Ghost station
Encyclopedia
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
's U-Bahn
Berlin U-Bahn
The Berlin is a rapid transit railway in Berlin, the capital city of Germany, and is a major part of the public transport system of that city. Opened in 1902, the serves 173 stations spread across ten lines, with a total track length of , about 80% of which is underground...
and S-Bahn
Berlin S-Bahn
The Berlin S-Bahn is a rapid transit system in and around Berlin, the capital city of Germany. It consists of 15 lines and is integrated with the mostly underground U-Bahn to form the backbone of Berlin's rapid transport system...
metro networks that were closed during the period of Berlin's division during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
. Since then, the term has come to be used to describe any disused station on an underground railway line, especially those used by passing passenger trains.
Background
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic starting on 13 August 1961, that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin...
, ending freedom of movement between East
East Berlin
East Berlin was the name given to the eastern part of Berlin between 1949 and 1990. It consisted of the Soviet sector of Berlin that was established in 1945. The American, British and French sectors became West Berlin, a part strongly associated with West Germany but a free city...
and West Berlin
West Berlin
West Berlin was a political exclave that existed between 1949 and 1990. It comprised the western regions of Berlin, which were bordered by East Berlin and parts of East Germany. West Berlin consisted of the American, British, and French occupation sectors, which had been established in 1945...
. As a result, the Berlin public transit network, which had formerly spanned both halves of the city, was also divided into two. Some U- and S-Bahn lines fell entirely into one half of the city or the other; other lines were divided between the two jurisdictions, with trains running only to the border and then turning back. However, there were three lines—the U-Bahn lines now designated U6
U6 (Berlin U-Bahn)
U6 is a 19.9 km-long line on the Berlin U-Bahn with 29 stations. It belongs to the Großprofilnetz, that is larger profile rail vehicles run through its larger tunnels...
and U8
U8 (Berlin U-Bahn)
U8 is a line on the Berlin U-Bahn. It has 24 stations and is 18.1 km long. The U8 is one of two north–south Berlin U-Bahn lines, and runs from Wittenau to Neukölln via Gesundbrunnen...
, and the Nord-Süd Tunnel on the S-Bahn—that ran for the most part through West Berlin but passed through a relatively short stretch of East Berlin territory in the city centre. These lines continued to be open to West Berlin
West Berlin
West Berlin was a political exclave that existed between 1949 and 1990. It comprised the western regions of Berlin, which were bordered by East Berlin and parts of East Germany. West Berlin consisted of the American, British, and French occupation sectors, which had been established in 1945...
ers; however, trains did not stop at most of the stations located within East Berlin
East Berlin
East Berlin was the name given to the eastern part of Berlin between 1949 and 1990. It consisted of the Soviet sector of Berlin that was established in 1945. The American, British and French sectors became West Berlin, a part strongly associated with West Germany but a free city...
, though for technical reasons they did need to slow down significantly while passing through. (Trains did stop at Friedrichstraße
Berlin Friedrichstraße railway station
Berlin Friedrichstraße is a railway station in the German capital Berlin. It is located on the Friedrichstraße, a major north-south street in the Mitte district of Berlin, adjacent to the point where the street crosses the Spree river...
, more on which below.) The name Geisterbahnhof was soon understandably applied to these dimly lit, heavily guarded stations by the westerners who watched them pass by out the windows. However, the term was never official; West Berlin subway maps of the period simply labeled these stations "Bahnhöfe, auf denen die Züge nicht halten"—"stations at which the trains do not stop." East Berlin subway maps did not depict Western lines or ghost stations at all. U-bahn maps in the Friedrichstraße transfer station were unique: they depicted all the Western lines but not the Geisterbahnhöfe, and showed the city divided into "Berlin, Hauptstadt der DDR" ("Berlin, capital of the German Democratic Republic") and "Westberlin."
The situation described was obviously less than ideal. The lines were a vital part of the West Berlin
West Berlin
West Berlin was a political exclave that existed between 1949 and 1990. It comprised the western regions of Berlin, which were bordered by East Berlin and parts of East Germany. West Berlin consisted of the American, British, and French occupation sectors, which had been established in 1945...
transit network, but because part of their length lay in East Berlin territory, it was difficult for western support staff to do needed maintenance work on the tracks and tunnels. If a western train broke down in East Berlin territory, then passengers would need to wait for Eastern border police to appear and escort them out. The East German government occasionally hinted that it might someday block access to the tunnels at the border and run its own service on the East Berlin sections of these lines. However, this awkward status quo persisted for the entire 28-year period of the division of Berlin.
