Lublin Metropolitan Station turns one

A Milestone for Lublin

“One year ago, Lublin Metropolitan Station welcomed its first passengers. It was a significant, historic moment for our city and the entire region as we gained an exceptional transport hub. Since then, we have been steadily enhancing its functionality to better meet the needs of Lublin’s residents and visitors. Over the past 12 months, we have achieved our objectives, successfully launching this new facility and relocating transport operators to the Za Cukrownią district,” said Tomasz Fulara, Deputy Mayor of Lublin for Investments and Development.

Lublin Metropolitan Station is a comprehensive project funded by European grants, integrating urban, regional, national, international, and rail transport in one location. It is among the most environmentally friendly facilities of its kind in Poland, meeting the highest standards of sustainable development.

“From the perspective of the station’s management, I can confidently say that we have created a space that not only fulfills essential transport functions but also serves as a showcase for our city. The station serves 6,000 passengers daily, demonstrating the tangible results of the past year,” stated Grzegorz Malec, Director of the Roads and Public Transport Authority in Lublin.

Lublin Metropolitan Station by the Numbers

Currently, more than 85 transport operators use the station, with this number set to grow. Around 40 additional operators will soon join, offering services to residents and visitors. From Lublin Metropolitan Station, travellers can reach numerous destinations in Poland and abroad, including Bonn, Lyon, Étretat, Budapest, Marseille, Prague, Gdańsk, Toruń, Wetlina, Ustrzyki Dolne, and Ukraine. The station and its surroundings are served by 23 municipal bus lines, as well as the N3 night line.

Every day, between 6,000 and 10,000 passengers (an average of 8,000) travel to over 70 national and international destinations from the station. The facility features a comfortable waiting area on the first floor, along with ticket offices for urban, regional, national, and international transport. Passengers have access to dining outlets, snack vending machines, restrooms, luggage storage, mobile device charging stations, and a spacious underground car park operating on a Park & Ride system.

Lublin Metropolitan Station’s Awards

Lublin Metropolitan Station has earned numerous accolades. In the past year alone, it received recognition in the “Architecture – Public Buildings” category of the Property Design Awards 2024 and in the “Large Public Utility Facility” category of the architectural and urban competition “Accessibility Leader 2024.” It also received the “Icebreaker” award in the “Friendly Space” category for its contributions to people with disabilities and the architectural equivalent of an Oscar, the World Architecture Festival Award 2024, in the “Transport” category.

A Modern and Eco-Friendly Facility

Lublin Metropolitan Station is a three-storey building with a usable area of approximately 18,000 square metres and an underground Park & Ride garage for 174 vehicles. Nearby, there are bus platforms with an impressive glass roof supported by columns. An additional large car park with 122 spaces for buses and coaches awaiting departure is located close to the station.

The station offers multiple amenities for cyclists, including 72 Bike & Ride parking spaces and 1.3 km of cycling paths. The area around the station features functional and decorative infrastructure, offering travellers spaces for rest and relaxation. An innovative feature is the rooftop terrace, which includes recreational areas, walking paths, and panoramic views. The surrounding greenery comprises 100 newly planted trees and over 31,000 shrubs, climbers, perennials, and ornamental grasses. Additionally, a “green wall” covering 290 square metres is adorned with nearly 27,000 plants.

Eco-friendly solutions include a “building within a building” concept, where the main hall is enclosed by a low-thermal-transmittance glass wall. A southern-facing concrete wall with a map of Lublin absorbs heat during the day and releases it at night. The bus platforms’ glass roofs are embedded with photovoltaic panels. The station also features a grey water system that recycles rainwater for sanitation and plant irrigation. The underground car park is naturally ventilated through an atrium supporting air circulation. Passenger areas employ surface heating and cooling powered by a cascade of heat pumps. Anti-smog paving stones further enhance environmental sustainability.

Accessibility for All

The building and its surroundings are fully accessible to individuals with disabilities. Tactile paving guides are installed both inside and outside. Ticket counters are equipped with induction loops for the hearing-impaired. A comfort room is available on the ground floor. Parking spaces for individuals with disabilities are designated in the underground car park, along Dworcowa Street, and at Dworcowy Square. Platforms and public transport stops are equipped with visual displays and audio announcements.

EU-Funded Investment

The construction of Lublin Metropolitan Station and the redevelopment of the surrounding transport infrastructure is a key component of the Integrated Transport Centre for the Lublin Functional Area project. Co-financed by the European Union under the Regional Operational Programme of the Lubelskie Voivodeship 2014–2020, the project has a total value of nearly PLN 340 million, with over PLN 195 million provided through EU funding. In addition to the station, the EU project included the construction of a new exit from Lubelskiego Lipca ’80 Street to Dworcowa Street, the creation of a link between Dworcowa Street and Piłsudskiego Avenue, and the extension of Krochmalna Street to include a parking lot for buses and coaches awaiting departure, complete with a social and technical building featuring facilities for station staff and drivers.

Check out how it all started 👇