Hamburg U-Bahn
Encyclopedia
The Hamburg U-Bahn is a rapid transit
system serving the cities of Hamburg
, Norderstedt
and Ahrensburg
in Germany
. Although technically an underground, most of the system's track length is above ground. The network is interconnected with the city's S-Bahn system
, which also has underground sections. It is operated by Hamburger Hochbahn
and belongs to the Hamburger Verkehrsverbund
(HVV). It was opened in February 1912 and comprises three lines with a length of 101 km (63 mi) in 2006.
and AEG
of Berlin. The first stretch was completed on 7 October 1906.
This was followed in 1911 with the founding of the Hamburger Hochbahn Aktiengesellschaft (HHA). Thus Hamburg became the third German city (after Berlin, 1902 and Schöneberg, 1910) to have a U-Bahn (then known as the High and Underground Railway (Hoch- und Untergrundbahn) as it is largely either elevated or in tunnels - not much at street level).
The construction of such a railway had long been discussed, meanwhile an elevated train was also considered. In 1906 a circular route was begun, connecting Hamburg Hauptbahnhof
– Berliner Tor – Barmbek (earlier spelling: Barmbeck) – Kellinghusenstraße – Schlump – Landungsbrücken
(earlier designation: Hafentor) – Rathaus – Hauptbahnhof with branches to the quarters of Eimsbüttel
, Ohlsdorf and Rothenburgsort
. On 15 February 1912 the first stretch of the future Ringbahn (Circle railway) between Rathaus
station und Barmbek was inaugurated. The stretch included both underground and elevated sections.
By 1915 the Ringbahn and the three spurs, from Kellinghusenstraße
to Ohlsdorf, from Schlump to Hellkamp (today: disused station between Oster- and Lutterothstraße) and from central station to Rothenburgsort were completed. By 1934 the extensions from Ohlsdorf to Ochsenzoll (Langenhorn
er Bahn), from Kellinghusenstraße to Jungfernstieg
(KellJung line), and the Walddörferbahn (Forestvillages line) from Barmbek to Großhansdorf
and Ohlstedt were completed.
In 1943, during the Second World War
the subway was badly damaged during 'Operation Gomorrah,' the RAF bombing of Hamburg
that summer. The stretch from Hauptbahnhof to Rothenburgsort was not repaired because the district it passed through had been completely destroyed. It was five more years before the remaining network was once more completely intact.
Further additions to the network were made, starting in 1960. The KellJung line was extended via Meßberg to the central station (Hauptbahnhof). Later in 1962 the extension reached Wandsbek
Markt and in 1963 Wandsbek-Gartenstadt. The total network length was 67.9 kilometres (42 mi).
The construction of a Durchmesserstrecke (diameter route) began in 1963. The plan was to connect Billstedt
with Stellingen. The Eimsbüttel branch formed the western part of the line. The branch was extended up to Hagenbecks Tierpark
in 1966. The existing terminus at Hellkamp was withdrawn from service and a new station was built at Lutterothstraße further northwest.
The connection between Berliner Tor
and Horner Rennbahn
was opened in 1967. In the same year this eastern branch was extended to Legienstraße. Further extensions took place in 1969 to Billstedt and in 1970 towards Merkenstraße. The extension Ochsenzoll – Garstedt came into service in May 1969. Thus, the network total length reached 88.5 km (55 mi).
A new core stretch of the line U2, between Schlump and Berliner Tor, became a direct connection through the city centre. Next to be brought into service were sections from Hauptbahnhof Nord to Berliner Tor in 1968, and from Schlump (low) to Gänsemarkt in 1970, then the last section, with two new platforms at the station Jungfernstieg under the Binnenalster
, in 1973. This station, as well as Hauptbahnhof Nord, was developed as part of the U4 line that was planned at that time.
In 1985 the section to Hagenbecks Tierpark was extended to Niendorf Markt and again in 1991 as far as Niendorf Nord
. In 1990 the extension Merkenstraße – Mümmelmannsberg was opened. The most recent line extension opened in 1996 between Garstedt
and Norderstedt Mitte
, which replaced the southern part of the Alsternordbahn
. With that, the network reached its current status.
In 2005 the Hamburg U-Bahn had a length of some 100.7 kilometres (63 mi), of which 40 km (25 mi) are underground. It had 89 station stops.
