The Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe train station is Kassel's connection to the "fast track". More than 25 years ago, the age of high-speed trains in Germany began here on May 29, 1991.
Anyone without their own car after kassel travels, will with a very high probability arrive here by train. The station offers extensive connections to the national high-speed rail network.
background
The history of today's long-distance train station begins on December 29, 1849 with the inauguration of the "Wahlershausen" station on the Friedrich-Wilhelms-Nordbahn. The railway stop was not only a rail connection for the village of Wahlershausen, but also a train station for the "high lords" of Wilhelmshöhe Castle. The station therefore had, in addition to the "normal" waiting room, a sophisticated waiting domicile - the so-called "Prince's Room". In 1877 the “Wahlershausen” station was connected to the Kassel steam tram via Wilhelmshöher Allee. In 1878/79 the railway line was lowered 6 m and a bridge was built for Wilhelmshöher Allee. This traffic routing still exists today.
In 1938 the first bridge became too narrow and a more spacious new building followed. In 1941/42 there were plans to expand the local transport station into the new Kassel main train station. Due to the events of the war, these plans were not pursued any further. After the war, the heavily damaged reception building was rebuilt in a simplified manner and a shop extension in the style of the 1950s was added.
In 1971 a long-distance traffic stop was planned for the high-speed line Hanover-Würzburg on Wilhelmshöher Allee. During the route planning, there were different ways of crossing the city of Kassel above or below ground. It was finally decided to use today's open route over the Wilhelmshöhe district.
This became the today's Wilhelmshöhe long-distance train station Put into operation together with the high-speed line on May 29, 1991. With this opening, the age of high-speed trains began in Germany. For the inauguration of the station there was a rally of five Inter-City-Express trains from Bonn, Hamburg, Mainz, Munich and Stuttgart to Kassel (see also Anniversary article on HNA.DE).
It was only when the building was opened that it became apparent that, curiously, they had forgotten to install toilets. The installation was then carried out later. Incidentally, the space for this was cut from the retail space of today's bicycle yard. That is why the bicycle shop today has such a small footprint.
Today around 6.3 million travelers use the station every year. The building is natural clean and groomed. Otherwise, the building in front of the facility is more of a functional building and would have needed some structural modernization after 20 years of operation.
That was the overall assessment of the Wilhelmshöhe long-distance train station in 2010 in the Frankfurter Rundschau station test April 2010: "The station has long ceased to be a showcase. What it offers is solid - but also the minimum for such an important railway junction"Anyone looking for the terms "Rating" and "Bahnhof Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe" on the Internet will quickly find corresponding ratings for the building from travelers. These ratings are also mostly negative or even very negative. So the station is not an attractive train station with a corresponding flair as the entrance gate to the documenta city of Kassel and the world cultural heritage Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe. The platforms in the main area are sometimes quite oppressively overbuilt, as they are arranged below the parking deck.
Since 2013, attempts have been made to improve the atmosphere in the building. Between 2008 and 2014 there was no protected waiting option in the train station. Since April 2014 there are again 20 protected and heated waiting places in the rear station hall.Furthermore, in the spring of 2014, in an elaborate cleaning campaign with "plaster climbing specialists", many glass surfaces were cleaned for more light in the building. The dirt had accumulated here in inaccessible places over the years. In June / July 2014 there was / is a trial phase with subtle background music in the building (similar to what you know from supermarkets / shopping centers; see alsoHNA.DE from June 4, 2014)
Urban planning the long-distance train station was still a small one, by the way Success story. Since 1991, only a small, but functioning, metropolitan "sub-center" for the Wilhelmshöhe district has developed around the long-distance train station.
For detailed historical background information see section "History" in the Wikipedia article Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe train station. Those interested in regional railway history will find a lot of historical images and historical information on the private, non-commercial one Railroad side by Volker Credé from Kassel.
