Durchgang

Durchgang is a German noun meaning passage, corridor, or through passage. The word is formed from durch, meaning through, and Gang, meaning passage or corridor. It can denote either a physical space that allows movement from one area to another or, more abstractly, the idea of throughput within a system or process.

In architecture and urban design, a Durchgang is typically a covered passage or arcade that connects buildings or streets, or a corridor that leads through a block or between inner courtyards. Such passages may be open to the outdoors or lined with shops and are common in German-speaking cities as routes for pedestrians or commercial arcades. The term is sometimes used interchangeably with Passagen or Arkaden, though regional or stylistic nuances can apply.

In transportation and logistics, Durchgang appears in compound terms. A Durchgangsbahnhof is a railway station designed for through traffic, where trains do not terminate there. A Durchgangszug refers to a through train that continues to other destinations. Durchgangsverkehr describes traffic that passes through a place without stopping at its facilities or destinations. In production and service contexts, Durchlaufzeit or Durchgangszeit denotes the time needed for an item or case to pass through a process from start to finish.

Historically, the term also occurs in compounds such as Durchgangslager, referring to transit camps used to process and relocate people in migratory or wartime situations. The usage of Durchgang remains common across disciplines to express the notion of passage or through-ness.