Bietigheim-Bissingen station
Encyclopedia
Bietigheim-Bissingen station is a junction station in the town of Bietigheim-Bissingen
in the German state of Baden-Württemberg
where the Württemberg Western Railway
separates from the Franconia Railway. With its eight station tracks it is the largest station in the district of Ludwigsburg
. It is served by regional trains, line S 5 of the Stuttgart S-Bahn
and line S 5 of the Karlsruhe Stadtbahn.
had rejected all efforts by the town council to have the station built closer to the town. In addition to the station building, there were initially a building for other offices, a goods shed and a locomotive depot. On 25 July 1848 the remainder of the Northern Railway between Bietigheim and Heilbronn was opened.
According to Charles Vignoles’
proposals of 1843/44 the Western Railway to Bruchsal
would have separated from the Northern Railway near Tamm
. Karl Etzel proposed in 1845 the more northerly branch in Bietigheim, since the Enz valley was at its narrowest there and therefore a shorter and lower bridge was required than under the original plan. Under Vignoles' plan from a 46 m high and 515 m long viaduct would have been required at Bissinger Sägmühle; under Etzel’s plan the viaduct would be only 26 m high and 287 m long. Despite its longer route, Etzel’s alignment saved 400,000 gulden
. In February 1846 the Württemberg Treasury agreed to the construction of the Bietigheim Enz Valley Viaduct.
At the time Etzel was courting the daughter of Württemberg Finance Minister, Karl von Gärttner, who came from Bietigheim, and they were married in 1847. This gave rise to speculation that Etzel's father-in-law favoured a junction that was close to his home.
On 1852 the Northern Railway from Stuttgart to Bietigheim was duplicated. The second track was built on was the left side of the station building, meaning that it was now built on an island between the tracks. The new line was opened on 1 October 1853. On 8 December 1879 the first trains ran on the Backnang–Bietigheim line. The connection to Backnang
allowed freight trains to run between Backnang and Mühlacker
or Heilbronn
. At that time Bietigheim station was the second largest station in Württemberg
.
In 1887, the first factories were established near the station. Residential and commercial buildings were also built nearby.
In 1940 a third track was built on the Northern Railway between Ludwigsburg and Bietigheim. Although a fourth track was then planned, it was not built for 41 years. Several air raids during the Second World War inflicted severe damage to the rail infrastructure. The railway line to Backnang was not rebuilt and the section between Bietigheim and Beihingen-Heutingsheim (now Freiberg am Neckar
) was closed. Part of it is still used as a siding. A makeshift station was rebuilt. Stuttgart suburban trains were extended to Bietigheim with the electrification of the Ludwigsburg-Bietigheim section in October 1950.
In 1975, the town of Bietigheim and the community of Bissingen an der Enz were merged to form the town of Bietigheim-Bissingen. As a result the station was similarly renamed. In 1981 it became a terminal station of the Stuttgart S-Bahn.
("round arch style"), which was common at the time, was probably designed by Michael Knoll. It had two stories and a tower with a clock and two bells. The eight vault construction was probably built of stone. On the 1st floor there was a cornice at the height of the window sills. It had a continuous gable roof and a clear horizontal division between the ground and first floor. In the centre there was a four vault central hall, accented by the bell tower. The station building of 1847 had on the ground floor two waiting rooms, an office for the stationmaster, a cash room, a luggage room and a staff room. On the 1st floor there were apartments for rail personnel.
In 1887, the station was expanded with an additional administration building. It stood next to the first station building and had a waiting room and a restaurant.
In 1958, construction began on the new reception building and it was inaugurated on 27 June 1961. Helmuth Conradi, who also designed the new Heidelberg Hauptbahnhof
, planned it as a two-story building with a one-story annex. The station’s roof extends to the right and left of the lobby and connected to a four-story tower with a clock, which appears to be part of the same building. The windows of the entrance building emphasise its concrete skeleton. In the tower and on the upper floor there are offices. The previous buildings still remained at first and were later demolished.
as a category 2 station
. The Württemberg Western Railway
separates here from the Franconia Railway. Tracks 1 and 2 are used for freight and have no platform. Karlsruhe Stadtbahn services start on platform track 3, running towards Vaihingen (Enz)
. Track 4 is used by regional services from Vaihingen (Enz) running towards Ludwigsburg
. Stuttgart S-Bahn
services towards Ludwigsburg start on track 5. S-Bahn trains terminate on track 6, before they are parked in the rear track field. Regional trains stop at track 7 running towards Vaihingen (Enz). Track 8 is used by regional trains coming from Heilbronn
and bound for Ludwigsburg. Tracks 9 and 10 serve regional trains to Heilbronn.
