Mielec 2025-07-03

Mielec railway station.

Geographic coordinates: 50.292N 21.429E Elevation 157 m. Mielec station is located in the Lotników Housing Estate. Address Głowackiego Street 39-300 Mielec. Mielec station is located at 291.93 km of LK No. 25, elevation 157 m. There is one platform and two platform edges at the station. The city of Mielec in 2021 had a population of 59,509 inhabitants. In the southern head of the station, the viaduct DW No. 875 passes over the tracks. Mielec Południowy was a passing loop, which was eliminated (293.30 km, elevation 171 m). From Mielec along the railway line flows the Wisłok River, all the way to Dębica.

After the first partition of Poland in 1772, Mielec found itself in the Austrian partition, becoming part of the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria. The railway station in Mielec was launched on October 30, 1887, as a railway connection Dębica – Mielec – Tarnobrzeg – Sandomierz. Currently, it is LK Nr 25 Łódź Kaliska – Dębica. For decades, the station functioned as an important point in regional passenger and freight traffic. The station served the largest aircraft factory in Poland, WSK PZL Mielec, since 1938.

The first station building was built in 1887. It was a classic Austrian railway building from that period. However, the building was devoid of decorative architectural elements; rustication, cornices, projections, not to mention bas-reliefs. The building was two-storey, without a basement, with an undeveloped attic. The building had 6 axles. There were three exits from the track side. There was a porch with a side entrance from the station square side. The building was covered with a gable roof with a swallowtail from the station square side. The roof was covered with ceramic roof tiles. Around 1900, a ground-floor wing was added to the building, in which a restaurant was located.

It is not known how much the station building in Mielec suffered during its history. It was probably spared by both wars. Certainly, after World War II, the station was no longer practical and cramped. A decision was made to demolish it. In 1967, a new modernist station was built in its place, well adapted to the needs of the time. Due to the decrease in the number of passengers in the 1990s, the station building became a place for; a driver training center, a tailor’s workshop, a veterinary office and a shop. In 2015, the station was renovated, although there were no passenger trains.

In the 1990s, 8 pairs of passenger trains passed through Mielec station. You could go to the following stations: Dębica, Rozwadów, Tarnobrzeg, Sandomierz, Jaślany. The trains consisted of double-decker cars or “bonanza” and diesel locomotives of the SU45 or SM42 type. Freight trains mainly serviced the PZL Mielec plant, and currently SSE Europark Mielec. Due to underfunding and lack of regular repairs in 2009, passenger traffic was limited, and in 2011, completely suspended. Sporadic freight traffic was carried out.

It was not until the United Right government that the revitalization of the Dębica – Tarnobrzeg section of the route began. In 2018, an agreement was signed to co-finance the renovation of the Padew – Mielec – Dębica section. The value of the project was estimated at PLN 400 million. Some of the funds were obtained from the European Union. The renovation of Mielec station lasted from 2019 to 2021. The track layout and the organization of passenger traffic in the station area were completely rebuilt. The siding track that ran in front of the station building to the storage yard was eliminated. In 2019, the reinforced concrete footbridge over the tracks, which was built in the mid-1960s, was dismantled. A new high, double-edged island platform, 200 m long, was built. Previously, there was a low, ground platform. The platform received platform edges made of grey concrete slabs, measuring 2 m x 1 m. The slabs have yellow warning lines and buttons. The rest of the platform was made of grey pavement tiles, measuring 0.30 m x 0.30 m. Lighting, a passenger information system, bus shelters, and waste bins were installed. There are facilities for disabled people. The footbridge was replaced with a passenger tunnel. In addition to the stairs, elevators were installed. The tunnel was placed more conveniently for passengers, because it is closer to the bus station, which operates on the eastern side of the station. At the same time, the adjacent passenger stops were renovated: Chorzelów Południowy, Jaślan, Tuszów Narodowy, Wojsław, Mielec Wolności. The Chorzelów stations were renovated.

On September 1, 2021, after a 12-year break, regular passenger traffic was resumed. A local train was launched on the Dębica – Mielec section. In November 2022, the renovation to Padew Narodowa station was completed. The travel time was shortened and the number of passenger stops increased. In December 2024, long-distance PKP InterCity “Hetman” connections were also launched on the Kraków-Hrubieszów route. After 15 years, Mielec was reincorporated into the national long-distance network.

