Hönebach tunnel, Railway tunnel in Hesse, Germany
Hönebach tunnel is a railway tunnel in Hesse that stretches nearly 1 kilometer through the northern Seulings Forest and passes beneath Federal Autobahn 4. It contains two tracks for both passenger and freight trains, connecting stations between Wildeck-Hönebach and Ronshausen.
Construction began in 1845 under the Friedrich-Wilhelms-Nordbahn-Gesellschaft and finished three years later as a significant railway project. Completing the tunnel was part of the region's expanding rail network during early industrialization.
The tunnel portals feature distinctive tower structures at each entrance, and two original smoke exhaust towers still stand on the ridge above. These elements shape how visitors experience the site and reflect 19th-century engineering practices.
The tunnel sits between Wildeck-Hönebach station and Ronshausen stop, serving regular daily train services. Access may be restricted since it is an active railway, so nearby stations provide information about train times and viewing opportunities.
The tunnel originally had four smoke exhaust towers built on the ridge, but only two remain standing today as reminders of the steam locomotive era. These surviving towers show how critical ventilation was for early railway tunnels and what marks that period left behind.
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