Many tracks are available for the storage and manoeuvring of freight trains.
Bietigheim-Bissinger station has an interlocking of class DRs60.
Bietigheim-Bissingen
Bietigheim-Bissingen is the second-largest town in the district of Ludwigsburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany with 42,515 inhabitants in 2007. It is situated on the river Enz, close to its confluence with the Neckar, about 19 km north of Stuttgart, and 20 km south of Heilbronn.- Buildings...
in the German state of Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants...
where the Württemberg Western Railway
Württemberg Western Railway
The Western Railway in Württemberg was opened in 1853 and ran from Bietigheim-Bissingen to Bruchsal. It was the first railway link between the states of Württemberg and Baden in Germany and one of the oldest lines in Germany....
separates from the Franconia Railway. With its eight station tracks it is the largest station in the district of Ludwigsburg
Ludwigsburg (district)
Ludwigsburg is a district in the middle of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Neighboring districts are Heilbronn, Rems-Murr, the district-free city Stuttgart, and the districts Böblingen and Enz.-History:...
. It is served by regional trains, line S 5 of the Stuttgart S-Bahn
Stuttgart S-Bahn
The Stuttgart S-Bahn is a suburban railway system serving the Stuttgart Region, an agglomeration of around 2.6 million people, consisting of the city of Stuttgart and the adjacent districts of Esslingen, Böblingen, Ludwigsburg and Rems-Murr. It consists of seven lines numbered S1 through S6 and...
and line S 5 of the Karlsruhe Stadtbahn.
History
Bietigheim station was opened on 11 October 1847 along with the Ludwigsburg–Bietigheim section of the Northern Railway, connecting Stuttgart with Heilbronn. The station was about two km outside the town in the forest of Laiernwald. The Royal Württemberg State RailwaysRoyal Württemberg State Railways
The Royal Württemberg State Railways were the state railways of the Kingdom of Württemberg between 1843 and 1920...
had rejected all efforts by the town council to have the station built closer to the town. In addition to the station building, there were initially a building for other offices, a goods shed and a locomotive depot. On 25 July 1848 the remainder of the Northern Railway between Bietigheim and Heilbronn was opened.
According to Charles Vignoles’
Charles Blacker Vignoles
Charles Blacker Vignoles was an influential early railway engineer, and eponym of the Vignoles rail.- Early life :...
proposals of 1843/44 the Western Railway to Bruchsal
Bruchsal
Bruchsal is a city at the western edge of the Kraichgau, approximately 20 km northeast of Karlsruhe in the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany...
would have separated from the Northern Railway near Tamm
Tamm
Tamm is a Gemeinde in the district of Ludwigsburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated 6 km northwest of Ludwigsburg, 4 km south of Bietigheim-Bissingen, and approx. 17 km north of Stuttgart's city center...
. Karl Etzel proposed in 1845 the more northerly branch in Bietigheim, since the Enz valley was at its narrowest there and therefore a shorter and lower bridge was required than under the original plan. Under Vignoles' plan from a 46 m high and 515 m long viaduct would have been required at Bissinger Sägmühle; under Etzel’s plan the viaduct would be only 26 m high and 287 m long. Despite its longer route, Etzel’s alignment saved 400,000 gulden
South German gulden
The Gulden was the currency of the states of southern Germany between 1754 and 1873. These states included Bavaria, Baden, Württemberg, Frankfurt and Hohenzollern....
. In February 1846 the Württemberg Treasury agreed to the construction of the Bietigheim Enz Valley Viaduct.
At the time Etzel was courting the daughter of Württemberg Finance Minister, Karl von Gärttner, who came from Bietigheim, and they were married in 1847. This gave rise to speculation that Etzel's father-in-law favoured a junction that was close to his home.