Disambiguation
According to the DB, the ICE stop is officially called "Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe Station". In Kassel, however, there are often questions on site about how to get to the "main station" where the long-distance trains leave. That is why in the Wikivoyage article kassel to better distinction from Kassel main station the "Bahnhof Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe" mostly as Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe long-distance train station or short as Long-distance train station designated. In the DB timetable information, the ICE stop is found next to "Bahnhof Wilhelmshöhe, Kassel" under "Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe".
In the timetable information of the NVV the station is called "Kassel Bahnhof Wilhelmshöhe". At the NVV, the ICE stop is even found under the name "Willibahnhof". This is how the building is sometimes called colloquially. Another nickname is "Palace of 1000 Winds", which alludes to the draftiness of the building.
Interestingly enough, the local press also sometimes uses the term "IC train station".[1][2] However, this designation actually makes little sense. The highest "ICE station" makes sense, because intercity trains are in the minority at the long-distance station. It is estimated that 80% of the long-distance trains stopping in Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe are ICE (there may even be a little more). Furthermore, the long-distance station became clear as an ICE station for the new high-speed traffic on the Hanover – Würzburg high-speed line built. Intercity trains and long-distance trains in general existed in the German rail network long before that. From this point of view, too, the term "IC train station" is not expedient. The term "IC-Bahnhof" is not used colloquially in Kassel either. Here one usually says: I have to pick someone up at the "Wilhelmshöhe station" or just briefly at the "Fernbahnhof" station.
mobility
For information on public transport see the Article on the city of Kassel.
1 A station of the Kasseler Bike rental system can be found northwest of the building.
Accessibility
The station concourse is connected to the platforms via ramps. According to the Kassel Disability Advisory Board, the ramps are too steep for wheelchair users.[3] As an average trained traveler, luggage and bicycles can easily be pushed up the ramps.
Elevators can only be found at the southern entrances to the platforms, which are far from the station concourse and lead out to the parking deck (completely away from the tram and bus stops).
Directions
Approach & parking motor vehicles
- Stop loops for short parking stops to bring or pick up travelers: There is one for that 1 Approach loop from Wilhelmshöher Allee from Wilhelmshöher Allee to the north entrance to the station building and one more 2 Approach loop from Bertha-von-Suttner-Straße to the west entrance from the south. Short-term parking fee up to 30 minutes: 20 cents. For more information on parking times and fees in these urban areas, see here on the side of the city of Kassel.
- "DB parking lots" - There are chargeable parking spaces south of the train station (including on the 3 DB parking lot on the double parking deck and the 4 DB parking lot at the west entrance; Tariffs: 1 hour: 1.50 €; for more information see dbbahnpark.de/). Attention: the DB parking lot is operated by Contipark. Unfortunately, in the past this company went through the media not only in Kassel, but also nationwide with very rigorous handling of exceeding parking times (even within minutes). Therefore: It is essential to keep to the parking time, otherwise it will be expensive.
- Long-Term Parking: The Wilhelmshöhe long-distance train station is well integrated into the regional public transport system, so that the long-distance train is usually reached by bus and train. However, if you have to travel with your own car due to a poor public transport connection, you can use the 5 Long-term parking at Graf-Bernadotte-Platz Park your vehicle cheaply for up to 14 days.
- - Parking regulations (mandatory fees from midnight to midnight, 1 day: € 5; up to 3 days: € 10; up to 7 days: € 15; up to 16 days € 20, as of 2017).
The side streets in the vicinity of the train station are designated as residential parking zones (no parking spaces). Otherwise there are a couple of chargeable street parking spaces on Wilhelmshöher Allee (see map of residents' parking zones and fee regulations for urban street parking zones here on the side of the city of Kassel
Bicycle parking
Incidentally, anyone who as a bicycle & train traveler has a bicycle station for safe bike parking is looking for nothing. When the station was being built, 400 rentable bicycle boxes were promised. But only 13 of them are still standing today.[4]
However, there are some bicycle brackets for connecting between the city center and the west entrance and on the parking deck at the south entrance to the platforms.