There are plans to dismantle the current station and erect a new building. The building is to be modular, similar to new stations, such as the Świdnik Miasto station. The building is to house a ticket office, a waiting room with a zone for small children, a toilet, ticket machines and others. The building is to have a clock tower, monitoring, a fire protection system, pro-ecological solutions. For safety reasons, the building is to be richly glazed. The possible implementation of the plans may take place in the second half of 2026.

In the northern part of Mielec station, another tunnel was built under the tracks, which is accessible to cyclists and wheelchair users. The tunnel connects the streets: Drzewieckiego – Kazimierza Jagiellończyka. Previously, there was a pedestrian crossing at this location at the track level, which was dangerous. There is also a small locomotive shed at this location. There is also a large loading yard at the station, which is still in use.

Thanks to the investments made, Mielec has returned to the rail map. On July 2, 2025, 19 passenger trains departed from Mielec station. It was possible to reach the following stations: Dębica, Kraków Główny, Padew, Rzeszów Główny, Zamość, Hrubieszów Miasto. The transport is operated by carriers PolRegio Podkarpackie Province, InterCity. There are two long-distance trains: InterCity 32112 Hetman, Kraków Główny – Zamość – Hrubieszów and InterCity 32110 Kasztelan, Kraków Główny – Zamość – Hrubieszów. The Kasztelan train is operated by SZT SD85, while Hetman is operated by classic SU160 cars and locomotives.

Railway line No. 25 in the Podkarpackie province.

In January 2011, PKP PLK announced a tender for a study on the renovation of LK No. 25 Łódź Kaliska – Dębica, on the Tarnobrzeg (Ocice) – Mielec – Dębica section. The cost of the renovation was estimated at PLN 400 million. This included work not only on LK No. 25, but also No. 74 and 78 on the Stalowa Wola – Tarnobrzeg – Sandomierz – Ocice – Padew section. The tender was not organized until 2015. The works were planned to be carried out in the period 2017-2020. Due to the high cost of the works, it was difficult to obtain appropriate financial resources. The works were started in 2020. The contract included the replacement of 32 km of tracks, modernization of 40 rail-road crossings, renovation of 6 bridges and 31 culverts. The scope of the works included the renovation of platforms at stations and passenger stops. Freight train traffic on the Mielec – Kochanówka Pustków section was launched on September 3, 2020. On June 4, 2021, PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe announced the resumption of freight rail traffic on the Kochanówka Pustków – Dębica section and announced a tender for the performance of renovation works on the railway line on the Mielec – Padew section and a tender for the construction of a second underpass in Mielec. On September 1, 2021, passenger train traffic was resumed to the railway station in Mielec on the railway line on the Mielec – Dębica section.

In September 2024, InterCity announced the return of long-distance passenger rail connections on LK No. 25 on the Dębica – Mielec – Tarnobrzeg section in the form of the InterCity 23112 Hetman train on the Kraków Główny – Hrubieszów Miasto route, which took place as announced on December 15, 2024. The problem is that this section is not electrified, and the competing section is electrified, the Ocice – Rzeszów section (LK No. 71). Currently (May 2025) from Mielec station, 17 trains of the PolRegio carrier and an InterCity Hetman train depart during the day. From Mielec station you could go to the following stations: Dębica, Kraków Główny, Panew, Rzeszów Główny, Zamość.

Eastern Poland is focusing on good railways. On December 30, 2024, an agreement was signed to co-finance the modernization of railway lines No. 25, 74, 78 on the Stalowa Wola – Tarnobrzeg – Sandomierz – Ocice – Padew section. This is an investment that will complete the railway system in the southern part of the macroregion. The total cost will be PLN 1.156 billion, of which PLN 798.7 million is co-financing from the European Funds for Eastern Poland program. The modernization will cover three sections of railway lines in the Podkarpackie and Świętokrzyskie voivodeships: LK No. 25 on the Sandomierz – Padew section, LK No. 74 on the Stalowa Wola Rozwadów – Tarnobrzeg section, LK No. 78 on the Sandomierz – Grębów section.

The project will involve replacing the track surface and modernizing the traction network. Eight railway bridges will be rebuilt. In addition, three railway stations will be renovated (Grębów, Tarnobrzeg and Chmielów) and three passenger stops (Wielowieś, Dąbrowica Małopolska, Turbia). Residents will also gain seven completely new stops where trains will stop (Tarnobrzeg Sobów, Tarnobrzeg Ocice, Tarnobrzeg Olszynka, Kępie Zaleszańskie, Zbydniów, Skopanie, Padew Narodowa). The works will last until 2028.

Written by Karol Placha Hetman