Particular stations
FriedrichstraßeBerlin Friedrichstraße railway station
Berlin Friedrichstraße is a railway station in the German capital Berlin. It is located on the Friedrichstraße, a major north-south street in the Mitte district of Berlin, adjacent to the point where the street crosses the Spree river...
station, though served by western lines and located in East Berlin territory, was not a Geisterbahnhof. Instead, it served as a transfer point between U6
U6 (Berlin U-Bahn)
U6 is a 19.9 km-long line on the Berlin U-Bahn with 29 stations. It belongs to the Großprofilnetz, that is larger profile rail vehicles run through its larger tunnels...
and several S-Bahn lines. Western passengers could walk from one platform to another without ever leaving the station or needing to show papers, much like air travellers changing planes at an international airport. Westerners with appropriate papers (visa
Visa (document)
A visa is a document showing that a person is authorized to enter the territory for which it was issued, subject to permission of an immigration official at the time of actual entry. The authorization may be a document, but more commonly it is a stamp endorsed in the applicant's passport...
s) could also enter East Berlin here.
The Bornholmer Straße S-Bahn station was the only ghost station not located in a tunnel. It was situated close to the wall nearby the Bornholmer Straße border crossing. West Berlin trains passed through it without stopping. East Berlin S-Bahn trains passed the same station close by on different tracks. The tracks used by western and eastern trains were sealed off from each other by a tall fence.
Another oddity was Wollankstraße
Berlin Wollankstraße railway station
Berlin Wollankstraße is a railway station in the Pankow district of Berlin, Germany. It is served by the Berlin S-Bahn and several local buses.-History:...
station. Like Bornholmer Straße, it was an S-Bahn stop served by West Berlin trains but located on East Berlin territory just behind the border. However, Wollankstraße was in use and accessible for West Berliners, as one of its exits was open to a West Berlin street; this exit was exactly on the border line, a warning sign next to it informing passengers about the situation. Its other exits towards East Berlin streets were locked.
Reopenings
The first people to enter the ghost stations after the fall of the Berlin WallBerlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic starting on 13 August 1961, that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin...
in November 1989 found that they lived up to their name, with the ads and signage on the walls being unchanged since 1961. None of these have been preserved.
The first ghost station to reopen to passenger traffic was Jannowitzbrücke (U8
U8 (Berlin U-Bahn)
U8 is a line on the Berlin U-Bahn. It has 24 stations and is 18.1 km long. The U8 is one of two north–south Berlin U-Bahn lines, and runs from Wittenau to Neukölln via Gesundbrunnen...
) on 11 November 1989, two days after the fall of the wall. It was equipped with a checkpoint
Civilian checkpoint
Civilian checkpoints or Security checkpoints are distinguishable from border or frontier checkpoints in that they are erected and enforced within contiguous areas under military or paramilitary control...
within the station akin to Friedrichstraße
Berlin Friedrichstraße railway station
Berlin Friedrichstraße is a railway station in the German capital Berlin. It is located on the Friedrichstraße, a major north-south street in the Mitte district of Berlin, adjacent to the point where the street crosses the Spree river...
, where East German customs and border control
Berlin border crossings
The Berlin border crossings were created as a result of the postwar division of Germany. Prior to the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961, travel between the Eastern and Western sectors of Berlin was totally uncontrolled, although restrictions were increasingly introduced by the Soviet and East...
were provisionally installed to facilitate passengers heading to or coming from East Berlin. Hand-drawn destination signs were hung up covering the old ones from pre-1961; these signs were both crumbling from age and obviously missing the terminuses of post-1961 line extensions. On 22 December 1989, Rosenthaler Platz
Rosenthaler Platz (Berlin U-Bahn)
Rosenthaler Platz is a Berlin U-Bahn station located on the .1930 opened and designed by A.Grenander in color red. Closed in 1961 to 1989.-References:...
(U8
U8 (Berlin U-Bahn)
U8 is a line on the Berlin U-Bahn. It has 24 stations and is 18.1 km long. The U8 is one of two north–south Berlin U-Bahn lines, and runs from Wittenau to Neukölln via Gesundbrunnen...
) was reopened with a similar provisional checkpoint.