In 2009, the U3, beginning in Barmbek, traversed the complete ring line, thereby taking over the stretch between Berliner Tor and Barmbek, which was formerly served by the U2. In order to realise a problem-free service, a redesign of the current track layout to the west of Berliner Tor was necessary. An originally planned grade separated crossing
of the two lines was realised, which was left undone before due to cost. Trains coming from the city centre leave the ring at Barmbek and continue via the viaduct stretch to the end stations. One branch leads via the Walddörferbahn to Wandsbek-Gartenstadt, a stretch formerly served by the U2.
s in the middle of a dry grass biotope
.
Plans for a fourth line have been discussed since the 1970s. In those days it was planned for the line to lead from City Nord and Uhlenhorst via the city centre and Altona
to Lurup and Osdorfer Born. In order to link the green-field housing development at Osdorfer Born to the rest of the city as quickly as possible, a limited service on the stretch between Altona und Osdorfer Born was planned. Until the connection with the rest of the network was ready, it was intended to transport trains with flatbed truck
s for maintenance in the service depot in Barmbek. Platforms and track beds for this stretch were completed in the stations Hauptbahnhof Nord and Jungfernstieg
. Preparations for tunnel constructions were made in the area of Hamburg-Altona railway station
and under the motorway A 7 in Bahrenfeld.
In preparation for the junction with the U1, an extra platform was built at the new station Sengelmannstraße. All these constructions remain unused to this day. The northern surplus platform area at Hauptbahnhof Nord is currently used for the art installation Sterne by Raimund Kummer and Stefan Huber. Here several concrete stars lie over the whole platform area as if they had fallen from the sky.
(2 Stations) with the city centre. The new line will meet the U2 at Jungfernstieg and together they will continue via Hauptbahnhof and Berliner Tor onto the Billstedter line, along which the U2 currently runs. The branch will leads via a new stretch to Steilshoop and Bramfeld (some four stations). More detailed plans were begun in 2003. The new line will open to public in 2011 at the earliest.
The line names U1 und U2 were introduced with the timetable change on 22 May 1966, the name U3 followed on 2 January 1967. Until the completion of the direct inner-city stretch, the future U2, on 3 June 1973, the partial services on the already completed eastern (Hauptbahnhof Nord − Berliner Tor (− Barmbek) since 29 September 1968) and western (Schlump − Gänsemarkt since 31 May 1970) sections were known as U21 and U22 respectively.
is not only a central junction with the mainline railway
, but also, due to the confluence of three U-Bahn lines and the S-Bahn station, an important interchange for suburban public transport.
Tunnels for the first underground railway were constructed at the same time as the Hauptbahnhof itself. The tunnels run under the mainline tracks, which are themselves below street level. The current U3 stops at this station, which, for more clarity, is now known as Hauptbahnhof Süd. There is also an underground pedestrian tunnel parallel to the U3 circle line tunnel, which, until its closure in 1991, allowed a quick connection to the mainline platforms.
The unusual width of the vaulted station is due to the fact that it originally housed four tracks; the Rothenburgsort branch, which was destroyed in World War II and never rebuilt, used to begin here. The tunnels for the U1 were driven under the mainline railway next to the U3 tunnels in 1959. The platform for the U1 lies directly south to the U3 and is accessible via the same station entrances.
The opening of the line U2 (U21 in 1969) lead to the construction of a further underground station Hauptbahnhof Nord to serve it. The station is 30 metres (98 ft) below the surface; in the direction of the Jungfernstieg
station, the tunnels pass under the Aussenalster, an artificial lake. The two outer platforms remain unused since their construction and were originally intended for a proposed U-Bahn line between Altona
/Lurup
and Winterhude/City Nord. According to current plans, the unused platforms will be used for the new line U4, which is scheduled to connect to the quarter HafenCity
via Jungfernstieg by 2011.
section, which is owned by the Verkehrsgesellschaft Norderstedt company (VGN) but also operated by the Hamburger Hochbahn.
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
system serving the cities of Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, Norderstedt
Norderstedt
Norderstedt is a city in Germany and part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region , the fifth largest city in the federal state of Schleswig-Holstein, belonging to the district Segeberg.- History :Norderstedt was created by the merger of four towns on 1 January 1970: the towns of Friedrichsgabe and...
and Ahrensburg
Ahrensburg
Ahrensburg is a town in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region, situated in Stormarn. Its population around 31,700 . Its outstanding sight is the Renaissance castle dating from 1595....
in 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...
