2018: The Start of Service for a Light Rail Station in Cologne

August 27, 2018

Regular operations began for a light rail station in the German city of Köln (Cologne). This station was built as a link within the Cologne Stadtbahn, an extensive transit system serving Cologne and several surrounding cities. The station is located in Görlinger-Zentrum (Center), part of Cologne’s district of Bocklemünd. Görlinger-Zentrum contains a pedestrian zone that is both a major shopping hub and a large-scale venue for community activities.

Two days before being opened for public use, Görlinger-Zentrum station was formally dedicated. Those taking part in this ceremony included Jürgen Fenske, chairman of the executive board for Kölner Verkehrs-Betriebe AG (Cologne Transport Company). This company — widely known as KVB — manages the Cologne Stadtbahn on behalf of the city of Cologne. Andrea Blome, Cologne’s deputy mayor for mobility and transport infrastructure, also participated in those inaugural festivities.

Görlinger-Zentrum station is the northwesternmost terminus of Line 3 of the Cologne Stadtbahn. The Cologne Stadtbahn, which encompasses both light rail and rapid transit services, consists of 12 lines and 236 stations altogether. This system covers a total of 123.3 miles (198.5 kilometers).

Photo Credit: © Raimond Spekking / https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ (via Wikimedia Commons)

For more information on the opening of Görlinger-Zentrum station, please check out https://www.railwaygazette.com/europe/k%C3%B6ln-light-rail-extension-inaugurated/47045.article

Additional information on light rail stations within the Cologne Stadtbahn is available at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Cologne_KVB_stations