On 12 April 1990, the third station to reopen was Bernauer Straße
Bernauer Straße (Berlin U-Bahn)
Bernauer Straße is a Berlin U-Bahn station located on the .Build by the great subway architect A. Grenander in 1930 this station was a station of the GN Bahn of line D. In April 1945 it was closed due to the war. Opened again in May 1945 until building of the Berlin wall on Aug 13, 1961.The...
(U8). As its northern exit was directly on the border, it could be opened with direct access to West Berlin without the need of a checkpoint. Its southern exit towards East Berlin was not reopened until 1 July 1990, the same date all the other stations on U6
U6 (Berlin U-Bahn)
U6 is a 19.9 km-long line on the Berlin U-Bahn with 29 stations. It belongs to the Großprofilnetz, that is larger profile rail vehicles run through its larger tunnels...
and U8 were opened without checkpoints, as on this day East Berlin and East Germany proper adopted the West German currency, allowing all border controls between the two states to be abandoned.
Berlin Oranienburger Straße railway station
Berlin Oranienburger Straße is a railway station in the city of Berlin, Germany, located on Oranienburger Straße. It is served by the Berlin S-Bahn and local tram lines.-History:...
was the first ghost station on the Nord-Süd-S-Bahn to reopen. On 1 September 1990, Unter den Linden
Berlin Unter den Linden railway station
Berlin Brandenburger Tor – formerly Berlin Unter den Linden – is an underground railway station in the central Mitte district of Berlin, Germany, located on the Unter den Linden boulevard near Hotel Adlon, Pariser Platz and Brandenburg Gate...
and Nordbahnhof
Berlin Nordbahnhof
Berlin Nordbahnhof is a railway station in the Mitte district of Berlin, Germany. It is served by the Berlin S-Bahn and local bus and tram lines.-History:...
were opened following reconstruction works. On 12 December 1990, Bornholmer Straße
Berlin Bornholmer Straße railway station
Berlin Bornholmer Straße is a railway station in the Prenzlauer Berg district of Berlin, Germany. It is served by the Berlin S-Bahn and the M13 line of the Berlin Straßenbahn.-History:...
was reopened for West Berlin trains; a second platform for East Berlin trains allowing interchange followed on 5 August 1991. The very last ghost station to reopen was Potsdamer Platz
Berlin Potsdamer Platz railway station
Berlin Potsdamer Platz is a railway station in Berlin. It is completely underground and situated underneath the Potsdamer Platz in central Berlin. Regional and S-Bahn services call at the station.- History :...
, which opened on 3 March 1992, following an extensive restoration of the entire North-South tunnel.
In the following years, the city and German government put a great deal of effort into restoring and reunifying the S-Bahn and U-Bahn networks in Berlin. The U-Bahn system reached its pre-wall status in 1995 with the reopening of Warschauer Straße on U1
U1 (Berlin U-Bahn)
U1 is a line on the Berlin U-Bahn, which is 8.8 km long and has 13 stations. Its traditional line designation was BII. It runs east-west and its eastern end is immediately south of the route of the historical Schlesischen Bahn at the Warschauer Straße S-Bahn station and runs through...
. The S-Bahn system reached a preliminary completion in 2002 (with the reopening of the ring), even though there are still disused sections of lines closed in the aftermath of the wall. Decisions on reopening of some of these sections are still to be made.
List of all Berlin ghost stations
Please note that this list only includes those stations in East Berlin territory that western trains passed through without stopping. There were other stations on both sides of the wall that were closed during the division because sections of track were not in use.Temporary checkpoints were set up for stations with access to East Berlin
East Berlin
East Berlin was the name given to the eastern part of Berlin between 1949 and 1990. It consisted of the Soviet sector of Berlin that was established in 1945. The American, British and French sectors became West Berlin, a part strongly associated with West Germany but a free city...
which were reopened before 1 July 1990. Checkpoints were no longer necessary for those reopened after that date when border checks were eliminated with the currency union between East and West Germany.
