Halle (Saale) Hauptbahnhof
Encyclopedia
Halle Hauptbahnhof (or simply Halle Hauptbahnhof) is the main railway station in the city of Halle
in southern part of the German state of Saxony-Anhalt
. The Hauptbahnhof (English: main or central station) is situated east of the city centre and is a category
2 station.
to Leipzig
via Halle – built the first station in Halle, which was subsequently (1845 to 1847) rebuilt again to form a junction with the Thuringian Railway. The unusual feature of the route between Magdeburg and Leipzig was that it was the first cross-border railway link (from Prussia
through Anhalt-Köthen
to Saxony
).
As further routes were added the station soon became too small, but could not be expanded because the various railway companies could not agree an overall concept. Not until 8 October 1890, after the nationalisation of one company and a five-year construction period could the new passenger station be opened. The station hall was largely destroyed during the Second World War and the wooden platform roofing replaced after the war with steel coverings.
In 1967 the S-Bahn
was opened and hence a new platform added on the western side. In 1967/68 the station hall was clad by corrugated aluminium sheeting which matched the architecture and ideology of the time, and gave the station a typical modern, socialist appearance. As early as 1984 this covering was removed again however and the dilapidated domed roof was renovated. In 2002 the station, like many others in German cities, was comprehensively refurbished, rebuilt and provided with a range of shops.
In about 2016 the station will be linked to the planned, new Erfurt–Leipzig/Halle high-speed railway. By 2008 the southern approach had been rebuilt over a length of 5 kilometres and now runs under the new Saale-Elster viaduct (to which a connection is being built) towards Erfurt.
Halle Hauptbahnhof is an 'island station', i.e. it is located between the main sets of tracks. It has 13 platforms, of which 10 are covered by the station hall. The actual station building is located in the middle between tracks 6 and 7. In the station halls are small shops and restaurants/cafes.
The public transport system is provided by HAVAG. Tram routes 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12 and 18, and bus routes 30 and 43 all stop at the station, as do OBS buses.
and Intercity-Express (ICE) trains stop at the station as do several night train services of the (DB City Night Line (CNL)
). Traffic for Erfurt will in future be routed south of Halle on the Erfurt–Leipzig/Halle high-speed railway; long-distance trains to Leipzig already use the completed section of this line. The Berlin–Halle railway will be removed by 2006.
Halle, Saxony-Anhalt
Halle is the largest city in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It is also called Halle an der Saale in order to distinguish it from the town of Halle in North Rhine-Westphalia...
in southern part of the German state of Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt is a landlocked state of Germany. Its capital is Magdeburg and it is surrounded by the German states of Lower Saxony, Brandenburg, Saxony, and Thuringia.Saxony-Anhalt covers an area of...
. The Hauptbahnhof (English: main or central station) is situated east of the city centre and is a category
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....
2 station.
Importance
Halle's Hauptbahnhof is one of the most important transport hubs in the state of Saxony-Anhalt. It is a stop for long-distance and regional services. In addition, it is part of the Leipzig-Halle S-Bahn network and is served by the trams and buses that are part of the city's public transport.History
In mid-1840 the Magdeburg-Leipzig Railway – initiated by city councillor, Matthäus Ludwig Wucherer, who supported the building of a railway from MagdeburgMagdeburg
Magdeburg , is the largest city and the capital city of the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Magdeburg is situated on the Elbe River and was one of the most important medieval cities of Europe....
to Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
via Halle – built the first station in Halle, which was subsequently (1845 to 1847) rebuilt again to form a junction with the Thuringian Railway. The unusual feature of the route between Magdeburg and Leipzig was that it was the first cross-border railway link (from Prussia
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
through Anhalt-Köthen
Anhalt-Köthen
Anhalt-Köthen has existed on two separate occasions. The first state was created in 1396 when the Anhalt-Zerbst was partitioned between Anhalt-Dessau and Anhalt-Köthen. The first creation lasted until 1552 when it was inherited by Anhalt-Dessau....
to Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
).
As further routes were added the station soon became too small, but could not be expanded because the various railway companies could not agree an overall concept. Not until 8 October 1890, after the nationalisation of one company and a five-year construction period could the new passenger station be opened. The station hall was largely destroyed during the Second World War and the wooden platform roofing replaced after the war with steel coverings.
In 1967 the S-Bahn
S-Bahn
S-Bahn refers to an often combined city center and suburban railway system metro in Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Denmark...
was opened and hence a new platform added on the western side. In 1967/68 the station hall was clad by corrugated aluminium sheeting which matched the architecture and ideology of the time, and gave the station a typical modern, socialist appearance. As early as 1984 this covering was removed again however and the dilapidated domed roof was renovated. In 2002 the station, like many others in German cities, was comprehensively refurbished, rebuilt and provided with a range of shops.
In about 2016 the station will be linked to the planned, new Erfurt–Leipzig/Halle high-speed railway. By 2008 the southern approach had been rebuilt over a length of 5 kilometres and now runs under the new Saale-Elster viaduct (to which a connection is being built) towards Erfurt.
Layout
Internal city transport links
Halle Hauptbahnhof is accessible from several major roads. A fast road (An der Magistrale) links the Hauptbahnhof to the west of the city (Neustadt, Nietleben and Dölau districts) and the B 80 links it to the western outskirts of Halle (Halleschen Vorland (West)).The public transport system is provided by HAVAG. Tram routes 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12 and 18, and bus routes 30 and 43 all stop at the station, as do OBS buses.
Long-distance traffic
The station is on the intersection of railway links from Berlin to Erfurt and Dresden to Magdeburg. InterCity (IC)Intercity (Deutsche Bahn)
Intercity is the second-highest train classification in Germany, after the ICE. Intercity services are loco-hauled express services, usually over long-distances. There are Intercity routes throughout Germany, and routes generally operate with a two-hour frequency, with multiple routes giving a more...
and Intercity-Express (ICE) trains stop at the station as do several night train services of the (DB City Night Line (CNL)
CityNightLine
CityNightLine AG was a Swiss night train service. CNL had right of passage grants in Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland and Denmark. It served stations in Belgium, France, Italy and the Czech Republic...
). Traffic for Erfurt will in future be routed south of Halle on the Erfurt–Leipzig/Halle high-speed railway; long-distance trains to Leipzig already use the completed section of this line. The Berlin–Halle railway will be removed by 2006.
Local traffic
Halle is linked to the surrounding area with local services on the RB, RE und S-Bahn lines as well as other cities such as Kassel or Eisenach.Goods traffic
The Halle (Saale) marshalling yard on both sides of the tracks to the east next to the passenger station was formerly important, but is largely closed today. A modern marshalling yard is planned to be built on the same site however.External links
- There is a relevant English-language forum at Railways of Germany