The capital of Poland, Warsaw (Warszawa), has some 1.7 million inhabitants. Whereas most cities with more than a million inhabitants in Eastern Europe built a metro under communist regimes, Warsaw (and Sofia) did not open its first line until democracy came to Poland, although plans for a 4-line network, which should eventually have more than 100 km, had been designed some time ago.

Line 1 opened in April 1995 between its southern terminus Kabaty and Politechnika (11.5 km, all underground). On 26 May 1998 Centrum station was inaugurated as the largest station on the line, situated just north of an east-west railway tunnel built in the 1930's and close to the city's main railway station. Between Politechnika and Centrum another station called Plac Konstytucji was planned and might be built later to provide transfer to the future Line 3. An extension towards the north with two stations opened on 11 May 2001 - Świętokrzyska (now interchange with Line 2) and Ratusz (1.7 km). Initially Russian-built rolling stock (60 cars of 81-series, identical to those operating in Moscow, Prague, St. Petersburg, etc.) was bought, but in spring 1998 more than 108 new cars were ordered from GEC Alsthom. The first new cars were delivered in Oct. 2000.

The first section of the first metro line, from Kabaty to Wilanowska was built by the cut-and-cover method, the so-called Berlin Method. The section through the city centre was built using a tunnel boring machine for two 5.5m single-track tunnels.

Gradually the line was extended further north, in 2003 to Dworzec Gdański, in 2005 to Plac Wilsona, in 2006 to Marymont and in 2008 to Słodowiec. Eventually it reached Młociny in the north of the city in Oct 2008, with two intermediate stations: Stare Bielany, Wawrzyszew and Młociny. The last 4 stations were built with 4.5 m wide side platforms. Tunnels along the northern section were realised by the cut-and-cover method. The terminus Młociny is a major interchange hub, with facilities for park and ride, transfer to existing tram and bus lines, as well as a new 'fast tram' which will cross the river along a new bridge to the Tarchomin district.

Initially two more stations, Plac Konstytucji (between Politechnika and Centrum), and Muranów (between Ratusz and Dworzec Gdański) were planned but shelved for financial reasons.

The current length of the line is 22.6 km with 21 stations (10/2008).

07 April 1995: Kabaty - Politechnika (11.5 km)
26 May 1998: Politechnika - Centrum (1.5 km)
11 May 2001: Centrum - Ratusz (1.7 km)
20 Dec 2003: Ratusz - Dworzec Gdański (1.5 km)
08 Apr 2005: Dworzec Gdański - Plac Wilsona (1.5 km)
29 Dec 2006: Plac Wilsona - Marymont (0.9 km - shuttle service only)
20 Mar 2008: Plac Wilsona - Marymont (normal service)
23 Apr 2008: Marymont - Słodowiec (1.0 km)
25 Oct 2008: Słodowiec - Młociny (3.0 km)

View photos of all Line M1 stations

The initial 6.1 km section of Line 2 finally opened in early 2015. It was excavated by tunnel boring machines. Interchange with Line 1 is provided at Świętokrzyska station. All the stations on the original segment have a similar design, but each with a different colour assigned. The line is operated by a fleet of 20 six-car Inspiro metro trains supplied by Siemens/Newag.

08 Mar 2015: Rondo Daszyńskiego – Dworzec Wileński (6.1 km)
15 Sept 2019: Dworzec Wileński – Trocka (3.1 km)
04 Apr 2020: Rondo Daszynskiego – Ksiecia Janusza (3.4 km)
30 Jun 2022: Ksiecia Janusza – Bemowo (2.1 km)
28 Sept 2022: Trocka – Bródno (3.9 km)

 Projects

Line 2 is further being extended at the western end, with three more stations to Karolin (4 km). Line 3 is planned to run from Stadion Narodowy via Dworzec Wschodni to Goclaw in the southeast.

More information at the Warsaw Metro website

Apart from the new metro there is also a light rail line, opened in 1925, running partly in tunnel in the city centre (parallel to PKP rail tracks) and then out to the western suburbs. This was the first electrified railway line in Poland and is 33 km long. Its city terminus Śródmieście WKD is located next to the Central Railway Station. A 2 km long extension from Salomea to the airport might be built in the future (see WKD's web site).

NEW:

Robert Schwandl's

TRAM ATLAS MITTELEUROPA | CENTRAL EUROPE (incl. Poland)

This illustrated atlas includes every tramway system in East-Central Europe, from Poland via Czechia and Slovakia to Hungary. The atlas also covers the three metro systems in the region, as well as trolleybuses in cities with tramways.
The detailed maps show all the stops, loops, single-track sections, depots and more. All the current vehicles are listed in tables and depicted in numerous colour photographs.

10/2024, Text deutsch/English, ISBN 978 3 936573 76 3, EUR 24.50 - For more info & sample pages click here!

Zarzad Transportu Miejskiego (Public Transport in Warsaw)

WKD (Warszawska Kolej Dojazdowa)

Koleje Mazowieckie - Suburban Railways

SKM Szybka Kolej Miejska (Suburban Rail)

Warsaw Metro & WKD at Wikipedia.pl

Metro Warszawskie by Piotr Pietrzak

 BLOG: Read your webmaster's impressions of the Warsaw urban rail system after a visit in Aug. 2015

Warsaw Metro Report - July 2003 (Personal Impressions by Robert Schwandl)