| List of Berlin's ghost stations as a result of the Cold War | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nord-Süd S-Bahn (S1 and S25) | ||||
| No | Station | Date reopened | Remarks | Order of reopening |
| 1 | Bornholmer Straße | 12 December 1990 | 7 | |
| 2 | Nordbahnhof Berlin Nordbahnhof Berlin Nordbahnhof is a railway station in the Mitte district of Berlin, Germany. It is served by the Berlin S-Bahn and local bus and tram lines.-History:... |
1 September 1990 | 6 | |
| 3 | Oranienburger Straße | 2 July 1990 | First S-Bahn ghost station to reopen | 5 |
| 4 | Unter den Linden | 1 September 1990 | Renamed Brandenburger Tor station | 6 |
| 5 | Potsdamer Platz | 3 March 1992 | 8 | |
| U 6 | ||||
| 1 | Schwartzkopffstraße Schwartzkopffstraße (Berlin U-Bahn) Schwartzkopffstraße is a Berlin U-Bahn station located on the .It was built in 1923 by Grenander/Fehse/Jennen. Due to massive financial problems, the station was built in a very simple way. No artwork were put on the columns or walls, which are only plastered.... |
1 July 1990 | From approximately 1951–1971, the Schwartzkopffstraße station bore the name Walter-Ulbricht-Stadion after a nearby stadium named in honour of Walter Ulbricht Walter Ulbricht Walter Ulbricht was a German communist politician. As First Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party from 1950 to 1971 , he played a leading role in the creation of the Weimar-era Communist Party of Germany and later in the early development and... , then the First Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party (SED) and de facto leader of East Germany. In 1971, when Ulbricht was deposed and replaced by Erich Honecker Erich Honecker Erich Honecker was a German communist politician who led the German Democratic Republic as General Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party from 1971 until 1989, serving as Head of State as well from Willi Stoph's relinquishment of that post in 1976.... , the stadium and station were renamed Stadion der Weltjugend (Stadium of World Youth). This was despite the fact that the only trains that passed through the station were western and did not stop there. The original name was restored in 1991. |
4 |
| 2 | Nordbahnhof | 1 July 1990 | Renamed Zinnowitzer Straße (1991–2009), then Naturkundemuseum (from 2009) | 4 |
| 3 | Oranienburger Tor Oranienburger Tor (Berlin U-Bahn) thumb|right|U-Bahnhof Oranienburger TorOranienburger Tor is a Berlin U-Bahn station located on the . It is located below the street.The station was designed by Alfred Grenander, built in 1915, and officially opened on January 30, 1923. Between April and June 1945, the station was closed because of... |
1 July 1990 | 4 | |
| 4 | Französische Straße | 1 July 1990 | 4 | |
| 5 | Stadtmitte | 1 July 1990 | Only the U6 station was closed. East Berlin Underground line A (part of today's U2 U2 (Berlin U-Bahn) U2 is a line on the Berlin U-Bahn. The U2 line starts at the Pankow urban rail station, runs through the eastern city centre to Potsdamer Platz, the western city centre and finally to the Ruhleben terminal station.The U2 has 29 stations and a length of... trains continued to stop here. |
4 |
| U 8 | ||||
| 1 | Bernauer Straße | 12 April 1990 | Only direct access to West Berlin was opened on this date (without the need for a checkpoint). Southern exit to East Berlin was not reopened until 1 July 1990. | 3 |
| 2 | Rosenthaler Platz Rosenthaler Platz (Berlin U-Bahn) Rosenthaler Platz is a Berlin U-Bahn station located on the .1930 opened and designed by A.Grenander in color red. Closed in 1961 to 1989.-References:... |
22 December 1989 | Temporary checkpoint set up for border crossing Berlin border crossings The Berlin border crossings were created as a result of the postwar division of Germany. Prior to the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961, travel between the Eastern and Western sectors of Berlin was totally uncontrolled, although restrictions were increasingly introduced by the Soviet and East... into East Berlin. |
2 |
| 3 | Weinmeisterstraße Weinmeisterstraße (Berlin U-Bahn) Weinmeisterstraße is a Berlin U-Bahn station located on the .It was built in 1930 by A.Grenander and shortly closed during world war II. During the Berlin Wall the station was closed by the East German government, later on top of the entrances appartments were built. In 1990 when it was reopened... |
1 July 1990 | 4 | |
| 4 | Alexanderplatz | 1 July 1990 | Only the U8 U8 (Berlin U-Bahn) U8 is a line on the Berlin U-Bahn. It has 24 stations and is 18.1 km long. The U8 is one of two north–south Berlin U-Bahn lines, and runs from Wittenau to Neukölln via Gesundbrunnen... station was closed. East Berlin Underground lines A (part of today's U2 U2 (Berlin U-Bahn) U2 is a line on the Berlin U-Bahn. The U2 line starts at the Pankow urban rail station, runs through the eastern city centre to Potsdamer Platz, the western city centre and finally to the Ruhleben terminal station.The U2 has 29 stations and a length of... , and line E (today numbered U5 U5 (Berlin U-Bahn) U5 is a line on the Berlin U-Bahn. It runs from Alexanderplatz in Mitte eastwards through Friedrichshain, Lichtenberg and Friedrichsfelde, surfaces in Biesdorf to pass Kaulsdorf and Hellersdorf above ground and finally reaches city limits at Hönow.... , and S-Bahn trains continued to stop here. |
4 |
| 5 | Jannowitzbrücke | 11 November 1989 | Only the U8 U8 (Berlin U-Bahn) U8 is a line on the Berlin U-Bahn. It has 24 stations and is 18.1 km long. The U8 is one of two north–south Berlin U-Bahn lines, and runs from Wittenau to Neukölln via Gesundbrunnen... station was closed. East Berlin S-Bahn trains continued to stop here. After reopening, checkpoints were set up for border crossing Berlin border crossings The Berlin border crossings were created as a result of the postwar division of Germany. Prior to the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961, travel between the Eastern and Western sectors of Berlin was totally uncontrolled, although restrictions were increasingly introduced by the Soviet and East... into East Berlin. |
1 |
| 6 | Heinrich-Heine-Straße | 1 July 1990 | 4 | |
Australia
- General MotorsGeneral Motors railway station, MelbourneGeneral Motors is a disused railway station on the Pakenham line of the Melbourne suburban rail system. It is located between Dandenong and Hallam stations, in the suburb of Dandenong South.-History:...
