Kiel Hauptbahnhof (Kiel Central Station), Kiel

Kiel Hauptbahnhof is the most important railway station in the Schleswig-Holstein state capital Kiel . In 2019, it had 37,000 travelers and visitors per day. With 25,000 travelers and visitors every day, Kiel Central Station is the second largest station in Schleswig-Holstein after Lübeck Central Station . The area around the main station is the most frequented place in Kiel. More than 100,000 people travel every day on the bus stops, in the main station and on the station forecourt. Station forecourt with northern main entrance, on the left the path to Hörn, on the right the bus stops and the crossing to Sophienhof. The station is the starting point for routes to Hamburg , Lübeck and Flensburg . It is located directly on the Kiel Fjord . The ferry terminals to Oslo and Gothenburg are just a few hundred metres away. Kiel Central Station is a terminus station . The length of the three-aisled platform hall is 121 metres and the width is 55 metres.

Kiel Central Station is the most important station for the capital of Schleswig-Holstein. It was inaugurated at its current location on June 1, 1899. Today, around 37,000 travelers and visitors use Kiel Central Station, which has an area of around 10,000 square meters, every day. Kiel Central Station is the starting point for many railway lines in the north and is located directly on the Kiel Fjord. Around 250 long-distance and local trains depart and arrive on eight tracks every day. Kiel already had three other stations before its current location. The first Kiel station was a so-called "interim station" at Marthastrasse, i.e. beyond the Gablenz Bridge, because the planned station was not yet finished. This was used for rail traffic from 1844 to 1846. In 1846, the station "an der Klinke" at today's Stresemannplatz at Ziegelteich was finished. However, it soon became too small for the growing rail traffic, so a new station was planned at the current location. Planning for this began in 1889 and construction began in 1895. After the inauguration in 1899, further expansion took place in the following years. It was finally completed in 1911. During the Second World War, the main station was badly damaged. The main station was rebuilt between 1950 and 1955. To host the 1972 Olympic Games, the platforms in the station were extended and a steel pedestrian bridge to the central bus station was built. In this context, the area around the station was also given a new look. With the electrification of the railway line to Hamburg in 1995, ICE trains could now also stop at Kiel Central Station. The station was extensively modernized between 1999 and 2004. The redesign of the reception building created an attractive and modern transport station. In the next two years, a completely new, modern station hall was also built. The main station offers travellers and visitors a wide range of restaurants, gifts, all kinds of travel supplies and services in 21 shops 365 days a year. It is also a place of work for around 180 employees. ***PH***