Koeln Hbf

Köln Hauptbahnhof (Köln Hauptbahnhof) is the main railway station in Cologne, Germany. It serves 280,000 passengers a day and is the fifth busiest train station in Germany. Because Cologne is close to France, the Netherlands and other places, the station has become a stop for many high-speed trains and overnight trains, such as ICE, Thlays and so on. The central station is located in the city centre, next to the famous Cologne Cathedral and a few minutes walk from the banks of the Rhine. The station was first opened in 1859 and rebuilt after the war. The current station was built in 1957.

The station is an important place for national and international train hubs, with many ICE, Thalys and Intercity trains, as well as RegionalExpress, RegionalBahn and local S-Bahn trains. EuroNight and DB NachtZug night service are also parked at the station. The train connects Frankfurt with the Cologne-Frankfurt high-speed rail line, which starts in the south of Cologne.

The various channels below the track contain shops, cafes and food and drinks. The station is a very safe place, even late at night. The station number is from 1 to 11. The station is not very large. You can walk from station 1 to station 11 within 2 or 3 minutes, even if you have luggage. The station departure screen will show which platform your train departs from. High-speed and long-distance trains such as IC, ICE, and EC use 1-9 stations. The ICE train goes to Brussels and Thalys trains to Brussels and Paris, using 5-9 stations. The S-bahn train goes to Koln Messe / Deutz and goes to platform 10, which will be used every few minutes.

There are 9 stations for long-distance and regional trains, 2 suburban trains (S-Bahn) platforms and 2 subway (U-Bahn) platforms. There is another important station in Cologne, located at the KölnMesse/ Deutz train station opposite the Rhine, about 400 metres from the train station. The station is connected by the Hohenzollern Bridge, a six-track railway bridge with sidewalks on each side. Frequent train services connect two stations. If you have a DB long-distance ticket, you can use the DB First Class Lounge, which offers complimentary tea, coffee, beer and snacks as well as free WiFi. The entrance is on platform 1 and follow the signs to the DB Lounge. It is usually open daily from 07:00-21:00. There are many cafes, shops and kiosks in the passage below the platform for guests to buy food and drinks. The best place is the REWE To Go supermarket located in the passage below the 6 and 7 platforms.

WiFi is available at the station and is free for the first 30 minutes. There are various ATMs around the station. If you need to store your luggage, check the Baggage Locker page for pricing and opening hours. Cologne has an innovative left-luggage system – a self-service luggage storage machine that takes your luggage to the ground and stores it when you enter your password. The machine is located in the main passage outside the DB Travel Center.

Berlin Central Station

Berlin Central Station, also known as "Berlin Hauptbahnhof", is located in the western part of Moabit in the Mitte district, on the banks of the Spree River, adjacent to the northern edge of the government district. It is the core station of Deutsche Bahn (DB) and one of the few stations in the world where trains can arrive from four different directions. Its cross-shaped ("+" shape) railway layout makes it an essential transport hub connecting Eastern and Western Europe as well as Northern and Southern Europe. The station was officially opened just before the 2006 FIFA World Cup, symbolizing the modernization of Berlin after reunification.

The station is famous for its unique architecture, with a curved glass dome that reflects the concept of "transparency and openness". It is considered the third most iconic building in Berlin. The station has a total of five levels, including three above-ground and two underground levels. The east-west high-speed railway tracks are elevated, while the north-south tracks are deep underground. With its multi-level design, it is one of the largest three-dimensional transport hubs in Europe.

Berlin Central Station is also one of Germany’s busiest railway stations, with a daily passenger volume of around 300,000. It connects high-speed trains (ICE), intercity trains (IC/EC), regional trains (RE/RB), the metro (U-Bahn), and city express trains (S-Bahn). The station offers direct connections to major German cities such as Hamburg, Munich, Frankfurt, and Cologne, as well as international destinations including Amsterdam, Paris, Brussels, Warsaw, Prague, and Vienna.

