Alter Bahnhof Plauen

Hidden within Dresden, the Alter Bahnhof Plauen whispers tales of a bygone era. This former railway station, located at what is now Tharandter Straße 101-103, first opened its doors in 1859. Imagine arriving by train, the steam hissing as the engine slowed to a halt. Two passenger platforms bustled with activity, perched above the Forsthausbrücke (now Hegereiterbrücke) on a curve of the Albertbahn. The Alter Bahnhof Plauen wasn’t just a station; it was a gateway to the heart of Plauen. Just steps away stood the renowned Felsenkeller Brewery, connected to the station by dedicated tracks. But its location near the brewery presented a challenge. Passengers faced a long, arduous trek to reach the actual residential areas of Plauen. Even the suburban trains, including those of the Windbergbahn, only stopped on demand due to the low passenger numbers. The inconvenience sparked early discussions of relocating the station closer to the town center. These talks intensified after Plauen’s incorporation into Dresden in 1903. The area experienced significant economic growth, fueled by the entrepreneur Gottlieb Traugott Bienert and his thriving Bienertmühle. Progress was slow. Even after the removal of a 57-meter railway tunnel that stood directly in front of the station (removed in 1894/95 during track expansion), the Alter Bahnhof Plauen remained. It wasn’t until 1923, when the tracks were raised onto an embankment, that a new station, simply called “Plauen,” could be built closer to Altplauen at kilometer 2.92 of the line. This new station opened on January 6, 1926, marking the closure of the Alter Bahnhof Plauen. The old station building found new life. Today, the Alter Bahnhof Plauen stands proudly. It has been repurposed as a residential and commercial building. It even houses the workshop of master glazier Thomas Körner, who renovated the building to his designs in 2003 and 2004. His efforts earned him the “Baupreis Plauen” in 2010. From 2005 to November 2009, it also housed the “Kunstbahnhof Dresden” exhibition project. Now, you can visit this historic landmark on foot via the Bienert-Wanderweg, tracing the footsteps of those who once traveled by rail through the heart of Plauen. The Alter Bahnhof Plauen. A silent testament to Dresden’s rich railway history.