The train stations in Halle an der Saale Hbf and Nordhorn in Lower Saxony bear the title “Bahnhof des Jahres” this year. This was announced by the rail lobby association Allianz Pro Schiene on Thursday. The association awards the title for the 20th time.
“It’s not just the imposing historic station building that makes Halle’s main station stand out. Rather, the “inner” values of the station are convincing: It’s bright, friendly and clean, there are a variety of shopping and seating options and a very individual design with modern graphics elements,” said association manager and jury member Dirk Flege. The jury also praised the fact that passengers can scan QR codes on the walls and then listen to music. The train station thus delivers the soundtrack to the journey at the same time. “It’s really special,” said Flege.
The jury sees a need for improvement, among other things, in the routing to the trams and the parking facilities for bicycles – the need has not yet been covered. “More shelter options for passengers on the platform areas outside the platform halls would also be desirable in order to protect them from rain on the outer track sections,” the jury said.
“Passion for the travelers felt everywhere”
The station in Nordhorn, which was also awarded, is located on a railway line that was reactivated for passenger traffic in 2019. “Nordhorn station offers a lot that a big city station has to offer, only in a smaller space. The heart and soul that went into the design of the station can be felt everywhere,” said Flege. The interior of the station café, for example, is based on an old train compartment, and the “excellent” connection mobility was also taken into account. The only point of criticism the jury named here was the insufficient number of bicycle parking spaces.
Since 2004, the Pro-Rail Alliance has awarded the title “Bahnhof des Jahres” to Germany’s best railway stations. According to their own information, the jury pays attention to good information options for passengers, both on connections and on other means of transport at the station, on service facilities and sights. The “Bahnhof des Jahres” should also be clean and well-kept, appeal to people with different mobility and travel needs and be connected locally and regionally by other means of transport. In recent years, the stations of Cottbus Hbf, Coburg, Bad Bentheim and Wittenberg have received awards.
Nordhorn station received the “Station of the Year” award on behalf of the other stations and stops on the Bentheim railway on the route between Bad Bentheim, Nordhorn and Neuenhaus. For decades, travelers could only get to their destination by bus or car before the route was reactivated. According to the jury, the stations on this route are “models for other stations in rural areas”.
