Bonn Hauptbahnhof
Encyclopedia
is a railway station located on the left bank of the Rhine along the Cologne–Mainz line. It is the principal station serving the city of Bonn
. In addition to extensive rail service from Deutsche Bahn
it acts as a hub for local bus, tram, and Stadtbahn
services.
connected Bonn station to the East Rhine Railway. With the opening of the Voreifel Railway to Euskirchen
, the station became a rail junction.
In 1883 and 1884, a new station building was erected, which is now heritage listed.
The station sharply increased in importance in 1949, when Bonn became capital of the Federal Republic. Many politicians and federal employees travelled by train, as did guests of the state.
In 1969, Bonn grew considerably by incorporating towns which includes the stations of Bad Godesberg
, Beuel
, Duisdorf, Oberkassel
and Mehlem
and, in 1971, the station was renamed Bonn Hauptbahnhof.
Northwest of the station there used to be a small freight yard, which is now closed and partially demolished. The remaining tracks are used to allow freight trains to be overtaken and as a yard for assembling passenger trains and parking freight wagons. The Rhine Shore station (Rheinuferbahnhof) of the former Cologne-Bonn Railway (Köln-Bonner Eisenbahnen AG, KBE) was next to the station until 1985. As part of the construction of the Bonn Stadtbahn
in the early 1970s, the existing buildings at the station were demolished and rebuilt. The design of the station forecourt was soon the subject of much controversy among the public of Bonn and there were several attempts to redesign it.
During the planning phase of the Cologne–Frankfurt high-speed line in the 1980s and early 1990s, a proposal to build a new line via Bonn station was controversial. This proposed a tunnel under the city, which would begin on the northern outskirts of Bonn and run through a deep level station 35 m below the main station. After crossing under the government district, the Rhine and the Siebengebirge
hills to reach the line route that favoured by the Deutsche Bundesbahn
to run via Limburg an der Lahn
to Frankfurt
. The additional cost of this option was estimated at about half a billion Euros. In addition, a route via Bonn-Beuel and Aegidienberg
through a 14 km long tunnel was also considered. Today, Bonn Hauptbahnhof is connected indirectly to the high-speed line, by tram line 66 of the Bonn Stadtbahn to Siegburg/Bonn station. Despite Intercity-Express services running through Siegburg/Bonn rather than Bonn, Bonn Hauptbahnhof is still a major stop for long-distance traffic.
. The Hauptbahnhof sits astride the north-south and east-west axes of the network and consequently sees daily about 50,000 passengers. The current facility opened in 1979.
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
. In addition to extensive rail service from 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...
it acts as a hub for local bus, tram, and Stadtbahn
Bonn Stadtbahn
The Bonn Stadtbahn is a part of the local public transit system in Bonn and the surrounding Rhein-Sieg area. Although with six actual Stadtbahn lines and three tram lines it is relatively small, two of the Stadtbahn lines connect to the much larger Cologne Stadtbahn .The entire network comprises...
services.
History
The first station was constructed in 1844 by the Bonn-Cologne Railway Company, as part of the West Rhine Railway. The current building was erected between 1883 and 1884. From 1870 a train ferryBonn–Oberkassel train ferry
The Bonn–Oberkassel train ferry was a German train ferry operated by the Rhenish Railway Company from 1870 to connect its right and left Rhine railways...
connected Bonn station to the East Rhine Railway. With the opening of the Voreifel Railway to Euskirchen
Euskirchen station
Euskirchen station is an important transport hub with heavy commuter traffic in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is it situated on Cologne–Trier, Bonn–Euskirchen, Euskirchen–Bad Münstereifel and the Euskirchen–Düren lines...
, the station became a rail junction.
In 1883 and 1884, a new station building was erected, which is now heritage listed.
The station sharply increased in importance in 1949, when Bonn became capital of the Federal Republic. Many politicians and federal employees travelled by train, as did guests of the state.
In 1969, Bonn grew considerably by incorporating towns which includes the stations of Bad Godesberg
Bonn-Bad Godesberg station
Bonn-Bad Godesberg station is on the Left Rhine line in the in the Bonn district of Bad Godesberg in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia.It is a four-track through station, which does not have a “home” platform attached to the station building...