on the Melbourne train networkRailways in MelbourneThe Melbourne rail network is operated by Metro Trains Melbourne under franchise from the Government of Victoria. The network is based on a commuter rail model centred on the Melbourne Central Business District and Flinders Street Station, rather than a rapid transit model, with a focus on...
. - Nyanda railway station (between Rocklea and Salisbury) on the Gold Coast Line, Brisbane.
Bulgaria
- St. Naum Station (Станция Свети Наум) and NDK Station (Станция НДК) of the Sofia MetroSofia MetroThe Sofia Metropolitan is the underground urban railway network servicing the Bulgarian capital Sofia. It is the first and only network of this kind in Bulgaria...
. Both stations were built in the 1970s, toghether with the National Palace of CultureNational Palace of CultureThe National Palace of Culture , located in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, is the largest multifunctional congress, conference, convention and exhibition centre in Southeastern Europe...
and the redevelopment of the surrounding area. Currently these station are being refurnished and connectected to the rest of the Line 2, which is about to be opened in May 2012.
Canada
- Lower Bay in TorontoTorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
- Lower Queen in TorontoTorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
Czech Republic
- HloubětínHloubetín (Prague metro)Hloubětín is a Prague Metro station on Line B.- External links :* http://www.angrenost.cz/metro/b/hl.php Gallery...
and KolbenovaKolbenovaKolbenova is a Prague Metro station on Line B.- External links :* http://www.angrenost.cz/metro/b/ko.php Gallery * on...
stations on Line BLine B (Prague Metro)Line B is a line on Prague Metro. Chronologically the third to open, it was first opened in 1985 and continued to expand in the 1990s. Currently it is the longest line in the network with 24 stations and of track.-History:-External links:...
of Prague MetroPrague MetroThe Prague Metro is a subway, underground public transportation network in Prague, Czech Republic. It is the fastest means of transportation around the city and serves about one and a half million passengers a day, which makes it the seventh busiest metro system in Europe and the most-used in the...
were ghost stations from 1988 to 1999 (2001 for KolbenovaKolbenovaKolbenova is a Prague Metro station on Line B.- External links :* http://www.angrenost.cz/metro/b/ko.php Gallery * on...
). Stations were in a state of suspended contruction as the heavy industry factories they should have served were closed after the Velvet RevolutionVelvet RevolutionThe Velvet Revolution or Gentle Revolution was a non-violent revolution in Czechoslovakia that took place from November 17 – December 29, 1989...
. Trains slowed down when passing through these dimly lit stations. As the whole industrial area is slowly revitalized the stations were finally completed.
China
- Fushouling in BeijingBeijingBeijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
Denmark
- Ellebjerg stationEllebjerg stationEllebjerg station closed in 2007. It was a station on the S-train network in Copenhagen, Denmark, located where the Køge radial passes over Ellebjergvej. A new station, Ny Ellebjerg station, opened on 6 January 2007, a few hundred meters northeast of the former station....
is a former station on KøgebugtbanenKøgebugtbanenKøgebugtbanen is one of six radial S-train lines in Copenhagen; it connects the city center to communities along Køge Bugt and terminates in the city of Køge about 35 km southwest of central Copenhagen.- Stations :...
