Hamburg - the gateway to the world. This well-known phrase naturally refers to the harbor. However, for the citizens of the Hanseatic city, the gateways to the world have been the long-distance train stations. A major journey often begins at the platform rather than at the quay, and nowadays it starts at the nearest highway or airport. For over 100 years, the central station has been the focal point of Hamburg's long-distance rail passenger transport; today, numerous long-distance trains also stop at the Dammtor, Harburg, and Altona stations. Additionally, there were several other stations that played a significant role in long-distance travel: from the old stations like Berliner, Lübecker, or Venloer Bahnhof to neighborhood stations like Bergedorf, and even to unique locations like the Amerikabahnhof in Cuxhaven, which belonged to Hamburg until 1937.