. Although technically an underground, most of the system's track length is above ground. The network is interconnected with the city's S-Bahn system
Hamburg S-Bahn
The Hamburg S-Bahn is a railway network for public rapid mass transit in the Hamburg Metropolitan Region. Together the S-Bahn, the Hamburg U-Bahn, the AKN railway and the regional railway form the backbone of railway public transport in the city and the surrounding area...
, which also has underground sections. It is operated by Hamburger Hochbahn
Hamburger Hochbahn
Hamburger Hochbahn AG or HHA is a company operating the underground system and large parts of the bus system in Hamburg, Germany, founded in 1911 it is headquartered in Hamburg.-History:...
and belongs to the Hamburger Verkehrsverbund
Hamburger Verkehrsverbund
The Hamburger Verkehrsverbund is a company coordinating the public transport in and around Hamburg, Germany. Its main objectives are to provide the user with a unified fare system, requiring only a single ticket for journeys with transfers between different operating companies, and to further...
(HVV). It was opened in February 1912 and comprises three lines with a length of 101 km (63 mi) in 2006.
History
In 1906 the Senate of Hamburg awarded a contract for the Over and Underground Rail to Siemens & HalskeSiemens
Siemens may refer toSiemens, a German family name carried by generations of telecommunications industrialists, including:* Werner von Siemens , inventor, founder of Siemens AG...
and AEG
AEG
Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft was a German producer of electrical equipment founded in 1883 by Emil Rathenau....
of Berlin. The first stretch was completed on 7 October 1906.
This was followed in 1911 with the founding of the Hamburger Hochbahn Aktiengesellschaft (HHA). Thus Hamburg became the third German city (after Berlin, 1902 and Schöneberg, 1910) to have a U-Bahn (then known as the High and Underground Railway (Hoch- und Untergrundbahn) as it is largely either elevated or in tunnels - not much at street level).
The construction of such a railway had long been discussed, meanwhile an elevated train was also considered. In 1906 a circular route was begun, connecting Hamburg Hauptbahnhof
Hamburg Hauptbahnhof
is the Hauptbahnhof for the German city of Hamburg. It was opened in 1906 to replace 4 terminal stations. Hamburg Hauptbahnhof is operated by DB Station&Service...
– Berliner Tor – Barmbek (earlier spelling: Barmbeck) – Kellinghusenstraße – Schlump – Landungsbrücken
Landungsbrücken
The St. Pauli Landungsbrücken , part of the Hamburg Harbour, are in the quarter St. Pauli of Hamburg, Germany, between the lower harbor and the Fischmarkt directly on the Elbe River. The Landungsbrücken today are a major tourist attraction and a central transportation hub, with S-Bahn, U-Bahn and...
(earlier designation: Hafentor) – Rathaus – Hauptbahnhof with branches to the quarters of Eimsbüttel
Eimsbüttel
Eimsbüttel is one of the seven boroughs of Hamburg, Germany. In 2006 the population was 246,087.-History:On March 1, 2008 Eimsbüttel lost a part of its area to form the quarter Sternschanze in the borough Altona.-Geography:...
, Ohlsdorf and Rothenburgsort
Rothenburgsort
Rothenburgsort is a quarter in the Hamburg-Mitte borough of the Free and Hanseatic city of Hamburg in northern Germany. In 2006, the population was 8,660.-Geography:The quarter is situated in the south-east center of Hamburg...
. On 15 February 1912 the first stretch of the future Ringbahn (Circle railway) between Rathaus
Hamburg Rathaus
The Hamburg Rathaus is the Rathaus—the city hall or town hall—of Hamburg, Germany, it is the seat of the government of Hamburg, located in the Altstadt quarter in the city centre, near the lake Binnenalster and the central station...
station und Barmbek was inaugurated. The stretch included both underground and elevated sections.
Network development
By 1915 the Ringbahn and the three spurs, from Kellinghusenstraße
Kellinghusenstraße station
Kellinghusenstraße is a public transport railway station for the rapid transit trains of the lines U1 and U3 located in Hamburg, Germany, in the quarter Eppendorf in the Hamburg-Nord borough.-History:...
to Ohlsdorf, from Schlump to Hellkamp (today: disused station between Oster- and Lutterothstraße) and from central station to Rothenburgsort were completed. By 1934 the extensions from Ohlsdorf to Ochsenzoll (Langenhorn
Langenhorn
Langenhorn is the name of two places in Germany:*Langenhorn, Hamburg, a quarter of the city of Hamburg*Langenhorn , a municipality in the state of Schleswig-Holstein...
er Bahn), from Kellinghusenstraße to Jungfernstieg
Jungfernstieg railway station
Jungfernstieg is an underground railway station in the city centre of Hamburg, Germany, serviced by the underground railway and the City S-Bahn line of the suburban railway...