Cologne (English: kə-LOHN; German: Köln [kœln] ; Ripuarian: Kölle [ˈkœlə] ) is the largest city of Germany's most populous federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the fourth most populous city in Germany after Berlin, Hamburg, and Munich. With slightly over a million inhabitants (1.08 million) within its city boundaries, Cologne is the largest city on the Rhine and also the most populous city both of the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Region, which is Germany's largest and one of Europe's major metropolitan areas, and of the Rhineland. Centered on the left bank of the Rhine, Cologne is about 45 kilometres (28 mi) southeast of North Rhine-Westphalia's capital of Düsseldorf and 25 kilometres (16 mi) northwest of Bonn. It is the largest city in the Central Franconian and Ripuarian dialect areas. The city's Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom) is the seat of the Catholic Archbishop of Cologne. There are many institutions of higher education in the city, most notably the University of Cologne (Universität zu Köln), one of Europe's oldest and largest universities, the Technical University of Cologne (Technische Hochschule Köln), Germany's largest university of applied sciences, and the German Sport University Cologne (Deutsche Sporthochschule Köln), Germany's only sport university. Cologne Bonn Airport (Flughafen Köln/Bonn) is Germany's seventh-largest airport and lies in the southeast of the city. The main airport for the Rhine-Ruhr region is Düsseldorf Airport. Cologne was founded and established in Ubii territory in the 1st century AD as the Roman Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium, the first word of which is the origin of its name. An alternative Latin name of the settlement is Augusta Ubiorum, after the Ubii. "Cologne", the French version of the city's name, has become standard in English as well. Cologne functioned as the capital of the Roman province of Germania Inferior and as the headquarters of the Roman military in the region until occupied by the Franks in 462. During the Middle Ages the city flourished as being located on one of the most important major trade routes between east and west in Europe. Cologne was one of the leading members of the Hanseatic League and one of the largest cities north of the Alps in medieval and Renaissance times. Prior to World War II the city had undergone several occupations by the French and also by the British (1918–1926). Cologne was one of the most heavily bombed cities in Germany during World War II, with the Royal Air Force (RAF) dropping 34,711 long tons (35,268 tonnes) of bombs on the city. The bombing reduced the population by 95%, mainly due to evacuation, and destroyed almost the entire city. With the intention of restoring as many historic buildings as possible, the successful postwar rebuilding has resulted in a very mixed and unique cityscape. Cologne is a major cultural centre for the Rhineland; it hosts more than 30 museums and hundreds of galleries. Exhibitions range from local ancient Roman archeological sites to contemporary graphics and sculpture. The Cologne Trade Fair hosts a number of trade shows such as Art Cologne, imm Cologne, Gamescom, and the Photokina.

Berlin

City Overview

As the capital, Berlin's position in Germany is unquestionable. For travellers, you can see the Brandenburg Gate (Brandenburger Tor), the Reichstag, the Bundeskanzleramt, etc., representing the German state in Berlin, and more, seeing the history of Germany. In particular, the sin and trauma of World War II and the division and opposition of the Cold War. The Berliner Mauer has been overthrown for more than 20 years, and the East German-Western point has long been a history, but Berlin still retains many historical sites and has created many museums to teach people how to learn. The remains of the Berlin Wall, the East Galery, the reserved Checkpoint Charlie, the newly built Holocaust-Mahnmal, and so on, are all contemplative places.

Berlin is also one of Germany's art centers, and there are more museums displaying the historical and artistic treasures of Germany and the world. The Museuminsel has a lot of essence. At the same time, Berlin is also a very modern and open city, which is not only reflected in the modern city. You can taste the tolerance and vitality of Berlin among the exotic costumes of the pedestrians and the dishes from around the world that you can taste. The elegant Unter den Linden, the expansive Tiergarten and the classical Schloss Charlottenburg are great places to slow down and relax.

Must visit attractions

• ##### Brandenburg Gate Brandenburger Tor

The Brandenburg Gate is a symbol of Berlin and a national symbol of Germany. This neoclassical sandstone building, built in 1791, is based on the Acropolis city gate. On the top of the door is a bronze statue of a four-wheeled carriage of the goddess of victory with wings, the scepter in the hands of the goddess. The oak garland, the iron cross and the winged eagle all symbolize the victory of the war. The Brandenburg Gate faces east, and its east is the heart of Berlin's Old Town, the only remaining Berlin gate. The Brandenburg Gate has stood here for more than two hundred years and has witnessed the rise and fall of German history. During the split of the East and West Germany, the Berlin Wall was erected on the west side of the Brandenburg Gate, and no one passed for decades. Today's city gate and the surrounding Pariser Platz are the most recent renovations that have been completed since the end of the Cold War. The buildings on the Paris Square are also very popular, with the recently completed US Embassy and the Hotel Adlon, which has been visited by countless celebrities.

