Train line - Completion of extensive renovation project at Dortmund's central station
Following a six-year construction process, the major revamping of Dortmund's main station is complete. The upgraded, fully accessible station - featuring expansive tunnels and revamped platforms - was launched just in time for the European Football Championship. The German Railways, the Federal Government, and North Rhine-Westphalia spent more than 210 million euros on this fourth-largest railway station project, as unveiled by the railway company.
Renovations took place while the station remained operational. Passengers had to contend with detours, construction noise, and limited train access. The platform underpass has been expanded approximately four meters since the initial groundbreaking in 2018. Out of the eight platforms, all have been reworked, and there are now seven additional elevators and ramps for step-free access. New seating areas, signage, monitors, and a well-lit tunnel with a glossy wall covering and a refurbished flooring to enhance the waiting space. The station's main hall was already upgraded between 2009 and 2011.
The Dortmund main station is a crucial player in the German long-distance railway system. It houses around 80,000 travelers and countless other visitors daily, while 600 trains pass through it, including local and long-distance ones.
The vitality of providing barrier-free access has been recognized for some time, stated Oliver Wittke, the managing director of the Rhein-Ruhr Transport Association. Wittke declared: "We've now created a truly magnetizing railway station in Dortmund." Transport Minister Oliver Krischer (Greens) likewise voiced his praise: "We have a real gem here in Dortmund." Samtlebe, the former Dortmund Mayor from 1973 to 1999, once derided the station as a "french fries stand with a rail connection." Krischer concluded that that time has expired, considering the impending kickoff of the European Football Championship. The city of Dortmund is projected to draw countless fans and ultimately tens of thousands more passengers due to its role as a tournament venue.
