Cologne Central Station - Köln Hauptbahnhof

Cologne main station, reception building at night

The Cologne Central Station is the most important train station in the fourth largest German city CologneIt is located directly in Cologne city center in close proximity to Cologne Cathedral and is via the Hohenzollern Bridge with another Cologne long-distance train station, the train station Cologne Fair / Deutz connected.

background

The train station in numbers
  • Station category: 1
  • Long-distance trains daily: 243
  • Local trains daily: 521
  • S-Bahn daily: 466
  • Travelers per day: 280.000
  • Elevators: 7
  • Shops and restaurants: 71
  • Number of platforms: 10

The main train station has been in operation in its current form since September 23, 1957.

The so-called "Centralbahnhof" was opened at this point as early as 1859. The trains of the Rheinische Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft (Rheinische Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft) coming from the west and south ended there, while the trains of the Cöln-Mindener Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft (CME) passed the station on two through tracks. After the nationalization of the railway companies affecting Cologne around 1880, plans were made to replace the central station, which was operating at its capacity limits, with a larger central station. Alternatively, the relocation of the station to the site of today's Mediapark was discussed. The new Cologne Central Station with its distinctive platform hall was then opened in 1894. With a span of 64 meters, the central hall spanned today's tracks 2 to 7 and its side aisles tracks 1 and 8. In the platform hall, a two-storey waiting room building was built, on both sides of which trains from the west and east ended at four head tracks. There were additional through tracks on both sides. Between 1909 and 1915, the main station was rebuilt again. The waiting room building was removed and the previous head tracks were also converted into through tracks. A ninth track was added on the north side.

After the main station had been badly hit and damaged in the Second World War, as was the adjacent Hohenzollern Bridge and all other Rhine crossings in the area of ​​the city of Cologne, there were renewed considerations to move the main station from the immediate city center to the west to the area of ​​the Gereon freight station which is now the Cologne Mediapark - to be relocated. Again, however, these plans were not implemented. Instead, the old reception building was torn down in 1955 and replaced by today's light-flooded reception hall. A new forecourt was created on the back of the main station by moving Goldgasse with Breslauer Platz. In 1975 the main station received an additional platform with tracks 10 and 11, which has been between the main S-Bahn line between the Hansaring and Messe stations since the construction of the S-Bahn main line / Deutz for the departures of the S-Bahns. By the beginning of 2000, the main train station was rebuilt again, with the area under the tracks being transformed into a shopping center.

Planning

Medium term (until 2030Template: future / in 5 years ) the station is to be expanded on its north side by another platform for the S-Bahn. This expansion was also taken into account in the renovation of the Breslauer Platz / Hauptbahnhof underground station and the platform roofing of the existing platforms.

Provided that the Deutsche Bahn after their plans for an ICE connection through the Eurotunnel London implements, a special security area must be set up in Cologne Central Station.

getting there

Due to its central location, Cologne Central Station is very easy to reach.

By car

Traveling by car is a bit more difficult given the inner-city location.

Short stops are best on the street To the Dominicans or on the other side of the main train station on the Johannisstrasse, the Maximinenstrasse or the Goldgasse possible. Due to the nearby bus station, however, heavy bus traffic can be expected there.

With public transport

U-Bahn entrance Breslauer Platz / Hbf, an S-Bahn stops at the main station at the top left

All S-Bahn lines in Cologne stop at Cologne Central Station (S 6, S 11, S 12, P. 13 and S 19).

With the light rail Cologne transport company the main station can be reached with lines 5, 16 and 18. The station at the north end Breslauer Platz / Central Station (only approached by lines 16 and 18) is much less frequented than the station between the main train station and the city center Cathedral / main station.

The station can be reached by bus from the southern parts of the city with the city bus routes 132 and 133. Coming from Solingen and Remscheid, lines 250 and 260 end at Breslauer Platz; from Hürth-Berrenrath, line 978 connects to the main train station. All the bus lines mentioned end at the bus station on Breslauer Platz.