(KellJung line), and the Walddörferbahn (Forestvillages line) from Barmbek to Großhansdorf
Großhansdorf
Großhansdorf is a municipality in the district of Stormarn, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is situated approx. 3 km east of Ahrensburg, and 25 km northeast of Hamburg.- History :...
and Ohlstedt were completed.
In 1943, during the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the subway was badly damaged during 'Operation Gomorrah,' the RAF bombing of Hamburg
Bombing of Hamburg in World War II
The Allied bombing of Hamburg during World War II included numerous strategic bombing missions and diversion/nuisance raids. As a large port and industrial center, Hamburg's shipyards, U-boat pens, and the Hamburg-Harburg area oil refineries were attacked throughout the war...
that summer. The stretch from Hauptbahnhof to Rothenburgsort was not repaired because the district it passed through had been completely destroyed. It was five more years before the remaining network was once more completely intact.
Further additions to the network were made, starting in 1960. The KellJung line was extended via Meßberg to the central station (Hauptbahnhof). Later in 1962 the extension reached Wandsbek
Hamburg-Wandsbek
Wandsbek is an urban quarter in the Wandsbek borough of Hamburg, Germany, and the former city Wandsbek in the Duchy of Holstein. In 2006 the population was 32,350.-History:...
Markt and in 1963 Wandsbek-Gartenstadt. The total network length was 67.9 kilometres (42 mi).
The construction of a Durchmesserstrecke (diameter route) began in 1963. The plan was to connect Billstedt
Billstedt
Billstedt is a quarter in the borough Hamburg-Mitte, in the eastern part of Hamburg, Germany. In 2007, the population was 68,936, it was the second-most populous quarter.-History:Schifbeck, Öjendorff, Steinbeck and Schlem are the old settlements....
with Stellingen. The Eimsbüttel branch formed the western part of the line. The branch was extended up to Hagenbecks Tierpark
Tierpark Hagenbeck
The Tierpark Hagenbeck is a zoo in Stellingen, now a quarter in Hamburg, Germany. The collection began in 1863 with animals that belonged to Carl Hagenbeck Sr. , a fishmonger who became an amateur animal collector. The park itself was founded by Carl Hagenbeck Jr. in 1907...
in 1966. The existing terminus at Hellkamp was withdrawn from service and a new station was built at Lutterothstraße further northwest.
The connection between Berliner Tor
Berliner Tor railway station
Berliner Tor is a railway station in Hamburg, Germany, served by the underground railway and the trains of the Hamburg S-Bahn . The station is located in the quarter St...
and Horner Rennbahn
Horner Rennbahn
-External links:*...
was opened in 1967. In the same year this eastern branch was extended to Legienstraße. Further extensions took place in 1969 to Billstedt and in 1970 towards Merkenstraße. The extension Ochsenzoll – Garstedt came into service in May 1969. Thus, the network total length reached 88.5 km (55 mi).
A new core stretch of the line U2, between Schlump and Berliner Tor, became a direct connection through the city centre. Next to be brought into service were sections from Hauptbahnhof Nord to Berliner Tor in 1968, and from Schlump (low) to Gänsemarkt in 1970, then the last section, with two new platforms at the station Jungfernstieg under the Binnenalster
Binnenalster
Binnenalster or Inner Alster Lake is one of two artificial lakes within the city limits of Hamburg, Germany, which are formed by the river Alster . The main annual festival is the Alstervergnügen.The lake has an area of ....
, in 1973. This station, as well as Hauptbahnhof Nord, was developed as part of the U4 line that was planned at that time.
In 1985 the section to Hagenbecks Tierpark was extended to Niendorf Markt and again in 1991 as far as Niendorf Nord
Niendorf Nord (Hamburg U-Bahn station)
Niendorf Nord is a terminus for the rapid transit trains of the line U2 of the Hamburg U-Bahn, located in the Niendorf quarter of Hamburg, Germany.-See also:*Hamburger Verkehrsverbund...