On 1852 the Northern Railway from Stuttgart to Bietigheim was duplicated. The second track was built on was the left side of the station building, meaning that it was now built on an island between the tracks. The new line was opened on 1 October 1853. On 8 December 1879 the first trains ran on the Backnang–Bietigheim line. The connection to Backnang
Backnang
Backnang is a town in Germany in the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, roughly 30 kilometers northeast of Stuttgart. Its population has increased greatly over the past century, from 7,650 in 1900 to 35,761 in 2005....
allowed freight trains to run between Backnang and Mühlacker
Mühlacker
Mühlacker is a town in the eastern part of the Enz district in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. Mühlacker station has direct rail connections with Stuttgart, Karlsruhe, Heidelberg, Pforzheim and the Northern Black Forest....
or Heilbronn
Heilbronn
Heilbronn is a city in northern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is completely surrounded by Heilbronn County and with approximately 123.000 residents, it is the sixth-largest city in the state....
. At that time Bietigheim station was the second largest station in Württemberg
Württemberg
Württemberg , formerly known as Wirtemberg or Wurtemberg, is an area and a former state in southwestern Germany, including parts of the regions Swabia and Franconia....
.
In 1887, the first factories were established near the station. Residential and commercial buildings were also built nearby.
In 1940 a third track was built on the Northern Railway between Ludwigsburg and Bietigheim. Although a fourth track was then planned, it was not built for 41 years. Several air raids during the Second World War inflicted severe damage to the rail infrastructure. The railway line to Backnang was not rebuilt and the section between Bietigheim and Beihingen-Heutingsheim (now Freiberg am Neckar
Freiberg am Neckar
Freiberg am Neckar is a town in the district of Ludwigsburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated on the left bank of the Neckar, 18 km north of Stuttgart, and 4 km north of Ludwigsburg....
) was closed. Part of it is still used as a siding. A makeshift station was rebuilt. Stuttgart suburban trains were extended to Bietigheim with the electrification of the Ludwigsburg-Bietigheim section in October 1950.
In 1975, the town of Bietigheim and the community of Bissingen an der Enz were merged to form the town of Bietigheim-Bissingen. As a result the station was similarly renamed. In 1981 it became a terminal station of the Stuttgart S-Bahn.
Reception building
The first station building of the RundbogenstilRundbogenstil
Rundbogenstil , one of the nineteenth-century historic revival styles of architecture, is a variety of Romanesque revival popular in the German-speaking lands and the German diaspora....
("round arch style"), which was common at the time, was probably designed by Michael Knoll. It had two stories and a tower with a clock and two bells. The eight vault construction was probably built of stone. On the 1st floor there was a cornice at the height of the window sills. It had a continuous gable roof and a clear horizontal division between the ground and first floor. In the centre there was a four vault central hall, accented by the bell tower. The station building of 1847 had on the ground floor two waiting rooms, an office for the stationmaster, a cash room, a luggage room and a staff room. On the 1st floor there were apartments for rail personnel.
In 1887, the station was expanded with an additional administration building. It stood next to the first station building and had a waiting room and a restaurant.
In 1958, construction began on the new reception building and it was inaugurated on 27 June 1961. Helmuth Conradi, who also designed the new Heidelberg Hauptbahnhof
Heidelberg Hauptbahnhof
is the central station for Heidelberg. In 2005 it was used by 30,472 passengers daily and is one of the largest passenger stations in Baden-Wurttemberg. The main station entrance opened in 1955 in Willy-Brandt-Platz in the western district of Heidelberg, on the edge of the district. Diagonally...
, planned it as a two-story building with a one-story annex. The station’s roof extends to the right and left of the lobby and connected to a four-story tower with a clock, which appears to be part of the same building. The windows of the entrance building emphasise its concrete skeleton. In the tower and on the upper floor there are offices. The previous buildings still remained at first and were later demolished.
Rail operations
Bietigheim-Bissingen station is a railway junction. It is classified by Deutsche BahnDeutsche 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...
as a category 2 station
German railway station categories
About 5,400 railway stations in Germany that are owned and operated by the Deutsche Bahn subsidiary DB Station&Service are assigned into seven categories, denoting the service level available at the station....