By Long-distance bus Cologne Central Station is from Cologne-South long-distance bus station (at Cologne / Bonn Airport) and the Cologne-North long-distance bus station (at Leverkusen-Mitte train station).

With the taxi

There are taxi stands on both sides of the main train station, in the street To the Dominicans and on Breslauer Platz near the bus station.

Accessibility

The platforms are accessed via fixed stairs, escalators and elevators. Further information can be found in the General plan.

Park

The following parking options can be found in the immediate vicinity of the station (Location map):

  • Central station underground car park
    • Access: from Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer on the street On the old bank and the Kostgasse
    • Daily rate: 18 euros, with BahnCard 10.80 euros
  • Maximinenstrasse car park (max. Parking time 1 week)
    • Access: via the Maximinenstrasse, Parking spaces are located under the train tracks
    • Tariff 30 minutes: 1.50 euros
    • Hourly rate: 3 euros
    • Daily rate: 12 euros
    • Weekly rate: 48 euros
  • Domplatte car park (max. Parking time 2 hours)
    • Access: via the Marzellstrasse or the Tunisstrasse, then right into the street To the Dominicans.
    • Tariff 30 minutes: 2 euros
    • Hourly rate: 4 euros
  • Trankgasse car park (max. Parking time 3 days)
    • Access: via the Trankgasse
    • Tariff 30 minutes: 1.50 euros
    • Hourly rate: 3 euros
    • Daily rate: 12 euros
  • Parking lot on the old bank (max. Parking time 1 week)
    • Access: from Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer on the street On the old bank and the Kostgasse
    • Tariff 30 minutes: 1.50 euros
    • Hourly rate: 3 euros
    • Daily rate: 12 euros
    • Weekly rate: 48 euros

There is a bicycle station on Breslauer Platz (exit A) in the direction of the banks of the Rhine. It is open Mondays to Fridays from 5:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., Saturdays from 6:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Sundays from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

links

Cologne Central Station is an important hub in national and international rail traffic. Tracks 1 to 9 are used for both long-distance and regional trains, while tracks 10 and 11 are reserved for the S-Bahn and regional trains to Meinerzhagen.

A special feature of Cologne Central Station is that the tracks are sometimes used multiple times, i.e. several trains in different directions stop one behind the other and leave one after the other. Therefore, attention should always be paid to the displays on the platform and on the train as well as the loudspeaker announcements.

Long-distance national transport

In national long-distance transport, all major German cities can be reached from Cologne in often competitive travel times by car or plane.

A selection of major travel destinations with average travel times:

Long-distance transport internationally

Various travel destinations can be reached in international long-distance transport, some of which do not have to change trains.

A selection of major travel destinations with average travel times:

  • Amsterdam Central: 2 h 42 '(without changing)
  • Basel SBB: 3 h 48 '(change to Mannheim Hbf), 3 h 52 '(without changing)
  • Brussels Midi / Zuid: 1 h 47 '(Thalys, without changing), 1 h 52' (DB, without changing)
  • London St Pancras: 5 h 35 '(Thalys or DB, change to Brussels Midi / Zuid)
  • Milan Central: 9 h 57 '(change to Zurich HB)
  • Paris North: 3 h 14 '(Thalys, no change)
  • Zurich HB: 5 h 05 '(change to Mannheim Hbf), 6 h 07 '(without changing)

Regional traffic

In regional traffic are all the surrounding larger cities, such as Aachen (0 h 52 ') (RE 1 and RE 9), Bonn (between 0 h 23 'and 0 h 28') (RE 5, RB 48, RB 26), Dusseldorf (0 h 30 ') (RE 1, RE 5 and RE 6), Wins (1 h 37 ') (RE 9) or Wuppertal (0 h 46 ') (RE 7 and RB 48) connected by at least hourly connections.

kitchen

Waiting

shop

On the mezzanine level (access to the platforms) there are some shops (Rewe to go and some bakery shops are open around the clock).

Practical advice

Help and health

Station Mission

http://bahnhofsmission-koeln.de/

Web links

see also

Project development page on the topic of train stations: Wikivoyage: Proposal for train station items

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