. In 1990 the extension Merkenstraße – Mümmelmannsberg was opened. The most recent line extension opened in 1996 between Garstedt
Norderstedt
Norderstedt is a city in Germany and part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region , the fifth largest city in the federal state of Schleswig-Holstein, belonging to the district Segeberg.- History :Norderstedt was created by the merger of four towns on 1 January 1970: the towns of Friedrichsgabe and...
and Norderstedt Mitte
Norderstedt Mitte (Hamburg U-Bahn station)
Norderstedt Mitte is a railway station in Norderstedt, Germany. It is a terminus for the rapid transit trains of the line U1 of the Hamburg U-Bahn and connects the underground railway with the commuter trains of the AKN railway company line A2....
, which replaced the southern part of the Alsternordbahn
Alster Northern Railway
The Alster Northern Railway or ANB was a non-electrified, single-tracked branch line in northern Germany. It linked the stations of Ochsenzoll in Hamburg-Langenhorn with Ulzburg Süd in the district of Segeberg in Schleswig-Holstein....
. With that, the network reached its current status.
In 2005 the Hamburg U-Bahn had a length of some 100.7 kilometres (63 mi), of which 40 km (25 mi) are underground. It had 89 station stops.
In 2009, the U3, beginning in Barmbek, traversed the complete ring line, thereby taking over the stretch between Berliner Tor and Barmbek, which was formerly served by the U2. In order to realise a problem-free service, a redesign of the current track layout to the west of Berliner Tor was necessary. An originally planned grade separated crossing
Grade separation
Grade separation is the method of aligning a junction of two or more transport axes at different heights so that they will not disrupt the traffic flow on other transit routes when they cross each other. The composition of such transport axes does not have to be uniform; it can consist of a...
of the two lines was realised, which was left undone before due to cost. Trains coming from the city centre leave the ring at Barmbek and continue via the viaduct stretch to the end stations. One branch leads via the Walddörferbahn to Wandsbek-Gartenstadt, a stretch formerly served by the U2.
Abandoned projects
The eastern branch of the "Walddörferbahn" was originally intended to terminate at the station Beimoor, just to the north of Großhansdorf, in order to connect a proposed housing development to the public transport system. By the time work was abandoned, the station platform had already been finished and tracks had been laid. Today the remains of the station are used as a winter home for batBat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
s in the middle of a dry grass biotope
Biotope
Biotope is an area of uniform environmental conditions providing a living place for a specific assemblage of plants and animals. Biotope is almost synonymous with the term habitat, but while the subject of a habitat is a species or a population, the subject of a biotope is a biological community.It...
.
Plans for a fourth line have been discussed since the 1970s. In those days it was planned for the line to lead from City Nord and Uhlenhorst via the city centre and Altona
Altona, Hamburg
Altona is the westernmost urban borough of the German city state of Hamburg, on the right bank of the Elbe river. From 1640 to 1864 Altona was under the administration of the Danish monarchy. Altona was an independent city until 1937...
to Lurup and Osdorfer Born. In order to link the green-field housing development at Osdorfer Born to the rest of the city as quickly as possible, a limited service on the stretch between Altona und Osdorfer Born was planned. Until the connection with the rest of the network was ready, it was intended to transport trains with flatbed truck
Flatbed truck
A flatbed truck is a type of truck which can be either articulated or rigid. As the name suggests, it has an entirely flat, level 'bed' body with no sides or roof...
s for maintenance in the service depot in Barmbek. Platforms and track beds for this stretch were completed in the stations Hauptbahnhof Nord and Jungfernstieg
Jungfernstieg railway station
Jungfernstieg is an underground railway station in the city centre of Hamburg, Germany, serviced by the underground railway and the City S-Bahn line of the suburban railway...
. Preparations for tunnel constructions were made in the area of Hamburg-Altona railway station
Hamburg-Altona railway station
Hamburg-Altona or Altona is a railway station in Hamburg, Germany. It is situated west of the city's main station, Hamburg Hauptbahnhof , in the district of Altona, and is the usual terminus for southbound long-distance trains....
and under the motorway A 7 in Bahrenfeld.
In preparation for the junction with the U1, an extra platform was built at the new station Sengelmannstraße. All these constructions remain unused to this day. The northern surplus platform area at Hauptbahnhof Nord is currently used for the art installation Sterne by Raimund Kummer and Stefan Huber. Here several concrete stars lie over the whole platform area as if they had fallen from the sky.
