A new bus stop hailed by the media as “Poland’s most beautiful” has opened in the city of Lublin after three years of construction and an investment of 340 million zlotys (78 million euros).
“This is not just a transfer point, but a symbol of progress, modernity and respect for the environment,” Lublin County Marshal Jarosław Stawiarski said at the station’s opening earlier this month.
“This is not a station suitable for 2024, but a station suitable for 2050,” Deputy Finance and Regional Policy Minister Jan Šiško was quoted as adding by a local newspaper. Jenik Vushodny.
Lublin Kiedi Ma Nagypienkniezy Dvorzec Wi Porsche pic.twitter.com/ZzfcUB2Ii3
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The new facility will be located near the city’s main train station and will serve as a hub for municipal, regional and long-distance transportation. The first bus to depart was bound for Kharkov, Ukraine.
The building’s most distinctive feature is its cup-shaped columns, which are likened to those at Singapore’s famous Gardens by the Bay. There is also a living “green wall” consisting of approximately 27,000 plants.
To reduce the facility’s environmental impact, its roof is equipped with solar panels and a rainwater harvesting system, and the ground level is equipped with “anti-smog” pavers that absorb pollutants from the air.
The building’s walls are made of glass, which has a low heat transfer rate, and geothermal heat pumps are used for heating, construction news website Murator Plus reports.
It also features a ticket counter with lowered windows for easier access for wheelchair users, and an induction loop for people with hearing loss. The main facilities are spread over one floor with no stairs or barriers, making them easily accessible for people with disabilities.
Last year, before its opening, the building was named 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.
Almost two-thirds of the 340 million zloty construction cost was covered by EU funds. The new facility is intended to replace a previous bus stop built in the 1970s, located elsewhere in the city of Aleja Tisien Cresia.
Former bus station in Lublin (Panek/Wikimedia Commonsbottom CC BY-SA 4.0)
However, newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza Please note that not all airlines will be moving to new facilities immediately. Some say there was too little time to prepare the new timetable. Others criticized the new location, saying buses would have to pass through busy streets, potentially adding 15 to 20 minutes to travel time.
For the time being, the city will operate a dedicated bus route connecting the old and new stations. All airlines are expected to move into the new facility by the end of the second quarter of this year.
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Main image credit: Miasto Lublin
Daniel Tilles is the editor-in-chief Notes from Poland. He has written for a wide range of publications on Polish issues. foreign policy, politiko europe, EU observer and Jenik Gazeta Prauna.
