Zürich Hauptbahnhof, Central railway station in Kreis 1, Switzerland
Zürich Hauptbahnhof is a railway hub in Kreis 1 in Zurich that combines both a dead-end terminal and a through station with underground tracks. Its main hall displays Renaissance Revival elements with tall vaults, stone carvings, and large windows that fill the interior with natural light.
The first facility was built in 1847 as the first railway terminus in Switzerland and initially served only as an endpoint. Jakob Friedrich Wanner designed the current structure, which was completed in 1871 and has since been expanded several times to accommodate growing traffic.
Locals often call it simply HB, short for Hauptbahnhof, and use the main hall as a meeting point before heading into the city. The space functions as both a transit hub and a place where people pause, check departure boards, or grab a coffee before continuing their journey.
Travelers find electronic displays throughout the complex that show departures and arrivals, along with numerous elevators and escalators for access to all levels. Platforms on the surface and underground are reached through central passageways, keeping transfer times relatively short.
The old train shed, which originally housed arriving trains, now serves as the main circulation space for travelers, while modern platforms are distributed across multiple levels. Some underground tracks actually run beneath the bed of the Sihl River, requiring special engineering solutions during construction.
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