Aachen Hauptbahnhof
Encyclopedia
Aachen Central Station is the train station for the city of Aachen
, in the far west of Germany
near the Dutch
and Belgian
border. It is the largest of the four currently active Aachen stations, and is integrated into the long-distance network
.
deemed that rather impractical and decided to build a new station situated on a hillside. Embankments and new bridges were built from 1901 onward, and on December 21, 1905 the station opened at its new location.
The station remained largely undisturbed until suffering from damage in 1944, when German troops were retreating. However, since the rail link was highly valued by the Allied forces, damage was cleared up rather quickly and in 1950 all war damage had been removed from the site. Since 2002 the Cologne–Aachen high-speed railway line allows connections to Cologne with speeds up to 250 km/h (160 mph).
, it was decided to implement the switching point from the Deutsche Bahn
's 15 kV AC
to the 3000 V DC used by the NMBS/SNCB in the station. Tracks 6 to 9 therefore have a switchable catenary
and are used for international Thalys
, ICE
and RegionalExpress
services.
was built, enabling more streamlined operations and automatic switching of the correct voltages. The cost estimate for the revamp was around € 40 million. The main changes were:
Aachen
Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...
, in the far west of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
near the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
border. It is the largest of the four currently active Aachen stations, and is integrated into the long-distance network
Rail transport in Germany
, Germany had a railway network of 41,315 km. 19,857 km are electrified. The total track length was 76,473 km. Germany is a member of the International Union of Railways . The UIC Country Code for Germany is 80.-Overview:...
.
History
A station at Aachen was first opened in 1841, when the Rheinische Eisenbahngesellschaft opened its line from Cologne. The line first was extended to Herbesthal (near the Belgian border) and on October 15, 1843 to Antwerp. The first station was built outside of the city walls, however the city soon grew and the station eventually became surrounded by new buildings. The Prussian State RailwaysPrussian state railways
The term Prussian state railways encompasses those railway organisations that were owned or managed by the State of Prussia...
deemed that rather impractical and decided to build a new station situated on a hillside. Embankments and new bridges were built from 1901 onward, and on December 21, 1905 the station opened at its new location.
The station remained largely undisturbed until suffering from damage in 1944, when German troops were retreating. However, since the rail link was highly valued by the Allied forces, damage was cleared up rather quickly and in 1950 all war damage had been removed from the site. Since 2002 the Cologne–Aachen high-speed railway line allows connections to Cologne with speeds up to 250 km/h (160 mph).
Electrification
In 1966, Aachen Hauptbahnhof was electrified. Due to its proximity to BelgiumBelgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, it was decided to implement the switching point from the Deutsche Bahn
Deutsche Bahn
Deutsche Bahn AG is the German national railway company, a private joint stock company . Headquartered in Berlin, it came into existence in 1994 as the successor to the former state railways of Germany, the Deutsche Bundesbahn of West Germany and the Deutsche Reichsbahn of East Germany...
's 15 kV AC
15 kV AC
The AC railway electrification system is used in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden and Norway. The high voltage enables high power transmission with low losses powering traction motors available since the beginning of the 20th century...
to the 3000 V DC used by the NMBS/SNCB in the station. Tracks 6 to 9 therefore have a switchable catenary
Overhead lines
Overhead lines or overhead wires are used to transmit electrical energy to trams, trolleybuses or trains at a distance from the energy supply point...
and are used for international Thalys
Thalys
Thalys is an international high-speed train operator originally built around the high-speed line between Paris and Brussels. This track is shared with Eurostar trains that go from Paris or Brussels to London via Lille and the Channel Tunnel and with French domestic TGV trains. Thalys reaches...
, ICE
InterCityExpress
The Intercity-Express or ICE is a system of high-speed trains predominantly running in Germany and neighbouring countries. It is the highest service category offered by DB Fernverkehr and is the flagship of Deutsche Bahn...
and RegionalExpress
RegionalExpress
The term Regional-Express denotes a type of regional train in Germany and Austria .It is best compared to a semi-fast train, as it calls at fewer stations than Regionalbahn or S-Bahn trains, but stops more often than InterCity services...
services.
