Almelo–Salzbergen railway
The Almelo–Salzbergen railway is an important Dutch and German 54 kilometre long railway line, that connects Almelo with Salzbergen, offering a rail link between the Netherlands and Germany. History. The railway was opened by the Spoorweg-Maatschappij Almelo-Salzbergen ("English: Almelo-Salzbergen railway company") on 18 October 1865, after construction had started in 1862. In Salzbergen the line connected with the Emsland Railway, which had opened in 1855. The Dutch section of the line (Almelo–Oldenzaal) was electrified in 1951 and the remainder of the line was electrified in 1976. From 2006 to 2009 the line  through Almelo was the subject of a major project called Almelo Verdiept ("Almelo Lowered"), which moved the railway line through the centre of Almelo into a lowered embankment, with sections of tunnels. Route. The railway connects Almelo in a south easterly direction with Hengelo. Before Hengelo station the line from Zutphen railway station merges into the route. After the station the line to Enschede railway station branches out in a south easterly direction. From Hengelo the line heads north east towards the former border station of Oldenzaal and heads east across the border to Bad Bentheim. Here the electric current  changes, which often results in a change from a Dutch to a German locomotive. At Bad Bentheim the private freight railway to Nordhorn and Coevorden branches out, heading north. The line continues through the countryside, until the line merges with the Emsland Railway from Emden before finishing at Salzbergen. Train services. The Almelo–Salzbergen railway is used by the following passenger services: Train types. A wide variety of trains can be found regularly on the Almelo–Salzbergen railway: There are also large number of freight trains operating along the line.