Future concept for Hof's main station
Meeting place for the urban community
The building is owned by Deutsche Bahn. It is to be preserved and developed into a lively meeting place for the station district and urban society. A decisive step on this path is the feasibility study for Hof's main station, which will be carried out by external experts on behalf of the city of Hof from spring 2025. At a meeting in mid-February with Esther Heckmann, Head of Regional Division South, DB InfraGO AG, Michael Eckenweber, Head of Smart Cities in the area and Heike Steinhoff, Head of Station Management North Franconia with Lord Mayor Eva Döhla and representatives of the city administration, initial guidelines were defined.
Eva Döhla, Mayor of Hof: "Hof's main railway station has great potential - not only as a transport hub, but also as a central place for people to meet and exchange ideas. We would like to thank Deutsche Bahn for its constructive cooperation. There's no stopping us from establishing the station as a meeting place."
Esther Heckmann, Head of Regional Division South, DB InfraGO AG: "Without a big idea and a viable concept, redevelopment will be difficult. This makes close coordination between the city of Hof and us all the more important. The station building offers the opportunity to become a place that is more than just a transit area - a place that brings people together."
Traffic changes
Parallel to the planned renovation of the building, the station district is facing major traffic changes. The electrification of the Hof-Marktredwitz line, the construction of a new electronic signal box, the adaptation of bridges and the construction of an additional track towards Oberkotzau will fundamentally change the area around the station.
Added to this is the planned relocation of the central bus station (ZOB) directly to the main station. The city of Hof sees this as an opportunity to create a modern mobility station with optimal links between rail, bus and private transport. Initial plans for the ZOB have already been drawn up and in-depth studies are now pending.
Reducing vacancies
The structural measures on the tracks and in the vicinity of the building require close coordination with the renovations in the station building itself. The participants at the meeting in mid-February agreed on this. There are currently 8,200 square meters of space available in the station, of which large areas are unused. The Federal Police, the largest tenant, occupies several floors, while many other areas are empty.
DB InfraGO AG has invested around one million euros in the station in recent years and has worked with various approaches in the rental sector to reduce the vacancy rate. Unfortunately, it has not yet been possible to develop a viable concept. This is why the initiative by the city of Hof has come at the right time. A federal funding program will also be used to renovate the façade of the platform in 2025. A first step towards an attractive station.
Michael Eckenweber, Head of Smart Cities Deutsche Bahn: "We need to think holistically about the building, forecourt and surroundings together with the city of Hof. The station needs a clear perspective, which includes an attractive and sustainable station environment."
Eva Döhla, Mayor of the City of Hof: "It's about setting the right course - for a station building that not only has historical value, but also creates real added value for the district and our guests in Hof."
The city and the railroad will continue to coordinate closely over the next few months at regular meetings. Joint utilization concepts will be developed and potential partners will be approached. The city of Hof sees the station as a key project for the future of urban development.