Renovations
The station hall was renovated from 2000 to 2006. In 2007 a new electronic signal boxSignal box
On a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timetable...
was built, enabling more streamlined operations and automatic switching of the correct voltages. The cost estimate for the revamp was around € 40 million. The main changes were:
- Construction of 400m long platforms for international traffic, replacing the old 250m platforms that did not allow economic usage due to their limited length.
- Special through tracks (tracks 3 and 4) for freight trains to the Netherlands and Belgium (via Montzen) to Aachen West.
- Constructional changes to the system changeover point to Belgium; a new track layout, which allows the smooth changeover of electric locomotives and is capable of handling the increasing number of through carriages.
- Improvement of the layout to remove operating problems, especially in the sidings.
Train services
The following services currently call at Aachen Hbf:- high speed services (Thalys) Paris - Brussels - Cologne - Essen
- NRW-Express Aachen - Cologne - Düsseldorf - Duisburg - Essen - Dortmund - Hamm - Paderborn
- Wupper-Express Dortmund - Hagen - Wuppertal - Düsseldorf - Mönchengladbach - Aachen
- Rhein-Sieg-Express Aachen - Cologne - Siegburg/Bonn - Siegen
| Series | Operator | Route | Material | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ICE79 | DB Deutsche Bahn Deutsche Bahn AG is the German national railway company, a private joint stock company . Headquartered in Berlin, it came into existence in 1994 as the successor to the former state railways of Germany, the Deutsche Bundesbahn of West Germany and the Deutsche Reichsbahn of East Germany... |
Brussel Midi/Zuid - Brussel Nord Brussels-North railway station Bruxelles-Nord / Brussel-Noord is one of the three major railway stations in Brussels; the other two are Brussels Central and Brussels South... - Liège-Guillemins Liège-Guillemins railway station Liège-Guillemins train station is the main station of the city of Liège, the third biggest city in Belgium. It is one of the most important hubs in the country and is one of the 3 Belgian stations on the high-speed rail network... - Aachen Hbf - Köln Hbf Köln Hauptbahnhof Köln Hauptbahnhof is the central railway station in Cologne, Germany.The station is an important local, national and international hub, with many ICE, Thalys and Intercity trains calling there, as well as regional RegionalExpress, RegionalBahn and local S-Bahn trains... - Frankfurt/Main Flughafen Fernbahnhof - Frankfurt (Main) Hbf Frankfurt (Main) Hauptbahnhof is the central station for Frankfurt am Main. In terms of railway traffic, it is the busiest railway station in Germany. With about 350,000 passengers per day the station is the second most frequented railway station in Germany and one of the most frequented in Europe.- Proto-history :In the late... |
ICE 3 ICE 3 ICE 3 is a family of high-speed EMUs of Deutsche Bahn. It includes classes 403 and 406, which are known as ICE 3 and ICE 3M respectively... |
4x per day | |
| RB20 Euregiobahn | DB Regio | Heerlen Heerlen railway station -History:The station was opened on 1 May 1896 and is located on the Sittard–Herzogenrath railway and the Heerlen–Schin op Geul railway. The station was an important mining station, until the mines closed down. From Heerlen, you can travel to Aachen and some other destinations in Germany, nearer to... - Heerlen de Kissel Heerlen de Kissel railway station -History:The station opened on 9 December 2007 and is on the Sittard–Herzogenrath railway and the Heuvellandlijn . The services are operated by Veolia and Deutsche Bahn.-Major destinations:Major destinations from Heerlen de Kissel include:... - Landgraaf Landgraaf railway station Landgraaf is a railway station in Landgraaf, The Netherlands, situated near the district Schaesberg. Before 1986, it was called Schaesberg.-History:... - Eygelshoven Markt Eygelshoven Markt railway station Eygelshoven Markt is a railway station located in Eygelshoven, The Netherlands.