Frankfurt Hauptwache station

Frankfurt (Main) Hauptwache station (German: Bahnhof Frankfurt (Main) Hauptwache) is a major train station in the city centre of Frankfurt, Germany.

Frankfurt (Main) Hauptwache station Bahnhof Frankfurt (Main) Hauptwache
Underground through station
Map of the station area
General information
Location	An der Hauptwache 17, Frankfurt, Hesse Germany
Coordinates	50°6′50″N 8°40′44″E
Line(s)	Frankfurt City Tunnel
Platforms	5
Tracks	6 (4 U-Bahn, 2 S-Bahn)
Other information
Station code	1864
DS100 code	FHAU
IBNR	8006692
Category	3
Fare zone	: 5001
Website	www.bahnhof.de
Passengers
181,000 daily
Location
Frankfurt (Main) Hauptwache station Location within Frankfurt Frankfurt (Main) Hauptwache station Hesse Frankfurt (Main) Hauptwache station Location within Germany Frankfurt (Main) Hauptwache station Location within Europe

With 181,000 passengers per day, Hauptwache station is the third-busiest rapid transit station in Frankfurt after Frankfurt Central Station and Konstablerwache station and a major hub for commuter transport in the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main region. It is served by eight S-Bahn lines (S1–S6, S8, S9) and six U-Bahn lines (U1-U3, U6-U8) on 2 levels.

Name

The underground station is named after a baroque building which stands on a plaza above the station. The Hauptwache building was constructed in 1730 and was used as a prison, therefore the name that translates as "main guard-house". Today the square surrounding the building is also called "Hauptwache" (formal: An der Hauptwache).

Location

Hauptwache station is situated at the western end of Frankfurt's main shopping street, the Zeil. Konstablerwache station is located at the eastern end of the Zeil.

History

In 1961 the Frankfurt city council agreed to build a U-Bahn network. Construction began in 1963 on a line between the Nordweststadt (a new housing estate in the north-western suburbs) and the city centre. The first section opened in 1968 from Nordweststadt to Hauptwache, which was the terminus of the line until 1973, when it was extended south to Theaterplatz, now Willy-Brandt-Platz. This line (known as route A) is now used by trains on lines U1–U3 and U8. In 1986 the east-west route C opened, which is used by trains on lines U6 and U7.

Shopping arcade and entrance to the station

Deutsche Bundesbahn committed to build an S-Bahn network in 1962, but no new line was opened until 28 May 1978, when the first section of the City Tunnel from the central station to Hauptwache was opened. Hauptwache was the terminus of the S-Bahn until 1983, when the line was extended to Konstablerwache, at the other end of the Zeil shopping street. In 1986 the tramline serving Hauptwache was closed.

Operational Usage

Preceding station	Rhine-Main S-Bahn			Following station
Taunusanlage towards Wiesbaden Hbf				Konstablerwache towards Rödermark-Ober Roden
Taunusanlage towards Niedernhausen				Konstablerwache towards Dietzenbach
Taunusanlage towards Bad Soden				Konstablerwache towards Darmstadt Hbf
Taunusanlage towards Kronberg				Konstablerwache towards Langen
Taunusanlage towards Friedrichsdorf				Konstablerwache towards Südbahnhof
Taunusanlage towards Friedberg (Hess)
Taunusanlage towards Wiesbaden Hbf				Konstablerwache towards Hanau Hbf
Preceding station	Frankfurt U-Bahn			Following station
Eschenheimer Tor towards Ginnheim		U1		Willy-Brandt-Platz towards Südbahnhof
Eschenheimer Tor towards Bad Homburg-Gonzenheim		U2
Eschenheimer Tor towards Oberursel Hohemark		U3
Alte Oper towards Praunheim Heerstr.		U6		Konstablerwache towards Frankfurt Ost
Alte Oper towards Hausen		U7		Konstablerwache towards Enkheim
Eschenheimer Tor towards Ginnheim		U8		Willy-Brandt-Platz towards Südbahnhof