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© WF203 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Köln-Buchforst Station

Suburban rail stop on Cologne's S-Bahn trunk line: because both platform ends sit in a curve, cameras and monitors help the driver dispatch the train.

The station's main role is to link Buchforst directly to Cologne's main railway station. The densely populated district already had a light rail connection to the city centre, but only the S-Bahn made a direct link to the Hauptbahnhof possible.

At a Glance

Type
Stop on the S-Bahn Köln and S-Bahn Rhein-Ruhr network
Location
Northern Buchforst, right on the border with the Mülheim district
Borough
Mülheim
Line
Nine-kilometre Cologne S-Bahn trunk line between Köln-Mülheim and Köln-Nippes
Access
Waldecker Straße
Distance
Just under one kilometre southwest of Köln-Mülheim station
Did you know?

Because both ends of the platform lie in a curve, the train driver dispatches trains here using video cameras and three monitors at each end to watch the door areas.

Dispatching Trains by Video

Both ends of the platform lie in a curve, so video cameras monitor the areas along the platform edge. At each end, the driver has three monitors showing the door areas, which lets them keep watch and dispatch the train.

© WF203 · CC BY-SA 4.0

History

The station was built only as part of the S-Bahn trunk line from Mülheim to Nippes. To make room, the southern freight track was relocated and reduced by one track. The stop itself stands on the former route of the Köln-Mülheim–Köln-Deutz (tief) line, which had been out of service since the Second World War. After construction began in 1986, the S 11 was the first to stop here, with the 1990 summer timetable. Since the trunk line opened in full in summer 1991, together with the extension to Düsseldorf, the S 6 stops here as well.

© A.Savin · CC BY-SA 3.0

Platform and Facilities

The entrance is located directly beneath the railway underpass. Stairs lead from both sides of the street to the island platform, and a lift also provides access from street level. At 96 cm, the platform height meets the S-Bahn standard and allows step-free boarding. Seating and a ticket machine are available, and just under half of the platform is covered.

© Michel Voss · CC BY-SA 3.0

Local Connections

Buses provide further local distribution, with their stop located right at the platform exits. For transfers to light rail line 3, the stop is also on Waldecker Straße, about 250 m from the S-Bahn station.

© Michel Voss · CC BY-SA 3.0

Timeline

  1. 1986
    Construction of the station begins
  2. 1990
    Opened with the summer timetable for line S 11
  3. 1991
    Full opening of the trunk line; line S 6 has stopped here since

Gallery

© Michel Voss · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
© Michel Voss · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
© WF203 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons

Map

Blue dots: other places nearby — tap to explore.

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Auferstehungskirche (Cologne-Buchforst)

since 1965
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Listed Brutalist church from 1968 with a striking tetrahedral form, now operating as the 'Kulturkirche Ost' cultural venue for readings, music, and cabaret.

Köln-Mülheim Station

Regional and S-Bahn hub in northeast Cologne, opened in 1909 as the joint station of the then-independent town of Mülheim am Rhein.

Blauer Hof

Housing estate in Cologne-Buchforst modeled on Dutch courtyard housing, famous for its blue-toned courtyard façades.

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Auto-generated, last verified: 2026-10-27

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