-History:The station was opened in 1909 and operated under the name Eygelshoven until closure in 1952 and subsequent demolition. The station was rebuilt and opened on 9 December 2007 under the name Eygelshoven Markt... - Herzogenrath - Kohlscheid - Aachen West - Aachen Schanz Aachen Schanz station Aachen Schanz station is a railway station in Aachen on the railway line Aachen–Mönchengladbach. Located at the western end of the inner city, it is the station with the shortest walking distance to the historic center or the Aachen Cathedral. Additionally, several bus lines to western Aachen stop... - Aachen Hbf - Aachen-Rothe Erde - Eilendorf - Stolberg (Rheinland) Hbf Stolberg (Rheinland) Hauptbahnhof is situated on the line between Cologne and Aachen and is the largest station for passengers and freight in the town of Stolberg in the urban region of Aachen in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It houses the Vennbahn Museum and is built at a junction.-Routes:Stolberger Hauptbahnhof is... - Eschweiler-West - Eschweiler Talbahnhof - Eschweiler-Nothberg - Eschweiler-Weisweiler - Langerwehe - Düren |
DB Class 643 | 1x per hour | Operates jointly with RB20 from Heerlen to Stolberg |
| RB20 Euregiobahn | DB Regio | Heerlen Heerlen railway station -History:The station was opened on 1 May 1896 and is located on the Sittard–Herzogenrath railway and the Heerlen–Schin op Geul railway. The station was an important mining station, until the mines closed down. From Heerlen, you can travel to Aachen and some other destinations in Germany, nearer to... - Heerlen de Kissel Heerlen de Kissel railway station -History:The station opened on 9 December 2007 and is on the Sittard–Herzogenrath railway and the Heuvellandlijn . The services are operated by Veolia and Deutsche Bahn.-Major destinations:Major destinations from Heerlen de Kissel include:... - Landgraaf Landgraaf railway station Landgraaf is a railway station in Landgraaf, The Netherlands, situated near the district Schaesberg. Before 1986, it was called Schaesberg.-History:... - Eygelshoven Markt Eygelshoven Markt railway station Eygelshoven Markt is a railway station located in Eygelshoven, The Netherlands.-History:The station was opened in 1909 and operated under the name Eygelshoven until closure in 1952 and subsequent demolition. The station was rebuilt and opened on 9 December 2007 under the name Eygelshoven Markt... - Herzogenrath - Kohlscheid - Aachen West - Aachen Schanz Aachen Schanz station Aachen Schanz station is a railway station in Aachen on the railway line Aachen–Mönchengladbach. Located at the western end of the inner city, it is the station with the shortest walking distance to the historic center or the Aachen Cathedral. Additionally, several bus lines to western Aachen stop... - Aachen Hbf - Aachen-Rothe Erde - Eilendorf - Stolberg (Rheinland) Hbf Stolberg (Rheinland) Hauptbahnhof is situated on the line between Cologne and Aachen and is the largest station for passengers and freight in the town of Stolberg in the urban region of Aachen in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It houses the Vennbahn Museum and is built at a junction.-Routes:Stolberger Hauptbahnhof is... - Stolberg-Schneidmühle - Stolberg-Mühlener Bahnhof - Stolberg-Rathaus - Stolberg-Altstadt |
DB Class 643 | 1x per hour | Operates jointly with RB20 from Heerlen to Düren |
| RB20 Euregiobahn | DB Regio | Alsdorf-Annapark - Alsdorf-Busch - Herzogenrath-August-Schmidt-Platz - Herzogenrath-Alt-Merkstein - Herzogenrath - Kohlscheid - Aachen West - Aachen Schanz Aachen Schanz station Aachen Schanz station is a railway station in Aachen on the railway line Aachen–Mönchengladbach. Located at the western end of the inner city, it is the station with the shortest walking distance to the historic center or the Aachen Cathedral. Additionally, several bus lines to western Aachen stop... - Aachen Hbf - Aachen-Rothe Erde - Eilendorf - Stolberg (Rheinland) Hbf Stolberg (Rheinland) Hauptbahnhof is situated on the line between Cologne and Aachen and is the largest station for passengers and freight in the town of Stolberg in the urban region of Aachen in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It houses the Vennbahn Museum and is built at a junction.-Routes:Stolberger Hauptbahnhof is... - Eschweiler-West - Eschweiler Talbahnhof - Eschweiler-Nothberg - Eschweiler-Weisweiler - Langerwehe - Düren |
