First calls to build a metro in Warsaw date as far back as 1903, and the first city metro project was created in 1917-1918 by Polish capital's officials. However, due to the turbulent winds of history, the first two underground trains in Poland set off from the Wilanowska station only on April 7, 1995 - almost exactly 10 years after the actual dig started.
"The opening was a grand event. Then Prime Minister Józef Oleksy, former Prime Minister Tadeusz Mazowiecki, members of parliament and Warsaw councillors from all clubs and many other esteemed guests attended. Of course, the builders of the metro were present as well - and the late Professor Jan Podoski, probably the greatest advocate of building an underground railway in Warsaw, who spoke about it even before the World War II" - recalled the then mayor of Warsaw, Marcin Święcicki, speaking for Polish Radio.
The only metro line in Poland at that time was 11 kilometres long and had 11 stations - and it was serviced by carriages imported from the USSR. Fast forward 30 years - and in April 2025 you will find the Warsaw metro expanded almost fourfold, including a second line. Today, its network consists of 39 stations in total, with the routes extending almost 40 km. And the passengers are now carried by dedicated modern Inspiro carriages, produced by Alstom and Skoda Varsovia.
The final stretch of the second line will be opened in Warsaw soon - and by 2026 the initial section of the third shall follow suit, with 5 lines projected in operation by 2050. And although for now it's still just Warsaw where the passengers can enjoy travelling by metro, design works have already begun in Kraków, and in many other Polish cities the idea is being discussed more boldly than ever.
On the M1 line's 30th anniversary, the Warsaw Metro has prepared several attractions. From the early morning hours of April 7, the passengers at the Świętokrzyska station will be greeted with dedicated anniversary sweets - and a timeline with the history of the Warsaw metro in a nutshell will be displayed on the station's multimedia walls. Furthermore, at 3:00 p.m. a jubilee mosaic will be ceremoniously unveiled on the mezzanine of the Wilanowska station - and a special exhibition dedicated to the metro history will be presented there as well.
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Source: PAP, IAR, Metro.waw.pl