Dortmund-Hörde station 2.16

Dortmund-Hörde station is a passenger station in the Dortmund district of Horde in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is classified by Deutsche Bahn as a category 4 station.It is owned by Deutsche Bahn and is located on the Dortmund–Soest railway. The station had an important function as a freight yard, especially for traffic to and from coal mines and steel works. The old station was destroyed during the Second World War and replaced by a purpose-built station in 1955.GeneralThe two island platforms of the station are covered and are accessible by a pedestrian tunnel. There are still no lifts at the entrances and people in wheelchairs can only use the platforms with the help of others.Due to the low height of the platform there is a large difference in height between the platform and the train step, making boarding and alighting from trains difficult for older people and people with a disability.Modernisation of the stationThe modernisation of the station has been planned for years. This was reinvigorated in 2006 when an architectural firm presented plans for a spectacular renovation of the station, but the proposal failed. It was hoped that the development of the Phoenix-See (lake) near the station at that time would provide a new incentives for renovation, due to the expected increase in tourism and train traffic at the station.The ground-breaking ceremony for the renovation of Horde station was held on 14 December 2009. The works included the raising of platforms, construction of three lifts, the installation of a passenger information system for mobility-impaired passengers and the renewal of the access tunnel. The old station building was demolished. In its place a developer has built a new two-floor building with a row of shops and a level for parking. The demolition of the dilapidated building built in the 1950s began on 29 March 2011. Meanwhile, extensive building works were completed on the two platforms. The island platforms on tracks 1 and 2 and on tracks 3 and 4 have been rebuilt with the standard height of 76 cm and returned to service. The provision of disabled access had not been completed in April 2012.