Bonn Central Station Crowding between Tracks 2 and 3

BONN · Track 1 at Bonn Hauptbahnhof has been closed due to the renovation of the train station. Passengers criticize the high speed of trains passing through.

For one month now, not-so-pretty metal barriers blocking off Track 1 have indicated to passengers that the renovation of Bonn Hauptbahnhof (central train station) is underway. A power shovel drives across the stone way while passengers have to arrange themselves in a sea of people on Track 2 and 3 during peak hours. Track 1, which usually accommodates trains with destinations in the north, is closed.

Passengers agree that the renovation to modernize the station was needed urgently, but this still doesn’t mean that things are running smoothly. “At the end, the circumstances were truly unbelievable,” says Markus Lorenz. “The rain was seeping in through the roofs. A person really didn’t feel comfortable.” The station hadn’t been renovated in a long time. “Of course that means the building time will be longer,” he adds. Evelyn Brosam, waiting on Platform 2 for her train to Cologne has noticed that “The commotion is significantly less around 10am. I want to avoid the hustle and bustle on the tracks. It’s a miracle that nothing terrible has happened yet.”

Most trains going in both directions have to stop on Tracks 2 and 3, which can only be reached from the same middle platform. The process of boarding the trains is now disorganized and takes more time. Dirk Pohlmann, spokesman for Deutsche Bahn in Düsseldorf, cannot rule out that the situation leads to delays. “Of course the closure of a platform can lead to limitations, but we haven’t received any complaints in the first weeks,” he explains. The passenger trains, including express trains, will continue to travel.

Brosam believes that none of trains are on time anymore. “In my opinion, it’s gotten worse,” she remarks. Philipp Herzog, who takes the train in the morning towards Koblenz, agrees. “I can only hope that things will improve over time.” In the first days, the commuters simply had to get used to the new circumstances, says Pohlmann. “It’s always that way when your routine has to change,” he comments. Deutsche Bahn is putting up more signs, new train schedules and employing extra personnel to help navigate passengers to their respective trains. The stores in the foyer will remain open during the renovation.

Express trains still pass through the station at their normal speeds, even during peak hours. Dorothee Raschke feels especially uncomfortable with this since the construction began. “I think you need to adapt the speed to the situation and can’t continue as you always would,” she asserts. Deutsche Bahn asks passengers to arrange themselves “as conveniently as possible” on the platform.

Bonn Hauptbahnhof will be fully renovated by the end of 2019. Deutsche Bahn, the federal government and local transportation authorities are investing 13 million euros into renovating the station. The cast-steel roofs are being restored under historical preservation orders; glass will be added to let more light into the building. Later on, new lamps and speakers will be installed.

(Orig. text: Philipp Königs, Translation: Geena Kloeppel)

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