanover S-Bahn network. 16 units were reallocated for the Munich S-Bahn and 24 units for the Cologne S-Bahn.
The Hanover–Hamburg railway is one of the most important railway lines in Lower Saxony and Germany. It links the Lower Saxon state capital of Hanover with Hamburg, running through Celle, Uelzen and Lüneburg.
The Hanover–Brunswick Railway is a German main line railway in Lower Saxony and is one of the oldest lines in Germany, opened in 1843 and 1844. It was the first railway line linking to the city of Hanover and the first operating line of the Royal Hanoverian State Railways. It is now one of the main routes for east-west traffic. The main intermediate station is Peine.
Hildesheim Hauptbahnhof is the main railway station for the city of Hildesheim in Lower Saxony, Germany. The station opened in 1961 and is located on the Lehrte–Nordstemmen, Hildesheim–Brunswick and Hildesheim–Goslar railway. The train services are operated by DB Fernverkehr, Erixx, Metronom and NordWestBahn.
Wunstorf is a railway station located in Wunstorf, Germany. The station opened in 1847 and is located on the Hanover–Minden railway and Bremen–Hanover railway. The train services are operated by Deutsche Bahn and WestfalenBahn. The station is also served by the Hanover S-Bahn.
Hanover-Leinhausen is a railway station located in Hanover, Germany. The station is located on the Hanover–Minden railway, Bremen–Hanover railway. The train services are operated by Deutsche Bahn as part of the Hanover S-Bahn.
Hanover-Nordstadt is a railway station located in Hanover, Germany. The station is located on the Hanover–Minden railway, Bremen–Hanover railway and the Heath Railway. The train services are operated by Deutsche Bahn as part of the Hanover S-Bahn. It was designed in 1996 for the Expo line by Studio Hansjörg Göritz. Its design was showcased in the exhibition La Rinascimento della Stazione [The Rebirth of Train Stations] at the 1996 Venice Architecture Biennale.
Lehrte is a railway station located in Lehrte, Germany. The station opened on 15 August 1843 and is located on the Berlin-Lehrte Railway and Hanover–Brunswick railway. The train services are operated by Deutsche Bahn, WestfalenBahn and Metronom.
The Hanover–Altenbeken railway is a two-track electrified main line in the German states of Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia. It is now a part of the Hanover S-Bahn network.
Hanover Airport is a railway station located under the terminal of Hanover Airport, Germany. The station is located on a branch of the Heath Railway. The train services are operated by Deutsche Bahn as part of the Hanover S-Bahn.
Hannover-Linden/Fischerhof is a railway station located in Hannover, Germany. The station opened in 1872 and is located on the Hanover–Altenbeken line and the Hanover freight bypass. The train services are operated by Deutsche Bahn as part of the Hanover S-Bahn.
The Hanover freight bypass railway is a freight railway in the German state of Lower Saxony, which relieves Hannover Hauptbahnhof of freight traffic. It separates freight from passenger traffic on several routes and runs through the western and southern outskirts of the city, bypassing the city centre and the main station.
Langenhagen Pferdemarkt station (Langenhagen (Han) until 27 May 2000) is a station in the town of Langenhagen, which lies north of Hanover, the capital of the German state of Lower Saxony. At present it is served by lines S4 and S5 of the Hanover S-Bahn. It was opened as Langenhagen station in 1890 and was the only station in Langenhagen in the first half of the 20th century. Three extra stations have been built since because of the growth of Langenhagen and the development of Hannover Airport. Since regional and long-distance services now only stop in the neighbouring Langenhagen Mitte station, Pferdemarkt station is now only served by S-Bahn services.
Celle station is a railway station in the municipality of Celle, located in the Celle district in Lower Saxony, Germany.
↑ Alfred Gottwaldt (1962). Hannover und seine Eisenbahnen (in German). Düsseldorf: alba. ISBN3-87094-345-9.
↑ Theodor Unger (1882). Hannover, Führer durch die Stadt und ihre Bauten (in German). Hannover: Klindworth's. pp.207ff. (Reprinted in 1978 by Curt A. Vincenz ( ISBN3-87870-154-3))
↑ Theodor Unger (1882). Hannover, Führer durch die Stadt und ihre Bauten (in German). Hannover: Klindworth's. p.228. (Reprinted in 1978 by Curt A. Vincenz ( ISBN3-87870-154-3))
1 2 3 Ralph Seidel (2005). Der Einfluss veränderter Rahmenbedingungen auf Netzgestalt und Frequenzen im Schienenpersonenfernverkehr Deutschlands (Dissertation for the University of Leipzig) (in German). Leipzig. pp.27, 46, 62.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
↑ "Hauptbahnhof Hannover hat zwölf Bahnsteiggleise". Die Bundesbahn (in German) (8): 548 f. 1973.
↑ "Zuginformation durch Computer". Die Bundesbahn (in German) (9): 475. 1988.
↑ "Neues Stellwerk für 100 Millionen Mark". Die Deutsche Bahn (in German) (1): 87. 1993.
↑ "Siemens übergab das größte elektronische Knotenstellwerk der Welt". Eisenbahntechnische Rundschau (in German). 45 (11): 673 f. 1998.
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