Saarlouis Hauptbahnhof

Saarlouis Hauptbahnhof is the only station in the town of Saarlouis in the German state of Saarland. It is on the Saar line between Trier and Saarbrucken in the district of Roden, about 1 km north of the city centre. It is classified by Deutsche Bahn as a category 3 station.HistoryThe first station on the territory of today's Saarlouis was opened in Fraulautern on 16 December 1858 during the construction of the Saar line. However, Saarlouis was cut off from rail traffic, which hindered its economic development and the city fell behind the neighbouring communities of Dillingen and Bous. This initially led to the establishment of the Straßen- und Kleinbahnen im Kreis Saarlouis (Tramways and Light Railways in the District of Saarlouis). In addition, it was decided to construct a railway station in the current district of Roden. Saarlouis station was opened on the present site on 19 December 1912. From the mid-1960s the station was connected to the electrical network of Deutsche Bundesbahn after the station was renamed as Saarlouis Hauptbahnhof (literally “main station”, although there are no other stations in Saarlouis). Until 2002, InterRegio services also stopped in Saarlouis; since then the station has only been served by regional services.InfrastructureThe station has three platforms tracks and three freight tracks that have no platform. Platform 1 has a length of 314 m and a height of 76 cm, track 2 and 3 are each 300 m long and 55 cm high. Barrier-free access for the disabled is only possible on platform 1. Tracks 2 and 3 are only accessible via a pedestrian tunnel with stairs. The station has a travel centre. In front of the station there are parking spaces, bicycle parking, taxi stands and restrooms. The station building was replaced as part of a renovation program for stations in the Saarland, which was completed in 2012. In 1967, relay interlocking was installed at the station.