Projects in progress
Another project was presented in 2002. According to current plans from the beginning of 2008, the new line U4 will connect HafenCityHafenCity
HafenCity is a quarter in the District of Hamburg-Mitte in Hamburg, Germany. It is located on the Elbe river island that use to be called Kehrwieder and Wandrahm....
(2 Stations) with the city centre. The new line will meet the U2 at Jungfernstieg and together they will continue via Hauptbahnhof and Berliner Tor onto the Billstedter line, along which the U2 currently runs. The branch will leads via a new stretch to Steilshoop and Bramfeld (some four stations). More detailed plans were begun in 2003. The new line will open to public in 2011 at the earliest.
Network routes overview
The Hamburger Hochbahn plc comprises three U-Bahn lines:| Line | Stretches from North / West to South / East |
Stops (Terminate stations in bold) |
|---|---|---|
| U1 | Langenhorner Bahn | Norderstedt Mitte Norderstedt Mitte (Hamburg U-Bahn station) Norderstedt Mitte is a railway station in Norderstedt, Germany. It is a terminus for the rapid transit trains of the line U1 of the Hamburg U-Bahn and connects the underground railway with the commuter trains of the AKN railway company line A2.... – Richtweg Richtweg (Hamburg U-Bahn station) Richtweg is a public transport station for the rapid transit trains of Hamburg's underground railway line U1, located in Norderstedt, Germany.... – Garstedt – Ochsenzoll – Kiwittsmoor – Langenhorn Nord – Langenhorn Markt – Fuhlsbüttel Nord – Fuhlsbüttel – Klein Borstel – Ohlsdorf Ohlsdorf station Ohlsdorf is a train station in Hamburg, Germany, located at the junction of the Hamburg-Altona link line with the Alster Valley line and the Hamburg Airport line near the Ohlsdorf Cemetery.-History:... (S1, S11) |
| Ohlsdorf branch | Ohlsdorf Ohlsdorf station Ohlsdorf is a train station in Hamburg, Germany, located at the junction of the Hamburg-Altona link line with the Alster Valley line and the Hamburg Airport line near the Ohlsdorf Cemetery.-History:... – Sengelmannstraße – Alsterdorf – Lattenkamp – Hudtwalckerstraße – Kellinghusenstraße (U3) |
|
| KellJung-Linie | Kellinghusenstraße – Klosterstern – Hallerstraße – Stephansplatz – Jungfernstieg (U2, U3, S1, S2, S3, Alster Alster The Alster is a right tributary of the River Elbe in Northern Germany. It has its source near Henstedt-Ulzburg, Schleswig-Holstein, flows roughly southwards and reaches the Elbe in Hamburg. In the centre of Hamburg the Alster has been dammed... ferries) |
|
| Meßberglinie | Jungfernstieg – Meßberg Messberg (Hamburg U-Bahn station) The underground railway station Meßberg is located in the city centre of Hamburg, Germany and served by the rapid transit trains of the line U1 of the Hamburg U-Bahn. The station is managed by the Hamburger Hochbahn, the operator of the underground railway.... – Steinstraße – Hauptbahnhof Süd Hamburg Hauptbahnhof is the Hauptbahnhof for the German city of Hamburg. It was opened in 1906 to replace 4 terminal stations. Hamburg Hauptbahnhof is operated by DB Station&Service... (U3, S1, S11, S2, S21, S3, S31) |
|
| Wandsbek extension | Hauptbahnhof Süd Hamburg Hauptbahnhof is the Hauptbahnhof for the German city of Hamburg. It was opened in 1906 to replace 4 terminal stations. Hamburg Hauptbahnhof is operated by DB Station&Service... – Lohmühlenstraße Lohmühlenstraße (Hamburg U-Bahn station) Lohmühlenstraße is a public transport underground railway station for the rapid transit trains of the line U1 located in Hamburg, Germany in the quarter St. Georg in the Hamburg-Mitte borough.... – Lübecker Straße (U3) – Wartenau – Ritterstraße – Wandsbeker Chaussee (S1, S11) – Wandsbek Markt – Straßburger Straße – Alter Teichweg – Wandsbek-Gartenstadt (U3) |