Long-distance bus parking
The small long-distance bus parking lot is located east of the train station on the 6 Long-term parking at Graf-Bernadotte-Platz. For more information on the topic of long-distance buses, see Stadtartikel Kassel im "By bus" section.
links
Tracks 1 to 4 are used by long-distance traffic. On the other hand, on platforms 7 to 10, you can take local trains. You don't need to look for tracks 5 and 6. As central transit routes (e.g. for goods traffic), they have no platforms.
Long-distance national transport
Travel times in Long-distance transport (ICE / IC) from major German cities in selection (as of 2016):
- Hanover Main station: 55 minutes (direct)
- Frankfurt am Main Main station: 1:25 hours (direct)
- Dortmund Main station: 2:05 hours (direct with ICE; only one connection per day) or 2:15 hours (direct with IC or RE; connection every two hours)
- Bremen Main station: 2:10 hours (direct; only one connection a day) or 2:15 hours (change in Hanover; connection every two hours)
- Leipzig Main station: 2:10 hours (change in Eisenach; only one connection per day) or 2:45 hours (change in Fulda; connection every two hours)
- Hamburg Main station: 2:15 hours (direct)
- Karlsruhe Main station: 2:30 hours (direct)
- Berlin Main station: 2:40 hours (direct)
- Cologne Main station: 2:50 hours (change in Frankfurt)
- Stuttgart Main station: 3 hours (direct)
- Dusseldorf Main station: 3 hours (direct with ICE; only one connection per day) or 3:10 hours (direct with IC; twice a day) - hardly any time savings compared to regional express (3:20 hours; connection every two hours)
- Munich Main station: 3:20 hours (direct)
- Dresden Main station: 4:15 hours (change in Fulda or Leipzig)
The only important direct connection on which there is unfortunately a lack of national long-distance traffic is the “Central Germany connection” Cologne – Ruhr area – Kassel – Halle / Leipzig – Dresden. So here's the one Long-distance bus possibly a good alternative to the train. A partial expansion of this route in northern Hesse (e.g. new tunnel in the Hümme "hairpin" area, straightening the route in the Grebenstein area) was considered a long time ago but has not yet been implemented.
Long-distance transport internationally
Kassel can even be reached easily from Switzerland and Austria in travel times that are competitive with car traffic. But also for City trips In Central Europe from Kassel, the train is a very attractive means of transport:
- Basel SBB: 4:15 hours (no change)
- Zurich HB: 5:25 hours (no change) - As a “railway country”, many regions of Switzerland can be easily reached by train.
- Amsterdam Centraal: 5:25 hours (change in Hanover)
- Paris Est: 5:30 hours (change in Karlsruhe)
- Prague: 6:30 hours - change in Nürnberg Hbf, from here by bus (line 1061) to Prague. The rail network in the Czech Republic towards Germany is in some cases not yet as well developed across borders. That is why the rails are not faster here.
- Vienna Main station: 6:50 hours (no change) - cities worth seeing that invite you to take a break on the way, among others. Nuremberg, regensburg and Passau (Connection every two hours; break time e.g. 2 or 4 hours).
- Copenhagen: 7:50 hours (change in Hamburg)
Night trains don't stop directly in Kassel, but:
- Italy via Munich with the night Train: In the afternoon or evening (depending on the departure time of the night train and any planned stroll through Munich) with the ICE to the Bavarian capital. Here in the evening with the ÖBB NightJet to Italy. In the morning you reach z. B. Venice. From Munich there are two night train lines in the direction of Italy with one connection per night to the end points Venice and Rome.
- for rail enthusiasts: Night train Paris–Moscow. No stop in Kassel, but boarding is possible at 1:56 a.m. in Frankfurt (Main) Süd according to the 2018 timetable. From here 2 or 1 1/2 nights on the train to Moscow. If that is still too “close” for you: the trains of the begin in Moscow Trans-Siberian Railway (the longest train journey in the world) ... and possibly further to by ship Japan?
