Central hub

Why the station never sleeps

An ICE train stops at a platform, hurried travellers pull squeaking trolleys, and there is a jostling crowd at the stairs: typical station scenes that you can experience in Hannover even at 1:16, 2:40 or 3:40 in the night. Why do the lights never go out at Hannover's main station?

Shopping stores at the station — Shopping at the station

A hub in the heart of Europe

While at many large stations the last trains arrive before midnight and service doesn't start again until the early hours of the morning, Hannover's central station is always busy. Unlike its counterparts in Frankfurt or Munich, it is a through station where several railway lines meet. Due to Hannover's location at the heart of Germany, the station connects destinations on the east-west and north-south main routes. And this is why long-distance and local trains arrive and depart at Hannover's main station almost around the clock - as a glance at the destination board confirms.

Local and regional transport

Every day, around 750 trains pass through or part from the main station with its twelve tracks. Among them are long-distance trains to Vienna, Paris and Amsterdam, but also suburban and regional trains with Hameln, Celle or Bad Harzburg as their destination. On the well-developed lines, Deutsche Bahn, Metronom, Erixx and Westfalenbahn mainly transport commuters into the city. And when, in the evening, life begins to pulsate in Hannover's trendy clubs, many night owls from the surrounding towns and communities take advantage of the wide range of shops and eateries. And many Hannoverians also come to the historic building to shop or feast.

Tram station and night service

An important stop within Hannover's city tram system is also located at the main station. In the "basement" of the building there are two platforms with two tracks each, on which the tram lines 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, and 9 are running. In the nights from Friday to Saturday and from Saturday to Sunday, a night service is in operation, supplementing the regular running times of the S-Bahn and tram lines between 1 and 4 a.m.

Central bus station ZOB

Right behind the railway station, another main transport hub in Germany is situated: the ZOB was put into operation in 2014 by the Deutsche Touring GmbH and has been awarded the title of best ZOB in Germany several times. And since September 2017, the terminus of the two above-ground tram lines 10 and 17 can also be found here. Anyone who ever visited the area knows how busy this transport hub can be, even deep in the night.