. The Württemberg Western Railway
Württemberg Western Railway
The Western Railway in Württemberg was opened in 1853 and ran from Bietigheim-Bissingen to Bruchsal. It was the first railway link between the states of Württemberg and Baden in Germany and one of the oldest lines in Germany....
separates here from the Franconia Railway. Tracks 1 and 2 are used for freight and have no platform. Karlsruhe Stadtbahn services start on platform track 3, running towards Vaihingen (Enz)
Vaihingen (Enz) station
Vaihingen station is a long-distance and the regional station at an important railway junction in the town of Vaihingen an der Enz in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It is classified by Deutsche Bahn as a category 3 station....
. Track 4 is used by regional services from Vaihingen (Enz) running towards Ludwigsburg
Ludwigsburg station
Ludwigsburg station is in Ludwigsburg in the German state of Baden-Württemberg on the Franconia Railway and the Backnang–Bietigheim line. It is served by regional trains and the Stuttgart S-Bahn. Until 2005 the Ludwigsburg–Markgröningen lines also connected to the station...
. Stuttgart S-Bahn
Stuttgart S-Bahn
The Stuttgart S-Bahn is a suburban railway system serving the Stuttgart Region, an agglomeration of around 2.6 million people, consisting of the city of Stuttgart and the adjacent districts of Esslingen, Böblingen, Ludwigsburg and Rems-Murr. It consists of seven lines numbered S1 through S6 and...
services towards Ludwigsburg start on track 5. S-Bahn trains terminate on track 6, before they are parked in the rear track field. Regional trains stop at track 7 running towards Vaihingen (Enz). Track 8 is used by regional trains coming from Heilbronn
Heilbronn Hauptbahnhof
is the main passenger station in Heilbronn in the German state of Baden-Württemberg.-Description :The station is located about 1 km west of the inner city of Heilbronn and the Old Neckar on a 1 km wide island between the old Neckar and the modern canalised Neckar. Southwest of the modern...
and bound for Ludwigsburg. Tracks 9 and 10 serve regional trains to Heilbronn.
Many tracks are available for the storage and manoeuvring of freight trains.
Bietigheim-Bissinger station has an interlocking of class DRs60.
Regional services
| Line | Frequency | |
|---|---|---|
| align="center" style="width:5em" | R4 | Stuttgart Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof is the Hauptbahnhof of the city of Stuttgart, the capital of the Land of Baden-Württemberg, in southwestern Germany. It is the largest regional and long-distance railway station in Stuttgart, the main node of the Stuttgart S-Bahn network, and, together with the halt at Charlottenplatz, the main... – Ludwigsburg Ludwigsburg station Ludwigsburg station is in Ludwigsburg in the German state of Baden-Württemberg on the Franconia Railway and the Backnang–Bietigheim line. It is served by regional trains and the Stuttgart S-Bahn. Until 2005 the Ludwigsburg–Markgröningen lines also connected to the station... – Bietigheim – Heilbronn Heilbronn Hauptbahnhof is the main passenger station in Heilbronn in the German state of Baden-Württemberg.-Description :The station is located about 1 km west of the inner city of Heilbronn and the Old Neckar on a 1 km wide island between the old Neckar and the modern canalised Neckar. Southwest of the modern... – Bad Friedrichshall-Jagstfeld Bad Friedrichshall-Jagstfeld station Bad Friedrichshall-Jagstfeld station is a regionally important railway junction and a former border station in the city of Bad Friedrichshall in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. The modern Elsenz Valley Railway and Neckar Valley Railway branch from the Franconia Railway here... – Osterburken Osterburken Osterburken is a town in the Neckar-Odenwald district, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated 28 km southwest of Tauberbischofsheim, 50 km northeast of Heilbronn, 90 km east of Heidelberg, 60 km southwest of Würzburg and 30 km east of Mosbach... – Lauda Lauda-Königshofen Lauda-Königshofen is a town in the Main-Tauber district in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated on the river Tauber, 7 km southeast of Tauberbischofsheim, and 30 km southwest of Würzburg... – Würzburg Würzburg Hauptbahnhof is the central station for the city of Würzburg in the German state of Bavaria.Regional and long-distance trains call at the station; it is the southern end of the Hanover-Würzburg high-speed rail line that carries InterCityExpress traffic... |