, which is a part of the S-trainS-TrainThe S-train network is a combined urban rapid transit and suburban rail network of Metropolitan Copenhagen, Denmark. It connects the city center with the inner suburbs of Copenhagen, and has close to half of the stations within the urban city. The first line was opened in 1934...
network in CopenhagenCopenhagenCopenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
. The station was closed in 2007 when the Ny Ellebjerg StationNy Ellebjerg stationNy Ellebjerg station is a station on the S-train network in Copenhagen, Denmark. It serves as an interchange station between the Køge radial and the ring line....
("New Ellebjerg Station") was built in connection with the expansion of RingbanenRingbanenRingbanen is an S-train line in Copenhagen. It runs roughly semicircularly around the central part of Copenhagen and connects the S-train radials about 5 km out....
. Ny Ellebjerg Station now offers connection between the A-train and the F-train.
Hong Kong
- Rumsey Station in the MTRMTRMass Transit Railway is the rapid transit railway system in Hong Kong. Originally opened in 1979, the system now includes 211.6 km of rail with 155 stations, including 86 railway stations and 69 light rail stops...
. This platform was originally reserved for the East Kowloon Line proposal in the 1970s, in order to minimise the effects on the Island LineIsland Line (MTR)The Island Line is one of 10 lines of the MTR, the mass transit system in Hong Kong. It runs from Sheung Wan in the Central and Western District to Chai Wan in the Eastern District. The line first opened in 31 May 1985...
. However, these platforms are now abandoned and brick walls have been placed at the two ends of the 60-metre long platforms to block them off. The station is now called Sheung Wan and currently serves as the terminus of the Island LineIsland Line (MTR)The Island Line is one of 10 lines of the MTR, the mass transit system in Hong Kong. It runs from Sheung Wan in the Central and Western District to Chai Wan in the Eastern District. The line first opened in 31 May 1985...
. Since the platforms were built as the upper platforms, passengers going to and from exit E must pass through the abandoned platforms. The MTR CorporationMTR CorporationMTR Corporation Limited is a company listed on the Hong Kong Exchange and included in the Hang Seng Index. MTR owns and runs the Hong Kong MTR metro system, and is also a major property developer and landlord in Hong Kong...
is considering the proposal to fill in these ghost platforms to build shops on top of them.
Finland
- MunkkivuoriMunkkivuoriMunkkivuori is a quarter of the Munkkiniemi neighbourhood in Helsinki. The buildings and the plan of site are typical of the late 1950s. Most of the residential buildings in Munkkivuori are within a loop formed by Ulvilantie ring road...
in HelsinkiHelsinkiHelsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
. When a new shopping centre was built in 1960, a metro station was built inside of it. However, Helsinki MetroHelsinki MetroThe Helsinki Metro , is the metro system in Helsinki, Finland. It is the World's most northern metro system, and currently the only one in Finland. The system was opened to the general public on 2 August 1982 after 27 years of planning...
has not reached Munkkivuori so far and the intended station has been only rarely used as an auditorium. So there is no traffic through the station. - KamppiKamppi metro stationThe Kamppi metro station is a station on the Helsinki Metro. In addition to serving the area around Kamppi in central Helsinki, the station is integrated with the Kamppi Center bus terminal and shopping complex....
station has two platform levels, of which only the upper one is in use. The lower one was built at the same time in anticipation of later use and has no traffic.
France
- Arsenal (Paris Métro)Arsenal (Paris Métro)Arsenal is a ghost station on the Paris métro, situated on line 5 between the stations of Bastille and Quai de la Rapée, in the 4th arrondissement of Paris.-The Station:...
- Champ de Mars (Paris Métro)Champ de Mars (Paris Métro)thumb|left|LocationChamp de Mars is a ghost station along line 8 of the Paris Métro, between the stations la Motte-Picquet - Grenelle and École Militaire. It is situated in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, to the southwest of the public garden called Champ de Mars.-The station:The station was...
- Croix-Rouge (Paris Métro)
- Haxo (Paris Métro)Haxo (Paris Métro)Haxo is a ghost station on the Paris Métro. It lies on an unused connecting branch between lines 3bis and 7bis. - History :The station is situated on a line which was constructed in the 1920s between Porte des Lilas and Pré Saint-Gervais...
- Porte Molitor (Paris Métro)Porte Molitor (Paris Métro)Porte Molitor, along with the station Haxo makes up a part of the Ghost stations of the Paris Métro that have never seen a single passenger. It is situated in the 16th arrondissement of Paris.-The station:...