Transportation: Light rail/subway: S1/S2/S25/U55 line, Brandenburger Tor station. End of the west end of Unter den Linden.   * ##### Berlin Museum Island Museum Island

Museum Island in Berlin is a small island that brings together five museums. Built between 1824-1930. Due to the commemorative significance of culture and architecture, it was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999. The five museums are: the old museum in Berlin and the new museum, the National Gallery, the Bode Museum and the Pergamon Museum. Among them, the large-scale buildings in the Pergamon Museum are among the most famous. Museum Island brings together the best of German museums, such as the Pergamon Museum, which shows the history of ancient Egypt, the National Painting Gallery, which houses the works of world masters, and the German Museum of History. Museum Island is located in the former East Berlin area. At that time, due to economic difficulties, the major museums on the island were in disrepair and were ruined. After the reunification of Germany and Germany, the German government invested a large amount of money to re-maintain all the buildings on the island.

Transportation: Take the underground U6 and get off at Friedrichstraße; take the city railways S1, S2, S25 to Friedrichstraße or S5, S7, S75 and get off at Hackescher Markt.

• ##### Berlin German History Museum Deutsches Historisches Museum

The German Museum of German History in Berlin was founded in 1987 by German Chancellor Helmut Kohl and Berlin Mayor Dipgen on the occasion of the 750th anniversary of the founding of Berlin. It is located in the heart of Berlin, the oldest building in Berlin under the Bodhi Tree Street. In 2004, the new wing of the museum designed by IM Pei-Ming was completed. In 2006, after the restoration of the armory building, the permanent exhibition was opened to the public with the theme “Image and Witness of German History of Two Thousand Years”.

traffic: Subway: U2/U5/U8, U-Bhf Alexanderplatz Light rail: S5/S7/S9/S75, S-Bhf Hackescher Markt station Tram: M4/M5/M6, Spandauer Straße Bus: 100/200, Am Lustgarten Station

• ##### Berlin Wall Ruins Memorial Park Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer

Most of the Berlin Wall, which has existed for more than 40 years, has now been overthrown, and the existing sections (such as the East Side Gallery) have not seen the original appearance of the year. Only the 220-meter-long wall preserved in this heritage park allows you to see the original Berlin Wall. You will find that the Berlin Wall is not just a wall, but a set of blockades consisting of a lookout tower, concrete walls, open areas and anti-vehicle trenches. There are various exhibitions in the open space to tell the story of the split period. You can also climb the tower observation deck to look at the entire wall structure.

traffic: Light rail S1/S2/S25 line, Nordbahnhof station   

Gourmet & Accommodation & Shopping

• ##### Gourmet

Typical German restaurant dishes are basically sausages, potatoes, grilled meats and sauerkraut. Specifically, there are boiled pork feet in northern Germany, Berlin's favorite curry sausages, and traditional German family recipes. The tastes from all over the world are here, making it a great motivation for people to visit Berlin.

• ##### Accommodation

Berlin is a modern, traditional and rebellious city. Its spirit is unveiled in the hotel's diverse style. There is a trendy five-star hotel, a classic and elegant century-old brand, and a tasteful boutique hotel. Living in Berlin, you can have different enjoyments every day.

Most visitors choose to stay in the central area, where the famous Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag, and the Berlin Wall are located. Exploring the Kingdom of Prussia and searching for the remains of World War II is a place that history and military fans must not miss. The city's subway, light rail, public transport and its development, as well as the world's oldest tram system, is recommended to live near public transportation stations, where it is extremely convenient.

• ##### Shopping

Berlin is the first big city in Germany, and various brand names are not difficult to find here. In Berlin, many of them are unique and unique shops. Many designers also offer privately-tailored services. If you want to get out of your own style, you will have a lot to come to Berlin.

Urban traffic

The city of Berlin has developed traffic, S-Bahn, subway, bus and trams are densely woven like nets. It is very convenient to reach all the attractions. The official website is www.bvg.de, you can check the frequency above. Traffic to the neighbouring state of Brandenburg can also be found on the VBB (VerkehrsverbundBerlin-Brandenburg) website www.vbb.de.