Regional traffic
Quite good direct connections from the travel time Regional Express- and Regional trains consist of, among other things:
- Bad Hersfeld (55 minutes), Fulda (1:25 hours)
- Marburg (1:05 hrs.), to water (1:20 hours), Frankfurt am Main (2:10 hours)
- Paderborn (1:10 hours), Hamm (1:50 hours), eat (2:40 hours)
- ins Sauerland, e.g. B. Brilon-Forest (1:20 hours)
- Nordhausen (1:25 hours) and Halle (Saale) (2:50 hours)
The regional tram lines RT 5 also stop here Melsungen and RT 9 after Schwalmstadt-Treysa.
Museum railway "Hessencourrier" from Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe Süd station
The 7 Hessencourrier increasingly from The museum railway runs from Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe Süd station Hessencourrier. It can be reached via the south exit, then follow Bertha-von-Suttner-Strasse to the south and cross Druseltaltstrasse, continue straight past the depot cantus and the HLB on Oskar-Gebhardt-Weg (about a 15-minute walk). The historic train runs every 4 weeks on Sundays Naumburg (Hesse). There are also a few driving days on special occasions. For more information such as driving days, timetable, etc. see Hessencourrier.de
kitchen
There is a good gastronomic offer in and around the station.
- bakeries (Kamps and Backwerk) - located directly in the train station.
- Two more bakeries can be found in the nearby City Center Bad Wilhemshöhe
- There is no café in the train station. But there is 1 Café Correus and Restaurant Himalaya on the 1st floor of the City Center
- MC Donalds - small branch directly in the train station
- Doner not available directly in the train station. But there is the "Euro kebab" nearby City Center Bad Wilhelmshöhe
- (Ice) café - Right at the entrance to the City Center Bad Wilhelmshöhe is the (ice) café "Willy Café ICE Bar". There is also coffee and a small selection of sweets.
Restaurants
- 2 "Himalaya" restaurant, Wilhelmshöher Allee 262 (in the atrium diagonally across from the long-distance train station on Wilhelmshöher Allee) - Indian / Nepalese restaurant in the ambience of the multi-storey domed building of the Atrium shopping center, extensive menu in medium / high price range.
- 3 Indian Palace restaurant, Wilhelmshöher Allee 253-255 (City Center west of the train station on the first floor) - Indian restaurant
- Dispatch - also restaurant; see below Bars and pubs
Bars and pubs
- 1 Old Berlin still - Pub across from the train station on Wilhelmshöher Allee (next to the atrium).
- 2 Dispatch - Bar, restaurant and café opposite the train station on Wilhelmshöher Allee (to the right of the railway bridge as seen from the train station).
accommodation
Hotels in the vicinity of the train station (up to 150 m):
- 1 Intercity Hotel - 50 m east of the station concourse
- 2 Hotel Elector Wilhelm I. - 50 m west of the station hall (assembled with the city center; a "bed statue" sits enthroned on the roof)
- 3 Pentahotel KasselPentahotel Kassel - Located 150 m southwest of the train station
Information and tickets
In addition to the travel center with ticket sales, which was modernized in 2011, you will also find information in the station hall. DB Information (no ticket sales) is open daily between 6 a.m. and 10:30 p.m.
The station is well stocked with ticket machines.
Travel center
- 1 DB travel centerOpening hours: Mon - Fri: 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. Sa Su: 9:15 a.m. - 6 p.m. The allocation of counters for the railway takes place via a number system, as it is often used in authorities.
- There are also machines in the travel center where you can buy tickets in the warm in winter.
- There is also a NVV counter in the travel center. Here you can get information and tickets for local transport in North Hesse.
Waiting
Two new ones were installed in the rear of the station at the end of April heated bus shelters made of glass opened for a total of 20 people. The new bus shelters are located above the ramps to platforms 7 to 10.
If you are sick and have to wait longer in the train station, it is best to visit the train station mission (see section Help and health).
Alternatively, there is also the otherwise during the waiting period gastronomy for contemplation.
- DB Lounge - unavailable
shop
The first point of contact later in the evening and on public holidays is the Rossmann drugstore in the train station, which is open until 10 p.m. Your place).
