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Stations and operations

European Station Names and Abbreviations

Hbf, Zürich HB, hl. n., Centrale and Centraal are local station-name forms. Read the full city and station name together.

Includes: European station names, Station abbreviations, Railway station names

Also known as: train station abbreviations, railway station abbreviations, Hbf meaning, station name codes

Dortmund Hbf, Zürich HB and Olomouc hl.n. are local station names. Their abbreviations come from different railway and language contexts, not a single European code system. Read the city and the rest of the station name together when matching a ticket or journey result.

Hbf and Hauptbahnhof in Germany

In Dortmund's station name, Hbf is the short form of Hauptbahnhof: DB uses both Dortmund Hbf and Dortmund Hauptbahnhof for the same station. Keep Dortmund with the abbreviation, because Hbf on its own does not identify your destination.

Zürich HB

SBB names the station Zürich HB and describes it in English as Zurich main station. These are two forms for this Zürich station. They do not establish a rule for the names of other Swiss stations.

Czech hl. n. and hlavní nádraží

Olomouc hl.n. and Olomouc hlavní nádraží refer to the same station. České dráhy uses the shorter form on its English station page and the full form on its station map. Keep Olomouc with either form when identifying the station.

Centrale and Centraal

Milano Centrale and Napoli Centrale are Italian station names. Amsterdam Centraal, Rotterdam Centraal and Den Haag Centraal are Dutch station names. Centrale and Centraal may look similar, but they are not interchangeable spellings: use the form that belongs to the full station name.

Choosing the right station

A familiar ending can help you recognise a station name, but it does not show that the station is the city's only station or the best one for your journey. Match the complete name on your ticket to the station shown for your train.

Keep accents and local spelling where possible. English information may write Zurich without the umlaut, while the station name appears as Zürich HB. Once the complete name matches, use that station's departure information for the trip.

Hauptbahnhof

The full station-name form shortened to Hbf in the name Dortmund Hbf.

Also known as: Hbf

Zürich HB

SBB's name for its Zürich station, described as Zurich main station in English.

Also known as: Zurich main station

hlavní nádraží

The full local form in Olomouc hlavní nádraží, the station also named Olomouc hl.n.

Also known as: Olomouc hl.n.

Centrale

The station-name form used in Milano Centrale and Napoli Centrale.

Centraal

The station-name form used in Amsterdam Centraal, Rotterdam Centraal and Den Haag Centraal.

Frequently asked questions

What does Hbf mean in a German station name?

In Dortmund's station name, Hbf is the short form of Hauptbahnhof. DB uses both Dortmund Hbf and Dortmund Hauptbahnhof for the same station.

What is Zürich HB?

Zürich HB is SBB's name for its Zürich station. Its English information also describes it as Zurich main station; this Zürich example is not a rule for every Swiss station.

Are Olomouc hl. n. and Olomouc hlavní nádraží the same station?

Yes. České dráhy uses Olomouc hl.n. on its English station page and Olomouc hlavní nádraží on its station map.

Are Centrale and Centraal interchangeable?

No. Centrale appears in Milano Centrale and Napoli Centrale, while Centraal appears in Dutch names such as Amsterdam Centraal. Use the spelling in the complete station name.

Sources