, Beuel
Bonn-Beuel station
Bonn-Beuel station is a on the East Rhine Railway in the Bonn district of Beuel in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia.It was opened on 1 March 1871 and has three platform tracks and several sidings...
, Duisdorf, Oberkassel
Bonn-Oberkassel station
Bonn-Oberkassel station is a on the East Rhine Railway in the suburb of Oberkassel in the Bonn district of Beuel in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia.-History :...
and Mehlem
Bonn-Mehlem station
Bonn-Mehlem station is a through station in the Bonn district of Lannesdorf in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It has three platform tracks and is located on the Left Rhine line south of Bonn Hauptbahnhof. The station also is served by buses and has parking spaces...
and, in 1971, the station was renamed Bonn Hauptbahnhof.
Northwest of the station there used to be a small freight yard, which is now closed and partially demolished. The remaining tracks are used to allow freight trains to be overtaken and as a yard for assembling passenger trains and parking freight wagons. The Rhine Shore station (Rheinuferbahnhof) of the former Cologne-Bonn Railway (Köln-Bonner Eisenbahnen AG, KBE) was next to the station until 1985. As part of the construction of the Bonn Stadtbahn
Bonn Stadtbahn
The Bonn Stadtbahn is a part of the local public transit system in Bonn and the surrounding Rhein-Sieg area. Although with six actual Stadtbahn lines and three tram lines it is relatively small, two of the Stadtbahn lines connect to the much larger Cologne Stadtbahn .The entire network comprises...
in the early 1970s, the existing buildings at the station were demolished and rebuilt. The design of the station forecourt was soon the subject of much controversy among the public of Bonn and there were several attempts to redesign it.
During the planning phase of the Cologne–Frankfurt high-speed line in the 1980s and early 1990s, a proposal to build a new line via Bonn station was controversial. This proposed a tunnel under the city, which would begin on the northern outskirts of Bonn and run through a deep level station 35 m below the main station. After crossing under the government district, the Rhine and the Siebengebirge
Siebengebirge
The Siebengebirge is a German range of hills to the East of the Rhine, southeast of Bonn, consisting of more than 40 mountains and hills. It is located in the municipalities of Bad Honnef and Königswinter. It is of volcanic origin and came into being between 28 and 15 million years ago...
hills to reach the line route that favoured by the Deutsche Bundesbahn
Deutsche Bundesbahn
The Deutsche Bundesbahn or DB was formed as the state railway of the newly established Federal Republic of Germany on September 7, 1949 as a successor of the Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft '...
to run via Limburg an der Lahn
Limburg an der Lahn
Limburg an der Lahn is the district seat of Limburg-Weilburg in Hesse, Germany.-Location:Limburg lies in western Hesse between the Taunus and the Westerwald on the river Lahn....
to Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
. The additional cost of this option was estimated at about half a billion Euros. In addition, a route via Bonn-Beuel and Aegidienberg
Aegidienberg
Aegidienberg is a district of Bad Honnef in the Rhein-Sieg-Kreis , in North Rhine-Westphalia. It is located with its 13 villages east of the Siebengebirge in the foothills of the Niederwesterwald and is traversed by the A 3 . Until 1969, Aegidienberg was an independent municipality in the former...
through a 14 km long tunnel was also considered. Today, Bonn Hauptbahnhof is connected indirectly to the high-speed line, by tram line 66 of the Bonn Stadtbahn to Siegburg/Bonn station. Despite Intercity-Express services running through Siegburg/Bonn rather than Bonn, Bonn Hauptbahnhof is still a major stop for long-distance traffic.
Stadtbahn
Located beneath the main platforms are two underground platforms served by the Bonn StadtbahnBonn Stadtbahn
The Bonn Stadtbahn is a part of the local public transit system in Bonn and the surrounding Rhein-Sieg area. Although with six actual Stadtbahn lines and three tram lines it is relatively small, two of the Stadtbahn lines connect to the much larger Cologne Stadtbahn .The entire network comprises...
. The Hauptbahnhof sits astride the north-south and east-west axes of the network and consequently sees daily about 50,000 passengers. The current facility opened in 1979.