|
| Walddörferbahn | Wandsbek-Gartenstadt – Trabrennbahn – Farmsen – Berne – Meiendorfer Weg – Volksdorf | |
| Volksdorf – Buckhorn – Hoisbüttel – Ohlstedt | ||
| Volksdorf – Buchenkamp – Ahrensburg West – Ahrensburg Ost – Schmalenbeck – Kiekut – Großhansdorf | ||
| --- | | ||
| U2 | Niendorf extension | Niendorf Nord Niendorf Nord (Hamburg U-Bahn station) Niendorf Nord is a terminus for the rapid transit trains of the line U2 of the Hamburg U-Bahn, located in the Niendorf quarter of Hamburg, Germany.-See also:*Hamburger Verkehrsverbund... – Schippelsweg – Joachim-Mähl-Straße – Niendorf Markt – Hagendeel – Hagenbecks Tierpark |
| Eimsbüttel branch | Hagenbecks Tierpark – Lutterothstraße – Osterstraße – Emilienstraße – Christuskirche – Schlump (U3) | |
| Diameter route | Schlump – Messehallen – Gänsemarkt – Jungfernstieg (U1, S1, S2, S3, Alster Alster The Alster is a right tributary of the River Elbe in Northern Germany. It has its source near Henstedt-Ulzburg, Schleswig-Holstein, flows roughly southwards and reaches the Elbe in Hamburg. In the centre of Hamburg the Alster has been dammed... ferries) – Hauptbahnhof Nord Hamburg Hauptbahnhof is the Hauptbahnhof for the German city of Hamburg. It was opened in 1906 to replace 4 terminal stations. Hamburg Hauptbahnhof is operated by DB Station&Service... (S1, S11, S2, S21, S3, S31) – Berliner Tor (U3, S1, S11, S2, S21) |
|
| Billstedt branch | Berliner Tor – Burgstraße – Hammer Kirche – Rauhes Haus – Horner Rennbahn – Legienstraße – Billstedt – Merkenstraße – Steinfurther Allee – Mümmelmannsberg | |
| --- | | ||
| U3 | Ring (Circle Line) |
Barmbek (U3, S1, S11) – Saarlandstraße – Borgweg – Sierichstraße – Kellinghusenstraße (U1) – Eppendorfer Baum – Hoheluftbrücke – Schlump (U2) – Sternschanze Sternschanze railway station Sternschanze station is a railway station in Hamburg, Germany, located in the quarter Sternschanze in the borough of Altona, is a station for the rapid transit trains of the line S11, S21 and S31 of the City Railway of the Hamburg S-Bahn and the line U3 of the underground railway... (S11, S21, S31) – Feldstraße – St. Pauli – Landungsbrücken (S1, S2, S3, Elbe Elbe The Elbe is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Krkonoše Mountains of the northwestern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia , then Germany and flowing into the North Sea at Cuxhaven, 110 km northwest of Hamburg... ferries) – Baumwall – Rödingsmarkt – Rathaus (Jungfernstieg: U1, U2, S1, S2, S3) – Mönckebergstraße – Hauptbahnhof Süd Hamburg Hauptbahnhof is the Hauptbahnhof for the German city of Hamburg. It was opened in 1906 to replace 4 terminal stations. Hamburg Hauptbahnhof is operated by DB Station&Service... (U1, S1, S11, S2, S21, S3, S31) – Berliner Tor (U2, S1, S11, S2, S21) – Lübecker Straße (U1) – Uhlandstraße – Mundsburg – Hamburger Straße – Dehnhaide – Barmbek (U3, S1, S11) |
| Walddörferbahn | Barmbek – Habichtstraße – Wandsbek-Gartenstadt (U1) | |
The line names U1 und U2 were introduced with the timetable change on 22 May 1966, the name U3 followed on 2 January 1967. Until the completion of the direct inner-city stretch, the future U2, on 3 June 1973, the partial services on the already completed eastern (Hauptbahnhof Nord − Berliner Tor (− Barmbek) since 29 September 1968) and western (Schlump − Gänsemarkt since 31 May 1970) sections were known as U21 and U22 respectively.
