Between Future Station and Renovation Case - Thuringia's train stations struggle with outdated facilities and uneven upgrades
Train stations across Thuringia continue to face challenges in providing basic passenger services. While major hubs like Erfurt and Weimar offer decent facilities, many smaller and mid-sized stops struggle with outdated restrooms, few food options, and poorly maintained buildings. The gap between well-equipped stations and those in decline remains wide.
The issue stems partly from past decisions by Deutsche Bahn. During Hartmut Mehdorn's time as CEO, the company sold off numerous station buildings. Some were later restored by local councils, but others fell into disrepair or were torn down. Today, many of these properties remain in private or municipal hands, complicating upgrades and day-to-day management.
The nationwide Future Stations programme aims to address these problems by working with local authorities to modernise facilities. In Thuringia, stations such as Bad Salzungen, Zella-Mehlis, Geraberg, and Apolda have already seen improvements under the scheme. Yet progress is uneven, and no public records detail how many restrooms or other amenities have been renovated in the region over the past five years.
Even in a city like Jena, key stations such as Paradise and West lack toilets and offer almost no food or drink choices. This stands in stark contrast to the city's importance. Meanwhile, mid-sized towns often fare worse, with some stations featuring empty or crumbling buildings. Only the largest hubs—Erfurt, Weimar, Gera, and Eisenach—reliably provide waiting areas, refreshments, luggage lockers, and clean restrooms.
Thuringia's train stations still lag behind in essential services, despite ongoing modernisation efforts. While flagship locations meet travellers' needs, many smaller stops remain under-resourced. The success of future upgrades will depend on stronger cooperation between Deutsche Bahn, local governments, and funding programmes.
