Høje Taastrup railway station

Høje Taastrup station is a railway station in Høje-Taastrup Municipality in Greater Copenhagen, Denmark. The station constitutes an important transport hub for public transport in the western suburbs of Copenhagen.

The station opened in 1986 and is one of the largest in Denmark. It is located on the main line Copenhagen–Fredericia railway line which connects Copenhagen with Funen and Jutland. It is also the western terminus of the Taastrup radial of Copenhagen's S-train network. The station is further served by regional, InterCity and even international trains.

The station building's distinctive architecture with its three arches has become a symbol of Høje Taastrup Municipality.

History
Høje Taastrup railway station was ceremonially opened by Queen Margrethe II of Denmark on 31 May 1986 together with the extension of the Taastrup radial of Copenhagen's S-train network from Taastrup to Høje Taastrup. In the first years, only S-trains and regional trains called at the station, but since the opening of the 3rd and 4th railway track between Høje-Taastrup and Roskilde in 1988, all long-distance trains have also called at the station.

Architecture
The station was built to designs by the Danish architecture studio Jacob Blegvad A/S, which has also been responsible for urban development in the area around the station. The station building itself is located on a wide bridge that leads across the tracks, and which is also the location for a bus terminal. The postmodern building is dominated by three distinctive barrel vault arches which have become a symbol of the municipality, and have given rise to the moniker "The City of Arches" (Buernes By, which in a play on words sounds remarkably similar to the phrase Byernes By or "The City of Cities"). The artistic decoration of the station is made by the Danish painter and visual artist Henning Damgård-Sørensen.

At the south end of the station complex stands the sculpture Thor's Tower (Torstårnet), made by the Danish artist Bjørn Nørgaard in 1986. Standing 26.5 m high, it is the tallest sculpture in the Nordic countries. It consists of many different materials including some 20,000 glazed tiles, granite figures, grey and white concrete facing as well as various metals and coloured glass. The neon tubes encircling the central pillar shine at night. Inspired by Nordic mythology, the sculpture relies on the connection between Taastrup's etymological relationship with the god Thor.

Facilities
Inside the station building there is a combined ticket office and convenience store operated by 7-Eleven, ticket machines, waiting room, and toilets.

Immediately adjacent to the station is a large bus terminal. The station has a bicycle parking station as well as a free long-term car park with approximately 400 parking spaces.

Operations
Høje Taastrup station is the western terminus of S-train services B and Bx on the Taastrup radial. The station is further served by regional trains across Sjælland, InterCity trains to Funen and Jutland and even international trains to Sweden and Germany.