U4 project
In 2011 the Hamburger Hochbahn and the Hamburger Verkehrsverbund are planning to open the new line U4. There had been an ongoing discussion about the costs and the benefit of this line, but the government of Hamburg decided to build it nevertheless. The underground line will be dug using the same machinery as for the building of the new tunnel of the Elbe tunnel.| Line | Stops (Terminate stations in bold) |
|---|---|
| U4 | HafenCity University – Überseequartier – Jungfernstieg (U1, U2, S1, S2, S3) |
| Jungfernstieg – Hauptbahnhof Nord Hamburg Hauptbahnhof is the Hauptbahnhof for the German city of Hamburg. It was opened in 1906 to replace 4 terminal stations. Hamburg Hauptbahnhof is operated by DB Station&Service... (S1, S11, S2, S21, S3, S31) |
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| Hauptbahnhof Nord Hamburg Hauptbahnhof is the Hauptbahnhof for the German city of Hamburg. It was opened in 1906 to replace 4 terminal stations. Hamburg Hauptbahnhof is operated by DB Station&Service... – Berliner Tor (U3, S1, S11, S2, S21) – Burgstraße – Hammer Kirche – Rauhes Haus – Horner Rennbahn – Legienstraße – Billstedt |
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U-Bahn stations at Hamburg Hauptbahnhof
Hamburg HauptbahnhofHamburg Hauptbahnhof
is the Hauptbahnhof for the German city of Hamburg. It was opened in 1906 to replace 4 terminal stations. Hamburg Hauptbahnhof is operated by DB Station&Service...
is not only a central junction with the mainline railway
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
, but also, due to the confluence of three U-Bahn lines and the S-Bahn station, an important interchange for suburban public transport.
Tunnels for the first underground railway were constructed at the same time as the Hauptbahnhof itself. The tunnels run under the mainline tracks, which are themselves below street level. The current U3 stops at this station, which, for more clarity, is now known as Hauptbahnhof Süd. There is also an underground pedestrian tunnel parallel to the U3 circle line tunnel, which, until its closure in 1991, allowed a quick connection to the mainline platforms.
The unusual width of the vaulted station is due to the fact that it originally housed four tracks; the Rothenburgsort branch, which was destroyed in World War II and never rebuilt, used to begin here. The tunnels for the U1 were driven under the mainline railway next to the U3 tunnels in 1959. The platform for the U1 lies directly south to the U3 and is accessible via the same station entrances.
The opening of the line U2 (U21 in 1969) lead to the construction of a further underground station Hauptbahnhof Nord to serve it. The station is 30 metres (98 ft) below the surface; in the direction of the Jungfernstieg
Jungfernstieg railway station
Jungfernstieg is an underground railway station in the city centre of Hamburg, Germany, serviced by the underground railway and the City S-Bahn line of the suburban railway...
station, the tunnels pass under the Aussenalster, an artificial lake. The two outer platforms remain unused since their construction and were originally intended for a proposed U-Bahn line between Altona
Altona, Hamburg
Altona is the westernmost urban borough of the German city state of Hamburg, on the right bank of the Elbe river. From 1640 to 1864 Altona was under the administration of the Danish monarchy. Altona was an independent city until 1937...
/Lurup
Lurup
Lurup is a quarter in the Altona borough of the Free and Hanseatic city of Hamburg in northern Germany. It was a former independent town. In 2006 the population was 33,459.-History:...
and Winterhude/City Nord. According to current plans, the unused platforms will be used for the new line U4, which is scheduled to connect to the quarter HafenCity
HafenCity
HafenCity is a quarter in the District of Hamburg-Mitte in Hamburg, Germany. It is located on the Elbe river island that use to be called Kehrwieder and Wandrahm....
via Jungfernstieg by 2011.
Operating company
The system is owned and operated by the Hamburger Hochbahn (HHA), except the Garstedt – Norderstedt MitteNorderstedt Mitte (Hamburg U-Bahn station)
Norderstedt Mitte is a railway station in Norderstedt, Germany. It is a terminus for the rapid transit trains of the line U1 of the Hamburg U-Bahn and connects the underground railway with the commuter trains of the AKN railway company line A2....
section, which is owned by the Verkehrsgesellschaft Norderstedt company (VGN) but also operated by the Hamburger Hochbahn.
Service information
Services operate with a 5 or 10 minute frequency with the exception of the northeastern peripheral branches of U1 that have a 10 or 20 minute frequency. Since the timetable change in December 2004 the U-Bahn operates an all-night, 20 minute service interval on Friday and Saturday nights.External links
- Hamburger Hochbahn official website Operator of the Hamburger U-Bahn
- Die Geschichte der Hamburger Hochbahn Book by André Loop
- Current and historical Plans for the U4