Bünde station

Bünde station is located in Bünde in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia on the Löhne–Rheine railway and Rahden–Herford railway. The rail services are operated by Deutsche Bahn, WestfalenBahn and Eurobahn.HistoryThe main line between Löhne and Rheine opened in 1856 as part of the Hanoverian Western Railway. It was followed in 1899/1901 by the Rahden–Sulingen–Bassum line. Direct services to Bremen ran over this line until June 1994. Reactivation of the disused Lower Saxony section is not planned.The station sign reads Bünde (Westf.)—Die Zigarrenstadt (“the cigar city”). It recalls that Bünde was once the centre of the European tobacco industry. The tobacco companies were located around the station, therefore, the wood for tobacco boxes and, of course tobacco, were brought in by rail and its products were exported by rail. No tobacco factories are located near the station anymore. The only sign of this period is the nearby imposing tobacco store that is located in one of the many warehouses that used to operate near the station. Every year a market for tobacco products is held between the station and the tobacco store, as well as on the station forecourt.OutlookDeutsche Bahn announced in June 2008 that a comprehensive renovation of the station would begin around 2011. The cost of €7.47 million would be shared between Deutsche Bahn, the federal government and the state government of North Rhine-Westphalia. The platform is being raised to allow barrier-free train access, lifts are being installed and a new pedestrian subway is being built. Work began in March 2015.