Cologne's bus station: Sad reception for tourists in the banking district!

Cologne's bus station: Sad reception for tourists in the banking district!

The situation at the bus station in Gereonstrasse increasingly attracts attention, especially for travelers and city guides who criticize the inadequate conditions on site.

Visitors from all corners of the world, including from the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and China, arrive with their coaches in Cologne every day. Four years ago, the location for long-distance buses was transferred from Komödienstraße just next to the St. Andreas Church to the less inviting stock market district.

uncomfortable arrival conditions

The impression that the travelers receive when they arrive at the bus terminal on Gereonstrasse could not be worse. Away from the busy main train station and the city center, you will meet a dreary performance in Cologne in the sober banking district. Claas Möller, a city guide from Cologne, criticizes that many travelers have no way to freshen up after long trips. Instead of a permanent toilet system, only one Dixi toilet is available, which is also frequented by other groups, such as junkies.

The city of Cologne has announced plans to provide a fixed city toilet, but even that would not be improved by that. Travelers can also be found empty in terms of supply options. The nearest Büdchen are 300 meters away in Christophstraße or 500 meters in Marzellenstrasse.

To find or find a cozy place to linger, the environment is rather unsuitable. When looking at the offer, a bus tourist notes that there is "nothing to assume or stop". In addition, the buses are partly late, and according to their opinion, the Dixi toilet is the amount of discomfort.

Waiting in wet

Another problem is that travelers are delivered without protection to the weather conditions. The lack of bushouses or shelters is obvious. When it rains or the sun is on fire, there are no possibilities to protect yourself. Simple wall stones offer the only opportunity to completely wait for the next bus.

A passenger is critical of the equipment: "To get in and out, it is a good place. For longer waiting times, especially in bad weather, it is simply intolerable." For older travelers, sitting on the walls is a special challenge, since there is a lack of suitable furniture in order to make the stay comfortably.

The spatial situation is also suboptimal. The distance from the bus terminal to the cultural highlights, such as the famous Cologne Cathedral, is too great for many tourists, especially for those with restricted mobility. Möller describes the path from Gereonstrasse to the cathedral with a distance of about 750 meters compared to the only 300 meters from the previous stop on Komödienstraße. A fact that many visitors presents a challenge.

The decision to take the bus terminal out of the central area in 2020 was made by Klaus Harzendorf, the then head of the Office for Street and Transport Development. According to Harzendorf, it is inappropriate to position coaches near the cathedral. However, city guide Möller cannot understand why travelers who often have traveled for their arrival for a long time can be treated.

The city of Cologne recorded around 1,000 arrivals from coaches during the past Christmas season alone. The city has plans to gradually move bus traffic from the city center. In the future, large coaches should only start the niehler port before the guests get into the city center with a shuttle service. However, a precise schedule for these changes has not yet been determined, which is why travelers must continue to cope with the current situation at the bus terminal in Gereonstrasse.
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