Kempen (Niederrhein) Station
Station on the Lower Rhine line northeast of the old town, home to the volunteer-run KuBa cultural station in its entrance building.
Kempen (Niederrhein) station serves the town of Kempen on the Lower Rhine and lies on the left-bank Lower Rhine line, just northeast of the old town.
At a Glance
- Type
- Station on the left-bank Lower Rhine line
- Location
- Immediately northeast of Kempen's old town
- Tracks
- Two, three in places; two side platforms
- Access
- Ground-level entry, platforms reached by stairs and ramp, step-free
- Connections
- Bus station to the west, park-and-ride, bicycle parking
- Rail operator
- RheinRuhrBahn (since 1 September 2022)
Entrance Building and Surroundings
The building is divided into three sections: on the right, the volunteer-run KuBa cultural station; in the middle, a waiting hall open to all; on the left, a kiosk. A wide underpass runs beneath the tracks, opening into an outdoor staircase to the west set within a paved and landscaped area. To the east, the crossing leads to Arnoldplatz, from where Kempen's tax office can be reached.
History of the Lines
Three additional lines once met here, though none remain in operation. Between 1902 and 1931, the metre-gauge Geldern District Railway ran from Kempen via Wachtendonk and Straelen to Kevelaer. The Kempen–Venlo line, opened in 1867, lasted more than a century. The Krefeld Railway Company arrived in 1872; passenger service ended in 1949 towards Oedt and in 1951 towards Hüls, with freight to Oedt continuing until 1985 and the remaining service to Schauteshütte until 1981.
Historic Track Layout
The standard-gauge Krefeld Railway occupied the eastern side of the station, beyond the freight shed, with its own station building, platform, loading road and two siding tracks; handover to the state railway took place to the north. The metre-gauge Geldern District Railway station stood north of the entrance building along what is now Kleinbahnstraße, a street that follows the old route. Its tracks ended in a dead end and included a platform track, a loading road with a weighbridge, a transfer track to standard gauge, several sidings, and a small station building with a freight shed.
Facilities
Platform 1 is partly covered, while Platform 2 has weather shelters, with additional shelters added in the fourth quarter of 2020. Restrooms are located in the entrance building, bicycle parking is available at all exits, and free park-and-ride spaces are provided near Platform 2.
Passenger Information
Dynamic display boards once alerted travelers roughly 15 minutes before a train's arrival, showing scrolling text with schedule updates alongside automated announcements. A planned 2021 trial of new Deutsche Bahn displays was postponed indefinitely due to the pandemic and pending certifications. New systems went live at both platforms in the second quarter of 2022: dynamic displays (DSA+) and digital information screens showing real-time departures and bus connections with boarding numbers.
Upgrades
In the third quarter of 2022, Deutsche Bahn renewed the entire track superstructure within a single month. Signaling and control technology was scheduled for renewal by the end of November 2022 as part of a fast-track program, including new digital signal boxes and outdoor equipment. These upgrades allow additional operating options, such as signal-controlled bidirectional running between Geldern and Krefeld Hbf, boosting capacity and reducing infrastructure-related delays.
Rail and Bus Services
Since 1 September 2022, RheinRuhrBahn has operated local rail services using LINT 41 diesel railcars in single to triple formation. Numerous bus lines, mostly running hourly, connect the station to city districts and neighboring towns, with VRR and NRW tariffs applying. Under a now-outdated plan, the RB37 (Niers-Erft-Bahn) was to run Monday to Friday from the 2027 timetable change, alongside the RE10, using CAF CIVITY BEMU battery railcars—an addition that would require extending all platforms to accommodate multiple-unit trains.
Freight Service
The once-extensive freight tracks to the east have since been dismantled and built over. To the north, an eastern passing track and a siding remain in use. The Kempen chemical company Chemie Wall still receives deliveries by freight train several times a week.
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Sources & links
- Official website
- Official website (retrieved 2026-07-15)
- Wikidata (retrieved 2026-07-06)
- Wikipedia (retrieved 2026-07-06, rev 256432079)
Auto-generated, last verified: 2026-07-06
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