In and around the station (up to 150 m):
Food
- 1 Tegut supermarket in the City Center Bad Wilhelmshöhe in the nearby City Center Bad Wilhelmshöhe (Mon-Sat 8 a.m.-8 p.m.)
- 2 Tegut supermarket in the atrium in the Atrium, which is diagonally opposite the train station on Wilhelmshöher Allee. The market is larger than the one in the Citycenter (open Mon-Sat from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.)
Drugstores
- 3 Rossmann drugstore in the train station, Opening hours: Mon-Sat 6 am-10pm; Sun 8 am-10pm
pharmacy
- 2 Landgraf-Karl pharmacy in the City Center Bad Wilhelmshöhe (Location map), Mon-Fri 7.30 a.m. - 7.30 p.m., Sat 8.30 a.m. - 3 p.m.
miscellaneous
- Station bookstore with a wide range of newspapers and magazines.
Practical advice
- 3 public toilet in the train station - Fee € 1. You receive a 20% discount voucher at the machine for € 0.50, which can be redeemed in the participating train station restaurants with a consumption value of € 2.50 or more (1 voucher can be redeemed for every € 2.50 purchase value; the list of participating shops and restaurants hangs out in the toilet).[5] Curiously enough, the toilets were forgotten during the construction of the station and subsequently installed in the eastern area of the station. Over a rentable shower There is no information in the toilet as of 04-2014 (please add if you know).
- 4 Tourist information in the train station - to be found in the western area of the station hall opposite the DB travel center.
- Opening times: Monday to Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Contact: Tel .: 0561-340 54
- 5 Lockers - Coin lockers can be found in the eastern part of the cross platform or the station hall.
- ATMs - An ATM can be found directly above in the train station opposite the travel center (provider "Reisebank"). For savings bank customers, there is a small self-service center with ATMs hidden on the right hand side at the entrance to Citycenter Bad Wilhelmshöhe. Anyone who has an account with a bank of the "Cash Pool Group" can withdraw money free of charge in the self-service center of the Spardabank branch in the atrium. Another Spardabankautomat is also in the front of the atrium near the south entrance.
- WLAN in the train station - 30 minutes of free surfing without registration (t-online)
- Mailbox - A mailbox, which is also emptied on Sundays, can be found in the western station hall at the exit towards the bus / tram.
- Sockets for charging cell phones, laptops, etc .: so far no information on this. Please complete if you have personal knowledge.
Help and health
- Station Mission - Access via spiral staircase in the station hall. who Assistance when getting on, off, or changing, you can contact the Station Mission turn on the upper floor (one day's lead time is required): Tel .: 0561-37107
- 6 Landgraf-Karl Pharmacy in the City Center - not available in the train station. But you can find them in the nearby City Center Bad Wilhelmshöhe Landgraf Karl Pharmacy. Opening times: Mo-Fr 7:30 a.m.-7: 30 p.m., Sa 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. (in 04-2014), Tel .: 0561-315868; Location map.
literature
- Kassel crime thriller - Isn't it exciting to get in the mood for your travel destination with a crime story on the train? This is also possible at Kassel. Crime lovers can find an overview of the authors and publishers in the topic article "Kassel Krimi".
Web links
- www.bahnhof.de -> look for Kassel
- HNA special page too 25 years of Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe station
See also
Project development page on the topic of train stations: Wikivoyage: Proposal for train station items
Individual evidence
- ↑HNA notification from July 19, 2013: "New building near the IC train station"(accessed on 07/19/2013
- ↑HNA notification from March 17, 2013: "Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe IC train station: high rate of delays"(accessed on 07/19/2013)
- ↑Frankfurter Rundschau from April 8, 2010: Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe train station test: "Burger roaster instead of waiting room"(accessed on March 16, 2013)
- ↑Frankfurter Rundschau from April 8, 2010: Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe train station test: "Burger roaster instead of waiting room"(accessed on March 16, 2013)
- ↑HNA article "Station toilet in Kassel: Trouble with the vouchers" from July 19, 2012