DB Class 643 | 1x per hour | Operates jointly with RB20 from Alsdorf-Annapark to Stolberg |
| RB20 Euregiobahn | DB Regio | Alsdorf-Annapark - Alsdorf-Busch - Herzogenrath-August-Schmidt-Platz - Herzogenrath-Alt-Merkstein - Herzogenrath - Kohlscheid - Aachen West - Aachen Schanz Aachen Schanz station Aachen Schanz station is a railway station in Aachen on the railway line Aachen–Mönchengladbach. Located at the western end of the inner city, it is the station with the shortest walking distance to the historic center or the Aachen Cathedral. Additionally, several bus lines to western Aachen stop... - Aachen Hbf - Aachen-Rothe Erde - Eilendorf - Stolberg (Rheinland) Hbf Stolberg (Rheinland) Hauptbahnhof is situated on the line between Cologne and Aachen and is the largest station for passengers and freight in the town of Stolberg in the urban region of Aachen in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It houses the Vennbahn Museum and is built at a junction.-Routes:Stolberger Hauptbahnhof is... - Stolberg-Schneidmühle - Stolberg-Mühlener Bahnhof - Stolberg-Rathaus - Stolberg-Altstadt |
DB Class 643 | 1x per hour | Operates jointly with RB20 from Alsdorf-Annapark to Düren |
| RE29 euregioAIXpress | SNCB/NMBS | Liège-Guillemins Liège-Guillemins railway station Liège-Guillemins train station is the main station of the city of Liège, the third biggest city in Belgium. It is one of the most important hubs in the country and is one of the 3 Belgian stations on the high-speed rail network... - Angleur - Pepinster - Verviers Central - Welkenraedt - Hergenrath - Aachen Hbf |
SNCB AM62 | ||
| RB33 Rhein-Niers-Bahn | DB Regio | Duisburg Hbf Duisburg Hauptbahnhof is the Hauptbahnhof of the city of Duisburg in western Germany. It is situated at the meeting point of many important national and international railway lines in the Northwestern Ruhr valley.- Lines :... - Duisburg-Hochfeld Süd - Rheinhausen Ost - Rheinhausen - Hohenbudberg Bayerwerk - Krefeld-Uerdingen - Krefeld-Linn - Krefeld-Oppum - Krefeld Hbf Krefeld Hauptbahnhof Krefeld Hauptbahnhof is the largest station of the city of Krefeld in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The double-track and electrified Duisburg-Ruhrort–Mönchengladbach railway and the Lower Left Rhine Railway cross at the station. A line to Rheydt formerly began at the station, but... - Forsthaus - Anrath - Viersen - Mönchengladbach Hbf Mönchengladbach Hauptbahnhof is a railway station in the city of Mönchengladbach in western Germany.-Overview:The station is the largest railway station in the city and, along with Rheydt Hbf, one of the two Hauptbahnhof stations in Mönchengladbach... - Rheydt Hbf Rheydt Hauptbahnhof is a railway station in Mönchengladbach, Germany. It is unique in the fact that Mönchengladbach is actually the only city in Germany that does have two stations called Hauptbahnhof associated with it... - Wickrath - Herrath - Erkelenz - Hückelhoven-Baal - Brachelen - Lindern - Geilenkirchen - Übach-Palenberg - Herzogenrath - Kohlscheid - Aachen West - Aachen Schanz Aachen Schanz station Aachen Schanz station is a railway station in Aachen on the railway line Aachen–Mönchengladbach. Located at the western end of the inner city, it is the station with the shortest walking distance to the historic center or the Aachen Cathedral. Additionally, several bus lines to western Aachen stop... - Aachen Hbf |
DB Class 425 DBAG Class 425 The Classes 425 and 426 EMUs are a class of electric multiple units built by a consortium of Siemens, Bombardier and DWA and operated by DB Regio in Germany... |
1x per hour |
Operational usage
Aachen Hauptbahnhof is served by the following lines:- Cologne–Aachen (KBS 480)
- Aachen–BrusselsHSL 3The HSL 3 is a Belgian high-speed rail line. It connects Liège to the German border near Aachen. The line is long, of which are dedicated high-speed tracks....
- Aachen–Mönchengladbach (KBS 485)
- Liege–Aachen lineBelgian railway line 37The Belgian railway line 37 is a railway line in Belgium connecting Liège to Aachen in Germany. Completed in 1843, the line runs 47.4 km in Belgium. and another 6.8 km in Germany...
(KBS 480a/L 37)