- Saint-Martin (Paris Métro)Saint-Martin (Paris Métro)Saint-Martin is a ghost station of the Paris Métro, located on lines 8 and 9 between the stations of Strasbourg - Saint-Denis and République, on the border of the 3rd and 10th arrondissements of Paris....
Germany
Except for Berlin.- Duisburg-Angerbogen
- Hamburg-Hellkamp
- Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen
The article on German Wikipedia contains several unused surface stations, or unused underground stations without traffic.
Norway
- Valkyrie plassValkyrie plass (station)Valkyrie plass is a former subway station on the Oslo Metro.The station was opened when the Holmenkoll Line was extended from Majorstuen to Nationaltheatret on 28 June 1928...
on the Oslo Metro - VolvatVolvat (station)Volvat is a disused rapid transit station on the Oslo T-bane.The underground station was located between Majorstuen and Borgen, and opened in 1939. The platform length was only large enough to accommodate two cars. When the Røa Line was upgraded to metro standard on 5 February 1995, it started...
on the Oslo Metro - ElisenbergElisenberg StationElisenberg Station is an unfinished railway station within the Oslo Tunnel on the Drammen Line in Oslo, Norway. The ghost station was partially built during the construction of the tunnel between 1971 and 1980, but has never been taken into use. It is located between Nationaltheatret Station and...
in the Oslo Tunnel
Moscow MetroMoscow MetroThe Moscow Metro is a rapid transit system serving Moscow and the neighbouring town of Krasnogorsk. Opened in 1935 with one line and 13 stations, it was the first underground railway system in the Soviet Union. As of 2011, the Moscow Metro has 182 stations and its route length is . The system is...
- Stadion Spartak: An unopened station left in a half-finished state because the housing district it was intended to serve was never built. It may see completion in the future, should the area be developed.
- Vystavochnaya (Delovoy TsentrDelovoy TsentrDelovoy Tsentr is a planned station of the Kalininskaya Line of the Moscow Metro. It is expected to be opened by 2015....
): only one of three stations in the complex is opened, the other two stations are built in as provisions. A part of the platform is a temporary picture gallery. - Pervomayskaya (depot) and KaluzhskayaKaluzhskaya (closed)Old Kaluzhskaya ) was a temporary station of the Moscow Metro on the Kaluzhsko-Rizhskaya Line and was in operation from 1964 to 1974. It was housed in the easternmost bay of the Kaluzhskaya Train Station in southwestern Moscow and was replaced by the current Kaluzhskaya station which was opened in...
(depot): Temporary stations built in the respective metro depots. After the lines they were serving were extended and proper stations built, these were closed. - Park Pobedy (Victory Park): two stations were built as cross-platform transfer on Mitino-Butovo Chordal line, but the project was canceled and stations work as single virtual side platform station (because one platform does not have the direct exit).
Saint Petersburg MetroSaint Petersburg MetroThe Saint Petersburg Metro is the underground railway system in Saint Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast, Russia. It has been open since November 15, 1955.Formerly known as the V.I...
- AdmiralteyskayaAdmiralteyskaya (Saint Petersburg Metro)Admiralteyskaya is an unfinished station on the Frunzensko-Primorskaya Line of the Saint Petersburg Metro. It was designed to relieve congestion at the Nevsky Prospekt and Gostiny Dvor stations, as well as to provide a more direct link to the Hermitage and other notable museums...
. - Dachnoe - bay platform for 5+1/4 cars opened in 1966, closed at 1977, the part of the platform was rebuilt as police building.
South Korea
- Jeungsan Station in Busan SubwayBusan SubwayThe Busan Subway , operated by the Busan Transportation Corporation is the subway system of Busan, South Korea. The subway network first opened in 1985 with seventeen stations...
- Magongnaru StationMagongnaru StationMagongnaru Station is a railway station on Seoul Subway Line 9 and AREX. This station is currently under construction....
in Seoul Subway
Spain
- Disused Barcelona Metro stationsDisused Barcelona Metro stationsThere are a number of disused stations in the Barcelona Metro network, abandoned for various reasons. This is a comprehensive list:- Disappeared :...
- Chamberí and Arroyo del Fresno in Madrid MetroMadrid MetroThe Madrid Metro is a metro system serving the city of Madrid, capital of Spain. The system is the sixth longest metro in the world though Madrid is approximately the fiftieth most populous metropolitan area in the world...
