Lublin is proud of its new and sleek bus station

It’s been hailed as the most beautiful in all of Poland

After a long 3-year wait Lublin residents can now use intercity bus services from their new bus station, which has been hailed by local media as the most beautiful in Poland. Given that we haven’t been to every bus station in the country we will take their word for it, but what’s sure is that the facility surely features some modernist and eye-catching design.

The new architectural jewel’s construction had a price tag of 340 million zloty (about 78 million euros), with two-thirds of these coming from European funds. The modern bus station, which is conveniently located near Lublin’s railway station, will take over the functions of the older bus terminal. For a while, both will be connected by shuttles, though, as not all operators will immediately move to the new facility. This midway state of things will go on until the end of June.

Award-winning building

The new Lublin bus station makes the city authorities and residents proud because even before it was completed it started winning architectural awards. Last year, for instance, it was named as best ecological project at Poland’s annual Green Building Awards. In 2019, while still in the concept stage, it was shortlisted for the World Building of the Year award.

The station reminds people of Singapore’s famous Gardens by the Bay thanks to its mushrooming pillars, which are sure to call the eye to attention.

What’s also exciting is the environmental performance profile of the facility. Its roof hosts solar panels and a rainwater recovery system while on the ground there are “anti-smog” paving stones that can absorb pollutants from the air.

The building’s walls are made from glass with a low heat transfer coefficient and ground source heat pumps are used for heating.

Additionally, the accessibility factor is also remarkable. Wheelchair users will not feel burdened or excluded thanks to lowered windows and a floor plan free of stairs or barriers.

Some critics, however, have pointed out that the new station’s location means that bus trips will be lengthened as they will have to go through busier streets than before, which in turn will also affect the traffic situation in Lublin.