120 minute frequency |
| align="center" | R5 | Stuttgart – Ludwigsburg – Bietigheim – Vaihingen Vaihingen (Enz) station Vaihingen station is a long-distance and the regional station at an important railway junction in the town of Vaihingen an der Enz in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It is classified by Deutsche Bahn as a category 3 station.... – Mühlacker Mühlacker station Mühlacker station is in the town of Mühlacker in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It is at the junction of the Karlsruhe–Mühlacker line and the Western Railway. With its five platform tracks, it is the largest station in Enz district... – Pforzheim Pforzheim Hauptbahnhof is the main station in the city of Pforzheim in the German state of Baden-Württemberg.-Rail services :Pforzheim Hauptbahnhof is served by several lines operated at regular intervals, including an Interregio-Express/ Regional-Express line, a Regionalbahn line and two Karlsruhe Stadtbahn lines... – Karlsruhe-Durlach Karlsruhe-Durlach station Karlsruhe-Durlach station is the second largest station in the city of Karlsruhe in the German state of Baden-Württemberg after Karlsruhe Hauptbahnhof... – Karlsruhe Karlsruhe Hauptbahnhof is the central railway station in the German city of Karlsruhe. The station is classified as one of the major Category 1 stations in Germany, due to its function as a hub connecting several railway lines with each other.- History :... |
120 minute frequency |
| align="center" | R5 | Stuttgart – Ludwigsburg – Bietigheim – Vaihingen – Mühlacker – Bretten Bretten station Bretten station is the centre of rail transport in the town of Bretten in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. The Württemberg Western Railway and the Kraichgau line cross at the station.-History :... – Bruchsal Bruchsal station Bruchsal station is the centre of the rail transport in the city of Bruchsal in the German state of Baden-Württemberg.-History :The original station of the baroque town of Bruchsal opened on 10 April 1843 as part of the Karlsruhe–Heidelberg section of the old Baden main line, which eventually... – Heidelberg Heidelberg Hauptbahnhof is the central station for Heidelberg. In 2005 it was used by 30,472 passengers daily and is one of the largest passenger stations in Baden-Wurttemberg. The main station entrance opened in 1955 in Willy-Brandt-Platz in the western district of Heidelberg, on the edge of the district. Diagonally... |
120 minute frequency |
| R1 | Stuttgart – Ludwigsburg – Bietigheim – Heilbronn – Bad Friedrichshall-Jagstfeld – Mosbach Mosbach Mosbach is the capital of the Neckar-Odenwald district in the north of Baden-Württemberg, Germany, about 58 km east of Heidelberg. Its geographical position is 49.21'N 9.9'E.... -Neckarelz Neckarelz -Geography:Neckarelz is in northern Baden-Württemberg, between the Odenwald and Kraichgau, at the confluence of the Neckar and Elz rivers. On the other side of the Neckar, are the towns of Hochhausen and Obrigheim. Next to Neckarelz, is the suburb of Diedesheim.... |
60 minute frequency (30 minute frequency between Stuttgart and Heilbronn) |
S-Bahn
| Line | Route |
|---|---|
| Bietigheim – Ludwigsburg – Zuffenhausen Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen station Zuffenhausen station is a railway station of the Stuttgart S-Bahn in Zuffenhausen in the city of Stuttgart, in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. With its six platform tracks, it is one of the largest stations in Stuttgart.-History :... – Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof – Schwabstraße Stuttgart Schwabstraße station Schwabstraße underground station is in Stuttgart-West district, west of the centre of the German city of Stuttgart and was at the end of the first section of the Connection line , the original underground section of the Stuttgart S-Bahn. Several lines of the S-Bahn terminate at the station... |
|
| Bietigheim – Vaihingen – Mühlacker – Pforzheim – Karlsruhe-Durlach – Karlsruhe Entenfang – Karlsruhe-Knielingen (60 minute intervals) |