Sweden
- KymlingeKymlingeKymlinge is an area of Sundbyberg Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden. It is mostly a recreational park, part of which is a nature reserve .-History:...
in Stockholm MetroStockholm MetroThe Stockholm Metro is a metro system in Stockholm, Sweden. The first line opened in 1950, and today the system has 100 stations in use, of which 47 are underground and 53 above ground. There are seven lines numbered from 10 to 19, in three groups identified by a color: the Green, Red and Blue lines...
(trains pass through it) - Rannebergen in GothenburgGothenburgGothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
(prepared underground station not used by trains)
United Kingdom
- Closed London Underground stationsClosed London Underground stationsThe London Underground is a metro system in the United Kingdom that serves Greater London and adjacent counties of Essex, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire. The system has many former stations, while others were planned but not opened...
- Merkland Street on the Glasgow SubwayGlasgow SubwayThe Glasgow Subway is an underground metro line in Glasgow, Scotland. Opened on 14 December 1896, it is the third-oldest underground metro system in the world after the London Underground and the Budapest Metro. Formerly a cable railway, the Subway was later electrified, but its twin circular lines...
. - Kings Cross Thameslink
United States
- 10 stationsClosed New York City Subway stationsThe New York City Subway is a rapid transit system that serves four of the five boroughs of New York City in the U.S. state of New York: the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens. Its predecessors—the Interborough Rapid Transit Company , the Brooklyn–Manhattan Transit Corporation , and the...
on the New York City SubwayNew York City SubwayThe New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, a subsidiary agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also known as MTA New York City Transit...
, as well as several stations on the PATHPort Authority Trans-HudsonPATH, derived from Port Authority Trans-Hudson, is a rapid transit railroad linking Manhattan, New York City with Newark, Harrison, Hoboken and Jersey City in metropolitan northern New Jersey...
system - Franklin SquareFranklin Square (PATCO station)Franklin Square is an abandoned PATCO Speedline station located at Franklin Square in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.The station first opened on June 7, 1936, along with 8th Street in Philadelphia and City Hall and Broadway in Camden, New Jersey, as part of Philadelphia Rapid Transit's...
(on the PATCO Speedline) and Spring Garden (on the Broad-Ridge Spur) in Philadelphia - 7 stations in ChicagoChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
- Eureka StationEureka StationThe Eureka Valley Station was a streetcar station in San Francisco, California, from 1918 until 1972. It is located very close to the eastern end of the Twin Peaks Tunnel, in the Eureka Valley neighborhood...
in San Francisco - Subway TerminalSubway Terminal BuildingThe Subway Terminal Building, now known as Metro 417, is an Italian Renaissance Revival building in Downtown Los Angeles located at 417 South Hill Street. It was designed by architects Schultze and Weaver and was built in 1925. It served as the downtown terminus for the "Hollywood Subway" branch...
in Los AngelesLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants... - Knox-Henderson StationKnox-Henderson StationKnox–Henderson Station is a deferred station along both the Dallas Area Rapid Transit's and in the Knox-Henderson neighborhood of Dallas, Texas, USA. The station is located beneath the North Central Expressway near the Knox Street/North Henderson Avenue intersection. Today the station's shell,...
in Dallas - Bicentennial Park StationBicentennial Park (Metromover station)Bicentennial Park is an unused Metromover Station located on the southeast corner of Biscayne Boulevard and I-395 in Miami, Florida. Miami-Dade Transit has applied for, and has been granted Federal funding to modernize and eventually reopen the station as "Museum Park Station"...
part of the Miami-Dade Metromover - Harvard-HolyokeHarvard (MBTA station)Harvard is a station on the Red Line of the MBTA subway system in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The third-busiest MBTA subway station, Harvard saw 21,868 entries each weekday in 2010, with only Downtown Crossing and South Station being busier...
near BostonBostonBoston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
External links
- Historic Berlin metro maps
- View from the cab of a journey from Gesundbrunnen to Leinestraße in a Berliner VerkehrsbetriebeBerliner VerkehrsbetriebeThe is the main public transport company of Berlin, the capital city of Germany. It manages the city's U-Bahn underground railway, tram, bus and ferry networks, but not the S-Bahn urban rail system....
museum train in 1987, passing through several ghost stations (German captioning)
See also
- Abandoned railway stationAbandoned railway stationAn abandoned railway station is a building or structure which was constructed to serve as a railway station but has fallen into disuse...