Railway station types in Germany

The railways in Germany use several abbreviations to differentiate between various types of stops and stations.

Current usage

• Bf – Bahnhof (railway station), defined as a place where trains may start, stop, end, overtake, meet or change directions, and that has at least one set of points.
• Hbf – Hauptbahnhof, the main or central station of a town or city. Also the only abbreviation commonly found on station timetables and signs.
• Pbf – Personenbahnhof (passenger station), usually used to differentiate in places that have several types of stations, but only one passenger station.
• Fbf – Fernbahnhof (long distance station).
• Rbf – Rangierbahnhof (marshalling yard).
  • Ubf – Umschlafbahnhof (interchange station)
  • Postbf – Postbahnhof (mail station)
• Gbf – Güterbahnhof (freight station).
• Bbf – Betriebsbahnhof (locomotive depot).
• Bft – Bahnhofsteil (part of a station), used when a station consists of distinct facilities, for example a Pbf and a Rbf.
• Hp – Haltepunkt, (halt) a passenger stop that does not fit the requirements to be a Bf. Defined as allowing passengers to board and disembark from trains, which can start, stop, end or change direction at here at a place where no set of points is in the vicinity.

Other abbreviations

These are not real stations per se, but sometimes are the result of transforming a derelict station:

• Abzw – Abzweigstelle (a junction without platforms)
• Anst – Anschlußstelle (industrial siding outside of station limits at branch lines). Trains using an Anst can't be passed by trains running on the main line, because they could run away
• Awanst – Ausweichanschlußstelle (refuge siding), an industrial siding outside the station limits where trains can run on the main line while another train is shunting at the siding.
• Bk – Blockstelle a signal box outside station limits, where there is a long distance between stations and/or junctions/crossovers, with just one signal in each direction, to allow more trains following each other (only called Bk if mechanical signal boxes are used)
• Slst– Schiffslandestelle (ship's dock)
• Üst – Überleitstelle (crossover)